HIGHLIGHTS
Immerse yourself in the avian diversity of Belize. You will be guided by expert birders along freshwater lagoons, streams, forest and savanna of the Lamani, Mountain Pine Ridge and a glance at the itinerary will reveal your potential sightings.
A great itinerary for the independent birders, this tour takes you to three very comfortable jungle lodges in differing habitat.
HIGHLIGHTS
Enjoy 4 nights in the Cayo District, located in the western interior of Belize. This area encompasses a large portion of the Maya Mountains and has more than its fair share of ancient Maya sites to visit and explore, such as Caracol, Xunantunich, and Cahal Pech.
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The Spa at Chaa Creek offers a tranquil and extraordinary sensory environment that promotes harmony between inner and outer self. Specialized therapists will help you choose from a variety of personalized treatments designed to enhance individual beauty while promoting health and a sense of wellbeing. Sunny and sensuous. Rejuvenate your body and your spirit!
HIGHLIGHTS
Belize is a small country of only around 250,000 citizens and is largely undeveloped, with more than 30 percent of its land protected. This small area supports some 543 species of birds. No destination or birding site is too far away and the birding here includes hiking along pristine jungle trails, canoeing quiet lakes and rivers, and climbing ancient Mayan ruins. Birding Belize is an amazing mix of nature and culture.
HIGHLIGHTS
Hidden Valley Inn is located high in the Mountain Pine Ridge in the Cayo District of Belize, Central America. This remote lodge, situated amidst 7200 acres of private reserve, offers guests both pine forest and tropical jungle where the flora and fauna are like few places on earth. At an altitude of over 2000 feet, the climate of the Mountain Pine Ridge is comfortable year round with an average annual temperature of 73°F.
The Concept
Hidden Valley Inn, a luxury boutique hotel with only 12 cottages, is located on a 7,200 acre private reserve in the Mountain Pine Ridge area of Belize. This intimate eco resort offers quality accommodation, delicious food and attentive service in a natural unspoiled environment. The flora and fauna here are like no place on earth.
The Concept
Read about our 2009 visit!
The Lodge & Spa at Chaa Creek sits on a private 365-acre nature reserve set along Macal River in the Maya Mountains foothills. Chaa Creek has provided a unique adventure travel experience for many modern-day explorers, while maintaining an unspoiled ambience. Chaa Creek caters to the traveler looking for both physical and intellectual challenges, and a range of activities have been designed to stimulate interest in the environment, culture and archaeology of Belize.
The Galapagos Islands offer a unique interaction with nature and their name is synonymous with survival and the celebration of the diversity of species on earth. It has been more than 450 years since their discovery and the islands remain largely intact thanks to the conservation efforts of the Galapagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Research Station.
From your comfortable base aboard the Eclipse, you will be able to explore the best visitor sites. There are many opportunities to hike, swim, snorkel, kayak, bird-watch and take great close-up photographs of the flora and fauna. For land visits, passengers are divided into groups of a maximum of twelve people, each with its own naturalist guide. Groups can be divided according to the physical conditions of the passengers. On the islands you will follow trails, walking at a leisurely pace, with your guide explaining the unusual sights you see. Afterwards, there is often an opportunity to swim and snorkel before returning to the Eclipse.
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Guatemalan folklore is possibly the most interesting and varied in the world. One of the best expressions of this can be seen in local textiles, which incorporate more than 325 variations of styles and color schemes, each one with its own historically symbolic meaning. Markets dot the countryside and offer a fascinating insight into the Maya Culture, and a great opportunity to see the Maya people dressed in their traditional textiles.
HIGHLIGHTS
In Guatemala, the land of eternal spring, we invite you to commune and comtemplate.
Each day includes a yoga session and healthy food, but also offers a glimpse into local life. We spend 3 nights each in Antigua, the cultural center, and Lake Atitlan, the heart of the Guatemalan highlands.
We also visit a local women's textile coop to see the backstrap method, the natural dye process, and the symbolism of the articles they weave, so much a part of the lives of the local population. And we visit the famous Chichicastenango Market.
On the way to Lake Atitlan, a chance to participate in a shaman ceremony may be the highlight of the week. Indeed you will find your center here.
Highlights
Guatemala is a small exotic country in Central America located just below south-west Mexico and also bordering Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. It is made up of 22 different departments (states) with a diverse geography including 33 volcanoes, highland areas, cloud forest, rainforest and even desert. The country offers visitors a unique cultural experience as well as access to some stunning scenery and the world’s most important Maya archaeology sites.
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During Holy Week, Antigua, Guatemala hosts the most beautiful religious celebration in the Americas, when huge processions wind their way through the town’s streets. Actually, the celebration begins on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and reaches its climax on Good Friday, when Antigua streets are thronged with processions and reverent spectators. The processions consist of big floats, or 'andas', bearing statues of Christ with a cross, that are carried by hundreds of purple-robed men. A float with the Virgin Mary follows by women dressed in black clothing.
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This unique Mayan adventure on the Usumacinta River takes you on intimate visits to many ancient Mayan cities, all accompanied by our well-versed Mayanist guide. Utilizing the waterways, back roads, and local trails, like the Maya did years ago, this trip shows you some of the best remaining examples of the lost Mayan civilization.
Tikal, in the Peten of Guatemala; Palenque, in Mexico, and Yaxchilan in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, are just some of the incredible sites that you will explore. Our river company has 20+ years of experience in the region, giving you a safe and unforgettable journey. Our Mayanist guide will walk back in history to another world.
The Usu one of our favorite trips, a mix of history, nature, culture, biology, and outdoor activity.
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Panama is a country so small, yet filled with lush rainforests, wildlife, and a rich cultural heritage. On your discovery you'll to view the Panama Canal, ride the first transcontinental train, and snorkel in the Caribbean Sea. You'll travel by motorized canoe and visit an Embera Village, where villagers live in traditional thatched huts. In the Highlands you'll zip through the cloud forest canopy on a zip line and experience coffee from bean to cup.
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Explore the Panamá Canal as you voyage across Lake Gatun, and also actually sail through the canal! You'll visit two thriving indigenous cultures, the Kuna of San Blas (stunning Caribbean islands pictured here) and the Embera of the Chagres River basin. The highlands will immerse you in an entirely different environment, surrounded by cloud forest environments filled with life, where you can hike and visit a coffee plantation. You'll also tour cosmopolitan Panama City. This is the best of Panamá!
HIGHLIGHTS
This is an in-depth exploration of avian diversity across the isthmus. Bird watching in Panama can be very easy and rewarding. Its geographical position allows contact with two great mother lodes of avian diversity. This comprehensive tour covers all major birding sites, and is guided by some of the best bird guides in the country. In total the country of Panama boasts an impressive list of over 960 species.
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An exploration to find the Harpy Eagle, the world’s most powerful bird of prey and Panama’s national bird. This unforgettable adventure takes place along the historic Gulf of San Miguel, accessable by boat. Explore the Punta Patiño Reserve on foot, stay overnight in a thatched roof cabana with the indigeneous peoples of the Embera Mogue community and hike through primary rainforest to the nest of the Harpy Eagle!
As of January 2010, the eagle is nesting!
HIGHLIGHTS
Centuries before construction began on the Panama Railroad and Canal, the 'path between the seas' was just that: a Spanish-built cobblestone thoroughfare winding 50 miles across the Central American isthmus. You can now follow in their footsteps, hiking the Camino Real through the rainforest of Chagres Park. This is true adventure! You'll tent camp for three nights, and spend one night in an Embera Indian village, culminating at the Caribbean sea.
The Concept
Since 1914, the Panamonte Inn & Spa has hosted travelers and explorers the world over. The Inn is owned and run by the Collins-Elliot family, who for more than 50 years has harmoniously blended their Scandinavian traditions with the friendliness and natural beauty of Boquete. The Panamonte is the perfect base for exploring the Chiriquí Highlands, and it is the only full-service lodging option in Boquete, offering a deluxe SPA, fireside lounge, excursion planning, and a regionally renowned gourmet restaurant.
The Concept
The Canopy Lodge in El Valle de Antón, a project of businessman and conservationist Raúl Arias de Parra, is built next to a lovely mountain stream and adjacent to the protected area of Cerro Gaital Natural Monument.
Inches from your bedroom window, the cloud forest canopy is riotous with early morning bird life....Your birding guide leads you along a narrow forest trail beside the stream past a waterfall, then up into the cloud forest. The sounds and rewarding sight of new birds is constant..This is some of the best tropical birding there is!
