Mexico: Recommended Group Tours (1 Viewer)

[visigoth]

I posted this in Say Hello, and it was suggested that I re-post it here:

I'm a travel writer, and a novice birdwatcher. I've been approached to do a Mexican feature for a magazine, and I'm thinking of suggesting an article on birding for beginners -- specifically, I would take a group tour in Mexico, and provide an idiot's eye view.

Which birding companies do you recommend? Or is a tour simply a bad idea, period? (I could haul out my Howell and Webb and go wandering; but I really am kind of clueless.)

These are the companies I've heard good things about: Victor Emanuel, Field Guides, Westwings. And the ABA actually endorses certain tours (although they seem to get money out of doing so; does that render their endorsement worthless?)

Hope you don't feel I'm diving in here and asking you to do my homework for me... (this *is* my homework).

 

[visigoth]

Hm... this question doesn't seem to have captured the public imagination here. Perhaps a question directed more at Mexican specialists would find a response: does anyone here have experience setting up *custom* tour in Mexico, with expert guides? Any recommendations?

 

[Bill Atwood]

You might try ProNatura, a conservation entity within Mexico that also does some ecotourism.

 

[visigoth]

Thanks Bill. I'm also going to look into David McCauley's raptor tours... although I sense the migration's not the right time of year for me.

Veracruz is an interesting thought -- it would be nice to cover an area not birded to death.

 

[Dave B Smith]

I'm also going to look into David McCauley's raptor tours... although I sense the migration's not the right time of year for me.

Veracruz is an interesting thought -- it would be nice to cover an area not birded to death.

David McCauley also will do private trips I believe. He's a member on the Birdforum under "aplomado2u" so you could always drop him a PM.

Another good guide is David Bacab who runs Celestun Expeditions (and often guides Mexico trips for the big name companies). You may be able to contact him at celexp "at" dyred.com.mx (if this email no longer works, try a web search).

Certainly, if neither can work something out with you that suits your timing they can probably help with further contacts. Good luck,

 

[Alf King]

there are many UK companies that offer tours. Natutretrek is only one example http://www.naturetrek.co.uk/wildlife-holidays-in-americas/country.asp?ID=79

Also check out www.fatbirder.com for useful links.

HTH

 

[Rick Wright Tucson]

How about west Mexico?

If you want someplace 'off the beaten track', try west Mexico, especially Sonora or Sinaloa. I'm doing an IFO workshop for the ABA in October; from your point of view, this might be a great chance to deal with several interesting matters at once: a relatively underbirded area, an ABA-sponsored event, a site desperately in need of even more conservation support, great birds, the transition from hunting tourism to ornithotourism, the relationship between local poverty and touristic wealth, and on and on.
http://americanbirding.org/ifo/workshops/2007tropical.html
Best wishes,

 

[visigoth]

Thanks for all this info! Sonora is in fact what I think I've settled on -- a few days one on one with a birding expert....