Calling all birders. On this specialty-themed day trip to Military Macaw Sanctuary, you’ll get up close and personal with dozens of local avian species at three unique locations, including Los Arcos, Las Juntas y Los Veranos, and the endangered macaw reserve. Small-group tours include a tasty continental breakfast and complimentary refreshments, plus private transfers in a climate-controlled minivan.

A small-group day trip to Los Arcos, Las Juntas y Los Veranos, and the Military Macaw Sanctuary
Relax and enjoy an all-inclusive, VIP travel experience, with snacks, refreshments, and a breakfast spread
Get in-depth information on each different bird species from your own personal group guide
Don’t forget to bring those telephoto lenses: tours include first-rate photography opportunities

What's Included

Breakfast
Group transportation in van A/C to/from
Telescope and binoculars available
Check list and Field guides
Snacks
Donation to Rancho Primavera
Travel insurance

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Ecotours Vallarta / Dive Shop
Proa 20, Marina Vallarta, 48335 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico
Located near the ramp at the end of calle proa, 1/2 block beyond the " 8 Tostadas" restaurant.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Ecotours Vallarta

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

El Tuito

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
Not recommended for travelers with Knee problems
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 7 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

19 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-5 of 19 reviews

Great Nature Tour

Parth_V, Mar 2024

Michael was our tour guide and he was excellent! We saw more than 60+ bird spices including some endemic ones and also some rare sightings. Highly recommend.

Birding Adventure

Sinead_W, Mar 2024

Cynthia led a wonderful tour for us through the highlands to multiple birding hotspots. I can't say enough about her knowledge, positive attitude, and passion for not only birds but also the communities we visited. It was nice to see areas outside of the city, and to patronize local businesses as part of the tour. The small group size was wonderful, and allowed us to learn from each other without any overcrowding. We saw ~69 species in total. The geographic location is one-of-a-kind - it's an area where the tropical forest/jungle meets the mountain (alpine?) forest. For those curious about how the day went: - Started in PV just before dawn (6:45) and drove 45-60 minutes to a very small town, where Cynthia purchased coffee and pastries for us from a fantastic bakery that prepares them in large clay ovens - Continued another ~15 minutes to the first stop, where we got out and spent some time birding. Cynthia provided some other snacks (granola bars, fruit). This is a truly unknown spot.. we would have never found it otherwise. Personal highlights were the Masked Tityra and Black-headed Siskin. - Continued on through some small communities to a Macaw Sanctuary. Here, we got to see Macaws and other birds that were being rehabilitated, as well as an abundance of wild birds. Cynthia was very familiar with the owners and provided donations on behalf of tour members. We went to a couple locations within the sanctuary, and were the only group there (apart from people staying in the cabins on-site). So many highlights here, including a Russet-crowned Motmot; Squirrel Cuckoo; Cinnamon, Calliope, and Plain-capped Starthroat hummingbirds; Painted Buntings; White-faced Ibis; Sora; Indigo Buntings; Blue Grosbeaks; Groove-billed Ani... the list goes on - After the sanctuary, we moved onto the town of El Tuito, where we stopped at a local restaurant for snacks and drinks, courtesy of Ecotours (larger plates/additional drinks are pay-your-own). Here, we went through the bird list together. - Drove back 60-90 minutes. Definitely a bumpy and trafficky ride! Couple good things to note: - Binoculars available to borrow - The van is BUMPY. The roads are not smooth but the van itself also isn't... If you've even once gotten carsick, highly recommend taking a gravol before the journey. (Not Cynthia's fault at all - just the combo of road/van). - There isn't much walking on this tour. Lots of standing to look at birds, but you drive between all locations, even at the sanctuary. If you're looking to hike, this isn't for you! - There are washrooms at the sanctuary (~2-3 hours in) and at the restaurant in El Tuito, as well as at Ecotours in PV. - Keep an eye out for birds as you drive! Cynthia was happy to stop as she and other group members noticed birds (this is how we spotted the motmot!) - This is a trip for birders (obvious, I know). You'll enjoy it no matter your skill level. The other folks on our tour were definitely experienced with impressive gear, a couple of whom had been on other tours with Cynthia in the past (which speaks to her quality as a guide). As a newbie, I learned a lot from them!

My tour was with Cynthia. This young lady really knows her stuff. Her voice recognition was impressive.

craig_u, Nov 2023

Cynthia was able to spot the subjects and ID them very quickly. I was really impressed with her skills. As a photographer, the only one on our trip she kept me very busy.

An excellent birdwatching day trip!

Jess_O, Oct 2021

Absolutely fantastic! It was a great opportunity to see a good variety of different bird species. Cynthia was an excellent guide with great local knowledge. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone trying to add some new species to their list.

Soggy start turned out beautiful

David_F, Sep 2021

Cynthia, our guide took us to some excellent spots. We saw all kinds of species. Citreoline trogon, happy wren, masked tityra, and many others. Some resident and some very early migrant birds. It was a very good experience, I’ll definitely do it again. Thank you

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What's Included

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

End point

What To Expect

Additional Info

Cancellation Policy

Traveler Photos

Reviews

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