MEXICO: Veracruz “River of Raptors”
TOUR FOCUS
BIRDS & WILDLIFE
SCHEDULED TOURS
TRIP LEADERS
TOUR COST
From: $3,950 (See details)
Cost is per person, double occupancy from Veracruz City, Veracruz, Mexico (VER)
GROUP SIZE
5 - 10 Participants
AVAILABILITY
2025: 10 spaces available
PRIVATE TOUR OPTION
This tour is available as a private trip for any size group. The tour cost will vary with the number of people and any custom requests.
TESTIMONIALS
Highlights of MEXICO: Veracruz “River of Raptors”
Description of MEXICO: Veracruz “River of Raptors”
This special tour to the Veracruz region of Mexico features the “River of Raptors,” one of the great natural phenomenons on earth. We will participate in the world’s most spectacular hawkwatch, where single day counts have exceeded over 700,000 raptors, and the one-day record is 1.5 million!
Fall season Pronatura hawk-counters have recorded an average of five million birds of prey per year. Besides enjoying this staggering spectacle of raptors, we will visit a variety of habitats and quaint villages, where local avifauna, raptors and North American migrants are enjoyed. This area ranks among the better places in the Americas to observe eastern and western passerine migrants and wintering birds side-by-side in the same locality. We can expect over 200-250 species, including over 25 species of raptors, a possible 15 species of hummingbirds and numerous endemics.
We will also get a chance to enjoy some of the local culture, when we visit the small town of La Antigua where Cortez established the first Spanish colony in 1520; the 13th century Totonacan ruins at Cempoala, built by a native people who were conquered by the Aztecs and later joined Cortez during the conquest of Mexico’s Tenotichtlan, as well as a visit to the Museo de Antropologia in Xalapa, famous for its collection of colossal heads of Olmecs dating back to 900BC, as well as Quiahuiztlan, a totonac burial site situated on a spectacular monolith overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
In the coastal lowlands we will visit La Mancha Biological Station, a research site with mangroves, a beautiful beach and a coastal lagoon. Possible local birds include Laughing Falcon, Zone-tailed and Black Hawks, with a chance for Boat-billed Heron. Las Barrancas is a vast grassland savannah that holds Double-striped Thick-knee, Aplomado Falcon, Common Tody-Flycatcher and Plain-breasted Ground-Dove and in areas of wet meadows Pinnated Bittern and Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture. We make a special trip to visit the shade coffee plantation at El (Rancho) Mirador. This exceptional place hosts Keel-billed Toucan, Bat Falcon and Lesson’s Motmot and Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, amongst many other birds. For butterfly enthusiasts this is an outstanding location.
Based out of Xalapa, a quaint colonial capitol in the mountains west of Cardel, we will visit the cloud forest at Macuiltepetl Ecological Park. This wonderful park that holds two endemics, Blue Mockingbird and Blue-capped Motmot, and White-naped Brush-Finch, as well as several species of hummingbirds including Azure-crowned and Berylline, and, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing. We enjoy a visit to the Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanical Garden, where White-fronted Parrot and Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch are possible, and with good weather this is another excellent spot for butterflies. A stop at private ranch may yield an abundance of hummingbirds including Rivoli’s, Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem, Violet Sabrewing and White-bellied Emerald. Several areas of high-elevation pine forest/oak habitat, such as at Las Minas and La Joya, provide opportunities to observe the endemic Red Warbler, Bee Hummingbird, Striped Sparrow, as well as Rufous-capped Brush Finch, Russet Nightingale-Thrush and Gray Silky-Flycatcher. In past visits, large feeding flocks of mixed passerines, including Slate-throated Redstarts, Golden-browned, Crescent-chested, Olive, Hermit and Townsend’s Warblers and many other special birds provided very exciting birding opportunities.
“The spectacle of thousands of raptors streaming and kettling overhead can hardly be described in words. Every birder should experience Veracruz at least once in their lifetime.” – Deborah B., Philadelphia, PA
Length of Tour
10-days/9-nights
Day 1: Arrive at Veracruz Airport/Transfer to Hotel Mocambo
Arrive at Veracruz City International Airport (airport code VER) to meet your guides and travel by van to Hotel Mocambo for an overnight along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico.
DAY 2: Travel to Cardel & Cempoala / Hotel Bienvenido
Light birding walk at Hotel Mocambo gardens and beach, possible birds may include Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Great Kiskadee, Social Flycatcher, Buff-bellied Hummingbird as well as migrant songbirds and shorebirds. After breakfast, we’ll depart to Cardel for our first day of hawk watching at one of the River of Raptors two hawkwatch sites on the rooftop of Hotel Bienvenido.
After lunch, and only if the hawk flight is waning, we have a late afternoon visit to the Cempoala ruins, a pre-hispanic settlement of the Totanac culture.
DAY 3: Juan Angel beach & La Antigua/Hotel Bienvenido
This morning we’ll visit Juan Angel beach seeking Altamira Oriol, Scrub Euphonia, Aplomado Falcon and Fork-tailed Flycatcher plus shorebirds along of the river.
Lunch in Cardel and more hawk watching until it wanes, then a late afternoon visit to the small town of La Antigua to visit the ancient house of Hernan Cortez and other historical places, followed by a boat ride on La Antigua River to seek Ringed and Amazon Kingfishers, Rose-throated Becard and Common Black Hawk plus more shorebirds and wading birds.
PLEASE NOTE: Each day’s plans may change along the way as weather, bird and wildlife activity, or other conditions insist. However, plan on early days and late evenings… and lots of fun. You can sleep when you get home!
Day 4: Villa Rica beach & Chichicaxtle/Hotel Casabella
Early morning visit to Villa Rica, a small coastal village where Hernan Cortez made first contact with the Totonacs, to look for White-fronted and Yellow-headed Parrots, Laughing Falcon, Crested Cararaca, White-bellied Whistling Duck and many migrant songbirds and shorebirds at the nearby lagoon.
After a short visit to the Quiahuixtlan archeological site on the side of a hill overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, we’ll have lunch in Cardel and afternoon visit to the River of Raptors main hawk watching site, Chichicaxtle. We will then travel to Coatepec city to enjoy some birding in the highlands of Veracruz before dinner.
Day 5: Coatepec & Xalapa/Hotel Casabella
Our first birding walk in Xalapa will be at the Macuiltepetl Ecological Park that surrounds an extinct volcano in the middle of the city. In the beautiful cloud forest there, we will search for the Blue Mockingbird, Blue-crowned Motmot, Golden-crowned Warbler, Slate-throated Redstart and Green Jays. Many migratory warblers also can be found in the area.
Around noon we will visit the Anthropological Museum of Xalapa where some of the best displays in the world from the Olmec and Totonacan cultures can be seen. Some local cuisine for lunch and then a late afternoon visit to Texolo waterfalls (depending on accessibility, which varies with weather) or Xalapa’s Botanical Garden, where White-crowned Parrot, Bananaquit and Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch are possible.
Day 6: Veracruz highlands/Hotel Casabella
On this day we will travel even higher in the mountains, to oak-pine forest to find Red Warbler, Crescent-chested and Golden-browed Warblers, White-eared Hummingbird and other pine forest birds. Lunch on our way back to Coatepec and then a well-earned evening of relaxation in town for you to roam or have a nap in the hotel before dinner.
DAY 7: Natura park & Chichicaxtle/Hotel Puente Nacional
This morning, we pack up and go to Parque Natura, a park just outside Xalapa with a mixture of old coffee plantations and restored cloud forest. Rusty Sparrow, Squirrel Cuckoo, Azure-crowned Hummingbird are among the birds that occur in this park as well as many migrant birds. Lunch in a little town on our way to Chichicaxtle for some more hawk watching and in late afternoon we travel back to Cardel.
DAY 8: El Mirador/Hotel Imperial
El Mirador is an old hacienda dating back to the late 1800’s. In the morning, we will visit the hacienda’s “shade grown” coffee plantation that is mixed with patches of the original rainforest that is characteristic of the area. Keel-billed Toucan and Collared Aracari are resident here as well as Collared and Gartered Trogons.
Mid-morning picnic style brunch surrounded by birds and forest and on to look for Ivory-billed and Olivaceous Woodcreppers and much more. Then lunch and one last visit to one of the hawk watch sites before heading to Veracruz City.
DAY 9: Las Barrancas/Hotel Imperial
This morning we travel south to the grasslands and wetlands of Alvarado where, on the road to Las Barrancas we will search for Double-striped Thick Knees, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Pinnated Bittern, Snail Kite, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture and Mangrove Swallow.
Lunch at a local seafood restaurant before heading back to Veracruz City for a free afternoon to rest and pack or to walk the zocalo and malecon to shop for souvenirs. Dinner at a traditional restaurant nearby.
DAY 10: DEPARTURE DAY
Plan departure flights at any time today, your airport transfer will be planned accordingly.
NOTES
Cost
Cost is $3,950 per person, based upon double occupancy, from Veracruz City, Veracruz, Mexico (Airport code VER).
This trip ends in same as arrival city (Airport code VER).
Cost Includes
Included in the cost are airport transfers, all accommodations, meals, transportation, boat rides, entrance fees and services of your professional leader(s).
Cost does not Include
Not included in the cost are flights to/from destination city [VER], trip insurance, any Covid related costs, alcoholic drinks, items of a personal nature or anything that is not specifically mentioned in the itinerary.
Minimum Number
If fewer than the minimum number of participants are registered the trip can still run with a small-group supplement fee per person determined by the number of participants.
Single Supplement
If a single room is preferred, or we are unable to find a suitable roommate for you, a single supplement fee of $550 will be assessed.
Deposit Requirements
A $1,000 deposit per person is required to hold each space on this tour. Deposit may be made online by clicking the "Book Your Trip Now" button and using any credit card. If you prefer, you may call us at 888-875-9453 to pay by phone. You may also mail us a check, however, remember that all space is held on a first come-first served basis as deposits are received.
Minimum Number
If fewer than the minimum number of required participants are registered, we may still be able to run the trip by adding a small-group supplement fee, per person, determined by the number of participants registered.
How to Book
In order to hold your space, click the "Book Your Trip Now" button above and complete the deposit process, including payment of the deposit through our Paypal portal using ANY CREDIT CARD. Upon completion of deposit, please visit our secure, online CLIENT INFORMATION FORM to complete your registration.
Final Payment
For all land-based tours: full payment by check is due 120 days prior to the departure date.
For all boat-based adventure cruises of 7-days or longer: full payment by check is required 180 days prior to departure.
NOTE: If you prefer to use credit card for final payment, a 3% fee may be added to cover the credit card merchant fees we incur.
LODGING
Hotel Mocambo, Veracruz
A great location to rest a bit after arrival in Veracruz, the sprawling grounds are terraced with lush gardens. The large outdoor pool is very inviting. Although a historic building, all rooms are airconditioned.
Hotel Bienvenido, Cardel.
Home to one of the two Pronatura hawk watch count sites on the hotel’s rooftop, just a short elevator ride away, (or stairs for those interested in some exercise). The rooms are small, but with A/C and hot water. The air-conditioned restaurant has very good local fare and excellent seafood.
Hotel Casabella, Xalapa
This wonderful boutique hotel, with all the expected amenities, is located in the central mountainous area of the State of Veracruz, at an altitude of about 4000 ft.
Hotel Puenta Nacional, Cardel
A beautiful, luxury hotel in the side of the mountain surrounded by forest. Spacious rooms with all the expected amenities plus a large pool.
Hotel Imperial, Veracruz City
A converted historical building with spacious rooms, with all the amenities. We will be close to the airport as well many wonderful restaurants. From here we also have easy access to the nearby wetlands to explore for our final day in Mexico.
Activity Level Rating: 3 (Note: 1 is easy and 5 is difficult)
Walking / Terrain / Fitness:
Walking will be at a slow pace, and no more than 2-5 miles a day. Please be aware that there will be walking/hiking over uneven terrain, occasionally slippery rocks, and pathways through woods in tropical heat or wet conditions in particular at Xalapa.
You must be in good health and physically able to keep up with the group in the ordinary course of these field activities. There is a steady climb in the park at Xalapa along a smooth paved path, which culminates in a dirt path down into the caldera. The rest of the tour is likely to be on flatter ground.
Recommended Field Guides
Birds of Mexico & Central America; Ber Van Perlo (Princeton University Press)
Raptors of Mexico and Central America (Princeton University Press, 2017)
by William S. Clark & N. John Schmitt
Non-smoking Tour
This trip is for non-smokers only. Smoking is not permitted at any time during our tour.
Transportation
We will using a 12 or 15-passenger van, driven by the leader (s). If the group size is smaller, a mini-van may be used.
River of Raptors Data
Keep up with the daily and seasonal River of Raptors count data at the 2 sites in Veracruz.
– Cardel
– Chichicaxtle
Climate / Weather
The weather along the coastal birding sites can be quite hot and humid with temperatures reaching the low 90’s. In the highlands outside of Xalapa daytime temperatures could dip down to the cool 40-50’s. Since our stay in Veracruz occurs at the end of the rainy season, we should not encounter too much rain and when it does rain it often lasts for only a portion of the day. Of course one can expect at least some rain in the cloud forest!
Purchasing Flights
Do not purchase your flights until the trip has been confirmed to go.
Detailed Trip Information
Upon notification that final payment is due (120 days prior to departure for land based tours / 180 days for boat based tours), you will receive a trip package of detailed information for your tour.
Any additional information about the trip, including lodgings, contacts, participants, meeting locations, etc., will sent about 2 weeks prior to the trip departure, or after final payment is received for late registrants.
Travel Insurance
As with all tours, we recommend purchasing Travel Insurance to help cover your investment, for covered reasons. Please see our section on Travel Insurance.
Passport & Visa
US Citizens may require a visa to enter certain foreign countries. See above for any required visa information.
Participants arriving to the USA from a foreign country may need to get a travel visa to enter the United States. Be sure to check the requirements for your country of origin.
Itinerary Changes
The trip itinerary is developed many months ahead of time. Occasionally, despite our best planning, changes may occur during the trip, or we may be forced to alter our plans. Changes may occur because of weather, road conditions, safety concerns or other circumstances. In these situations, it is the leader(s) responsibility to carefully consider and implement appropriate alternatives. Any additional costs incurred because of changes will be the responsibility of each individual participant. Refunds will not be issued as a result of itinerary changes.
