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Mexico - Birding & Culture in Oaxaca
Tour Code: MEX06A 12-day birding tour to Oaxaca, Mexico's most prolific state for avifauna, in search of a wealth of species, including endemics, winter visitors and migrants. As the region is also renowned for its fabulous cuisine, archaeological sites, pottery and textiles, this holiday will be a feast for the senses!
£5,295
£4,295
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Mexico is a fascinating and vibrant country, a colourful land steeped in history, myth and legend. This was the home of the ancient Aztec and Maya civilisations, whose great pyramids rival those of Egypt, and landfall for the first of the Spanish conquistadors as they searched for the fabled Cities of Gold. Today, Mexico is a modern, vibrant and welcoming country, full of natural history and scenic and cultural contrasts. Oaxaca state in particular is one of the most unique and fascinating parts of the country. It was the stronghold of the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples and therefore has plenty of archaeological sites to discover, the most impressive of which is Monte Albán, which was the capital of the Zapotecs and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The crafting heritage of these pre-Columbian peoples is very strong to this day, with the region renowned for its pottery, exquisite textiles and alebrijes – brightly painted wooden animals. It is also a hotbed for distinctive and delicious cuisine, which we will be sampling a lot of throughout this holiday. However, the primary focus of our holiday will be the wildlife and birds in particular. The variety in habitat, from the scrubland plains to densely forested mountains and coastal wetlands, means that it has the highest recorded number of species of any state in Mexico, with this figure almost at 750. It has two species that are found nowhere else, the exquisite Blue-capped Hummingbird and Oaxaca Sparrow, and dozens of other species that are only found in southern Mexico, plus even more countrywide endemics. It is also at the top or bottom of the range of many species that are much more common throughout the Americas, plus it is on the migratory route between North and Central America. This is a special region for many reasons and a visit here will live long in the memory. You can make it even more special by doing our 5-day extension to neighbouring Chiapas, which holds even more avian and cultural delights!
- Oaxacan endemics Blue-capped Hummingbird and Oaxaca Sparrow
- Other Mexican endemics include Beautiful Sheartail, Dwarf Jay, Slaty Vireo and Grey-breasted Woodpecker
- Time to explore the vibrant cultural city of Oaxaca
- Archaeological sites such as UNESCO World Heritage Site Monte Alban and Yagul
- Plethora of warblers, orioles, flycatchers, tanagers and hummingbirds
- Extension into neighbouring state of Chiapas for Rose-bellied Bunting and Nava’s Wren
- Led by expert naturalist guide
Grading
We have graded this holiday Grade A. Whilst we will not be covering more than 4 or 5 miles a day, at a leisurely pace, some of the terrain is steep in parts. There will be some early starts and long days to maximise our birding opportunities. As such, this holiday should be suitable for most people of average fitness who enjoy walking.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
We will be using good quality, comfortable hotels throughout, each with private facilities.
- Food:
All meals included in the price of this holiday, starting with lunch on Day 2 and finishing with breakfast on Day 11. We will be sampling traditional Oaxacan cuisine and drink throughout.
Dates & Prices
2026
Tour Leader: Luca Boscain
Luca is an Italian naturalist from Treviso. He began birding in childhood and gradually developed a broader interest in all aspects of nature, especially butterflies, dragonflies and plants. After graduating with an honors degree in Natural Sciences, he became a nature guide in 2012. He has been guiding natural history groups for Naturetrek since 2015 in various European countries, including Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Poland, among others. Driven by boundless curiosity, he continues to explore the diverse habitats of the Adriatic basin and travels extensively around the world, observing wildlife, collecting vast amounts of data and photographs, and honing his identification skills across the different fields.
2027
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
