Veracruz - River of Raptors Trip

MTN looks forward to running a River of Raptors - Mexico Trip in 2011

but there will not be a 2010 River of Raptors - Mexico Trip.

           

Veracruz is home to the world’s largest raptor migration, where it is possible to see more than 500,000 hawks fly overhead in a single day! They can get four million in the fall.  The state of Veracruz contains a wide variety of habitats, such as high elevation pine-oak forests, cloud forest, deserts, coastal beaches and lagoons. More than 700 bird species have been recorded in Veracruz, making it one of the most diverse birding states in Mexico. Veracruz is also rich in history with pyramids and ancient ruins dating back to 800 A.D. Join us as we venture into the heart of Veracruz to explore its wildlife, culture, and history!

This trip is co-sponsored by Audubon South Carolina and the Monarch Teacher Network of EIRC (a New Jersey public agency located near Philadelphia). More about EIRC at www.eirc.org or Audubon South Carolina at www.sc.audubon.org  Your guides will be Jeff Mollenhauer (Audubon South Carolina’s Director of Bird Conservation) and Marcos Garcia, a local guide steeped in the archaeology, culture and traditions of Mexico. 10% of the proceeds from this trip will be used to support habitat conservation and research for neo-tropical migratory birds in Central & South America.  

Who is eligible:  Ages 18 and up. Must be able to walk ½ - 1 mile per day. 

Questions?  Contact:     Brian Hayes                 OR                   Jeff Mollenhauer                        

                                     bhayes@eirc.org                                  jmollenhauer@audubon.org 

                                     (856) 582-7000 x110                             (843) 462-2150

Terms and Agreement Form for Veracruz trip

Trip Itinerary  (Itinerary Is subject to change) 

Saturday Day 1:  Arrive in Mexico City and transfer to hotel. Group orientation at dinner.     

Sunday Day 2: Travel by first class motor coach into the state of Veracruz. En route to Cardel, we will explore Los Humeros, a unique desert habitat with Joshua trees, Agave, and cactus. Lunch is in the town of Perote where we experience our first taste of local Mexican culture.  We continue on to Cardel and our hotel. 

Monday Day 3: Early morning outing to Rio Escondido, the “Hidden River” where we will search for birds in the flat, open country surrounding the river canyon. Return to hotel in late morning for hawk-watching from the hotel rooftop in Cardel. It is not uncommon to see more than 100,000 hawks (mainly Broad-winged Hawks, Swainson’s Hawks, and Turkey Vultures). During the evening we will drive to a bat cave, where we hope to see thousands of Davy’s Naked-Back Bats as they exit the cave at dusk! Return to hotel in Cardel. 

Tuesday Day 4: We will spend the morning at Rancho El Mirador, a shade-grown coffee plantation near Huatusco then drive to our hotel in Costa Esmeralda. En route to the hotel we will stop at Quiahuiztlan, the site of an ancient Totanac Indian burial tomb with a breath-taking view of the ocean. While we learn about the indigenous Totonac culture, we will have another opportunity to look for migrating hawks. 

Wednesday Day 5:  Morning tour of El Tajin (Place of Thunder), a World Heritage archeological site with impressive Pre-Colombian pyramids, one of the largest Mesoamerican cities of its time.  While at El Tajin we hope to view the indigenous ritual of the “Papantla Flyers”, as they fly 13 times around a 100-foot tall pole, hanging from long ropes attached to the pole.  During the afternoon we will visit a local “bilingual” (Totanaca and Spanish) school in Papantla. The town of Papantla is famous for its authentic vanilla. Return to hotel in Costa Esmeralda.  

Thursday Day 6:  During the morning we will visit La Mancha Bioreserve, which contains a wide variety of habitats including lowland forest, freshwater lagoons, mangrove forest, and coastal dunes. At La Mancha we hope to find some of resident raptor species of Veracruz. For the afternoon we investigate the Museum of Anthropology in Xalapa.   

Friday Day 7:  Begin the coach trip back to Mexico City. If weather permits, we will take a short hike through a cloud forest or pine-oak forest in the mountains otherwise we explore Mexico City. Stay at hotel in Mexico City.  

Saturday Day 8: Hotel breakfast, then off to airport for flight home.

Air:  Each person is responsible for booking their own airfare to Mexico City. Participants must not book their airfare until advised by the program. 

Included in the tour:  7 nights hotel accommodation (rates based on double occupancy… single supplements available at additional cost); 7 breakfasts; 6 lunches; 3 dinners; transport via air-conditioned motor coach, all admission fees to scheduled group activities, English-speaking guide; tips to bellboys, maids, and breakfast waiters.   

Not included in the tour:  Cost for airfare; passport, airport departure tax, one lunch and 4 dinners (budget $10-$20 per dinner); airport transfers (approx $20/transfer); tips to bus driver ($1.00 per person per day) and local tour guide ($3 per person/day) to be paid in cash; and other expenses of a personal nature.

Click here for a brochure. 

* All photos courtesy of Jeff Mollenhauer