Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
along the way. This hike requires three days and ends in the pleasant lakeside village of
San Pedro La Laguna.
a colorful Guatemalan chicken bus
Guatemala's wide diversity of ecosystems makes it a birding hot spot with more
than700speciesofbirdsfoundhere.YoucouldeasilycenteryourentireGuatem-
ala vacation around birding.
With its own private reserve on the southern slopes of Atitlán Volcano,
Los
Tarrales
harbors forests ranging in altitude from 700 to 3,000 meters
(2,300-9,800 feet) that include broadleaf and cloud forests. Bird species are
correspondingly diverse and include horned guan, long-tailed manakin, Pacific
parakeet, orange-fronted parakeet, and several species of hummingbirds. Near
Retalhuleu,
Reserva Patrocinio
lies south of Santiaguito Volcano at an altitude
between 750 and 850 meters (2,500- 2,700 feet). It is a good place for observing
birds found in lowland and middle elevations. A substantial network of trails
leadsthroughprotectedpatchesofforestinterspersedwithcoffeeandmacadamia
plantations. Hawks, vultures, and falcons abound, as do parrots and woodpeck-
ers.
