TERRA MAYA:

A glimpse of the terracota roof, whitewashed walls and wrought-iron balconies of Terramaya, and you know you've arrived ..... to the charming village of Copan, with it's hilly cobblestone streets and warm, hospitable people ..... to the heart of the Copan River Valley and its magical ruins ..... to our six comfortable rooms that offer guests an atmosphere of unmatched style and service.

Terramaya is located on the town´s most picturesque street, with spectacular views of the UNESCO World Heritage Ruins and the Copan Valley, and just two and a half blocks from the Central  Park, the heart and soul of village life.

The hotel is exclusive for our group.

 #1 & #2  On the first floor, each consists of one full bed, 22" flat panel TV, DVD, walk in shower and private garden with hammock.

Room #3 & #4 On the second floor, 21' Cathedral Celling, each room with one queen bed, walk in shower, 32" flat panel TV, DVD and private balcony with village view. Option to add one single bed.

Room #5 On the second floor, 21' Cathedral Celling, one queen bed, walk in shower, 32" flat panel TV, DVD, private spacious terrace with hammock overlooking our garden and a panoramic view of the archeological park and Copan River Valley. Option to add one single bed.

Room #6  Also on the second floor, 21' Cathedral Celling, one queen bed, single sofa bed, walk in shower & jetted tub, 32" flat panel TV, DVD, private spacious terrace with hammock and an impressive view of the archeological park, Copan River Valley and our garden

Photo: Scarlet Macaw by Jenny Grewal 

The UNESCO World Heritage site of Copán Ruínas offers a grand combination of Mayan history and a beautiful natural setting including easily viewed Scarlet Macaws. Although not the largest Mayan city, Copán was the principal Mayan cultural center during the 400 years when the city was at the peak of its development. It was far ahead of other larger Mayan cities in its development of sculpture, astronomy, and hieroglyphic writing.
The Mayan city of Copán as it exists today is composed of a main complex of ruins with several secondary complexes encircling it. The main complex consists of the Acropolis and five important plazas. From what is known today, the sculpture of Copán appears to have attained a high de-gree of perfection. The Acropolis, a magnifi-cent architectural complex, appears today as a large mass of rubble which came about through successive additions of pyramids, terraces and temples. The world’s largest ar-chaeological cut runs through the Acropolis. In the walls of the cut, it is possible to distin-guish floor levels of previous plazas and cov-ered water outlets. The construction of the Great Plaza and the Acropolis reflects a pro-digious amount of effort because of the size of its levelled and originally paved expanse of three hectares.We will have a guided tour through the ruins by a knowledgeable local specialist. After a full morning of archaeology, we will have some birdwatching opportunities around the grounds. The biological diversity found in the area surrounding Copan allows for excellent birding: White-throated Magpie-Jays, White-fronted Parrots, Elegant Trogon, Rufous-naped Wren etc. are some of the spe-cies of interest here.We’ll then enjoy a delicious dinner at Haci-enda San Lucas.

Photo: Copan site by William Orellana

After breakfast, we drive to our hotel PANACAM Lodge.  Once we are settled, we have time for af-ternoon birding around the Lodge in search for the Black-crested Coquette, Barred Forest- Fal-con, Collared Araçari, Keel-billed Motmot, Blue-crowned Motmot, Masked Tityra, Crimson- col-lared Tanager, Blue-crowned Chlorophonia, White-throated Thrush, Long-billed Hermit, Vio-let Sabrewing and more.
Photo: Lake Yojoa Basin by William Orellana

Starting early with coffee or tea, the morning will start with some birdwatching around the gar-dens and birding tower. Species such as Keel-billed Motmot, Northern-barred Woodcreeper, Black-crested Coquette, White-collared Swift, Lesson’s Motmot and more.We’ll have breakfast at the hummingbird deck with a lovely view to the lake. After that we will keep birding for another hour or so and then head down to the lake, to El Cortijo del del Lago, a great place for waterbirds, warblers, tanagers, hummingbirds etc. And they serve excellent fish for lunch!After lunch, we will visit el Sendero la Naturaleza. This trail has many wonderful bird species such as: Golden-hooded Tanagers, Olivaceous Piculet, Green Honeycreepers and more.

Photo: Keel-billed Motmot by William Orellana

Today we do a wonderful boat trip to the Lake, local fisherman take us in this great birding adventure searching for more great species such as the Masked Duck, Least Bittern, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Black-crowned Tityra, Green-backed Sparrow, Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Grey-breasted Crake and others. We will have breakfast at the D&D Brewery. After breakfast we will visit different locations and after lunch we will visit Los Naranjos.

Visiting Los Naranjos Archaeological Park will give you an insight in the Lenca culture, all the while chasing a host of specialities such as the beautiful Rufous-naped Wren, Rufous- and-white Wren, and Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture. As we walk along the trails, we will be surrounded by Montezuma and Chestnut-headed Oropendulas, we are going to have dinner at the Lodge.

Photo: Birding on the rowboat by William Orellana

El Cedral will be or next location, Leonel Chavez is protecting a big extension of cloud forest, next to Santa Barbara National Park. Several special hummingbirds such the Wine-throated Hummingbird, Rivoli's Hummingbird, Green-throated Mountain-gem and of course opportunities to see the Resplendent Quetzal and other cloud forest species.

We will wake up early and drive for about an hour, we will have breakfast at Leonel's place. 

Eco-Finca Luna del Puente is a coffee and cocoa farm and a private nature reserve. Its main objective is protecting the environment by raising awareness of biodiversity and applying sustainable agroforestry practices. The finca has also created some excellent birdwatching trails, which we are more than happy to explore. We will be on the lookout for Northern Potoos, Green Jays, Blue-throated Goldentails, Tody Motmots, White-collared Manakins, Prevost’s Ground-Sparrows, Yellow-billed Caciques and more.

As the owner of the Finca, Cecilia, also serves an excellent breakfast, we enjoy a traditional Honduran típico before going to El Cajon in the Quest of the Honduran Emerald endemic bird of Honduras.

We have a long drive today. After breakfast we will drive to Pico Bonito Lodge.

Will be a good chance to rest. We are going to stop in Tela for lunch in a beautiful Garifuna community on the beach. The food is going to be fresh and delicious, if you are a sea food lover, this place will be perfect.

Photo: Alvin is our waiter at Garifuna Place beach restaurant by William Orellana

Pico Bonito Lodge combines the adventure of the outdoors, the beauty of the rainforest, and the personal service of a boutique hotel. 

In this luxurious setting, we enjoy yet another splendid birding day, as the area offers an incredibly varied array of bird species such as Brown-hooded, White-fronted and White-crowned Parrots, Little and Great Tinamous, Grey- chested Doves, Olive-throated Parakeets, Black-cheeked Woodpeckers, Wedge-billed and Cocoa Woodcreepers, Pal-try Tyrannulets, Guatemalan Screech-Owls, Great Potoos, Violet- headed Hummingbirds, Purple-crowned Fairies, Slaty-tailed, Gartered and Collared Trogons, Red-capped Manak-ins, White- and Grey-breasted Wood-Wrens, White-throated Thrushes, Olive-backed Euphonias, Kentucky Warblers, Keel-billed Motmot, Green Shrike-Vireos and Black-faced Gros-beaks. And those are just a few examples. Lunch and Dinner at Pico Bonito Lodge.
There were rumors that the lodge close, but the place is open and ready to have you inn. 

On the schedule today is a visit to Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge. We board the only train that is still functioning in Honduras – it dates to the times of the ‘Banana republic’ and was indeed used to transport bananas. What remains now is are two rickety little wagons racing over crooked rails. Lots of fun. And excellent birding opportunities along the way: Glossy Ibis, Bat Falcon, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Black-cowled Oriole, Crested Caracara. At the visitors’ center, we board a motorboat that will take us onto the rivers and canals of the Cuero y Salado Mangroves. Top species that we will try to get good looks at here include Agami Heron, White-necked Puffbird, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Black-crowned Antshrike and more. Lunch will be prepared by a local family upon our return from the boat ride.

Photo: American Pygmy Kingfisher by William Orellana

Early in the morning we will drive to Nueva Armenia where we are going to have a day at the beach. The Cayos Cochinos are a group of small islands called Cayo Menor and Cayo Grande and over a dozen small coral cays situated about twenty miles away from the northern coast of Honduras. Although Cayos Cochinos are geographically separate islands, they still belong to the Bay Islands and are part of the municipality of Roatan. They are still largely uninhabited, with just over a hundred people living on the Cayos.

There are lots of tiny islands included in Cayos Cochinos, but when people talk about the Cayos they usually refer to the Cayo Menor and Cayo Grande. Both of these Cayos are declared biological marine reserve, thanks to the unique eco-environment. Even today, getting to Cayo Menor is only permitted for scientists and people that work for the Honduras Coral Reef Fund. Cayo Grande is the island where tourists can go, but it can be reached only by boat. There is also an entrance fee charged for those that wish to visit Cayo Grande, and there are patrol rangers that constantly inspect the area to ensure that regulations are followed and to protect these unique islands from damage.

There are a couple of inhabited villages located on Cayos Cochinos. One is called the East End and the other one is Chachahuate. East End is a village of the local Garifuna people, while Chachahuate is a bit more primitive, but a nice community whose inhabitants come from Nueva Armenia, Jutiapa.

Cayos Cochinos are all managed by the Honduras Coral Reef Fund and are recognized as marine protected area. The coral reef found here is the part of the second biggest coral reef in the world – Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. On Cayo Menor, there is also a small scientific research center.

The archipelago of Cayos Cochinos is a unique destination for those travelers that want to escape from crowded and noisy resorts. There are no roads on Cayos Cochinos, which means there are no cars or bikes. Only boats serve as a way for transport. However, there is one nice hiking trail that connects the beaches and residences located on Cayo Grande. At the highest peak of Cayo Grande, there is a lighthouse which can be accessed by walking through a scenic forest. Besides two fishing villages of Chachahuate and East End, at Cayos Cochinos there are about ten private residences and half a dozen homes spread on the thirteen smaller keys. The islands can be accessed by boats coming from La Ceiba, or by charter boats that go from Roatan or Utila.

Cayos Cochinos are one of the most important parts of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, and its environment and waters have been protected as an ecological marine reserve since 1994. There is a very rich flora and marine life that cover an area of almost five hundred square kilometers. Commercial fishing, as well as fish trapping, is forbidden within the marine park. However, local Garifuna inhabitants have permission to fish only with hand lines. In some specially designated areas qualified local Garifuna fishermen can also catch lobsters.

After breakfast we are going to Tela where we are going to spend half a day birding at the Botanical Garden. 

Established in 1926 by the Fruit Company as an experimental garden to identify dif-ferent species of fruit and hardwood trees that could be of economic interest to the company. Lancetilla quickly grew to become one of the biggest botanical gardens in the world. It spans 1,681 hectares, and includes an arboretum, experimental plantations and a biotic reserve that is meant to preserve the natural vegetation of this part of Honduras. The botanical garden is also a great place to see birds such as Black-headed Trogon, Bright-rumped Atilla, Thick-billed Seedfinch, or the beautiful Scarlet-rumped Tanager are often spotted around the visitors’ center, and there is a huge colony of Montezuma and Chestnut-headed Oropendolas nesting in a tree nearby. Afterwards, we have a won-derful lunch on the beach. In the afternoon, we go back to the hotel
Overnight in Metro Hotel near La Lima on the airport area.

Photo: Great Antshrike by William Orellana

Time to go Home.

Photo: Inside of a flower by Jenny Grewal

Owner – General Manager – Tour Leader – Guide

William’s first career was with the government, he also worked as a math professor, and later helped community development through an NGO. He then decided on a complete change of career and started birding in 2005, rapidly becoming a key member of the Honduran Ornithology Association (ASHO). William is also one of the best bird photographers and is an expert at digiscoping some of the most amazing birds of the Americas. He got for example the first video footage of the rare Blue-bearded Helmetcrest in Santa Marta, Colombia. William has traveled extensively in search of birds, visiting countries in Asia, Europe, North, Central and South America. He also created the first youth birdwatching club in Honduras named Tanunas. William has ample experience in the field and will be happy to guide you in our various Latin-American destinations.

– Tour Leader – Guide

I am a wildlife and nature photographer based in Chippenham, Wiltshire (I am also a vet in my spare time!). I have loved wildlife photography since getting my first camera age 6, and I have always enjoyed teaching, so I’m very happy (and lucky!) to be able to combine the two by leading wildlife photography tours. As a veterinary surgeon, and a keen naturalist, I have a fairly in-depth understanding of the natural world and its conservation, and I am a passionate supporter of eco-tourism. 

I have spent time in Honduras with William, so I am familiar with the amazing wildlife and photo opportunities it provides, and I’m really looking forward to working with William on this photography tour to show people this amazing country. 

I also lead a photography tour in Herzegovina, focused on birds, butterflies and flowers, and have loved helping guests here get the most out of their cameras. I am equally happy teaching a complete beginner how to best use manual focus and move away from ‘auto’ mode, or helping an experienced photographer with composition or post-processing issues – and anything in between!

My gear:

I currently use a Canon body, but I have done a lot of work with Nikons as well, and have also used Olympus, Pentax and Lumix cameras at various times! I invested in a Canon 5D Mk III a few years ago, and I love the images I am getting from it. In fact I love it so much I bought a second one, so I can have two lenses in operation at once! I’m still using my trusty 100-400 Canon telephoto lens, which has been an absolute favourite since I bought it, but the Sigma 150-600mm is what I currently have my eye on! I usually have a 100mm macro lens on my other body, as I am fascinated by the intricacy and detail of tiny creatures and plants. While you can get great photos with a ‘normal’ short lens, the macro does give an extra edge.

Photography on the tours:

Some of the best photography opportunities in Honduras are the hummingbirds (or emeralds, violet ears, sabrewings, brilliants and so on!). Hummingbird feeders at all the lodges provide excellent opportunities to sit and photograph hummingbirds, allowing you to observe the behaviour of each hummingbird, and plan your shots accordingly. There are also plenty of opportunities to walk the trails around the lodges, and take a more opportunistic approach, photographing whatever turns up! Charismatic ant pittas, beautifully coloured toucans and industrious woodpeckers are just a few of the other birds that might present themselves to be photographed.

The huge variety of brightly coloured insects and plants throughout Honduras provides ample opportunity to indulge in macro photography – although this is very different from bird photography, I find it equally rewarding. 

William, our bird guide, is also an excellent photographer, so understands what conditions are needed to get great photos! Between us, we can get you where you need to be to get the shots you want, and help you perfect your technique and composition to make them as great as they can be. The tropical light in Honduras makes for some stunning images, whether it’s direct sunlight on pristine feathers, or soft green light filtered through the rainforest canopy, and we can help you use the light to best advantage.