Join us on a getaway to the Sierra Madre Mountains for some of the best bird watching in northwest Mexico! On this adventure you will spend TWO full days exploring the Tufted Jay Preserve, among beautiful pine and oak forests in the heart of the Sierra Madre Mountains of Sinaloa. These forests are the year-round home for the Tufted Jay or “Chara Pinta” and over 100 other species of resident and migratory birds. 

Enjoy a fantastic scenery contemplating the sun setting in the Pacific Ocean at over 2,000 m, dinner at the campfire and amazing night sky observation. You will spend the night on cozy wooden lodges right in the heart of the reserve, a real million star hotel! Wake up early to the sound of your favorite birds and prepare to enjoy magnificent mountain views and the freshest air possible. 

A unique getaway for every season!

As an iconic and endemic species of these forest many visitors expect to see them on their first day, and goes what? you probably will! As this is a very special tour designed mostly for birders, you can send us your "bird list" so we can get on it! Don Santos, our local guide, lives and roams these forests everyday so he knows his birds and whereabouts! 

Day 1

6:30 am..... Pickup up at your hotel lobby

8:30 am..... Coffee, pastries and bananas (and leg stretch) at a wonderful lookout by the road near the preserve 

9:30 am..... Arrive at the preserve to meet our local guide Don Santos Vazquez. Check in equipment and luggage at lodges. 

First hike through Las Liebres Canyon and down to La ventana lookout (2 hrs approx). 

*This trail covers different habitats, hence the possibility of seeing a diverse array of birds, Tufted Jays are commonly found on this trail, unless Don Santos knows where they have been in the past days before our trip, we will go on a quest. 

12:00 pm... Second hike (1 hour) on trails around the mesa area of the preserve and other amazing lookouts. (snacks included)

13:30 pm.... Back on the SUV and down to the town of El Palmito to have lunch at Don Santos place 

Menu: chicken mole, rice, frijoles 

3:00 pm...... Back to the lodges to relax and charge batteries for our afternoon hike. 

5:00 pm..... Afternoon hike: we will go down by the trails to a westward lookout where we will see the sun set over Mazatlan and the Pacific Ocean. A wonderful sight. 

6:30 pm..... Back to camp for dinner at the lodges. 

8:00 pm..... Sleep tight. 

The reserve is quite big, so 2 days is barely minimum to explore the different sceneries and habitats these forests have to offer. So here is a very flexible itinerary suggestion just for reference!

Day 2.

6:00 am.... We start the day early birding. By today, it is possible that we have seen many of the species present at the preserve, however nothing beats an early morning birding experience for great photo opportunities.  

8:30 am.... Breakfast at lodge. 

9:30 am.... Optional hiking+birdwatching. Depending on our success finding the tufted jays the day before, we will continue exploring the trails through different habitat options. 

1:00 pm.... Back at lodge to pack our stuff. 

1:30 pm....Ground transportation to the town of El Palmito for lunch at Don Santos Place. 

Menu: Stuffed corn "gorditas" (e.g. chicken mole, beef and potatoes, green peppers, cheese) and frijoles. 

3:00 pm.... Final hike (optional) we will explore some trails and creeks out of the preserve and closer to the town of El Palmito, where usually more tropical species can be seen, like the military macaws and other parrots. 

4:30 pm..... Drive back to Mazatlán

6:30 pm.... Arrive in Mazatlan. Drop off at your hotel. 

Please let us know if you have any questions or suggestions for your schedule according to your interests and needs.