HONDURAS : COPAN AND COTINGAS

Transcription

1 HONDURAS : COPAN AND COTINGAS Lovely Cotinga, by Roy Toft Mass Audubon President s Tour March 11-18, 2011

2 HONDURAS : COPAN AND COTINGAS MASS AUDUBON PRESIDENT S TOUR DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY March 11 ~Day 1 Arrival to Honduras and Copan Ruins: When we arrive at San Pedro Sula mid-day, we will be met by a local guide and taken to our hotel. Our drive is about 2 1/2 hours, and we will have time to stop to get our first glimpses of traditional Honduran culture as well as tropical flora, fauna and scenery along the way. We will arrive at Copan by late afternoon, in time for a walking tour of the modern day village and its original archaeological museum. This will be followed by check-in at Hacienda San Lucas ( ), nestled in the hills above the tranquil Copán Valley, and dinner with Archaeologist Dr.Jorge Ramos, one of the leading researchers in Copan. Jorge will provide us with an introduction to Copan followed by a brief question and answer period. (D) Hacienda San Lucas is a 100-year old family-owned retreat uniquely situated directly above the Maya ruins and modern day village of Copán. The Hacienda is renowned for its traditional Mayan cuisine and dinner. March 12 ~Day 2- Copan Ruins Archaeological Site and Macaw Mountain Bird Sanctuary: We will do some early morning birding on the grounds, then, after breakfast, start to explore the archaeological UNESCO World Heritage Site of Copán. We have arranged a personal tour conducted by Jorge Ramos. It is the site of a major Maya kingdom of the Classic era (5th through 9th centuries). Copan occupies the premier position among Mayan sites due to the quantity and quality of its many stelae, sculpture and altars, which are unique in displaying a dramatically high relief. In addition, the ruins at Copan are home to a remarkably well preserved example of a Classic Mayan ball court and the longest inscribed text in the New World, the famous Hieroglyphic Stairway of Structure 10L-26. The nearby forests and nature trail system leading into the main acropolis will provide us with our first views of the ruins as well as some very productive birding. At mid-day we will head to the Macaw Mountain bird sanctuary where we will have a guided tour and lunch at the sanctuary restaurant, and get unusual close up looks at a wonderful variety of toucans, toucanettes owls, parrots and macaws. The 9 acre sanctuary is within an extraordinary Old Growth Riparian Forest, which includes mahogany, Spanish cedar and fig trees. Elevated wooden trails and decks offer spectacular viewing of the park s pristine river, year-round freshwater springs, huge boulders and sloping canyon walls. Many species make their home here including the spectacular Turquoise-browed Motmot. (B,L, D)

3 March 13 Day 3 The Lodge at Pico Bonito, North Coast of Honduras: After breakfast, we ll bid farewell to our lovely lodging and hosts, and take an hour to do some last minute souvenir shopping in the village of Copan, before heading back to San Pedro Sula airport for a 30 minute air transfer to our 5 night stay at Pico Bonito Lodge. We will arrive at the spectacular Lodge at Pico Bonito mid-afternoon to check-in, get oriented, and enjoy an elegant and relaxing dinner in the Lodge s spacious main dining area, well within view of the rain forested peaks of the towering Nombre de Dios Mountain range. (B,L,D) March 14~Day 4 A Morning and Afternoon of Birding Pico Bonito National Park: We ll start early this morning by meeting our guide on the front deck of the restaurant for a selection of fruits, muffins, coffee, and juice. With the forest all around us, it is likely that our binoculars will be put to good use over coffee. Accompanied by our guide, we will ascend the Lodge s primary observation tower and over the next 3 hours we will bird very productive areas of tropical secondary and gallery forest and plantation areas along the Rio Coloradito. Along this route, diversity is the rule and examples of sightings include Lovely Cotinga, Masked and Black-crowned Tityra, Blue crowned and Turquoise-browed Motmot, Tody Motmot, Keel-billed Toucan, Collared Aracari, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Black-headed, Violaceous, Collared and Slaty-tailed Trogon, Royal Flycatcher, Green, Shining and Red- Legged Honeycreeper, and up to to 16 species of hummingbirds. After lunch and some time to relax, we ll join our guide once again for an afternoon of birding of the Lodge s Loop Trail and Pico Bonito National Park. The trail leads us up and past Tower #1, into Pico Bonito National Park, passing through secondary tropical wet forest and ultimately looping back through spectacular primary rainforest. The route will take us through a mosaic of microhabitats, containing diverse tropical flora and fauna. We will visit the Lodge s ridge platform and Tower #3, in order to scan for bird s eye sightings of the Park s 400+ avian inhabitants. This dense forest habitat is where we find Crested Owl, Great Curassow, Great, Little and Slaty-breasted Tinamou, and Highland and Crested Guan. Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Green Shrike-Vireo, and Blackthroated Shrike Tanager, all follow the richly mixed flocks we will hope to encounter here, and which often include Buff-throated Foliage Gleaner, Plain Xenops, Rufous Mourner, Rufous Piha and others. Higher in the canopy we may see Black-faced Grosbeak, Blue-black Grosbeak and Common Bush Tanager as well. Rose-throated, White-winged, and Black and White Becard are often seen here during the winter months. Up to five Euphonia species (including Blue-Crowned Chlorophonia), five Motmot species, and five Trogon species, and a host of Tanagers and others have been noted along this trail system (see Lodge bird list). We return to the Lodge before dark and in time for a relaxing dinner in the restaurant. (B,L, D)

4 *Note: The above is a fairly rigorous route. For those desiring a route less strenuous, there will be an option to instead have a full morning of birding at Campamento CURLA, a private and scenic rainforest preserve which adjoins the National Park and which is managed by one of Honduras national universities as a study and research area. After a twenty minute drive east of the Lodge, taking us south and into the scenic Rio Bonito valley, we follow a well established dirt two track road, birding our way through open areas and mixed habitats before entering the lush primary forest within the center of the Park. Easy to moderate walking (and excellent views) here produces highly diverse sightings. March 15 ~ Day 5- Birds and Wildlife of Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge/Manatee Reserve: After an early breakfast, we will depart the Lodge for Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge. This coastal area contains just over 35,000 acres of tropical wet and mangrove forests with an extensive network of estuaries and natural canals to explore. The bird list for the Refuge notes over 350 species while howler and white-faced monkeys, sloths, caimans, crocodiles, iguanas, and turtles are all common sights as well. Perhaps the Refuge s most famous inhabitant is the elusive and endangered West Indian Manatee, with a population of more than 50 being reported. A short drive from the Lodge will take us north towards the coast to the railroad era village of La Union. From here we travel in a small motorized train along an historic narrow-gauge railway that leads through pastures and coconut plantations to the refuge headquarters located near the mouth of the Salado River. Here we will tour the bird and wildlife-rich estuaries of the Refuge in a small, motorized skiff. Also at this time, we have the opportunity to visit an impressive Boat-billed Heron rookery, consisting of nearly two hundred individuals. Five Kingfisher species occur here including; Belted, Ringed, Green, Amazon and the dazzling, diminutive Pygmy Kingfisher. We will return for lunch in the Lodge s restaurant. Afterwards, a part of the afternoon can be spent enjoying a guided tour of the Lodge s butterfly farm. The Lodge s facility breeds dozens of species of colorful tropical butterflies for export to collectors and butterfly houses within the country and around the world. Our tour will take us through the plant nurseries, larva house, and adult enclosure for a complete understanding of the ecology and breeding of these colorful creatures. We will also visit the Lodge s Serpentarium. This and the adjacent Green Iguana breeding facility are great places to see and learn about Honduras diverse reptilian fauna. In the company of one of the Lodge s guides, we will be able to safely view some of Honduras most beautiful and dangerous snakes. Both these facilities were opened with a focus on educating both locals and foreigners about the myths and truths of these frequently misunderstood creatures.

5 Later in the afternoon, we will depart for a short guided tour of the Coastal Caribbean town of La Ceiba, host to Honduras lively Carnival. A short driving tour of downtown will introduce us to some of the city s historical sites and to learn about the city s past, present and future. We will be joined for dinner in town by an Adelante Foundation (www. Adelante Foundation.org) representative (Sofia Anderson, International Development Coordinator) who will explain how the La Ceiba based group is doing its part to eliminate poverty in Honduras by providing micro-credit loans to extremely poor women in rural areas of Honduras. March 16 ~Day 6- Snorkeling/Exploring Honduras Cayos Cochinos Marine Sanctuary, a part of the Mesoamerican barrier reef system: After breakfast this morning, we will head east for a 40 minute drive to the Garifuna village of Sambo Creek. Here we will meet our boat captain and begin the 1 hour ride to this small archipelago of 15 isolated islands. Our voyage will commence at one of the smaller keys where we will enjoy a brief orientation on the sanctuary and its early history as a Smithsonian Institution research center. Snorkeling at different locations around this 15 island archipelago will be complemented by a short hike into one of the larger islands where we may be able to spot these islands endemic Pink Boa, a distinct and beautiful form of the mainland Boa Constrictor. From here we will visit some of the other keys, enjoy more snorkeling and finish off with a delicious, typical Garifuna lunch on the white sand beach of one of the inhabited keys named Cayo Chachahuate (Snorkeling gear, coral and reef fish guide books, and a light snack are provided by the Lodge) We will return to the Lodge by 4:00 PM for a relaxing dinner, followed by a night hike with our guide. We ll search for nocturnal rainforest mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects guided by flashlights and the experienced eyes of our guide. Commonly seen wildlife include; tree frogs, kinkajous, spiders, numerous species of bats, possums, as well as a veritable potpourri of beetles and moths at the nightlight. (B,L, D) March 17 ~Day 7 Day of Birding the Rio Aguan valley s dry forest habitat- home to Honduras Endemic Honduran Emerald hummingbird: We will start very early this morning for a 2 ½ hour scenic drive along Honduras North Coast, turning South before Trujillo for the dry forest habitat of the Rio Aguan Valley. Less than 15 miles due south of the Lodge s lush, thickly rain forested slopes, the dense foliage gives way to pine, and then to open, arid, almost desert-like, tropical dry forest. It is within this unique, highly endangered habitat, characterized by cactus, roadrunners and hot sun, that Honduras one endemic bird species, the brilliant green, Honduran Emerald Hummingbird, makes its home. Rarely receiving more than 30 inches of rain per year, the Honduran Emerald s habitat formerly encompassed much of the Rio Aguan Valley, a once pristine plain of nearly 3000 square kilometers. Today, due to decades of unchecked cattle ranching, the hummingbird s dry forest sanctuary is limited to a few small, isolated islands of habitat. Recent efforts by Pico Bonito National Park and other international organizations have succeeded in preserving certain portions of the bird s habitat, but much remains to be done to protect the sensitive plant and animal communities which make up the bird s fast disappearing home.

6 At all times of year, our chances of seeing the Honduran Emerald are excellent. While highly endangered, the Honduran Emerald is happily quite common within its remaining native habitat and can often be easily photographed or filmed at a close distance with minimum impact to the bird. Some of the other species we may see along the way include; Hook-billed Kite, Thicket Tinamou, Double-striped Thick-knee, Whitefronted Amazon, Lesser Roadrunner, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, N. Beardless Tyrannulet, Ash-throated and Nutting's Flycatchers, Long-tailed Manakin, White-lored Gnatcatcher, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Banded Wren, White-bellied Wren, Stripe-headed Sparrow and Altamira Oriole. We will enjoy lunch at a traditional and family owned Hacienda near the town of Olanchito, and return to Pico Bonito Lodge by 5:00 PM for dinner. March 18 ~ Day 8 Sadly today, we will have to say goodbye to our lodge and guides and transfer back to San Pedro for our flights home. (If you wish to stay longer in Honduras and snorkel at Roatan, do let us know and we can make recommendations.) Mass Audubon Naturalist Leader Jeff Collins will join Laura Johnson and the group as your naturalist guide. Jeff is Director of Mass Audubon's Ecological Extension Service, through which Mass Audubon shares its expertise in conservation land management with partners such as land trusts, towns, and state agencies. He holds a master s degree in botany from the University of Vermont Field Naturalist Program. Jeff takes a holistic approach to exploring and enjoying the landscape, considering the interplay of bedrock, soil, water, plants, and animals, all while sharing his enthusiasm for the natural beauty of each destination. He has traveled extensively, birding and botanizing in North America; exploring Southern Africa while a Peace Corps volunteer in Zimbabwe; visiting birding hot spots in Bolivia, Peru, Costa Rica, and Nepal; and leading tours to Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico s Baja Peninsula, and Namibia. Tour Price and Inclusions Land Tour Price: $ based on double occupancy, Single supplement is $400 A $500 per person deposit is required along with the reservation form. Price Includes: All accommodations All meals as noted in itinerary Group airport transfers Mass Audubon escort Laura Johnson Mass Audubon Naturalist Jeff Collins Park and preserve entrance fees Services of local naturalist guides and drivers All tips and gratuities Does Not Include: Items of a personal nature such as beverages from the bar. Porterage, laundry, phone calls, or personal items. Airport departure taxes, passport fees Travel Arrangements: You, the traveler, are responsible for booking and paying for your own international flights. Once you reserve your space, we will provide you with suggested flights and tell you which flights our leaders will be on. You may book flights directly with the airline, online, or with a travel agent. Flights are as of May 2010 approximately $600 from Boston to San Pedro Sula.

7 TERMS & CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL APPLICATIONS, RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS: Early applications are strongly encouraged. Trip rosters usually must be finalized 4 months before departure! All applications must be accompanied by a completed reservation form and a $500 deposit. Deposits can be by check or credit card (Visa or MasterCard). We reserve the right to decline your application. In the case of questionable health, we reserve the right to require a physician s certification to affirm you are capable of the activities. Final payment is due 95 days (Dec. 1, 2010) before the departure date. Final payment must be by check. RATES: All tour prices are based on double occupancy. If you would like us to find you a roommate, we will do our best, but cannot guarantee a share. If we cannot find a share, you will need to pay the single supplement. All forms and fares are accurate at the time of publication May 2010 but are subject to change at any time prior to departure. It is our policy to only pass on the actual amount of any increases in airfares or land costs such as those increases due to the devaluation of the dollar. Rarely, a price increase may be called for if the group falls below the minimum of 10. The maximum number of participants is approximately 16. FLIGHTS: You, the traveler, are responsible for booking and paying for your own international flights. Once you reserve your space, we will provide you with suggested flights and tell you which flights our leaders will be on. You may book flights directly with the airline, online, or with a travel agent. Once your deposit and reservation form have been sent to us, we will send you flight and contact information. Please be aware that most tickets are nonrefundable, therefore you should not book your flight arrangements until you have checked with us to be sure the tour has the minimum number of participants for the trip to go. PHOTOS: Mass Audubon reserves the right to make use of any photograph taken on the tour. We guarantee that no photos of a comprising nature will be used. CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS: If you need to change your booking, you must inform us immediately. All cancellations must be done in writing and are effective upon receipt in the Massachusetts Audubon Travel Office. Cancellations received up to 121 days prior to departure will be refunded deposits less a $300 per person fee. For cancellations between 120 and 90 days prior to departure, all deposits will not be refunded. There are no refunds for cancellations 90 days or less from departure. We strongly urge all travelers to purchase trip cancellation insurance. You will be sent information from the Massachusetts Audubon Society upon receipt of your deposit. Your Responsibility: Although every precaution is taken to safeguard you and your belongings, group travel trips by their nature involve a certain amount of risk. Trip participants should understand that the domestic and international trips sponsored/operated by Massachusetts Audubon Society (Mass Audubon Tours) - hereafter collectively M.A.S. - involve known and unknown risks. M.A.S. assumes no responsibility for injuries, death, financial losses or damage to clients property caused by or occurring during participation in any of the travel trips sponsored/operated by M.A.S. Trip participants must assume responsibility for having sufficient skill and fitness to participate in the trips and activities offered or sponsored by M.A.S. Trip participants must also certify that they have no medical, mental or physical conditions which could interfere with their abilities to participate in the activities and/or trips they are participating in and they must assume and bear the cost of all risks that may be created, directly or indirectly, by any such condition. It is the responsibility of trip participants to have in place adequate insurance to cover any injury, damage or emergency transportation costs related to their travel and/or participation in trip activities and/or to bear the costs of such injury, damage or emergency transportation costs. Because of the risks associated with the travel trips sponsored by M.A.S. we urge all trip participants to supplement their own insurance with travel or vacation or emergency response types of insurance. M.A.S. requires that all trip participants acknowledge and assume these risks by reading and signing an M.A.S. Release and Waiver and Assumption of Risk contract prior to departure. CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL: Travelers will be provided with an itinerary and trip preparation information. It is expected that travelers will read this information prior to trip departure. Travelers will be responsible for completing an application reservation form, a personal information form, and a release of liability form. Travelers will be expected to abide by the terms set for in the invoice. During the tour, travelers are asked to respect and follow the directions of their guide and leader.

8 Mr./Mrs./Ms. Passenger Name (1) as shown as passport Mr./Mrs./Ms. Passenger Name (2) as shown as passport Honduras March 11 18, 2011 President s Tour Address City State Zip Phone: Day Evening address Passport number 1 (for international trips): Expiration date: Passport number 2 (for international trips): Expiration date: Accommodations: I/We are non-smoker(s) smoker(s) (smoking is limited to outdoors in non-group spaces) I request single accommodations where available and will pay the single supplement. I would like to be assigned a roommate. If one is not available, I will pay the single supplement. Deposit: Please find my enclosed deposit of ($500 per person) check or please charge my credit card: VISA MC Card # Exp. Checks should be made payable to Massachusetts Audubon Society Signature