Located in a semitropical valley with beautiful pre-Columbian ruins sheltered by towering mountains, Oaxaca is a modern city that honors the traditions of its indigenous population. Based all seven nights at a single charming hotel, our tour of this magnificent region of Mexico offers participants a wide selection of endemic birds, along with plenty of time to enjoy the many cultural delights of colonial period Oaxaca itself. Included among these are visits to the 1563 Cathedral, the pulsating zócalo, and the superb regional museum in the 16th century Church of Santo Domingo. There will also be leisure to browse in the local shops. Wood carvings, black ceramics, weavings, and other crafts produced by native artisans are justifiably internationally renowned for their quality. Looming a vertical mile over 5,060' elevation Oaxaca, Cerro San Felipe in the Sierra Madre del Sur is famous as the only accessible location for the rare and endemic Dwarf Jay. More commonly encountered are Red Warblers with silver cheek patches and nectar-robbing Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercers. Other possible West Mexico specialties include endemic Gray-barred Wren, Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo, and highly localized Collared Towhee. Gray Silky-Flycatchers, long-tailed tropical relatives of our Cedar Waxwings, are typically common. The cloud forest here harbors one of the loveliest gardens of wildflowers in all Mexico, a veritable banquet for the hummingbird tribe, which includes such delectable species as Green Violet-ear, Bumblebee, Amethyst-throated, and Garnet-throated Hummingbirds. As always in Mexico, the relatively undisturbed habitat surrounding archaeological sites provides birders with a chance to explore ancient civilizations while savoring the native avifauna. Once the ancient capital of the valley, Yagul combines its hilltop setting with such endemic species as Gray-breasted Woodpecker, Boucard’s Wren, and the orange-colored Bridled Sparrow. Because Oaxaca Valley has long been cleared for farming by the Indians, we'll have the opportunity to look for Pacific slope arid zone birds when we visit the impressive ruins of Monte Albán. Examples include Lesser Roadrunner and Blue Mockingbird. Here, too, we’ll try for regional endemics like the Beautiful Hummingbird, Ocellated Thrasher, and Slaty Vireo. Hand-loomed Oaxaca rugs are famous throughout the world, and when we stop at the nearby Zapotec village of Teotitlán del Valle we'll have a chance to purchase them directly from the artisans. These intricately designed, natural vegetal-dyed rugs cost only a fraction as much in Teotitlán as they retail for in the United States. Returning to Oaxaca, we’ll admire the Tule Tree, reputedly the biggest tree on earth. This colossal cypress measures 165 feet in circumference, stands 175 feet tall, and is estimated to be 2,000 years of age. It is this precise quality of quiet endurance that stamps everything in Oaxaca Valley, and makes it one of the finest cultural and natural history tour destinations in all Mexico.

$100 will be discounted if Oaxaca Valley and Grand Oaxaca are combined--$5690.

Photo: Slaty Vireo
Photo by: Ed Harper

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