Two Weeks Earlier, April 8, 1998
Guatemala
Sierra de las Minas

Excerpt from 1998 Catalog of EcoTours, Inc., Houston, TX

Few places are as difficult to reach or, as rewarding to those who make the trek, as the Sierra de las Minas Biological Preserve.  Located in the mountains of northern Guatemala, the preserve presents the best opportunity in the world to observe the rare and elusive Horned Guan, as well as its close relative the Highland Guan.  We should also have excellent views of the magnificent Resplendent Quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala, and a cultural icon of both the Maya and Aztec peoples.

Our trip begins in surprisingly modern Guatemala City.  We will leave directly from La Aurora International Airport and drive to the village of San Augustine in air-conditioned comfort through endless cultivated fields, stopping occasionally to search for interesting lowland species.  We will have a delightful picnic lunch in the plaza at San Augustine, sitting in the shade beneath an enormous Ceiba tree, just as the villagers have done for centuries.

In San Augustine, we will leave our coach and transfer to four-wheel drive vehicles for the trip up the mountain to Hacienda de las Minas, a rustic lodge with a stunning view of the area from an altitude of 5500 feet.  We will bird around the lodge in the afternoon, where we can expect to see such beauties as the Blue-crowned Mot-mot.  After dark, we will search for the Vermiculated Screech-Owl, a specialty of the area.

Early on the following morning, we will hike up to the preserve, assisted by four-wheel Honda “motos,” the only vehicles capable of driving on the road to the top of the mountain.  We will allow several hours for the hike to give us plenty of time to enjoy the birds along the way, especially the lovely Pink-headed Warbler, endemic to the region.

We will camp in a clearing at approximately 8000 feet, located in the midst of a cloud forest.  The primary source of moisture for the forest comes as fog or mist, which can appear at any time of the day, and hides trees 200 feet tall and twenty feet around in a diaphanous veil.  Bromeliads, epiphytic plants that grow on the limbs of the trees, are common and bloom throughout the year.

After four days in this ecological paradise, we will return to Guatemala City, arriving in time to witness the traditional Easter celebration.  Parishioners from different parts of the city participate in an informal competition to produce the most elaborate floats depicting Jesus and the Virgin Mary.  They carry these huge floats, some a city block long, through downtown streets in a parade lasting well into the night.

EcoTours will supply all food for the trip.  Participants should bring tents and sleeping bags.  Rain gear is essential and rubber boots highly recommended.

For more information, including background information on Preston Salomon, a complete itinerary, bird list, and assistance in travel, contact EcoTours…

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