San Sebastian - Vallarta Bird and Nature Festival

Pueblo Mágico and

La Bufa Mountain Adventure

Highlights:

This is a scenic canyon drive as you leave Puerto Vallarta and ascend a main winding road past small Mexican villages and up into the Sierra Madre Occidental. It is about a 1.5 to 2 hour drive. You arrive for an overnight in the Pueblo Mágico, San Sebastián del Oeste, a historical silver mining town dating back to the 1600s. Here you can enjoy a delicious dinner and a stroll around the square, or evening birding with your guide to find owl species; it’s your choice. There is a tiny museum that might be open across from the church

Departing your hotel at 6:30 am, the birding adventure begins as you ascend the mountain along a paved road that turns into a dirt road that can get very rough. Some targets will be the Brown-backed Solitaire (usually heard before being seen), Bumblebee Hummingbird, White-eared Hummingbird and the Aztec Thrush. Several warbler species, plus the Painted Redstart, Mountain Trogon, Flame-colored Tanager, and many other higher elevation bird species are possible. We’ll have a sack lunch on the mountain before descending and driving back to Puerto Vallarta with a few birding stops along the way to pick up some raptors or waterbirds.

Itinerary: Depart the Hyatt Ziva at 3pm (duration overnight)

A Pueblo Mágico and La Bufa Mountain Adventure

Leader: Antonio Robles

Date: Sunday, February 26, – Monday, February 27

Group Size: Limited to 6 people

Duration: 3 pm – return Monday evening (overnight trip)

Language: English and Spanish

$4000 MXN

Festival Registration Required

Independent Accommodation
(make your own hotel reservation)

Sold Out

Explore Nature in a New Way

On the road up into the mountains, you will witness a change in habitat. The trees and understory change; there is a gradual shift to evergreens and this gives rise to different species of wildlife. During the morning departure you may feel a slight chill in the air as you drive up the mountain to start your search for Red-headed Tanagers and Chestnut-sided Shrike Vireos, among others. The slopes are often covered with many varieties of flowers and some trees are covered with bromeliads.

It can take a few hours to ascend the road to the top because stops along the way will vary depending upon what your guide detects. Towards the top, the road is typically rough until you reach a small dirt parking area where you can walk around. There are many bird species right in parking area. There is a narrow, uneven, and rocky trail that you can take from the parking area to a magnificent lookout, but you will need proper footwear to avoid issues. On a clear day you can see Puerto Vallarta from this mirador, and San Sebastian is usually clearly visible below.