Join SABO's Sheri Williamson and Tom Wood for a fun winter getaway to Mexico's Rancho Primavera! Relax this winter on a private ranch in western Mexico, with West Mexican Chachalacas as your alarm clock and Black-throated Magpie-Jays over coffee. Spend six nights in the same location as you explore the endemic-rich habitats of Cabo Corrientes, just 90 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta and just outside the 16th-Century pueblo of El Tuito. The 200 acre Rancho Primavera lies just under 2000 feet in elevation—between the thorn forest and the pine forest—on the Pacific Slope of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Situated at this habitat transition zone, the ranch boasts an bird list of more than 300 species, making it the #2 birding spot in the state of Jalisco and among the top 25 hotspots in all of Mexico.
In January of 2024, Naturalist Journeys’ guide Steve Shunk moved to Rancho Primavera with his partner, Mexican birding guide and biologist Lizzy Martinez. Now, Steve and Lizzy invite you for a winter escape to this lovely private guest ranch in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. They walk with you around the trails of the property, through meadows and forest, to productive ponds, and along the Tuito River. A morning visit to the ranch feeders is simply incredible. Just a few of the regular visitors include: Black-throated Magpie-Jay, Yellow Grosbeak, Blue Mockingbird, Cinnamon-bellied Saltator, Cinnamon Hummingbird, White-throated Thrush, Streak-backed Oriole, Yellow-winged Cacique, and Golden-cheeked Woodpecker.
Away from the feeders, we search for more Pacific-Slope endemics, like Colima Pygmy-Owl, Orange-fronted Parakeet, Russet-crowned Motmot, Gray-crowned Woodpecker, Happy Wren, Golden Vireo, and West Mexican Euphonia. Regular raptors on the property include Great and Common Black Hawks, Gray Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk, and Zone-tailed Hawk. Water birds at the ponds might include Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Least Grebe, Northern Jacana, and three kingfisher species. But our week in the region goes well beyond the ranch.
We spend one morning at the world-class Vallarta Botanical Gardens, with San Blas and Green Jays at the feeders. Take a morning boat ride to Los Arcos Marine Reserve to look for Blue-footed Boobies and Humpback Whales. Explore into the thorn forest of the Costalegre, where we look for Orange-breasted Bunting and Flammulated Flycatcher. The pine forest at the highest elevations can bring Flame-colored Tanager plus Grace’s and Golden-crowned Warblers. The Cabo Corrientes experience—with Rancho Primavera as your base—is sure to put this trip high on your list of favorite vacations.
![Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Birding Mexico, Bird watching Mexico, Pacific Ocean, North American birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot](/img/tours/photos/22400.jpg)
![Orange-breasted Bunting, Birding Mexico, Bird watching Mexico, Pacific Ocean, North American birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot](/img/tours/photos/22401.jpg)
![Green Kingfisher, Birding Mexico, Bird watching Mexico, Pacific Ocean, North American birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot](/img/tours/photos/22399.jpg)
Tour Highlights
- Unpack and relax—spend six nights at the ranch, giving you ample time to settle in
- Soak in beautiful weather in the dead of winter, with sunny days in the 70s and 80s
- Enjoy many chances to see dozens of Pacific-Slope/West Mexican endemic birds
- Take easy walks on roads and trails, with plenty of chances for leisure time
- Explore with seasoned, English-speaking guides who live on the ranch property
- Experience impressive habitat diversity from the Pacific Ocean to the Sierra Madrean pine forest.
- Indulge in delicious, authentic Mexican food, like birria, pozole, jocoque cheese, hand-made tortillas, and delicious salsas, as well as the freshest Pacific seafood—it’s a vacation after all!
![Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Birding Mexico, Bird watching Mexico, Pacific Ocean, North American birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot](/img/tours/photos/22405.jpg)
![Lilac-crowned Parrot, Birding Mexico, Bird watching Mexico, Pacific Ocean, North American birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot](/img/tours/photos/22406.jpg)
![Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Birding Mexico, Bird watching Mexico, Pacific Ocean, North American birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot](/img/tours/photos/22404.jpg)
Trip Itinerary
Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.
Sat., Jan. 4 Arrival in Puerto Vallarta | Welcome Dinner
Join Sheri Williamson and Tom Wood for a NEW! journey offered by SABO to kick off the New Year. Tom and Sheri have deep knowledge of Mexico from their many trips here and they are thrilled to host this trip based mainly from one lodge, the wonderful Rancho Primavera. What better place to immerse yourself in nature with both local experts and Sheri and Tom’s love of all things natural history, birds, and more.
Puerto Vallarta is a charming seaside city. If you arrive in time you might enjoy a walk along the malacon between coconut palms, sand, and the sea. There are numerous small shops, or you might enjoy art galleries and exploring Vallarta’s old town.
We chose simple but comfortable lodgings and plan to have a great local dinner to welcome everyone this evening. Learn more about the week ahead and meet your fellow travel companions.
Accommodations at the Holiday Inn in Puerto Vallarta (D)
Sun., Jan 5 Whale Watching in Puerto Vallarta | Rancho Primavera
This morning we walk (or taxi if you prefer) down to the harbor to meet a scheduled whale watching cruise into the harbor. Humpback Whales congregate in this area from December to March. They feed in the rich waters, and are used to boats, offering you close looks and excellent photo opportunities. By taking photos of the fluke patterns, you can contribute to citizen science efforts, tracking these whales now for several generations!
Mothers are here with their young, teaching them valuable skills they will need before venturing north to summer feeding grounds. Males are here to find receptive females for breeding. By dropping hydrophones into the wáter, you can hear them sing! With luck we see whale exuberance for life, witnessing them leaping or even breeching almost out of the water. This is a morning trip of about 3-4 hours with lunch, a remarkable and memorable way to start the trip.
We will have stored luggage at the hotel, and our local expert guides from Rancho pick us up, help us collect our gear, and then drive 90 minutes—past the busy cruise ships, hotels, and resorts—to the small pueblo of El Tuito and our base at Rancho Primavera. Check in and enjoy some leisure time before sunset, followed by dinner in El Tuito, just 10 minutes away.
Hummingbirds on the grounds here include some species that occur in Arizona and others unique to areas south. Common at the ranch feeders and on trails on the grounds are Plain-capped Starthroat and Berylline Hummingbird, rare and much sought-after in Arizona but here in their realm. Broad-billed and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are here, and with luck we should find Violet-crowned and might find Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird as well. Mexican Hermit are suspected on the property, our resident naturalists are sure to be on the lookout for them, and for rarities but posible Mexican Hermit, Golden-crowned Emerald, and Mexican Woodnymphs.
We use the ranch as a base, and venture out to habitats at various elevations. Get ready for an exciting week ahead.
Accommodations at Rancho Primavera (B,L,D)
Mon., Jan 6 Birding Rancho Primavera
Enjoy a thorough and very relaxing introduction to the ranch, from the feeders at the main house to the ponds at Santa Monica. Breakfast is early today at the porch of the main house while we watch the morning feeding. Expect a frenzy of special birds, including the resident (rehabilitated and released) Military Macaws, plus our first West Mexican endemics, like Blue Mockingbird, Streak-backed Oriole, and Golden-cheeked Woodpecker. Common hummingbirds at the feeders typically include Cinnamon, Broad-billed, and Plain-capped Starthroat.
After breakfast, we walk various trails in search of Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Elegant Trogon, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, Golden Vireo, and an amazing diversity of flycatchers, including Social Flycatcher, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Greenish Elaenia, and Bright-rumped Attila. After lunch in Tuito, we head back to the ranch for a break before afternoon and evening birding on the ranch trails. We stay alert for mixed flocks of migrant songbirds, including Wilson’s, Nashville, and Black-throated Gray Warblers; Warbling and Plumbeous Vireos, Western and Dusky Flycatchers, and Western and Summer Tanagers. Dinner tonight is in Tuito.
Accommodations at Rancho Primavera (B,L,D)
Tues., Jan 7 Vallarta Botanical Gardens
After breakfast at the ranch feeders, we drive 30 minutes the renowned Vallarta Botanical Gardens. The gardens are a fantastic place to enjoy birds, besides the beautiful collection of orchids, succulents, and other amazing flora. Here, we see some of the familiar species from the ranch, such as Masked Tityra, Orange-fronted Parakeet, and Cinnamon-bellied Saltator. Other songbirds in the gardens may include Painted, Varied, and Blue Buntings, plus any number of flycatchers. We also watch for a variety of hummingbirds, with reasonable possibilities for Mexican Woodnymph, Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird, Golden-crowned Emerald, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, and Mexican Hermit.
After lunch at the on-site restaurant, we stay for the 1:00 PM bird feeding, where we watch for Green and San Blas Jays among the many Yellow-winged Cacique, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Rufous-backed Robin, and the goofy West Mexican Chachalacas.
We return to the ranch for our daily break, followed by birding along the ranch entrance road and the Tuito River. The river typically hosts wintering Spotted Sandpiper and Louisiana Waterthrush among many other possibilities.
Accommodations at Rancho Primavera (B,L,D)
Wed., Jan. 8 Mayto & the Costalegre
We have an early breakfast this morning before we depart for the southern coast of Cabo Corrientes and the northern edge of the Costalegre, a long stretch of beaches and headlands that reaches south to the state of Colima. We cross through transitional habitats and down into the coastal thorn forest in search of a new suite of birds that specialize in this region. Just a few of these include Citreoline Trogon, Flammulated Flycatcher, Red-breasted Chat, Orange-breasted Bunting, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, White-throated Magpie-Jay, and White bellied Wren.
For lunch, we visit the beach-side restaurant at Mayto, offering exquisite seafood plates like aguachile, ceviche, and pescado a la plancha. After lunch, we visit the lagoons at Aquiles Serdan to enjoy an amazing diversity of waterbirds. We return to the ranch in the afternoon for a short break, followed by some evening birding at the ranch ponds and a dusk search for night birds like Mottled Owl, Common Pauraque, and Northern Potoo. Accommodations at Rancho Primavera (B,L,D)
Thurs., Jan 9 Los Arcos & Yelapa
We again head out early, this time heading north toward Puerto Vallarta. As soon as we hit the coast, we drop into the seaside pueblito of Boca de Tomatlan. We enjoy breakfast by the beach before embarking on a boat trip up and down the coast. Our main destination is another coastal pueblito called Yelapa that is reachable primarily by sea. But first, we head up the coast to the Los Arcos Marine Reserve.
Los Arcos is a collection of offshore rocks—some with arches—that host many waterbirds. From the boat, we look for Blue Footed Booby, Magnificent Frigatebird, Brown Pelican, and more. Once we have cruised around the rocks, we head south and a bit farther from shore to look for marine mammals. This region serves as calving grounds for Humpback Whale, and we frequently see mothers with their small offspring. We could also see any of several different dolphins, and possibly sea turtles.
On the northern edge of Cabo Corrientes, we enter Yelapa Bay and disembark at the Yelapa dock. We spend the rest of the morning birding the beach and lagoon here, which collectively mark the mouth of the Tuito River. Birds here might include Caspian and Elegant Terns, Laughing and Heerman’s Gulls, White-faced Ibis, Little Blue Heron, Reddish Egret, and any of several shorebirds. We enjoy a seaside lunch in Yelapa, followed by an afternoon stroll along the river, where we could see big flocks of Orange-fronted Parakeet and many Military Macaws, plus Pale-billed and Lineated Woodpeckers, Masked Tityra, Elegant Trogon, and Common Black and Zone-tailed Hawks, with the real possibility for a Black Hawk-Eagle.
We return to Boca de Tomatlan and make the 45-minute drive back to the ranch for some afternoon birding.
Accommodations at Rancho Primavera (B,L,D)
Fri., Jan 10 Provincia Road & Yelapa-Tapa
On our last full day, we have breakfast at the ranch, followed by a 20-minute drive into the pine-oak forest up the Provincia Road. Provincia gives us an introduction to the montane habitats of Cabo Corrientes and a chance to see several new bird species. Just a few of the possibilities include Grace’s and Golden-crowned Warblers, Painted and Slate-throated Redstarts, Acorn and Arizona Woodpeckers, and Hepatic and Flame-colored Tanagers.
We head back to Tuito for lunch, followed by an afternoon drive out onto the edge of Cabo Corrientes, where we look down on Yelapa Bay. From the Yelapa-Tapa overlook, we have a chance to see the rare Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, as well as Black Hawk-Eagle and any of several other raptor species. We also walk the road in search of Colima Pygmy-Owl, Green Jay, San Blas Jay, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, and Boat-billed Flycatcher, as well as several possible swifts and swallows. We return to the ranch for a break before a final celebratory dinner.
Accommodations at Rancho Primavera (B,L,D)
Sat., Jan 11 Morning at the Ranch & Departures
We spend a final leisurely morning at the ranch, birding the feeders and trails before heading off to the airport. In addition to the species mentioned above, we look for several other local specialty birds, including Crested Guan, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, Fan-tailed Warbler, Nutting’s Flycatcher, Berylline Hummingbird, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Orange-billed Nightengale-Thrush, and Lilac-crowned Parrot.
We have plenty of time to change clothes for traveling. (B)
Cost of the Journey
Cost of the journey is $4690 DBL / $5160 SGL per person. The tour price includes airport transfers; transportation in small passenger vans throughout the trip; 7 nights of accommodations; all meals and as noted in the itinerary; professional guide services; boat tour and other entry fees; and miscellaneous program expenses. Cost of the journey does not include airfare to and from your home to Puerto Vallarta.
Travel Details
Please plan to make air travel plans only after the minimum group size has been met. We will send you a confirmation email as soon as the trip has been confirmed.
Arrival and Departure Airport: Licenciado Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International (PVR) in Puerto Vallarta
Arrival Details: Plan flights to arrive January 4, 2025, no later than 3:00 PM
Departure Details: Plan flights to depart January 11, 2025, after 3:00 PM
Travel Tip: If you arrive early to rest up from your travels, Puerto Vallarta has many hotels to choose from. Known for it's beautiful beaches and many good restaurants, Puerto Vallarta is a great place to enjoy a few days before or after the tour.
Browse below for trip reports and species lists from past versions of this and other tours from this destination.
Mexico
Alamos
- November 2017
Butterflies & Birds
- February 2020
- February 2022
- February 2023
- February 2024
Oaxaca
- October 2021
- August 2022
- October 2022
- August 2023
- January 2024
Sea of Cortés
- March 2017
- February 2019
- March 2022
- March 2023
Veracruz
- September 2019
- September 2021
- October 2022
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Steve Shunk
Steve Shunk started birding in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1989, and he moved to central Oregon’s ‘Woodpecker Wonderland’ in 1997, where 11 woodpecker species breed annually. This phenomenon led to a 20-year obsession studying this charismatic family of birds. Steve founded the region’s woodpecker festival in 2008, and his Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of North America was published in 2016. He has fed leeches (his own blood) in Malaysian Borneo, and he has watched Spotless Starlings swarming around the Greek ruins of Sicily. Steve’s Alaska adventures have taken him from Ketchikan to Barrow and St. Paul Island. One of his favorite destinations takes him to see ‘eastern’ warblers breeding across the boreal forest of Alberta, but recent adventures have led him to favor the cushion plants and condors of the Peruvian high Andes. Steve speaks at bird festivals across North America, and he returns annually to speak and guide at the Vallarta Bird Festival in far-western Jalisco, Mexico. Steve joined Naturalist Journeys earlier this year, and we are excited to have him on the schedule for 2021 and beyond.
Steve’s work as a field biologist has taken him from the Coast Range of Oregon to California’s Sierra Nevada. Most recently, he conducted point-count and woodpecker surveys for a study in the Central Oregon Cascades. Steve co-founded the East Cascades Bird Conservancy (now East Cascades Audubon), and served as its first president. He also co-founded the Oregon Birding Trails Program and coordinated its flagship project, the Oregon Cascades Birding Trail. When Steve is not traveling the world for tours and lectures, he can be found writing, skiing, hiking, and watching woodpeckers at home in lovely Sisters, Oregon.Other trips with Steve Shunk
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Wild Borneo: Endemic Birding & Nature
October 2 - 16, 2024 -
Christmas Week at the AWNC
FULL - Check out Christmas in Ecuador!December 21 - 27, 2024, w/Tobago extension -
Pacific Mexico & Rancho Primavera: A Winter Escape!
FULL - See our November departure!January 19 - 25, 2025 -
South Texas Birding & Nature
February 12 - 20, 2025 -
Pacific Mexico & Rancho Primavera
April 2 - 8, 2025 -
Texas Coast & Big Thicket
April 16 - 24, 2025 -
Southeast Arizona
FULL - See our May departure!April 28 - May 7, 2025 -
Oregon's Malheur NWR & Woodpecker Wonderland
May 16 - 25, 2025 -
Oregon’s Cascade Mountains
Great Birds & LodgesJuly 8 - 15, 2025 -
Pacific Mexico & Rancho Primavera
November 24 - 30, 2025
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Essential Information +
Pace & Protocols +
Packing List +
Suggested Reading List +
Useful Links +
Photo credits: Banners: Orange-fronted Parakeet (NJ Stock), Puerto Vallarta Scenic (NJ Stock), Black-throated Magpie-jay (NJ Stock), Mexico Scenic (NJ Stock), Northern Beardless Tyrannulet (NJ Stock), Masked Booby (NJ Stock) Thumbnails: Ferruginous Pygmy Owl (NJ Stock), Orange-breasted Bunting (NJ Stock), Green Kingfisher (NJ Stock), Lilac-crowned Parrot (Steve Shunk), Golden-cheeked Woodpecker (Steve Shunk), Rosy Thrush-Tanager (Sheve Shunk)