International Birding Tours
Bird the world with Tucson Bird Alliance and our partners!
Check this page soon for upcoming information on our 2027 trip to Colombia with Victor Emanuel Nature Tours!
Southern India’s Western Ghats with Naturalist Journeys
November 6-20, 2027 (with Tadoba Tiger Reserve extension) with Naturalist Journeys and Tucson Bird Alliance host Donito Burgess
On a global scale, India hosts a dizzying array of endemic birds and fascinating mammals. This biodiversity reaches its peak frenzy in southern India’s Western Ghats, often compared to the “Sky Islands” of Southeast Arizona as a haven for naturalists seeking world-famous flora and fauna. Join expert guides and like-minded companions to explore a scenic archipelago of mountains within part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Along the way, delight in stunning landscapes and evocative culture, where colorful day-to-day life unfolds. Southern India’s culinary richness is legendary as well!
In Nagarhole National Park, we embark on both boat and jeep safaris to search for elusive Leopard, Tiger, and Indian Elephant. Find Nilgiri Marten, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon and the Nilgiri (Black-chinned) Laughingthrush at Ooty, a resort town with lush tea plantations in the blue hills of the Nilgiris. In Rajamalai National Park admire White-bellied Sholakili, Palani Laughingthrush, and Nilgiri Wood Pigeon—just some of the 15 (out of 16) endemic species we should see. Stay two nights inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, birding with local guides on trails, on the river in a raft, and through the gardens of our jungle lodge. Journey through Thattakad Bird Sanctuary in search of Indian Pitta, Malabar Trogon, Red Spurfowl, and Gray-headed Bulbul, along with Travancore and Indian Flying Squirrel and Slender Loris (with luck!).
And there’s more! We’re excited to offer an optional pre-tour extension with a flight out to explore the Tadoba Tiger Reserve, in the center of the country, where we take several safari drives through the rich woodlands and grasslands. This is quite possibly the best place in India to see tigers. We also hope to find Common Leopard, Asiatic Sloth Bear, Indian Wild Dog, Asiatic Jackal, and if very lucky – Rusty Spotted Cat!
Main Tour Summary
- November 6-20, 2027
- Cost: $8690 DBL / $10445 SGL
- Arrival/Departure Airport is Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR)
Extension Summary
- November 1-6, 2027
- Cost: $3590 DBL / $4265 SGL
- Arrival/Departur Airport is Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR)
See the full itinerary and registration info here. See Naturalist Journeys for terms and conditions.
Your participation supports conservation, and a portion will be donated to Tucson Bird Alliance! For registration, contact our partner company for this tour, Naturalist Journeys from the registration link on this page.
Peru: Cusco to Manú National Park with Naturalist Journeys
October 2-17, 2026, w/Peg Abbott and Tucson Bird Alliance Jennie MacFarland
Optional Machu Picchu extension through October 20
Stretching across thousands of square miles on the eastern flank of the Peruvian Andes, Manu National Park and the biosphere reserve that surrounds it encompasses a continuous tract of pristine wilderness that preserves the entire spectrum of Andean slope ecosystems—from high Andean puna grasslands to lowland Amazonian rainforest. Stretching across so many altitudes and habitats, this reserve lays claim to the most diverse fauna and flora of any park in the world: 1000+ bird species, 160 mammal species, and 4,385 plant species have been recorded in its boundaries with more still being discovered. By following the very birdy Manu-Kosnipata Road and staying at lodges at different altitudes, this tour offers a rich transect of all the habitats present in the Manu Biosphere Reserve.
Our tour begins in Lima, where nutrient-rich upwellings from the cold Humboldt Current offer nourishment for teeming seabird colonies that include boobies, cormorants, and penguins. After a short flight to Cusco, we travel across natural high mountain grasslands and fields farmed for centuries in search of endemics like Bearded Mountaineer and Creamy-crested Spinetail. Once we reach the rest of the Acjanaco Pass, above the treeline, the landscape tumbles downward into progressively taller and wetter forest. Our first stop is Wayqechua Biological Station, where we explore misty elfin forests buzzing with high elevation tanagers and hummingbirds. Then we continue to Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, where lush cloud forests harbor exuberant leks of the Andean Cock-of-the-rock, mixed flocks of technicolor tanagers like Paradise, Saffron-crowned, and Beryl-spangled, and brilliant songsters such as Andean Solitaire and Chestnut-breasted Wren. A bit further down still at Villa Carmen Biological Station, we explore spiney Guadua bamboo and foothill rainforest for the shimmery Bluish-fronted Jacamar, adorable Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher, and skulking Manu Antbird.
Finally, we reach the awe-inspiring Amazonia Rainforest: a habitat layered with diversity, complexity, and sheer beauty. Here, we spend four full days soaking up the spectacle of parrot clay licks attended by hundreds of parrots, visiting quiet oxbow lakes inhabited by prehistoric Hoatzin and elegant Agami Heron, watching for brightly-colored toucans and cotingas from canopy platforms, and seeking out large mammals like Giant Otter and South American Tapir. All in all, this tour covers one of the greatest birding roads in the world.
An optional tour extension to the major historical site of Machu Picchu can be added to your tour
Tour Summary
- 16-Day / 15-Night Manú National Park Tour
- $7,390 DBL; $8,290 SGL
- 4-Day / 3-Night Machu Picchu Tour Extension
- $2995 DBL / $3585 SGL
- Arrival/Departure Airport is Lima, Peru (LIM)
See the full itinerary and details here, and the registration info here. See Naturalist Journeys for terms and conditions.
Your participation supports conservation, and a portion will be donated to Tucson Bird Alliance! For registration contact our partner company for this tour, Naturalist Journeys from the registration link on this page, or contact Naturalist Journeys at travel@naturalistjourneys.com or call (866) 900-1146.
Guatemala: Birding and Culture in the Mayan World with Sabrewing Nature Tours
January 20–29, 2027 (and extension through Feb 3) with Rob Ripma and Tucson Audubon host Luke Safford
Guatemala has incredibly diverse habitats and spectacular birds to offer visiting birders. From the cloud forests where Horned Guans can be found to the pine forests where species such as Pink-headed Warbler live, there is always something wonderful to see. Guatemala is also a country with a rich culture which we will have the privilege of experiencing throughout our trip!
Our main tour will focus on birding in the Central Highlands where we’ll spend nine days exploring a variety of elevations. We’ll also take in some of the cultural side of Guatemala with a visit to the historic town of Antigua, Guatemala. Highlight species on this portion of the tour could include Horned Guan, Tufted Flycatcher, Pink-headed Warbler, Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo, Blue-throated Motmot, Gray Silky-flycatcher, Wine-throated and Garnet-throated Hummingbirds, Long-tailed Manakin, and Azure-rumped Tanager.
At the conclusion of the main tour, continue with us on our extension to the lowlands. This extension will offer a much different bird list than the main tour. Our first stop will be Las Guacamayas Biological Station before we move on to the famous Mayan ruins at Tikal National Park. Some highlights in the lowlands include Agami Heron, Sungrebe, Ocellated Turkey, Crested Eagle, Scarlet Macaw, Gray-throated Chat, and Orange-breasted Falcon.
Main Tour Summary
- January 20–29, 2027
- $4399 (double occupancy)
- Arrival/Departure Airport is Guatemala City
Extension Summary
- January 28–February 3, 2027
- $3599 (double occupancy)
- Arrival/Departure Airport is Guatemala City
See the full itinerary and registration info here. See Sabrewing Nature Tours for terms and conditions.
Your participation supports conservation, and a portion will be donated to Tucson Bird Alliance! For registration, contact our partner company for this tour, Sabrewing Nature Tours from the registration link on this page.
Mexico: Oaxacan Adventure with Sabrewing Nature Tours
January 8-18, 2026 with Rob Ripma and Tucson Bird Alliance host Alexis Stark
TOUR IS FULL – For an additional Sabrewing Nature Tours Oaxaca tour offering please click here.
Mexico is home to incredible biodiversity, and Oaxaca stands as its crown jewel for birding, with a wide range of ecosystems supporting diverse species. Whether you’re exploring the high-altitude pine forests or the tropical lowlands, each destination offers unique opportunities for birdwatching and ecological exploration. Check out the full itinerary but highlights will include birds such as Orange-breasted Bunting, Rufous-crowned Motmot, and Red Warbler, along with a pelagic outing, cultural opportunities, and the famous Oaxacan cuisine.
Orange-breasted Bunting, Rob Ripma
All 2024 Tours are FULL
Upcoming 2025 Tours (More Info to Come)
- January 23 – February 2, 2025 – Belize with Victor Emanual Nature Tours and Tucson Bird Alliance
- October 2025 – Chile with Sabrewing Nature Tours and Tucson Bird Alliance
