BELIZE UNSPOILED BEAUTY  Savannas, Jungle & Pine Forests

Dates:  March 23rd - April 1st 2018 - 10 Days / 10 Nights 

Price: $4199 Deposit $1500 Single Supplement $500
Optional Trip Extension: Mountain Pine Ridge: 3 extra days added to the above dates in Mountain Ridge Pine Forest to photograph the endangered and beautiful Orange Breasted Falcon!
Price for Extension:  $1,795.00 USD Duration:  Extension: (2 Nights/3 Days)
Group Size: 6 Participants
Flight Destination: Belize City, Belize  Workshop Leader: David Hemmings 

Included: All expert photo instruction, guides, drivers, land transportation. Airport pick up and drop off.  All accommodations (including first night), based on double occupancy
Not included: International airfare to place of tour origin. Any additional nights accommodation outside of the tour dates. Additional tips for staff such as guides and camp staff. Fees for passport, visas, immunizations and insurance. Meals, beverages, alcoholic beverages. Laundry, phone and other items of a personal nature. 

Accommodations include jungle lodges, cabanas and a pine lodge in a region with one of the highest concentration of wildcats in Belize. While we drive through the outback, countryside and conservation areas watch for Road Side Hawks, Toucans, Parakeets and other wildlife including Howler Monkeys, Spider Monkeys, Jaguars, Ocelots, Pumas, Kinkajou, Deer, and Grey Fox.  Tropical birds include several species of the Mot Mot, Toucan, Flycatcher, Hummingbird, Woodpecker, Tanagers, Parrot, Honeycreeper, Euphonias, Grosbeak, Oriole, Manakin, Cuckoos, Trogon, Jacamar, Puffbird, Warbler and more. You adventure starts in Belize City travelling North-West to Orange Walk and then south through remote areas ending in the Belmopan area. Visit Mayan Ruins including a King’s Tomb at Chan Chich or explore on your own with the many birding trails at Pook’s Hill. Watch Montesuma Orependelas building their nest and performing their nesting rituals (March). This photo adventure is ideal for photographers, birders and those looking to experience a range of landscapes, tropical birds and northwest and south western parts of Belize.  Photographers will learn basics or improve current skills of bird photography to birds, multi-flash Hummingbirds and in flight photography. Mountain Pine Ridge Extension to search for the Orange Breasted Falcon, visit Butterfly Falls, an 80 foot waterfall and take a dip in the fresh water pool with butterflies fluttering and swifts flying above you. Watch the landscapes change from jungle hills and mountainous pine forests. 

 

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW: ITINERARY
This photo adventure begins in Belize City, Belize. Belize City is bustling center yet has a warm and laid back atmosphere. We will be stationed here for one night at a lovely old mansion turned into a hotel. We will meet in the morning for breakfast and head out to our first destination which is the Crooked Tree Bird Sanctuary. Staying at Birds Eye ViewLodge, learn still and flight photography and proper lighting for white birds against a lagoon setting. Have the opportunity to photograph the Jaribru Stork, Northern Jacana, Black–necked Stilt,  White Ibis, Black Bellied Whistling Duck, Limpkin, Great Egret, Ringed Kingfisher, Osprey, Snail Kite, Great Blue Heron,  American White Pelican, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Crowned Night Heron, Green Heron, Black Collared Hawk, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Vermillion Flycatcher, Swallows, Banaquits, Kiskadees and the Laughing Gull. We will use both a canoe and our legs as modes of transportation in and around the sanctuary. We will enjoy some really good home cooked meals Belizian style while here. After spending 2 days at Crooked Tree we will depart and head south to our second destination. We travel to Gallon Jug region staying at a luxury resort Chan Chich Lodge. Along our travels photo opportunities might include White Tailed Deer, Grey Fox, Ocellated Turkeys, Toucans, Road Side Hawks and Scissor Tailed Flycatcher. Olive-throated Parkeets have been photographed eating pink flowers from trees along the way with a variety of hummingbirds drinking nectar. We will spend our next two days of the workshop at Chan Chich.

At Chan Chich Lodge you will have the opportunity to photograph Red Capped Mannakins, White Collared Mannakins, Scrub Euphonias, Black Cheeked Woodpecker, Pale-Billed Woodpeckers and many other species. Visit a lagoon to hunt for the Agami Heron, Purple Gallinule and Bare Throated Tiger Heron. White-Vented Euphonias, Olive-Backed Euphonias and Toady Motmots are also around the lodge. Photograph (nesting in March) the Montezuma Oropendola building their nest. Ocellated Turkeys are in abundance around the jungle lodge.  After a long day of photography this resort offers a hot tub and swimming pool to cool off and spa services. Go on a hike photographing the Howler Monkey and Spider Monkeys. While capturing incredible photographs in the jungle setting, visit a King`s Tomb and Mayan Ruins located on the resort. You will be led on a jungle trail to photograph Slaty Tailed Trogans, Keel Billed Toucans and Black Headed Trogans. Visit an Ornate Hawk Eagle Nest on the March Workshop.

From Chan Chich we move on to our next, and likely best destination, Pook's Hill Lodge.We will spend a full 4 days here to fully take advantage of the numerous species that frequent the area.
 

The drive to Pook's Hill from Chan Chich is through some remote and beautiful areas of Belize. We will pass abandoned sawmills and passover many small rivers.Our destination, Belmopan. This is where our lodge, Pook's Hill is located. Our accomodations at Pook's Hill are nestled deep in the jungle with birds surrounding us from all directions! There are trails, open meadows and roads that all harbour numerous exotic species waiting to be photographed. Species we will be shooting include the Red Legged Honeycreeper, Violacious Trogon, Black Headed Trogan, Keel Billed Toucans, White Whiskered Puffbird, Barred Antshrikes,Crimson Collared Tanagers, Yellow Winged Tanagers, Collared Aracaris, Black Cheeked and Pale Billed Woodpeckers and more. Amazon and Ringed Kingfishers are seen regularly along the river trails. Pook's Hill is truly an exotic bird paradise.

 

​3 Day Extension to Mountain Pine Ridge:
Travel from Belmopan to Mountain Pine Ridge where we will search for and hopefully photograph the elusive and endangered Orange Breasted Falcon! Traveling northeast from Belmopan we will arrive at the top of the mountain range where Hidden Valley Inn is nestled amongst the forest.  Your journey will include a search for the Orange Breasted Falcon, Stygian Owl and Ferruginous Pygmy Owl.  View King Vultures situated on King Vulture Falls.  At the resort photograph Plumbeous Kite, Green Jay, Brown Jay, Melodious Black Bird, Black Hooded Oriole, Plain Chacalacca, Acorn Woodpeckers both perched and in flight. Hummingbird multi-flash photography lessons Violet Sabrewing Hummingbird, Azure Crowned Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird.  End your adventure in Belize with a  hike through the pine trails to a mountain spring feed waterfalls and pool; Butterfly Waterfalls. The stunning Butterfly Waterfalls. These 100 foot waterfalls are ideal for landscape shots and a refreshing swim amongst butterflies above. Hidden Valley Inn also offers a pool and hot tub to relax after a successful day of photography.

 

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