Day tours
San Cristóbal, Sumidero Canyon, La Sepultura, the Comitán wetlands, or the ruins and rainforest at Palenque. Good on their own, and easy to string together.
See day tours →Chiapas · Southern Mexico
Mexico's most unique birding, off the beaten track.
700 species in one state, with Mexican endemics, Central American highland specialities, and the stunning birds of the tropical lowlands. Guided by two passionate birders.
~700
Species recorded
in the state
in the state
40+
Endemics &
near-endemics
near-endemics
0–4,060m
Sea level to the
summit of Tacaná
summit of Tacaná
6
Major habitats, coast
to cloud forest
to cloud forest
The case for Chiapas
More than forty endemic and near-endemic birds
Rose-bellied Bunting Passerina rositae A Mexican micro-endemic of the Pacific dry forests.
Horned Guan Oreophasis derbianus Rare, and endemic to the northern Central American highlands.
Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno The legendary cloud-forest plumed serpent.Trips
From a single morning to a full expedition
Some people join us for a day, others for a fortnight across the whole state. Take one of the trips we already run, or tell us how long you have and which birds you're after and we'll build the route around it.
Multi-day routes
The routes we run most often, from three focused days in the highlands to a full expedition across the state. Each one a starting point rather than a fixed package.
See the routes →
Build your own
Tell us how long you have, roughly when, and which birds you're after. We'll come back with a route built around your list — this is how most of our trips start.
Start building →Your guides
Two obsessive birders
Based in Chiapas, with an unhealthy preoccupation with identification and a soft spot for the difficult birds. We're colleagues and great friends.
Between us: four languages, years of birding and guiding across Latin America, and personal Chiapas lists of around 600 species each — from a state total of about 700.
Meet us properly →
Ben Simmons
Co-founder & Guide
Originally from the UK and a birder across Latin America for years, Ben has guided in Costa Rica and now calls the Chiapas highlands home. He's a fluent Spanish speaker with a sharp eye for a rarity, a patient teacher, and easy company through a long day in the field.
Superpower · Rarity magnet
Valente González
Co-founder & Guide
A Chiapaneco from birth and a birder since childhood, Valente pores over historical records and satellite imagery to track down birds in places nobody thought to look. He brings deep local knowledge and three languages to the field.
Superpower · Owl ears
See us in the field
A scouting trip up Tacaná Volcano after the Horned Guan, one of the most sought-after birds in the Americas. The best look you'll get at how we work, the ground we cover, and who you'd actually be birding with.
Google Reviews
5.0 ★★★★★ 51 reviews
NBNick Brickle
★★★★★ Spent a great four days birding with Valente and Ben. [...] Saw almost all the birds I was hoping to see, (including Pink-headed Warbler!). Their knowledge of the sites and the calls was impressive, and it felt more like I was birding with friends than with a guide.
RWRobert Wilcox
★★★★★ Carry and I were lucky enough to have a 4-day birding adventure in the highlands of Chiapas with Valente and Ben as guides. We could not have been happier with the adventure. [...] saw the Pink-headed Warbler, heard the Resplendant Quetzal. I listed 45 life species. [...] Thanks again, Ben and Valente, for making our trip to Chiapas something special.
BSBrianna Singh
★★★★★ Valente and Ben are a treat to bird with. It's like birding with friends except those friends are really experienced birders and are really good at helping you find the birds. It's wild how many calls Valente can ID. Or that he remembers exactly what two trees the screeching owls like to roost in.
PSPeter Standring
★★★★★ I had a great day of birding with Valente in Palenque. We started early, and hiked through the national park, not far from the famous ruins. Along the road, and in the forest we saw dozens and dozens of lovely birds. [...] toucans, trogons, parrots, raptors, flycatchers, hummingbirds, and all kinds of warblers. I think all total, I was able to add about 50 birds to my life list
BSBarbara Stahler
★★★★★ An absolutely magical day birding. In the drizzle and cold, birding guide Valente and I saw almost 30 species. As a local, his knowledge and ability to identify sounds individualy in a mixed flock are incredible. I also learned so much about the local flora. Can't wait to return for a longer trip.
DRDavid Robinson
★★★★★ I hired Valente to be my birding guide in Chiapas for five days [...] the trip was everything I hoped for. [...] The locations he recommended [...] were excellent, allowing me to see a wide variety of birds in a relatively short time. Valente was always great company: friendly, interesting, easygoing, well organized, and easy to converse with. [...] Birding with Valente was a pleasure from start to finish.
Why "Cardellina"
Four of the five live here
Cardellina is a genus of five warblers, and four of them occur in Chiapas, including the Pink-headed Warbler, which is found almost nowhere else. The three on our logo reflect our team.
- Pink-headed WarblerC. versicolor
A resident of the Chiapas highlands, found almost nowhere else. Valente, born and raised here.
- Red-faced WarblerC. rubrifrons
A migrant from the north that winters in these mountains. Ben, who arrived from further afield and settled here.
- Red WarblerC. rubra
A Mexican endemic of the highlands further north, and the one of the three you won't find in Chiapas. Representing Mexico as a whole and our plan to extend our tours throughout the country.
The remaining two, Wilson's and Canada Warbler, pass through Chiapas on migration each year.
In the field
How we like to bird
A few things matter to us beyond the birds themselves, mainly how we treat the places we visit, the people who live there, and our guests.
- Ethical field craft, meaning careful use of playback and a respectful distance from nesting birds
- We seek out local guides and families doing good work, and build them into our trips
- As friends ourselves, we want our guests to feel like one of the gang, to have a birding-with-friends feel
- Free birding workshops where we can, to encourage local interest in conservation
- Constant scouting, so you see birds few visitors reach
