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Birding and Cultural Trips Throughout Mexico
El Pedregal Nature Lodge and Retreat Center |
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VIVA MEXICO!
 Over the last 17 years, one of the highlights of our lives here in Mexico has been travelling all over this great country, both for work and for fun. We are excited to be offering a new type of trip...one that incorporates all of the greatest things about travel. Our CRAFTS, CULTURE and CUISINE trips offer all the great qualities of a Solipaso birding trip, but have a cultural focus. So, you can count on great hotels, delicious food, safe and comfortable transportation and small groups of great people! On the trips, we'll explore the markets, shop for and learn how to prepare regional meals (and eat the results!), meet local artisans and experience 'la buena vida' in Mexico. And, of course, everywhere we go we appreciate the natural world that surrounds us. We are offering two trips this Fall and hope you can join us on one of them!
Alamos - Crafts, Culture and Cuisine
October 31-November 5
Our new cultural trip to Alamos promises to be a great time! As part of our expanding Beyond Birds trips, this trip to Alamos will take place over the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday. Join us for a week of great food, cultural events, cooking classes, trips into the countryside and rural towns, shopping and much more. During the trip, we'll stay at the beautiful and relaxing El Pedregal Nature Lodge. Being that Alamos is our home town, you will get a truly local perspective on life in Mexico! For more information contact us or go to: Alamos - Crafts, Culture and Cuisine
 
Oaxaca - Crafts, Culture and Cuisine
December 5-11, 2011
The city and surrounding areas of Oaxaca are so rich in culture, it's hard to choose what 'not' to do! Over the course five days, we will explore the historic downtown, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, the markets, the Jardin Etno-Botanico, the churches as well as the many galleries and street vendors. Outside the city, we'll step into the past visiting ancient Zapotec ruins. And, we'll go to several different villages that specialize in crafts such as weaving, paper making, alejibres, pottery, linens and more! Our days on this trip will be full of fun activities, lots of good cultural insight and many opportunities to shop, practice your Spanish, explore and enjoy life in one of Mexico's most dynamic cities. For more information, contact us or go to: Oaxaca - Crafts, Culture and Cuisine
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And now...back to the latest on our birding trips...
FROM THE SIERRA TO THE SEA, SONORAN STYLE!
Yecora Alamos
October 21-29
This classic Sonora trip has a bit everything...from the sea to the sea and everything in between! Starting out in the Sonora desert, we go through the scenic Rio Sonora valley and up into the Sierra Madre and the pine-oak habitat around the mellow lumber town of Yecora. Then we drop into the tropical deciduous forest that surrounds the colonial jewel of Alamos, a Pueblo Magico of Mexico, where we get to stay at the beautiful El Pedregal Nature Lodge. While enjoying great lodging and home cooked food, we bird the best areas around Alamos and enjoy many moments in the palapa, watching the feeder activity and enjoying the peace and quiet of El Pedregal. Leaving Alamos, we bird the agricultural fields, the banks of the Rio Mayo and ultimately the shores of the Sea of Cortez, where we spend our last night before heading back to Tucson. Some of the highlight birds are Black-headed Siskin, Colima Pygmy Owl, Rufous-capped Brushfinch, Gray-crowned Woodpecker, Rusty Sparrrow, Happy and Sinaloa Wren, Elegant Quail, Black-throated and Purplish-backed Jay, Russet-crowned Motmot, Squirrel Cuckoo...and many more!
Contact us for more information!
 
'DO THE YUCATAN'...one of two ways!
Yucatan - Endemics
October 12-18
A great, short trip to pick up the target birds of the Yucatan. Starting in Cozumel and ending in Merida, we bird the key habitats to pick up the endemics of the region, including Yucatan Wren, Flycatcher, Vireo, Woodpecker, Jay, Bobwhite, Nighjar and Poorwill, Mexican Sheartail, Cozumel Emerald, Vireo and Wren, Ruddy Crake.
Yucatan - Birds, Biospheres Ruins and Mayan Ruins
January 10-19, 2011
There are many ways to 'do' the Yucatan...and we've tried multiple versions over the years, and this is the one we consider 'the best' for what we want to do! While the focus of the trip is birding, we also take time to explore a couple of the 'must-see' Mayan ruins, visit a market or two, sample the delicious local Yucatecan cuisine and stay at a great variety of hotels, from simple beach side hotels to luxurious historic haciendas. We'll be looking for all the endemics of the peninsula (except the Cozumel ones) as well as many other tropical species typically found further south. Join us for a great trip of birding and fun!
Contact us for more information on either of these trips!
BIRD DURING THE DAY AND ENJOY OPERA AT NIGHT!
Alamos - Birds and Music Festival
Januray 22-28, 2012
Every January, Alamos is home to the internationally renowned Festival Alfonso Ortiz Tirado (FAOT). This festival highlights opera, bel canto and classical music. Now in its 27th year, it draws talent from all over the world and also highlights the best in Mexican talent. During the day, there are artisans in the plaza, musical performances of all kinds in several different venues, indigenous music and food and workshops for children. Every evening there is a different gala performance followed by a 'callejoneada' through the streets of Alamos (traditional singing group that performs while wandering the streets), complete with a burro carrying big jugs of wine for all! We are offering a birding trip to Alamos during the week of the Festival. We'll pace our days to get out and bird each day while also enjoying the best of the music and events of FAOT. We'll stay at the peaceful El Pedregal Nature Lodge, far from the crowds during this popular festival! Contact us for more information or to reserve a spot on this very unique trip, which is already filling up!
MORE BIRDING TRIPS COMING UP IN 2011-2012
2011 
San Blas
November 7-14
$2250 ($450 single)
2012
Durango Highway and San Blas
February 4-13
$2850 ($525 single)
Colima and Jalisco
February 15-23
$2300 ($475 single)
Chiapas - Pacific Coast and Central Valley
March 5-10
$1850 ($375 single)
Chiapas - Highlands, Lacandon Jungle and Palenque
March 10-20
$2900 ($550 single)
Yecora Alamos
April 14-22
$2250 ($475 single)
Beyond our scheduled dates, we also specialize in doing custom trips. For more information, please go to Custom Trips . We look forward to hearing from you!
www.solipaso.com |
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UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER!
'Big Birding Day' Documentary on the PBS!
On Tuesday, August 23rd at 10:00 p.m., the short documentary about a Sonora Big Day birding adventure will be aired on PBS in the POV (point of view) series! It's a great perspective on the camaraderie and adventure of birding and why people love it! David and our friends, Marty and Chris are 'the stars'! Our friend, David Wilson, is the man behind the film. POV is a great series and we are proud to be a part of it!
POV on PBS
Christmas Counts in Southern Sonora - Save the Dates!
Come to Alamos for Christmas and participate in one, two or three distinctly different and unique Christmas Counts!
Navopatia (at the coast) - December 24
Alamos - December 27
Rancho Ecologico Monte Mojino (in the Sierra Madre) - December 29
Contact us for more information and look for more info in our upcoming newsletters. |
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 As we write this newsletter, the monsoons are in full swing in Alamos. We've had over 20 inches since the rains started in early July! It's such a 'cool' time of year to be here...next summer we'll be offering some great packages at El Pedregal so you, too, can be here to enjoy the rains (and the heat!). And, David is on his way to lead our trips to Northwest Mexico and Madera, which promise to be great. Next weekend, Jen will be going to the Tucson Audubon Birds and Nature Festival and hopes to run into some familiar faces while there! And, on the side, she'll be checking in on our daughter, Elly, who is starting at Pima this fall! We are officially empty nesters! So, come on down and visit us. We'll take you on hike, like the one we just did with our guys last weekend (foto)!
 Or, we'll just hang out in the palapa with a cold drink, watch birds and relax! La vida buena en Alamos!
As, always, we look forward to hearing from you.
David and Jennifer MacKay
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