鈥淓xotic birds and ancient ruins are a great combination,鈥 says guide J贸se Barrientos, who is among the first residents to welcome me to Uaxactun (pronounced "wah-shock-tune"). Located just north of the sprawling archaeological complex at Tikal, Uaxactun has some of the oldest known structures in the Maya World, including an ancient temple adorned with colossal masks representing sky serpents and jaguar gods. Once a celestial observatory, its sacred geometry is oriented to predict solstices and equinoxes.
Just a stone鈥檚 throw from the ruins, the village鈥檚 thatch-roofed houses surround a cleared area that was once an airstrip and is now a soccer field shared by barefoot children, chickens, dogs, and horses. Many of the village鈥檚 current residents are chicleros (gum collectors), who make a living sustainably gathering chicle, xate palm leaves, and allspice. The abundant wildlife in the surrounding forests includes monkeys, jaguars, deer, and anteaters.
And then there are the birds. The diversity here is astonishing, with jacamars, leaftossers, oropendolas, and puffbirds darting among the ruins. In the surrounding forests you can see and hear many of Central America鈥檚 most sought-after species, such as the Tody Motmot, Ocellated Turkey, Pheasant Cuckoo, and Yucatan Poorwill.
鈥淲e have several great birding guides and many high-quality birds, and we charge about half of what guides charge at Tikal,鈥 Barrientos says. 鈥淲e even have a woman who cooks food for visitors.鈥
Unfortunately, most visitors to the area don鈥檛 hear about Uaxactun, and many of those who do know about this special place arrive on buses, with box lunches and their own guides.
鈥淲hen that happens,鈥 says Barrientos, 鈥渢he community is not earning anything.鈥
That might be about to change. 探花精选 has partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Society-Guatemala and the country鈥檚 Tourism Board (INGUAT) to develop and promote bird tourism in communities like Uaxactun. Focusing on bird-rich areas where a large percentage of the populace lives below the poverty line, the Bird-Based Tourism Initiative is designed to build niche markets that support economic development, empower communities, and improve local lives鈥攁ll while preserving and creating value for natural habitats.
In addition to training guides like Barrientos, the 探花精选 Society and the 笔别迟茅苍 Birder鈥檚 Club have been working with the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism to offer a birding-specific tour guide certification, which will further differentiate trained birding guides from generalist guides.
Since the project began in 2013, the number of people employed in bird-related tourism at project sites in Guatemala has increased 20 percent鈥攁nd among trained bird guides the average yearly income grew from $2,123 to $4,590. Thus far, guides at nearby Tikal have seen most of the income growth. But Uaxactun鈥檚 guides hope that a new website and new trail signs (courtesy of the 探花精选) will help to attract more visitors to this lush and vibrant birding locale.
Marcial C贸rdoba of WCS-Guatemala believes that it will take some time for bird tourism to gain traction in Uaxactun. 鈥淭he area has great tourism potential, but most people are not aware of its proximity and easy access from Tikal,鈥 says C贸rdoba. 鈥淲e need to market this as a place where people can see birds and have adventures. We鈥檙e close to so many things to do: archaeology, camping, hiking, artisans, and restaurants.鈥
In their free time, Uaxactun鈥檚 guides have taken it upon themselves to promote conservation in the community. They鈥檝e built recycling bins, organized village cleanup days, and put up anti-littering signs. 鈥淎ll of this helps to create a mentality that our natural resources here are worth protecting,鈥 Barrientos says.
Birders who have visited Uaxactun say it鈥檚 one of the best-kept secrets in Central American birdwatching. 鈥淏ut if it stays a secret too long our trained guides have to go someplace else to find work,鈥 C贸rdoba says. 鈥淲ithout any economic benefit the conservation ethic in the community will be much harder to sustain.鈥
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If You Go . . .
Where to start: Uaxactun is located in the region, about 20 kilometers north of Tikal. Flores is the starting point for most adventures in 笔别迟茅苍, which is known for its archeological richness as well as its flora and fauna.
Where to arrive: Avianca and TAG serve via Guatemala City.
Who to contact: offers birding/archaeology tours to the region鈥檚 major archaeological sites, including Uaxactun, Tikal, and Yaxha鈥攁s well as local birding hotspots such as Ixpanpajul Park, Cerro Cahui, and Las Guacamayas Biological Station. Contact: info@petenbirdersclub.com
How to find more information: Check 探花精选鈥檚 page for general info.
Take a tour: If an all-inclusive tour is what you鈥檙e after, Rockjumper offers that can include a .