The highway from Mazatlan to Durango is one of the few places where it is possible to access the high-country of the Sierra Madre Occidental. The scenery is some of the most spectacular in all of Mexico, as the highway winds its way for over 100 kilometers through the mountains. Every bend presents a new vista of an endless expanse of rugged mountains, including the famous overlook at Devil’s Backbone. The pine-oak forests along the crests of these mountains are home to many Mexican endemics, including Thick-billed Parrot, Mountain Trogon, Tufted Jay, Aztec Thrush and Green-striped Brushfinch. Mixed species flocks traveling this forest can have Red Warbler, Crescent-chested Warbler, Red-headed Tanager and more. At lower elevations, we’ll have a chance to see Lilac-crowned Parrot, Military Macaw, Purplish-backed Jay, Black-throated Magpie-Jay, Elegant Euphonia and much more.

January 7 Our trip begins at the Mazatlan airport this afternoon. After clearing customs, we use our remaining daylight to look for birds in the marshes and fields near the airport, where we’ll see waders, raptors seedeaters and other birds of the open country. These may include Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Least Grebe, Harris’s Hawk, Grey Hawk, Crested Caracara, Tropical Kingbird, Thick-billed Kingbird, Mangrove Swallow, Sinaloa Crow, Gray-crowned Yellowthroat and White-collared Seedeater. We continue inland, and soon reach the beginning of the Mazatlan-Durango Highway, and start our ascent into the mountains. If daylight permits, we may see our first Black-throated Magpie-Jays and Purplish-backed Jays as we pass through the scrub forest on the lower slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Soon we arrive at the town of Copala, where we’ll stay for the next two nights. Overnight Copala.

January 8 This morning finds us in the picturesque and historic mining town of Copala, where the trees around and below our hillside hotel are alive with birds such as Orange-fronted Parakeet, Mexican Parrotlet, Cinnamon Hummingbird, Citreoline Trogon, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Masked Tityra, Scrub Euphonia, and Yellow-winged Cacique. After breakfast we’ll drive the short distance to the road to another old mining town, Panuco. We’ll spend the entire morning birding along this road, which descends through scrub forest on the slopes of a spectacular canyon. Most of the birds typical of this habitat can be seen here, including Military Macaw and Lilac-crowned Parrot. We return to our hotel for lunch and time to relax in the early afternoon. The late afternoon finds us birding areas near the hotel or out along the highway, depending upon what birds we still need to see from the foothill habitats, returning at dark to our hotel for dinner. Overnight Copala.

January 9 After an early breakfast, we begin our journey into the higher reaches of the mountains, taking all day to travel about 45 kilometers, birding along numerous side roads en route. As the forest changes from the scrub and broadleaf woodlands of the lower elevations to the oaks and pine of the highlands, the birds we see change as well.  We may get our first looks at the endemic Tufted Jay, and encounter our first flocks of mountain warblers, including Red Warbler, Crescent-chested Warbler, Slate-throated and Painted Redstart, and Red-faced Warbler. With luck, we may glimpse the elusive Aztec Thrush, or see White-naped Swifts soaring over the canyons below. At the end of the day we arrive at the small village of El Palmito, where we check into a basic, but cozy and comfortable, hotel. Overnight El Palmito.

January 10-11 For the next two days we explore the high country along the highway from our base at El Palmito. We’ll visit the famous Barranca Rancho Liebre, and the spectacular overlook at Espinazo de Diablo. We’ll also walk some quiet trails near our hotel. As we pass through the forest, we’ll find mixed-species flocks of birds that will keep us busy adding birds to our list. Among the birds we may find here are White-eared and Beryline Hummingbirds, Mountain Trogon, Gray-crowned Woodpecker, White-striped Woodcreeper, Tufted and Pine Flycatcher, Tufted Jay, Mexican Chickadee, Bridled Titmouse, Spotted Wren, Brown-backed Solitaire, White-throated Robin, Aztec Thrush, Blue Mockingbird, Gray Silky-Flycatcher, Red, Rufous-capped, Golden-browed, and Golden-crowned Warblers, Elegant Euphonia, Hepatic, Flame-colored, and Red-headed Tanagers, Rufous-capped and Green-striped Brushfinches, and Black-headed Siskin. Overnights El Palmito.

January 12 We leave early this morning on our return trip to the airport at Mazatlan. Afternoon flight times allow us time for a number of birding stops along the way, looking for any birds we may have missed. We arrive at midday at the airport for those heading home at this point. Those who are continuing to San Blas will make the three and one-half hour drive to San Blas, to start that tour the next day. All will leave the Sierra Madre Occidental with fond memories of the colorful birds and spectacular scenery of these mountains of western Mexico.

Arrival and Departure information: The tour begins in Mazatlan in the afternoon of January 8, and ends in Mazatlan in the afternoon of January 13. Flights should be scheduled to arrive no later than 3 p.m. on the 9th, and depart no earlier than 2 p.m. on the 14th. Persons continuing on to the San Blas tour will be provided transportation to San Blas. Hotel will be provided for the night of the 13^th (but dinner on the 13^th and lunch on the 14^th are not included). Departing flights from the San Blas tour should ideally be made from Puerto Vallarta, with departure no earlier than 2 p.m. If necessary, departures can be made from Mazatlan, and transportation to Mazatlan will be provided by bus from San Blas to the airport. Late afternoon or next day departure is recommended. Westwings staff will meet you at the airport, or at your hotel, if you plan to arrive before the 8th - please call for exact coordinating information. We can make your flight reservations for you, if you wish. The tour price includes all transportation, meals, lodging and non-personal expenses during the tour. See the reservation form for further details on what’s included, and for additional Westwings, Inc. policies.