Birds, Monkeys, Cenote, Cultural - all in one! - Excellent!!! Highly recommended! Miguel is experienced birder and knows the region very well. We were group of 4 and though I was the only birder in the group, everyone enjoyed the trip. Mot not, Trogons, Collared Zardari and Spider monkeys were highlights of the trip. We visited lake at Cobá, Coba natural reserve, local conservation and Punta Laguna. The lunch at local conservation was delicious. Swimming at Cenotes was quite an experience! Miguel recommended birding at Puerto Morelos. I did half day trip and it was really worth too.

So Many Birds, Such Beautiful Temples - To see birds, it is necessary to get up early. Pick up at our resort was 5:45 am on the dot, so the light breakfast Miguel provided was very welcome. The best coffee ever, and a delicious homemade energy bar. It was still early when we pulled up to a small grove of trees bordering Laguna Cobá. We saw, and Miguel helped us identify, 29 species of birds feasting on the the berries from these trees. Although most were new to me, it was fun to see some familiar faces, such as the Great Blue Heron, an Osprey, and 5 Pied-billed Grebes. Wandering through the town of Cobá, we spotted another 30 species. Then, off to the Zona arqueológica de Cobá. Sitting in relative comfort in a pedicab, and stopping often to view still many more birds, we learned about the history of the ancient city, and explored some of the temples that have been excavated. Our final stop was the largest of the temples, very beautiful. But here we spotted many more bird species feasting on bugs being driven out of hiding by ants. We were riveted by the the beautiful Trogons, Motmots, and Yucatan Jays, just to name a few. Exhausted, we were treated to a delicious lunch, and then a swim in a cenote that was almost private. I dozed in the van for much of the return trip. A wonderful day.

Lovely day !! - We went birding with my brother and his wife . They booked the tour with Miguel, he was the perfect guide for our group. My brother and sister in law are experienced birders, they loved the deep specific conversation they could have with Miguel about birds, their markings, calls, and unique traits . She even found a few "Lifers". My other sister was fun and light hearted about seeing any critter and everything was new. Miguel was personable and engaging with all of our family no matter their interest level in birds. He had plenty of water, healthy treats, including the best seedy granola bars made at a local bakery. He handled the details and we felt at ease throughout the day. In the morning we wandered some rural streets in the town of Coba , viewed birds along the lakes edge and wetland area. We also went to the ruins and found more birds there. At one point we enjoyed a ride on the the tricycles through the park.We ended the time with a meal at local cafe. It was a great time in nature, with good people, learning new things to wonder about.

Amazing tour! - Absolutely amazing tour!!! When Miguel told on us on the drive to Coba that we could expect to see about 50 different species of birds, we were skeptical. By the end of our time there, we had seen 73 different species!!! Absolutely floored. On top of that, he was incredibly nice and knowledgable. If you love wildlife, you must do this tour!!!

Saw 73 Different Bird Species in Coba!!! - I went on this birdwatching tour through Coba with my fiancé (one other person joined the trip). We truly enjoyed our experience with Miguel; his energy was infectious and made the early start to the day worth it. He’s knowledgeable of not only the birds but, also the culture and history which added to the overall experience. This tour was a memorable and formative experience for me and my partner. We actually saw 73 species (and heard even more)!!!! Including (just a handful): northern jacana, keel-billed toucan, black-headed trogon, Motmot, ferruginous Pygmy owl, and squirrel cuckoo. Everything about the trip was thoughtfully planned out; the snacks and meal, morning coffee, transportation, and even lending us binoculars (of better quality than the ones that we brought just because they were smaller/light-weight for packing). Highly recommended for those interested in seeing areas of the Yucatán peninsula through a different lens ;) 10/10 experience!

Great birds and professional tour company - I would say I am an entry-level birder, and I loved this tour with Miguel. There were two other people on our tour, also very nice, and we saw an amazing variety of species as well as learning about the past and present of the area. Whether you are an experienced birder or someone interested in nature and history, I think this would be a great tour for you. The logistics were also well-handled - they kindly added me to the tour at the last minute, transportation was comfortable and punctual, and they provided locally-sourced snacks and coffee. Highly recommended.

Excellent day of birding - I met Miguel while birding solo at the archeological site in Muyil--he was leading a group tour and we interacted briefly. I enjoy exploring places on my own but have also enjoyed hiring guides and going on extended guided tours.* Miguel mentioned that a group is birding in Coba on Friday when we spoke on Wednesday and I decided to join the group to gain more insights into the local culture and birds than I could do on my own. While emailing Miguel to learn more about the details of the Friday trip, I decided to do a personal tour with him--his attention to details, understanding my interests and needs, and suggestions for birding solo on Thursday made it obvious that I would enjoy spending the day with him. Best decision of my week in Yucatan. Birding with Miguel was like birding with a friend. He is passionate about birding and also about living sustainably and we shared stories along both these themes throughout the day. He is a pleasure to interact with--personable, good sense of humor, insights on living a good life and some of the challenges inherent therein. More specifically, re: birding, I had shared with him a list of 20 lifers that eBird had identified that I could see in Quintana Roo in January. He used that list to guide our adventure in Coba and with patience and focus, we soon had great looks at Ruddy Crake and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (along with many of the colorful usual suspects: various orioles, Turquoise-Browed Motmot, tanagers, saltators, Cinnamon Hummingbird etc.). We then headed to a marsh location where Miguel thought we might find Lesser Yellow-Headed Vulture and soon enough found this lifer (his scope proved critical for ID). We spent a few hours at the Archeological site in Coba where we had great looks at trogons (Black-Headed and Gartered), motmot, Ocellated Turkey and others including lots of migrant warblers, with especially high numbers of Black-Throated Green. After lunch we checked out a few other local areas and added lots of species including Rose-Throated Becard, Yellow-Billed Cacique, Yellow-Winged Tanager and others. Altogether, we had 71 species for the day despite (per my request), starting the day in Tulum at 8 am instead of the usual 6 am. A perfect day! Michel Cavigelli, Maryland, USA * To provide context for my review: I have been birding on and off for 50+ years but during the last ~10 years have made it a daily ritual and have gone on extended guided tours of several Central and S. American countries; I consider myself an advanced birder but perhaps not an expert (e.g. Empidonax flycatchers can still be a challenge when not vocal).

Birding with Amar Aves - We enjoyed a 1/2 day tour with Claudio to Coba and the Coba Ruins chasing birds. Claudio was excellent at hearing, identifying and spotting birds for us. Top highlights were getting photos of the Ruddy Crake, Ocellated Turkey, Black Headed Trogon, Hooded Warbler among other species. Claudio and our driver made our trip comfortable. We will definitely be booking another trip with Amar Aves when we visit again.

phenomenal birding (and more!) - Birding with Miguel was absolutely fantastic! I knew I was gonna love the trip, but my non-birder boyfriend ALSO had an incredible time; and he usually gets burnt out birding long hours with me, but not this time! I truly appreciate just how much respect and love Miguel has for our natural world, and he is so extremely knowledgeable - and about so much more than just birds.. plants, culture, archeology, our tour included so much cool info and siteseeing. And we saw spider monkeys too, what a bonus. The attached photos are just a few of the ones that Miguel shot with his camera and took the time to email to me even after the tour! I'm also very grateful for the ease of booking! Even though we requested the tour at pretty short notice, the office staff was super accommodating and communicative (via both email and WhatsApp messaging). And them providing arranged transportation to/from where we were staying in Playacar made it soo convenient and easy for us which was extremely appreciated. I LOVED this birding experience!!

Good birds, huge site, get the bikes! - José was our guide and Cesar was our driver. José had good knowledge of the birds and culture. He was not well organized; we did not get a toilet break or snacks until three hours into the tour, and we woke up at 5 (no breakfast, because a snack was supposed to be provided) and they were a half hour late picking us up at 6.30. The schedule said we would have lunch at 11.45, and we were at the archaeological site then with no water. All turned out fine, but people have expectations based upon a schedule. Swimming in the cenote was a pretty amazing experience, and Cesar gave us some good tips there.