Nighthawk Birding Guided Tours in Antigua Guatemala
Overview
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Discover the vibrant birdlife around Antigua, Guatemala with Nighthawk Birding Tours! Choose from six unique, guided tours—through forests, coffee plantations, and hidden birding hotspots. Perfect for casual birdwatchers, photographers, and avid birders alike, our tours showcase hummingbirds, toucans, motmots, and other tropical species. Tours are usually private, ensuring a personalized experience, but smaller groups may occasionally be combined for shared adventures. A light snack is included to keep you energized. Prices vary depending on tour and group size.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Inquire for accessible tour options - Eco Farms GT is the most ideal
What To Expect
Eco Farms GT
***Please Note - Each Itinerary stop is a SEPERATE TOUR*** **Read each description for tour lengths - often flexible** Eco Farms GT - Our most relaxed and accessible tour option through the small urban forest at Eco Farm! Explore their charming gardens, café, market, and gift shop while you are there! This is a roughly 1.5-2 hr. tour
Finca La Azotea
This is a great accessible birding option with flat and wide trails - with good chances at many specialist species like bushy-crested Jays and Band-backed Wrens. This is a roughly 2 hr. tour
Options
Cumbre de Maltiox, Pastores
Difficulty: moderate/ difficult, with some steep sections and loose footing. Best for experienced hikers. 2-5 km. trails Duration: 4 hours: flexible light snack to keep us birding Cumbre de Maltiox: Hike up this beautiful ridge looking down on the town below. Great for those seeking a tougher trail and great birds Birds to Expect: look for tanagers, becards, ground-sparrows, and raptors. High species counts, usually 40+ Starting point: Plazuela de Pastores, H6RW+R68, Pastores, Guatemala
Eco Farms Urban Forest Tour
Accessibility: Flat even ground and short walk means that some areas are wheelchair accessible depending on wheel type Explore Eco Farm: part of the tour can include exploring the other side of Eco Farm, with it's gardens, café, and eco school. Birds there too! Difficulty: very easy, short loop through urban forest plot Duration: 2 hours: flexible Chance to buy snacks!: Buy snacks and or a meal at Eco Farm's Buho Café or various shops Eco Farms GT: great for casual birders! This option is short 1 to 2 hour walk through the forest plot at Eco Farms GT Birds to Expect: This small forest plot is surprisingly full of birds, especially migratory ones. Also keep an eye out for bushy-crested jays Starting point: Eco Farms GT, San Felipe, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
El Hato / Earth Lodge Tour
Explore Earth Lodge: explore the beautiful Earth Lodge, with a delicious restaurant, stunning views, yoga, and lodging. Great option to end tour Difficulty: moderate, some steep sections but generally a smooth trail without rocks or uneven footing. 2-4 km. trails Duration: 5 hours: flexible light snack to keep us birding El Hato: explore the birds and trails of El Hato, a small town perched above Antigua that affords stunning views of the volcanoes Free Shuttle at 8am: free shuttle up to El Hato at 8am from meeting point, down at 12:30 pm. Or private car (not included) for earlier start! What birds to expect?: El Hato is a prime spot for Northern Emerald Toucanets, tanagers, warblers, and raptors. Species numbers for a day: 30-60 Starting point: Ruinas de la Iglesia de la Candelaria, H77C+896, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Santa Catarina Bobadilla
Difficulty: moderate to difficult, with some steep sections and loose / uneven footing. Best for experienced hikers. 2-4 km. trail Duration: 4 hours: flexible light snack to keep us birding Santa Catarina Bobadilla: Hike up through beautiful forest and enjoy views of the volcanoes, while searching for migrating and resident birds Birds to expect: A great place for migrating warblers and resident woodpeckers and orioles. Ask for sample bird checklists! species: 30-60/day Starting point: The cumbre, Santa Catarina de Bobadilla 03001, Guatemala
Finca La Azotea Coffee Farm
Accessibility: flat, wide trails mean wheelchairs could have access depending on wheel type gift shop: optional chance to browse the museo de café gift shop! Difficulty: easy, flat, wide trails Duration: 2 hours: flexible tour (entry fee included in tour price) light snack to keep us birding Finca La Azotea: Perfect for a relaxed walk and exploration of the vibrant birds found in this shade-grown coffee farm close to Antigua! Birds to Expect: Look for woodpeckers and jays among the shaded coffee. Orioles and hummingbirds are common too. ~25 species/ day Starting point: Finca La Azotea, H7C3+CXX, Jocotenango, Guatemala
Finca El Pilar
Difficulty: moderate / difficult, depending on trails chosen. Some steep sections and steps. Always an option to stay on flat areas Duration: 4 hours: flexible quick snack to keep us birding Finca El Pilar: hike up to the mirador, or choose the tough route on the way up to Cerro el Cucurucho. Flexible options! entry fee included Birds to Expect: Famous for its hummingbird feeders, and its forest birds like toucanets, forest-falcons, and quail. Species per day: 30-60 Starting point: Antigua Mountain Trail, San Cristobal El Alto, Antigua Guatemala 03001, Guatemala
What‘s Included
Enjoy a small snack to keep you energized while you are birding!
Full bird list from the tour, with photos
Binoculars for use during the tour
historical / ecological context of our birding sites
Entrance fee
Spotting scope for select tours
we do not offer transportation at this time, but our tours are all located close to Antigua
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
26 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Highly recommend
Wendy M,Jun 7, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Fantastic experience. Marty is very warm, patient and knowledgeable and shared great photos with us of the birds we saw that day afterwards. He was very communicative about where and how to meet as well as changing weather conditions. It was our first birding experience and he made it a pleasure. Highly recommend! Wendy and Reuben
Unique experience
luiscA5361YJ,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was an awesome experience. Martin is just the nicest person you ll ever meet. Very insightful and knowledgeable. Hope we will meet you again.
Great bird watching hike!
tobiv749,May 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had a great experience with Marty! Originally booked a private tour of Finca El Pilar, but Marty reached out the day before if I was okay changing to El Hato because he had a couple other folks who where interested. I wasn't attached to any particular location so this was completely fine with me, and Marty communicated the change clearly and respectfully, including lowering the price because of the increase in group size! On the day of the hike, Marty and I met up in Antigua to take a shuttle to Earth Lodge, where we met up with the other two people now in the group. Marty guided us over a trail by El Hato and pointed out many different birds. We ended up seeing multiple types of hummingbirds, tons of acorn woodpeckers among many others. Marty was great at discovering, identifying, and pointing out the birds, and meanwhile he shared a ton of interesting facts about the area. After the hike, Marty also shared a list of exactly the species we had observed, including brand new pictures he was able to take of some of them. Marty also supplied binoculars for everyone in the group! Overall, highly recommend Marty if you're even vaguely interested in bird watching! Great hike!
Like a bird
Amadeo R,May 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience near Antigua with Marty. He gives you a lot of information on birds and really knows about them and is very passionate. Our kid of 8 years old loved the tour..
Lovely Birding Tour in EcoFarms!
assmas2026,May 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My husband and I decided to book a birding tour with Marty at EcoFarms on our last day in Antigua. We had a wonderful time! Planning our birding tour with Marty was incredibly smooth. He was very responsive and was even willing to adjust the date of our tour due to rainy weather conditions. The price was reasonable at $20. He accepts venmo or paypal. The tour was an hour and half which was the perfect length of time for us. As soon as we arrived Marty pointed so many birds to us. He was very knowledgeable and would identify different bird species solely based on their call or flight pattern. As someone who has studied ornithology, it was a delight to go on this birding tour. He also had a wealth of knowledge on the different plant species that we encountered at the farm which was a plus. Once the tour concluded Marty was quick to send us an ebird link with photos that he has taken while we were birding. This tour was definitely one the highlight of my trip to Antigua. I would highly recommend!
Great bird- watching tour for families!
165konstantind,May 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We joined a tour with Marty as a family with two young children, and it was a wonderful experience. Marty is incredibly knowledgeable, truly passionate about the subject, and gave us an outstanding tour. He was also fantastic with the kids, always making sure they were included and engaged throughout the experience. In addition, he speaks both English and Spanish fluently, which made communication very easy. It was a really enjoyable tour, and we highly recommend Marty to anyone interested in birds, wildlife, and nature.
Peaceful birdwatching
jessicagG4898CS,May 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had a wonderful day with Marty, listening and observing birds. He took me on a trail far from the tourist crowds, winding through coffee plantations with magnificent views of the volcanoes. He has a lot of knowledge about ornithology, as well as nature and culture. He uses his app to identify the birds we hear in real time, and his laser pointer to help us find them, which is also fantastic. But I would say that the most enjoyable aspect wasn't necessarily the birdwatching itself, but Marty's kindness, respect, and the sense of peace we felt during our walk. So don't hesitate to book a tour with him for a beautiful day in nature, surrounded by birds, and in good company.
An absolute must for any bird or nature lover, GREAT value
arbyc2026,May 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had just the best time with Marty! He was so so knowledgeable and easy to talk to, I went on my own but there was never an awkward moment between us. He knows a lot not only about Guatemalan birds but also birds in the US and we were able to chat about all sorts of species and share stories. I learned so much and really couldn’t have asked for a better person to show me the birds of Antigua. His passion and kindness shines in what he does. Es bilingüe y habla bastante bien español, and his first language is English. Thank you Marty!
Marty the Motmot Man!
Y5379NBhenryb,May 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had such a great time birding with Marty! In a forest filled with bird activity he didn’t miss a thing, the instant he so much as heard a call or song or glimpsed a bird flying over he’d have the species. We saw some truly spectacular and charismatic characters along the way, I won’t give spoilers but suffice to say if you take a tour through Nighthawk Birding, it’ll be a highlight of your trip! Not only is he an expert birder and communicative guide, but he’s a very kind and friendly person too. He’s respectful and thorough and has built relationships with the locals and gives back to the village he leads his tours through. We had a blast with Marty, and would absolutely recommend his tours to anyone, birder or not!
Birding with Marty in beautiful Guatemala 🇬🇹
kaylak918,May 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Really enjoyed Marty and his expertise. I also appreciated that he speaks fluent Spanish and it’s clear he has a great deal of respect for the land, the people, and the culture that he operates in. I took my dad, who isn’t really a birder (and also doesn’t have great vision…) but he still absolutely loved the experience - hearing the birds, being outside in the green space, and getting some exercise. We also found the experience very educational, which is always valuable. Highly recommend! Thanks, Marty!
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Operated by Nighthawk Birding Tours