Welcome to an extraordinary birding adventure on the enchanting island of Puerto Rico, where tropical beauty meets exceptional biodiversity. Just a short flight from the U.S., this Caribbean paradise offers a unique blend of accessible travel, vibrant local culture, and outstanding birding opportunities—no passport required. As we explore the island’s rich mosaic of habitats, from coastal mangroves and mountain forests to scenic estuaries and dry scrublands, we encounter an impressive array of species, including numerous endemics such as the Puerto Rican Tody, Elfin-woods Warbler, and the critically endangered Puerto Rican Amazon.

This thoughtfully crafted itinerary combines expert-guided birding with moments of leisure, cultural immersion, and natural wonder—from bioluminescent bays to historic lighthouses. Each day is filled with opportunities to discover this island's fascinating birds and habitats. Comfortable accommodations, delicious local cuisine, and warm hospitality round out this immersive experience. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or simply passionate about nature, this journey offers an unforgettable look at the wild heart of Puerto Rico.

Tour Highlights

  • Enjoy a tropical birding tour, right in your own country!
  • Support Caribbean conservation with your travels
  • Search for Puerto Rico’s 19 endemic bird species
  • Enjoy lodgings at the edge of the ocean; take in a swim, a casual snorkel, and enjoy the views
  • Visit the forest home of Puerto Rican parrots and learn about their recovery project
  • Stand on cliffs by the scenic lighthouse at Cabo Rojo and watch for Humpback Whales
  • Experience some of the Caribbean’s most important wetland sites at Laguna Cartegena NWR
  • Venture out by boat at night to see bioluminescence—extraordinary!
  • Opt to come in early to walk through history at the Fort and on the streets of the Old San Juan

Trip Itinerary

Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.

Mon., Feb. 2         Arrivals in San Juan | Explore the Historic City at Leisure | Welcome Dinner

Southeast of Miami (just a thousand miles!) our island birding begins … welcome to Puerto Rico! This is the tropics, and a territory of the USA with no passport required. We find familiar comforts of home alongside fascinating island ecology that includes a number of endemic birds. 

You are met at the airport to take you into historic San Juan, where we have found a great little oasis, the Casa Wilson Inn. This is a delightful, family-run bed and breakfast with scenic outdoor courtyard and pool, just a short walk to a wide selection of terrific restaurants. If you haven’t opted for the pre-tour extension, there are no activities planned for today other than the welcome dinner tonight. 

Our welcome dinner is in the heart of downtown San Juan at a popular restaurant offering a range of local specialties and other delights. Plan to arrive in time for dinner—it’s a great chance to meet your guide and travel companions and hear about our plans for the week ahead. 
Accommodations at the Casa Wilson Inn, San Juan (D)

Tues, Feb. 3          Explore the Island: Caguas | Bahia de Jobos | La Parguera

We head out early to beat the traffic and enjoy the best time of day for bird activity. We take a packed breakfast and head over to Caguas, an artsy town not far froom San Juan. Here at a local birding hotspot, sightings may include Plain Pigeon, Pearly-eyed Thrasher, and Puerto Rican Spindalis. We then continue on to Bahia de Jobos, a very important marine estuary area along the southern coast, with hopes of seeing both Antillean Crested Hummingbird and Green-throated Carib; these two range-restricted species can only be seen on the eastern side of the island. Lunch is at a popular local restaurant in Bahia de Jobos and we should pick up a few shorebirds and waders while enjoying some fabulous ocean views. 

Our final destination today is the southern coastal town of La Parguera, where we settle into our a hotel with a prime location on the water. We should arrive in time for you to relax and enjoy the amenities of the hotel, including a refreshing dip in the pool. 

Before dusk, we take a stroll down to the best site for observing an endangered species that finds its stronghold here in the mangroves that protect the coastline: Yellow-shouldered Blackbird. At dusk they fly into their roosting sites. If it’s a beautiful evening we can dine outside, a great treat of life here on the islands. 
Accommodations at La Parguera (B,L,D)

Wed., Feb. 4           Maricao State Forest | La Parguera | Boat Trip to a Bioluminescent Bay

After a relaxed sit-down breakfast at our hotel, we head up into the mountains this morning on the Central Road that leads us up to the Maricao Forest, where we look for species of lusher habitats such as the Puerto Rican Tanager and Puerto Rican Oriole. The morning’s birding is followed by a local lunch in Lajas. We make a special effort to see the shy and endangered Elfin-woods Warbler, a species not easy to see and only discovered in 1968, described in 1971. It inhabits moist montane forests where it feeds on insects. We look for other species of this habitat type before heading back. On the way, we stop in scrub and thicket habitat in a reliable spot to look for the colorful Adelaide’s Warbler. Both of these warbler species have relatives on other Caribbean Islands and are a fine example of speciation, a key element of biodiversity. We then make the short drive back to La Parguera for an afternoon break, and for those that wish, a chance to get into the water. 

We finish the day by taking a boat trip out to experience the spectacular and otherworldly bioluminescent bay off Lajas. Unlike the other two bio bays found in Puerto Rico, swimming is allowed in La Parguera, so if you’re feeling adventurous, remember to bring your bathing suit so you can take a dip!
Accommodations at La Parguera (B,L,D)

Thurs., Feb. 5          Coastal Birding | Laguna Cartegena National Wildlife Refuge | Scenic Cabo Rojo Lighthouse | Night Birding

This morning we enjoy a walk around the ponds and wetland habitats at Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge, admiring expansive views of surrounding mountains as we search out key species such as West Indian Whistling Duck and if we’re lucky, Masked Duck and even Yellow-breasted Crake. The refuge, just over 1000 acres in size, holds vitally important freshwater habitat for both overwintering and resident wetland species. There is an open water lagoon, extensive cattail areas, working cattle and hay fields, and abandoned rice fields, all of which receive most of their water from annual rainfall and runoff. In the dry forest scrub habitat of the Sierra Bermeja hills, the oldest rocks known in the Caribbean, we may find wintering songbird species along with Yellow-faced Grassquit and Caribbean Elaenia. In mangrove areas we look and listen for Mangrove Cuckoo and Smooth-billed Ani. 

The refuge is close to Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge, a 200-foot high coastal headland that houses an historic lighthouse and gives us a great opportunity to scan for Brown Booby, Magnificent Frigatebird, Brown Pelican, and possibly wintering Humpback Whales. Extensive salt flats rim one side of the refuge and form an Important Bird Area, as well as a Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve; we take our scopes and see what we can find, with elegant Black-necked Stilt, American Oystercatcher, Wilson’s Plover, and Clapper Rail as potential species. There is an informative visitor center and several trails with interpretive signage to explore. Merlin and Loggerhead Kingbird may be around, as well as Scaly-naped and White-crowned Pigeons. 

We return for an afternoon break and time for a swim for those that wish. In the early evening we venture out for some nearby night birding to look for Puerto Rican Nightjar and Puerto Rican Owl before returning for a later dinner at the hotel.
Accommodations at La Parguera (B,L,D)

Fri., Feb. 6         Rio Abajo State Forest | Calambache State Forest | Hatillo

Our route back makes a loop to the north across the island. This morning, we leave the hotel early with a packed breakfast and hopes of seeing one of the rarest parrots on Earth: the spectacular Puerto Rican Amazon. This particular species can be found in the vast expanse of the Rio Abajo State Forest. Here, The World Parrot Trust (WPT) and the United States Forest Service (USFS) are collaborating to restore and maintain critical habitats critical for the recovery of the Puerto Rican Amazon. Efforts include strategic habitat planning, tree planting, erosion control, invasive species management, artificial nest installation, and continuous monitoring of parrot populations. By involving local communities and implementing sustainable practices, the partnership aims to build a strong foundation for the species' recovery and future habitat stability. 

We often have a lot of activity right on arrival as lush trees rim the parking area and we may find the delightful Puerto Rican Euphonia and Puerto Rican Tody to start our day. Ruddy Quail Dove, a secretive species, may be spotted in this area, as well as Puerto Rican Woodpecker, Black-whiskered Vireo, Lesser Antillean Pewee, wintering warblers such as Hooded, Worm-eating, and Black-throated Green among a good number of other species. We also watch the skies for the endemic subspecies of Broad-winged Hawk. 

After a great morning and a restaurant lunch in Arecibo, we visit Cambalache State Forest on the north coast of the island this afternoon. Here, in lowland forest, we have a chance to improve our views of any key species we haven’t seen well yet, with good chances of finding Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo, Puerto Rican Bullfinch, Puerto Rican Flycatcher, and more. Pearly-eyed Thrasher is likely calling and wintering warblers include Black-and-white, Ovenbird, and Northern Parula. 

We then make our way a bit to the west to settle into our hotel and enjoy dinner in Hatillo, located on the north coast with views of the Atlantic Ocean. This is a quiet dairy farming area and our hotel has a pool for you to enjoy. 
Accommodations at El Buen Café Parador, Hatillo (B,L,D)

Sat., Feb. 7          Hatillo | Coastal and Forest Hotspots | Return to San Juan

Our last day is a group and guide’s choice day—we see what species might need more work as we travel and if we have seen most of them, we can add diversity. After a relaxed breakfast enjoyed at El Buen Cafe, we complete our loop back to San Juan, stopping en route at several birding hotspots that are productive sites for species such as Puerto Rican Mango and other local specialties. We may visit some scenic cliffs to watch one of nature’s most elegant birds, the White-tailed Tropicbird. As time permits, we may also take in cultural and historic sites of interest along the way. 

Lunch is taken in Manati on our way back to San Juan, followed by a fun, farewell dinner in the city. This is our final evening, and as typical for our trips, we tally up our final sightings and share highlight species and moments of this island journey. 
Accommodations in San Juan (B,L,D)

Sun., Feb. 8        Departures

Enjoy a sit down breakfast at the hotel this morning, followed by airport taxi transfers and your journey home. You can depart at your leisure today. (B)

Pre-Tour Extension

Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.

We have booked an optional pre-tour package with an extra night at our San Juan hotel, meals, and some guided sightseeing for those who wish to arrive early.

Sun, Feb. 1: Early Arrivals to San Juan | Night at Casa Wilson Inn


We have pre-booked rooms at our lovely hotel for those that opt for our pre-tour package, a cultural offering so you can enjoy historic San Juan. Arrive at your leisure today (you will be met at the airport) and enjoy the amenities of the Casa Wilson Inn, and as your time allows, a wander to admire the architecture and ambiance of your surroundings. Dinner is at your leisure tonight as some may arrive in the early evening. Those arriving in time can walk to one of our favorite restaurants with your guide, or choose from a host of good restaurants nearby as you wish.
Accommodations at the Casa Wilson Inn, San Juan

Mon., Feb. 2: San Juan National Historic Site | Old San Juan Walking Tour | Join the Main Tour


This morning, we gather downstairs for a breakfast in the garden area before heading over to take part in a two-hour walking tour of Old San Juan, where we have the opportunity to soak in the atmosphere and character of this historic and culturally-rich city. We also visit the nearby National Historic Site and bear witness to the imposing and awesome fortress of Castillo San Felipe del Morro, an ancient 16th Century fort perched on a promontory.

We have lunch at a local eatery before returning to the hotel for a break. In the afternoon we venture out for some birding at the University of Puerto Rico Botanical Garden, a 300-acre site that is a great introduction to tropical flora and fauna, with trails and a good number of birds that may include resident Scaly-naped Pigeon, Greater Antillean Grackle, Pearly-eyed Thrasher, and a good mix of overwintering warblers and other species.

This evening we meet up with the main tour, walking to local restaurant for a chance to meet everyone and start our adventure with a memorable Caribbean island evening.
(B,L)

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Antillean Crested Hummingbird

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Ovenbird

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Old San Juan Streets

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Gray Kingbird by Mahlon Hale

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Puerto Rico Scenic

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    White-tailed Tropicbird

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Puerto Rican Spindalis by Mahlon Hale

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Hibiscus flower by Peg Abbott

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Old San Juan

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Puerto Rican Woodpecker

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Green-throated Carib

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    El Buen Café Parador, Hatillo

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Puerto Rican Tody

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Zebra Longwing by Mahlon Hale

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

  • Birding Puerto Rico, Bird Watching North America, Tropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, endemic birds

    Sunset

Cost of the Journey

Cost of the journey is $4990 DBL / $5635 SGL per person, from San Juan. This cost includes all accommodations; meals as specified in the itinerary; professional guide services; other park and program entrance fees; and miscellaneous program expenses.

The pre-tour package is $350 DBL / $465 SGL, per person.

NEW! All tips other than your guide team: the main guide (our carefully-selected expert from the host country) and your Naturalist Journeys guide (present on most tours to assist the local expert) are now included! This includes tips for your driver, lodge and staff, day activities, meals and other services.

Tour cost does not include round-trip transportation from your home city to San Juan; optional activities; or items of a personal nature, such as laundry, telephone charges, maid gratuities or beverages from the bar.

Travel Details

Please plan to make air travel plans only after the minimum group size has been met. We will send you a confirmation email as soon as the trip has been confirmed.

Arrival and Departure Airport: Luis Muñoz Marín International (SJU) in San Juan

Arrival Details: Plan to arrive February 2, 2026, by 5:00 PM in order to join the group for dinner

Departure Details: Plan flights to depart February 8, 2026, at your leisure

Travel Tips: If you arrive early, we can book you an early night at the Casa Wilson Inn, our first night hotel. It's a lovely bed and breakfast within walking distance to many restaurants. 

 

Browse below for trip reports and species lists from past versions of this and other tours from this destination.

Puerto Rico

  • Rick Weiman

    Rick lives in Oakland, NJ with his wife Patricia and two adult children, Jack and Annabel. Rick has led birding trips for a number of years as a volunteer for various local nonprofits, and for Oakland residents in his town's 40-acre Great Oak Park. For over 30 years he has counted birds on annual big days to raise dollars for endangered species recovery efforts in his home state. His passion for conservation started during his college years at Rutgers where he majored in Biology, and he has been a trustee of the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ since 2000. His volunteer and fundraising efforts for The Raptor Trust, the largest wild bird rehabilitation center on the east coast, resulted in his addition to their board of trustees in 2018. One of his favorite areas to visit is Central America and he has hosted tours for Naturalist Journeys in Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, and Belize. In his spare time besides birding, Rick enjoys playing street hockey, fishing, and visiting the jersey shore, especially Cape May.

    Photo credit: Hugh Simmons

    Other trips with Rick Weiman

Map for Puerto Rico Birding & Nature

Pace & Protocols +

Pace of the Tour & What to Expect You will receive a Schedule-at-a-Glance and list of Read more

Pace of the Tour & What to Expect

You will receive a Schedule-at-a-Glance and list of hotels (our eContact List) a few weeks before your departure. This will serve as an outline for each day and alert you to any recent changes made in the schedule or to our hotels, if needed.

Our journeys are set up to follow the rhythm of nature. Our focus is on birding and nature; we offer full, well-planned field days and often get up early for that magical time around dawn. We generally follow the published itinerary, but we stay flexible to the weather, wildlife opportunities and the interests of the group. Your guide will keep you apprised of the next day’s schedule at each evening meal, noting what to bring and what to prepare for. Questions and/or concerns are welcome.

The pace of our Naturalist Journeys tours is moderate; to fully participate you should be able to get in and out of vehicles several times a day, and walk 1-3 miles over uneven terrain. It is important to participate with a flexible attitude as adjustments may be made in our schedule to make the most of our time in the field or for other purposes at your guide's discretion. We are not a “listing” bird company that drills down on target species, but at times we do wait for those special species unique to the places we visit. During the day, we take time to stop for photos and for educational opportunities to learn about conservation projects, landscapes, and geology. We appreciate other taxa as well as birds, with mammals often the biggest draw but plants and butterflies are also very popular. Our clients often lend their own expertise to the mix.

We like to make meals a fun and memorable part of the experience, too. Breakfasts are often at hotels, and we carry snacks, fruit, and water in the vans each day. Lunches are a mix of picnics in the field (weather dependent) and a chance to dine with locals at small cafes and restaurants. For dinner, we pride ourselves in our homework to keep up with the best choices for dining, choosing restaurants with atmosphere that specialize in local foods. On occasion we keep dinner simple to go back out in the field for sunset wildlife viewing or night walks. In some remote locations, our choices are limited. If you are tired, room service for dinner may be an option you can choose.

Naturalist Journeys International Trips: Guide Role

Naturalist Journeys supports ecotourism and the development of excellent local guides. Once we know our international partners and guides well, we can send out small groups working directly with these trusted partners, adding a Naturalist Journeys guide to assist the local expert when we have a group of 6-7 or more. This helps us keep your costs down while retaining tour quality. The local guide is your main guide. You can expect your Naturalist Journeys guide to be well-researched and often they are experienced in the destination, but their role is not to be primary, it is to help to organize logistics, help you find birds, mammals, and interesting other species in the field, keep reports, help facilitate group interactions, and to keep the trip within Naturalist Journeys' style. Local guides live in the countries we travel to, know the destinations intimately, and are often the strongest force for conservation in their countries. They open many doors for us to have a rich experience.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in any vehicle or in any situation where the group is participating in an activity together, such as a vehicle excursion or a guided walk. Please respect all designated smoking areas at hotels and restaurants.

Transportation

As a courtesy to each other, we ask that all travelers please rotate seating. On international trips we may all be in one small bus, on some trips we are in vans, particularly the roomy Sprinter Vans when available. Some areas require us to be in smaller 4-wheel drive or safari vehicles. Rotation allows you to sit with different drivers and alternate front and back seating.

Photo Release & Sharing

We take many group photos and will share photos with the group. And after your tour, we will organize a chance to share photos via Dropbox or Google Photos. Please note that this is our policy and if you prefer to be excluded, we need to know ahead of your tour.

By registering for this tour, you agree to grant to Naturalist Journeys and its authorized representatives’ permission to record on photography film and/or video, pictures of my participation in the tour. You further agree that any or all of the material photographed may be used, in any form, as part of any future publications, brochure, or other printed materials used to promote Naturalist Journeys, and further that such use shall be without payment of fees, royalties, special credit or other compensation.

Travel Insurance

You are traveling in remote areas. Naturalist Journeys strongly recommends you have full medical and evacuation insurance from a company such as Allianz, for all international travel. If you do not have medical coverage or evacuation coverage on your existing travel insurance policy or for some reason elected not to take that out, we advise getting an evacuation plan with Global RescueWorld Nomads, Medjet, Allianz (they can do evacuation only) or a similar company. These plans are typically $300-$400 for a year for multiple destinations. This coverage may be a part of a larger Travel Insurance policy but can also be purchased on its own.

Questions?

Please contact Naturalist Journeys by email at clientservices@naturalistjourneys.com or telephone our office: (520) 558-1146 or toll free: (866) 900-1146 if you have any questions. Many thanks for traveling with us and we hope you enjoy your journey.

 


Photo credits: Banners: Puerto Rican Tody, White-tailed Tropicbird, Puerto Rico Scenic, Group Birding Thumbnails: Puerto Rican Tody, Brown Booby, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo, Puerto Rican Woodpecker, Humpback Whale, Yellow-shouldered Blackbird, White-tailed Tropicbird

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