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The volcanoes reach more than 3,500 m. Photo/© Knut Eisermann. |
Birding around lake Atitlán. Lake Atitlán is often called one of the world’s most beautiful lakes. Three volcanoes - Atitlán, Tolimán and San Pedro - make up a scenic panorama over the deep waters.
Dry oak-conifer forests and cloud forest on the volcano cones form the natural vegetation. Around lake Atitlan there are several sites for observing birds. Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus), Greater Pewee (Contopus pertinax), Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus), Bushy-crested Jay (Cyanocorax melanocyaneus), Black-vented Oriole (Icterus wagleri), Black-headed Siskin (Carduelis notata) are characteristic resident species. On flower-rich bushes and trees Azure-crowned Hummingbird (Amazilia cyanocephala), Sparkling-tailed Woodstar (Tilmatura dupontii), White-eared Hummingbird (Hylocharis leucotis) can be observed.
Lake Atitlán is not just a nice birding spot, it is also full of culture. Two Mayan linguistic groups - Cakchikel and Tzutujil - are living in the villages around the lake. Their ancestral traditions have melted in with the christian beliefs, creating a religious sincretism were both creeds join peacefully. There is an opportunity to have a glimpse of this by visiting Maximón at Santiago Atitlan, a saint on which indigenous people rely faithfully. During a boat tour on the lake you might see wintering Pied-billed Grebe (Podylimbus podiceps), Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis), American Coot (Fulica Americana).
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| Dry forests on the slope of lake Atitlán. Photo/© Knut Eisermann. |
Accommodation: The villages around the lake provide a high variety of hotels.
For independent travelers:
Please fill this reservation form and we will send you information on rates and space availability as soon as possible.
When is the best time for a vist at Lake Atitlán? Any time of year. From February to April the view is often affected by the smoke of extensive fires for preparing the corn fields.
How do you support conservation and development at lake Atitlán? Many people from the Atitlan basin rely on tourism for having an income for their families. They still work on agriculture, but particularly women invest time and effort in the manufacture of weaved textiles and handicrafts. Atitlan is an area were local groups of men and women have began to organize for working in tourism services. One example is the group of artisans at San Antonio Palopó, who you can visit. They create diverse articles in clay, painted with a special technique adapted from Mexico.
