Birds of the Mayan World 1

The guide was very knowledgeable about all the wildlife and plants in the area. He sent me a list on eBird immediately after our tour. He provided excellent care, including taking me to a cafe to get coffee on our route to birdwatching.

I did a guided birding tour of Reserva TOH and surrounds with Jose. We arrived before sunset and the first hour after the dawn was amazing—Jose took to a place that was more open, so we were able to see lots of bird movement and I got great pictures. Jose was very knowledgeable about the fauna and flora, as well as the history of this region, and very good at finding birds. Highlights for me were the Gartered Violaceous Trogon, Keel-billed Toucan, and Collared Aracari. Highly recommend him!

My guide Jose was fantastic. He was knowledgeable and friendly. I saw many new birds including Tucans and Aracaris. I would recommend this trip to my friends.

Gill was very knowledgable and professional. I was able to photography many birds. We also had lunch at a very out of the way restaurant that I never would've found on my own. I recommend Gill. https://www.flickr.com/photos/missjackie1/albums/72177720330448755

Well worth it. Beautiful area of forest with many bird species and a very knowledgeable guide in José. I’ll definitely be back.

I took a guided tour of Reserva TOH with Jose. We arrived before sunset and the hour after the dawn chorus began was one of my favourite birding experiences ever. Jose was very knowledgeable about the fauna and flora, as well as the history of this region, and very good at finding birds. Highlights were the Lesson's motmot and collared aracari. I would go back in a heartbeat

Jose is so knowledgeable and his English is terrific so he made the tour easy and effective. I loved seeing the birds in their natural settings and listening to all their wonderful sounds. We had a lovely breakfast in a jungle setting. It was a wonderful contrast to the ocean seaside environment and made our visit to Puerto Morelos complete.

Gill (aka Jose) is an amazing tour guide. He knows his stuff and is a good companion to spend a day with. I would highly recommend him to any birders and expect to use him in the future on my next visit to Cancun and vicinity.

Jose picked me up from my hotel at 5:30am and took me deep into the jungle near Vallarta. We made 5 stops and as a Virginia birder, almost all of the 60+ birds we saw were lifers. We got great looks of a beautiful Turquoise Browed Motmot, Barred Antshrike, Wedge Tailed Sabrewings among others. I was the only one on the tour and Jose answered all of my questions including many about native plants that I didn't ask! We stopped at 9am for a home cooked breakfast over an open-fire grill. Breakfast burritos with fresh avocado and habaneros over a white table cloth with ice cold lemonade. We didn't return to the hotel until 1pm, exhausted. We also saw some unreported Mayan ruins on the private reserve we traveled. 5 stars, would definitely recommend Jose. He also does snake tours and whale shark tours, so I would consider him for those as well.

Our day with Jose was beyond words, and we learned so much from our kind, new friend. Not only did we see or hear 63 species of birds (you can see our list on ebird.org), but we enjoyed a delicious breakfast, cooked fresh for us, at a comfortable bird watching station. We then headed out for another walk where we observed more birds, learned about a few important endemic plants and trees, and their importance to Mayan culture as well as medicinal uses. The walk ended under a 300 year old Ficus tree. Jose’s passion for the natural world coupled with his knowledge of birds and biology made for an unforgettable day. Thanks again, Jose. We will most certainly be back to Puerto Morelos for another adventure with you!