Join the Flock Abroad
Travel with your San Diego birding community. Birding with SDBA tours are small-group trips built around the people you already know from local outings and the San Diego Bird Festival, plus new friends who share your interest in birds. In 2027 we're heading to the Yucatán Peninsula, the Galápagos Islands, and Panama.
Why travel with SDBA
- Small groups. Group sizes are capped at 8 to 15 travelers, so everyone gets time with the guides and a good view of the birds.
- Vetted operators. Every tour is led by an experienced birding guide and an SDBA representative.
- Your trip gives back. Each tour supports SDBA's conservation and education work here in San Diego County.
Yucatán Peninsula
April 15–26, 2027 · 12 days · with Red Hill Birding
Timed for the peak of spring migration, this trip travels from Mérida to Isla Cozumel through scrub forest, flamingo lagoons, lowland rainforest, and Mayan ruins, including Chichén Itzá and Cobá. Look for 15+ regional endemics like Yucatán Jay and Ocellated Turkey, plus about two dozen warbler species moving north. Guides Adam Sell and Luis Trinchan lead the trip, joined by an SDBA representative.
Group size: 6–8 travelers
Price: $6,995 per person, shared room; $600 single supplement
Deposit: $1,200 per person; balance due January 15, 2027
Includes: Lodging, all meals, ground transportation, Cozumel ferry, entrance fees, local guide and driver tips
Not included: Airfare (arrive Mérida, depart Cozumel), alcohol, tip for the Red Hill guide
Activity level: Easy to moderate; several miles of flat walking a day, early starts, hot and humid
Questions: Jen Hajj, jhajj@sandiegobirdalliance.org, or Adam Sell at Red Hill Birding, adam@redhillbirding.com
Galápagos Islands
June 30–July 10, 2027 · 11 days · with Holbrook Travel
This small-group cruise explores the eastern islands, where saw-toothed Kicker Rock and Cerro Brujo, volcanic calderas, sandy beaches, and flamingo lagoons host Red- and Blue-footed Boobies, sea turtles, giant tortoises, and iguanas. With no fear of people, much of the wildlife can be seen and photographed at close range. Walk the lava beds of Española, one of the best places in the world to see Waved Albatross; visit the tortoise breeding center at the Charles Darwin Research Station; see land iguanas in the Opuntia cactus forest on South Plaza; snorkel with sea lions, turtles, rays, and reef fish; and leave a postcard in the barrel at Post Office Bay.
Group size: 8–15 travelers
Price: $7,740 per person, shared cabin; limited singles available for $1,890
Deposit: $1,000 per person
Registration deadline: January 1, 2027
Includes: Arrival and departure transfers, a full-time guide in each region, activities and meals listed in the itinerary, internal flights, Galápagos National Park fees, INGALA transit card, non-alcoholic beverages with meals, snorkel gear, carbon offset
Not included: International airfare to Quito, gratuities, items of a personal nature, travel insurance
Activity level: Moderate to strenuous; wet and dry landings from small panga boats, walks and hikes on sandy beaches and rocky, dusty, or uneven dirt paths, plus swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. Late June and early July is the cool garúa season, with frequent drizzle, air temperatures of 78–84°F, water of 64–70°F, and occasionally rough seas.
Questions: Jen Hajj, jhajj@sandiegobirdalliance.org, or Debbie Jordan at Holbrook Travel, debbie@holbrooktravel.com
Panama (coming soon)
September 24–October 2, 2027 · 9 days · with Sabrewing Nature Tours
Details and registration are coming soon. For questions in the meantime, contact Jen Hajj at jhajj@sandiegobirdalliance.org.
