Ara Manzanillo

The Ara project is really worth a visit. After arriving you get some explanation about the project and how the reintroduced the Green Macaw in the area. After that it’s a very small walk to the viewing point where you can see the beautiful birds feeding and flying around. It is definitely great to look at them. The road to the site is steep but it can easily be done with a normal car. You don’t need a 4x4. After you parked the car it is only a 40 meter walk.

This place is incredible! Wild great green macaws flying all around the forest and a great view point to take it all in for the one hour tour. The tour guide explains the story and mission and then takes you up to a viewing area where you can look out into the trees while macaws fly and chatter around you. I is crazy how few of these birds remain in the wild and it was a prevalence to watch them today!

Let’s start with the positive: the birds are absolutely beautiful and it’s impressive to watch them fly. But in terms of a tour, it’s not much. We were received by a “guide” who told us some things about what they were doing. About 10 minutes or so. And then we were send up to an observation point where we had a decent view of the birds in the surrounding trees, and could stay there for the rest of the “tour” while the guide was gone. For good pictures, you need to take a pretty good zoom lens.

The birds were beautiful and magnificent. Watching them spread their wings and fly all around us felt like something out of a movie. Photos couldn’t do the experience justice. The guides were also friendly and knowledgeable. One gave us a ride up the steep hill on a 4 wheeler. Watching the birds is relaxed because you can just sit on the benches. It’s a great way to support and learn more about their important work to revitalize the population of green macaws, which are critically endangered.

The green macaws are endangered species. This is an organization which is trying to save and bring back the species. The birds are free and come there during feeding time. They are beautiful birds. And a noble cause. They do one feeding a day. So recommend to book the experience online. Also it is a short but inclined drive. Plan accordingly

Conservation done right! Superb opportunity to see and snap the Great Green Macaw. It is so nice to see these creatures in their natural environment uncaged. What is really special is being above these animals as they fly which offers a different angle then you get from the road. I was fortunate to see these Macaws on the flying over the main road the day before and ot is all because of these guys. So thank you! We arrived by bike and got a lift up via an ATV. Make sure you book before you go!

Can’t recommend doing this enough - it was an amazing experience to see these birds and understand how the team are supporting their growth in numbers in a natural way. I’d recommend going by car and arriving close to the 3pm start time, otherwise the entrance gate is locked and it’s a decent climb upwards to then walk to where you’ll have the tour.

Great project and possibility to see the macaws real close. At 3 o clock there is a guided tour. I arrived late as I did not expect such a steep walk until the actual sanctuary (about another 1,5 km from the location in the map)