📸 Nature Photography Tours in Río Lagartos — Yucatán, Mexico
Join Diego Núñez, resident naturalist and professional bird guide, on a private 4-hour nature photography adventure exploring the incredible biodiversity of the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve — by boat or land.
Whether gliding quietly through the mangroves by boat or exploring the salt flats and tropical scrublands on foot, each tour is designed for wildlife and bird photographers who want to capture the true spirit of Yucatán’s natural beauty.
Our boat photography tours allow you to get remarkably close to flamingos, herons, and other waterbirds without disturbing them. The shallow-draft launches make it easy, safe, and comfortable to reach remote habitats that can’t be accessed on foot. You’ll have plenty of space for your camera gear, lenses, and personal items — and we provide cold drinks, water, and expert local guidance.
Our land photography tours uncover a completely different side of the reserve. With Diego’s intimate knowledge of every trail and ecosystem, you’ll encounter endemic birds, reptiles, mammals, and vibrant landscapes — from coastal dunes and wetlands to forest edges and salt flats. The changing light and textures make every outing unique, perfect for both beginner and professional photographers.
We plan our outings around the best hours for photography — early morning and late afternoon — when the light is soft and wildlife is most active. All experiences are private and low-impact, ensuring both your comfort and the protection of this fragile ecosystem.
Bring your camera, telephoto lens, and a sense of wonder, and we’ll take care of the rest — including refreshments, a cooler, and insider knowledge that only a local expert can share.
Capture unforgettable moments in one of Mexico’s most photogenic and wildlife-rich destinations — Río Lagartos, Yucatán.Our photography trips are designed specifically for nature and wildlife photographers. Whether by boat or by land, the tours are slower, longer, and penetrate deeper into the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, allowing access to a variety of ecosystems including mangroves, coastal dunes, scrub and low forests.
Reservations are required to ensure a personalized and low-impact experience.
Best Time & Recommended Gear The best hours for birding by land are early morning and late afternoon, when light is soft and bird activity peaks. Bring comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and — if you’re a photographer — a zoom or telephoto lens for capturing the beauty of the reserve’s habitats and species. We recommend a light backpack to carry your essentials, and we’ll take care of the rest — water, snacks, and expert local knowledge.
What Our Guests Say
“Diego’s knowledge and guidance are unmatched. Over a week, I photographed nearly all the species on my wish list, including Yucatán endemics. His patience, expertise, and local insights make every trip extraordinary.” — TripAdvisor Review
Reviewed March 6, 2012 WMarkR Montreal, Canada Trip Advisor Review
We booked Diego for 9 separate land- and boat-based tours (all private) over a 1-week period, focusing on wildlife photography. He proved to be the ideal guide; with his 20 years of experience, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the local species, and a superhuman ability to find and identify them. Without his expert assistance, we would not have encountered even a fraction of the species we managed to see and photograph. On one of our outings, Diego even spotted an Agami Heron, the first record for this beautiful bird in the state of Yucatan—we were proud to be witness to this event! We also loved his patient, easy-going attitude … not to mention his great sense of humour! Whether you want a single trip to see flamingos or a series of hardcore birding/photography tours, we give him our top recommendation.
Trip Advisor review by
friesengerald San Diego, California March 2018
Diego Nunez is special. I’m a bird photographer with over 2,000 photographed worldwide species. I was specifically targeting only about 35 species in the Yucatan. Some of those included were: Orange Oriole, Yucatan Jay, Flycatcher, Woodpecker, Bobwhite, Wren & Nightjar, Mexican Sheartail, King Vulture, Ocellated Turkey, Lesser Roadrunner, Rose-throated tanager, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Gray-crowned Yellowthroat, Black Catbird, Scrub Euphonia… Of my 35 specific targets Diego Nunez, by boat and by truck, got me to 27 of them. MOST IMPORTANTLY, OF THE 11 YUCATAN ENDEMIC SPECIES, I GOT 10, only missing the Yucatan Poorwill which we heard but didn’t get the photo. Those percentages rank the highest of any guide I have ever used anywhere worldwide. He took my “need” list and took me to the bird. THANK YOU Diego!
When you spend a week with a guide, from sunup to sundown, and then add-on a couple of night shoots, there is a tendency for both the guide and you to become either bored and/or grumpy. Not so with Diego. He was as enthusiastic and driven on day 7 as he was on day 1. I truly enjoyed his joking companionship and cheerful demeanor. But when the target was in sight, his humor turned into a ravenous hunt for the best angle and lighting possible. Loved shooting with him. Diego’s “ID by call” skills are only average, but his search and sight skills are fantastic. I’m a good spotter. He was better. And he’s very adaptable to client need. If I wanted to linger an hour for a Calendar Cover image, no problem. If I wanted to shoot and move on, no problem.
Rooms not great but just fine for a working bird photographer. Tons of electric outlets in the room for battery charging, hard discs, computers, phone, et al… Liked the bed. Food okay. WIFI sporadic but the whole town is that way. We shot the mangroves from a boat a couple of days and 1 night. It was roomy, speedy, clean and comfortable – top notch for a photographer with tons of gear. And don’t you love it when the driver immediately turns off the engine when you start shooting. Used both a new large luxury van and a new 4X4, 4 door pickup for dusk to dawn shooting. Both were excellent! Overall, I got much more than I expected. Highly recommended for serious bird photographers.
