Lo De Marcos • Nayarit, Mexico
A Paradise for Wildlife Lovers
Lo De Marcos is the kind of place where nature does not wait for you to go looking for it. It simply appears — overhead, underfoot and just beyond the garden wall.
At The Beach
Brown pelicans glide in formation before plunging dramatically into the waves. Magnificent frigatebirds soar overhead. Between December and March humpback whales are regularly spotted from shore — and local boats are available for those who want to get closer. The same boats take fishing enthusiasts out to the abundant Pacific waters just offshore.
The Estuary — Five Minutes By Bicycle
Follow the shaded river path from Casa Botanica for five minutes and the world changes entirely. The Lo De Marcos estuary is where the serious wildlife watching begins — a sheltered habitat where over one hundred documented species have been recorded in a single location by one particularly observant Casa Botanica guest.
Roseate Spoonbills. Wood Storks. Tricolored Herons. Snowy Egrets. White Ibis. All going about their morning with the magnificent indifference of creatures who were here long before the bicycles arrived.
In winter months a small lagoon forms nearby — bringing hungry turtles, additional spoonbills and a small resident crocodile who has been reliably present for several seasons so keep a keen eye open as you pass by.
The Hills & Jungle
The jungle covered hills surrounding Lo De Marcos offer hiking trails with rewards for the patient and observant. Coatis forage through the undergrowth. Iguanas sun themselves without concern for your schedule. And on rare and extraordinary occasions the hills remind you that this is still genuinely wild Mexico — jaguar, ocelot and jaguarundi have all been recorded in this region.
At Casa Botanica Itself
You do not even need to leave the property. Kiskadees, grackles and mourning doves have made their homes in the surrounding trees and in the atrium itself. As the afternoon light drops, flocks of egrets cross the sky heading to their evening roost.
Dawn on the rooftop with coffee in hand is its own particular reward — the Sierra Madre turning gold on the horizon while the morning chorus builds in every surrounding tree.
Turtle Conservation — Campamento Tortuga
Some experiences mark a traveler permanently. Watching sea turtle hatchlings make their first journey from beach to ocean — tiny, determined and completely extraordinary — is one of them.
Campamento Tortuga is a local conservation effort dedicated to protecting the sea turtle species that nest along this stretch of the Nayarit coast — threatened by climate change, coastal development and poachers. From July through November, the camp welcomes visitors to witness and participate in the release of hatchlings, guiding these remarkable creatures toward the Pacific for the very first time.
It is one of the most moving wildlife experiences on the Mexican coast. And it happens right here.
Ask us about visiting Campamento Tortuga during your stay — timing the releases is everything.
For Serious Birders
One Casa Botanica guest documented over one hundred species during his stay without venturing far from Lo De Marcos. The complete list — with notes and references for each species — is available on request.
Binoculars available. Local knowledge gladly shared.