What is Rancho Komchén?
Komchén Bird Sanctuary is a private non-profit organization established in an Hacienda Henequenera in the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, which provides facilities for the practice of ecoturism.

Its mission is to sustainable develop and conserve a nature reserve and at the same time improve the living conditions of local people.

The visitors will have the opportunity to explore the region, discover its countless natural and cultural attractions and meet the modern-day Maya.

The Sanctuary is a large ranch which formally produced the plant fibre, sisal and consists of 340 hectares of tropical dry forest which is home to an enormous diversity of plant and animal life.

There are many mammals including the feline predator Margay, small forest deer, fox anteater, raccoon and also several species of reptiles. There are abundant species of butterflies and of course, a prolific variety of birds, such as the hummingbird, owl, heron, cardinal, tanager, flamenco, motmot and other rare tropical birdlife as well as migrating birds passing through.

Because of this rich birdlife, Komchén has been declared an association for the study and protection of birds.

There are bicycles for riding along the trails through lush tropical vegetation.

Visitors accommodation is arranged in huts or palapas built in the Mayan tradition, with stone walls. These were formally used by the workers on the ranch. There are comfortable and cool Mayan hammocks but for those who prefer, there are also simple beds available.

There are banana and papaya groves and a market garden. The produce is used in the simple but hearty home cooking. No pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used. There is an abundant underground supply of drinking water, which is regularly analyzed for its purity. Bread is baked at the ranch.

 The People that makes possible the project Komchén de los Pájaros are:

  • Ana Mar’a Palos de Foronda, Spaniard but mexican naturalized. Director and founder of the project.
  • Lino Ku,
  • Darya and Augusto Morillo von Berner, benefactors of KomchŽn.
  • Yuri Serbolov, assiduous visitor and collaborator of KomchŽn.
  • Tamara and Ebbe Malmstedt von Berner, visitor and collaborator of KomchŽn.
  • Ana Franca and Mirko von Berner, enthusiastic participants and collaborators with the project KomchŽn. Administrators of this web site komchen.org

Objectives
  • To create a protected natural space and fomenting their biological diversity.
  • Achieve the self-sufficiency with alternative processes.
  • Collaborate in the ecological education of the people that visit us.
  • To live accordingly with the ecological principles of respecting nature and all living beings, eliminating superfluous expenses, resources use and material recycling.
  • Protect the ecosystem integrity, as well as the particular physical and biological elements.
  • Contribute to the protection, promotion, diffusion and enjoyment of the ecological values that form this natural space.
  • Transform this space in a place for investigation, study, creation and relax for scholars, researchers, artists and all the people that needs a serenity ambience surrounded by nature.
  • Our project try to develop in natural reserve in a sustained way an at the same time to improve the lives of the local inhabitants.
  • Give the visitor the opportunity to explore the surroundings and discover the incommensurable natural and cultural attractions and connect with the today mayan.
In all this years we have been devoted, inside our means, to protect and regenerate the flora and fauna of this 850 acres that systematically where burned and deforested to grow henequen.

We have planted more than five thousand trees, have done a pond, in the ancient mayan style to collect rain to water the wild animals in dry times where can also swim. Have rehabilitated six ancient water deposits destroyed by time and have constructed six new ones, all of them with fish and aquatic plants that are used by local birds and other wild animals.

www.komchen.org
Rancho Komchén de los Pájaros
Libramiento Dzemul-Xtampu KM 1.5
89º20¨y19¨W x 21º13"N
Dzemul 97404 Mérida
Yucatán, México

Rancho KomchŽn de los P‡jaros Description
  • Rancho KomchŽn de los P‡jaros have about 840 acres of low jungle with a rich botanic and ample fauna variety.
  • There are tigrillo, deer, wildcat, fox, raccoon, ant-eater, badger, iguana and armadillo among others; also serpents, infinity of butterflies and a great variety of birds , as hummingbirds, charas, momotos, cardinals, t‡ngaras, colorines, cenzontles, owls, heron... and many more migratory birds.
  • Constructions in KomchŽn are stone walls and tatched roofs Palapas in the more traditional mayan style. The visitors are hosted in the houses formerly inhabited by the old hacienda workers. Can sleep in comfortable hammocks, mayan style, or traditional beds if that's to much for you.
  • Everything in KomchŽn is rustic and simple, to appease non-conventional tourists.
  • There's bicycles to ride around the reserve or going to the beach or the close by town of Dzemul.
  • There are horses, roaming around, but that can be saddled and mounted for rides.
  • All the animals live in completely freedom.
  • There is abundant underground water and a small running water cenote.
  • Papayas, bananas and other fruits are cultivated for self-consumption without plaguicides or chemical fertilizers.
  • Bread is oven daily.
  • KomchŽn de los P‡jaros welcomes visitor with scientific interests, centered in nature studies, alternative energies and mayan legacy.
  • We also welcome ecoturists, nature lovers and all interested in be part of our efforts sharing projects and tasks.

Komchén Bird Sanctuary wishes to welcome all those visitors with a generous spirit and who have a sincere interest in nature and other cultures. Modest accommodation is provided for the ecoturists who want to experience an unusual holiday and wish to relax in a unique place, far from the madding crowd. We hope that our visitors will integrate with the environment and the local people to their mutual benefit.

Komchén also invites scientists to carry out studies especially on the flora and fauna, alternative energy resources, sustainable development and the Maya culture. Also those people who would like to join the Komchén project working and contributing to achieve the declared objectives.