Venezuela
Forests and wetlands - teeming with birds!

Saturday 5 - Tuesday 15 December 2009 (11 days)
Saturday 4 - Tuesday 14 December 2010 (11 days)

One of the most diverse of South American countries, Venezuela hosts a huge variety of birds. Our tour starts with the coastal forests of Henri Pittier, continues to the coastal reserves of Morrocoy, and the fabulous Hato Piñero Ranch on the immensely bird-rich Llanos wetlands.

download a report of one of our previous trips to Venezuela Venezuela offers a splendid introduction to South America and its birdlife, encompassing most of the major tropical habitats of the continent: from wonderful bird-packed wetlands to dry bush country and wet tropical rainforests.

With good transport connections and some excellent lodges, the infrastructure is relatively good, and the fine Field Guide makes bird identification a little less bewildering than in some South American countries.

We cover the biologically-rich north of the country. Starting at the diverse array of forest zones of the coastal mountains of Henri Pittier National Park, we travel to the coastal reserves at Morrocoy, with a trip inland to the drier plains, and then end with a stay on the Llanos: a complex of dry bush country and wetland that makes for some of the continent's most impressive birding. Our lodge here, Hato Piñero, is widely regarded as one of the top birdwatching sites in the whole continent!

Local guide for the tour will be biologist Cecilia Herrera, who has worked since 1988 as a professional guide, naturalist and field ornithologist. She has guided birding tours all over Venezuela. Cecilia's field ornithological skills and knowledge, including ability to identify birds rapidly by sight and by vocalization, today rank her among a select and elite few within her country.

Outline Itinerary
Days 1-3 We take an early morning flight from London, arriving in Caracas in the afternoon. It is a three to four hour drive to our family run inn located in Maracay, gateway to Henri Pittier, Venezuela's first National Park. Three nights Maracay
Days 4-6 Our last morning in Henri Pittier NP will be spent watching raptors and photographing tanagers or hummingbirds on the terrace of the Rancho Grande Biological Station.

After lunch we will make the two hour drive to the Morrocoy area. Three nights Maracay
Days 7-9 We will depart early to drive into the vast interior of Venezuela: the llanos. The Llanos - a mix of wet and dry savannas - offer some of the most spectacular birding in the world. Our lodge, Hato Piñero has successfully combined cattle ranching with conservation of this superb habitat, and now hosts one of the world's great wildlife spectacles. Here can be found capybaras and caimans, armadillos and anteaters, peccaries and ocelots, and even Vampire Bats!

Three nights Hato Piñero
Day 10 We spend the day returning to Caracas for our flight back to the UK, departing in the evening, and arriving on Day 11.

Click here for a full, printable itinerary

Prices:

2009 - £ 3,495
2010 - £ 3,795

Single supp.:

2009 - £ 215
2010 - £ 235

Deposit: £ 400 per person

The price includes scheduled return flights London/Caracas, airport taxes, ground transportation, accommodation on a full-board basis, admissions, local taxes, and the services of the leader(s).

The price excludes holiday insurance, drinks, optional tips to the local guide and drivers, and other personal expenses.

*For an ex-international flight cost (starting and finishing in Caracas), please deduct £ 645 per person from the tour cost.

This trip will be operated in conjunction with Limosa Holidays.

Leaders: Tim Earl & local guides


Venezuela map