Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in Venezuela

Drive to Maracay; gateway to Henri Pittier National Park

Overnight: Maracay - Family-run Inn

Days 2 - 4: Birding Henri Pittier National Park

For the next three full days we will bird all the major habitats in the Henri Pittier National Park. One day will be dedicated to exploring the world renowned Rancho Grande Biological Station, another will likely be spent in higher cloud forest along the famous Choroní Road and the third will be along the Turiamo road.

Target birds: Ornate Black Hawk-Eagle, Black Hawk-Eagle, Solitary Eagle, Band-tailed Guan, Venezuelan Wood-Quail, Violaceous Quail-Dove, Blood-eared Parakeet, White-tipped Quetzal, Groove-billed Toucanet, Guttulated Foliage-gleaner, Grey-throated Leaftosser, Black-backed Antshrike, Venezuelan Antvireo, Schwartz’s Antthrush, Plain-backed Antpitta, Venezuelan Bristle-Tyrant, Rufous-lored Tyrannulet, Venezuelan Flycatcher, Handsome Fruiteater, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Rufous-cheeked Tanager, Ochre-breasted Brush-Finch, etc..

Overnight: Maracay -

Day 5: Henri Pittier NP & Morrocoy

Our last morning in Henri Pittier NP will be spent looking for the specialities and endemics we are still missing. Or perhaps we will simply spend a morning 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 where we will check into our family run inn and bird the grounds for the last couple of hours of light.

Overnight: Morrocoy - Posada La Arboleda

Day 6: Birding Morrocoy

We will bird a combination of xerophytic coastal scrub, mangroves and wetlands.

Target Species: American Flamingo, Plain-flanked Rail, shorebirds, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Buffy Hummingbird, Scaled Piculet, Black-backed Antshrike, Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant, Bicoloured Conebill, Golden Warbler.

Overnight: Morrocoy - Posada La Arboleda

Day 7: Morrocoy - Yacambu

Today we may head inland to bird the plains and limestone outcrops on our way to the Andes.

Target Species: Horned Screamer, Rusty-flanked Crake, Red-and-Green Macaw, Caribbean Hornero, Hooded Tanager, White-eared Conebill.

Mid-morning, we will have to leave the lowlands behind as we begin our journey to the Andes. In the Yacambú area, we stay at a wonderful, family-run inn with gourmet food close to the border of the Park.

Overnight: Yacambu

Days 8 & 9: Birding Yacambu National Park

On the northern tip of the Andes, the Yacambú National Park is a nice introduction to Andean birding where we will spend the next two days.

Target Species: Masked Duck, Caribbean Coot, Crested Quetzal, Orange-throated Sunangel, Great Antpitta, Mérida Tapaculo, Slender-billed Inezia, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Golden-winged Manakin, migrant warbler, tanagers, Tocuyo Sparrow.

Overnight: Yacambu

Days 10 - 12: Drive to Hato Piñero & 'Llanos'

On the morning of Day 10 we will depart early to drive into the vast interior of Venezuela: the llanos where we will spend the rest of our tour. At Hato Piñero, an 80,000ha private wildlife sanctuary, and one of the world's premier birding destinations, we will have time to watch and photograph wildlife and to rest.
Three days of excursions on this working cattle ranch should give us good looks at both birds and mammals.

Target Species: Jabiru, seven species of Ibis, Capped Heron, Aplomado Falcon, Horned Screamer, Muscovy Duck, Yellow-knobbed Curassow, Hoatzin, Sunbittern, White-tailed Nightjar, owls, Scarlet Macaws, White-bearded Flycatcher, Black-capped Donacobius, Orinocan Saltator

Overnight: Hato Piñero

Day 13: Departure

We will have an early morning departure for Caracas to connect with international flight

Prices

Price per person for 2008 with bird guide - based on just two people in the group: $3,355

Single room supplement: $ 280