Grand Venezuela Part I: Mar 02—10, 2009

This is our premier Venezuela tour. It visits the broadest cross section of habitats and records by far the greatest number of birds of any Venezuelan tour. Now, for the first time, we are offering this tour in two parts, making it more accessible for the convenience of those with limited time or those who simply want a shorter trip. You can now make this a single action-packed Grand Venezuela experience by signing up for both parts, or you can choose either part separately to fit your schedule.

Among our traditional destinations are Colonia Tovar, the famed Henry Pittier (Rancho Grande) National Park, the saline lagoons and dry forests of Chichirivichi, the Barquisimeto Desert, a variety of sites in the Mérida Andes and foothills, and two-and-a-half-days at a ranch in the grasslands (llanos), renowned for enormous concentrations of waterbirds and large numbers of easy-to-see birds of all descriptions. By taking both trips, you will see perhaps in excess of 500 species, including everything from tiny bejeweled hummingbirds to showy tanagers and bizarre-looking hoatzins.

PART I. THE NORTHERN CORDILLERA, COASTAL LAGOONS, AND DESERTS. This trip begins in the quaint little German-heritage village of Colonia Tovar located about two hours west of Caracas. Birding begins right at the hotel, and nearby we have access to excellent birding sites for hummingbirds, tanagers, and many species found between about 4,000 and 7,000 feet elevation. And, no trip of this magnitude would be complete without a visit to the famous Biological Station of Rancho Grande and the surrounding Henry Pittier National Park located immediately outside the city of Maracay. This park boasts a list of over 500 species with the possibility of raptors, guans, hummingbirds, quetzals, antpittas, and tanagers. From here we will continue westward to the dry forests and coastal lagoons around Chichirivichi, which harbor many range-restricted species, one of the hemisphere's greatest concentrations of flamingos, and many Scarlet Ibises. We will also spend a morning in nearby humid foothills and ranchland with species ranging from tiny White-eared Conebills to gargantuan Horned Screamers and Red-and-green Macaws. This trip brings together great birding, a spectacular diversity of habitats, and comfortable accommodations all in one relatively short package.

Our trip concludes with a morning in the lovely deserts of the northwest where we'll be on the lookout for such specialties as Pale-headed Jacamar, Vermilion Cardinal, White-whiskered Spinetail, and Bicolored Wren.

Venezuela is one of the most economically advanced countries in South America. It has a rich avifauna and many productive areas that are easily accessible, often from paved roads. It is also is a very safe country, offers good accommodations, good roads, and a new bird book which was written by Steve Hilty, who will be your guide on these trips.

Early mornings and a fairly brisk pace, but with time to relax at end of each day; travel by air-conditioned bus; most birding walks on roadsides or fairly well-maintained trails; on two mornings trails or roads involve some uphill walking; maximum elevation slightly less than 7,000 feet; most birding below 5,000 feet; cool in mountains, warm to hot midday in lowlands.