Harpy Eagle — Photo: Kevin Zimmer

Unbeatable lineup of large, showy species, tepui mountain endemics, and perhaps the best opportunity anywhere for Harpy Eagle. Tepui region notably scenic.

Our Eastern Venezuela tour begins in the cloud forest of Sierra de Lema, where more than 20 tepui endemic species are usually seen, along with macaws, cotingas, cocks-of-the-rock, and tanagers. Among the endemic species we will look for are Roraiman Barbtail, Peacock Coquette, Streak-backed Antshrike, Rose-collared Piha, the diminutive Ruddy Tody-Flycatcher, Flutist Wren, Greater Flowerpiercer, Tepui Swift, and Red-banded Fruiteater. At higher elevation, on the Gran Sabana, we will search for Greater Elaenia and Tepui Goldenthroat, and enjoy the bizarre plants of this region, including many genera unique to the tepuis.

But it is not only for the endemic species that we travel to this region surrounded by mesa-like precambrian hills and waterfalls. In the lowlands we will look for Crimson Topaz, the weird Capuchinbird, Blue-cheeked Parrot, jacamars, parrots and parakeets, antbirds, and an incredible number of tyrant flycatchers.

We will also visit the Rio Grande Forestry Reserve, an area with the largest density of Harpy Eagles in the world, and if there is an active nest we will surely visit it. We will also allow time to look for White-plumed Antbird and Rufous-throated Antbird.

Last on our itinerary is the Orinoco Delta, with more than 140 tributaries surrounded by marshes and swamp forest. A full-day boat trip to this river will take us to areas where on previous VENT tours we have found species new to science, including a softtail, a spinetail, and a wagtail-tyrant. As the only birders ever to visit these forested areas of the Orinoco, this is indeed an exciting adventure, which includes the best site in Venezuela for seeing the little-known Black-chested Tyrant.

Our Eastern Venezuela tour is a must for the tropical birder, combining more than five forest type, savannas, grasslands, wetlands, and the magnificent Orinoco. There is probably no other tour in Venezuela involving such incredible avifauna so little-known to science.

Accommodations moderate to basic, possibly some shared doubles; travel by plane, bus, and four-wheel drive vehicle; relatively easy walking but one or more longer, moderately strenuous rainforest walks sometimes necessary; warm and humid in lowlands, cool and damp in mountains.