Bird watch in the Henri Pittier National Park, the most important cloud forest in the Caribbean where over 500 bird species, both endemic and migratory, can be found. Travel to the foothills of the Venezuelan Andes in search of endemic Andean species before departing for Hato Cedral located in the famous llanos of Apure State. Stay three magical days in the 55,000-hectare private ranch, home to more than 250 species of birds, 50 species of mammal including jaguars and 40 species of reptiles including spectacled caimans and anacondas.

ITINERARY

DAY 01
USA - CARACAS, VENEZUELA
A representative from Andean & Rainforest Expeditions will be at the airport to meet you and help with the transfer to the hotel located in the city of Caracas. Orientation meeting regarding birding program. Overnight at hotel in Caracas.

DAY 02 - 03
PARQUE DEL ESTE - MARACAY-HENRI PITTIER NATIONAL PARK
An early morning drive to Parque del Este will serve as an introduction to the birds of the tropics. Parque del Este is a unusual birding site located right in the city of Caracas. Some of the species common in the Park include Chestnut-fronted Macaws, Oriole Blackbirds and Saffron Finches, Barred Antshrike, Scaled Dove, Scaled Piculet, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Yellow-crowned Parrot, Yellow-hooded Blackbird and many more. Breakfast will be served in the Park. Around midday we will make our drive to the city of Maracay, located 50 miles west of Caracas.

Maracay serves as our point of departure to visit the famed Henri Pittier National Park, one of the most important cloud forests of the Caribbean region. There, William Beebe studied migration path of several passerines and today researchers continue to find new scientific discoveries. Some of the birds you might encounter there include endemics such as the Blood-eared Parakeet, Handsome Fruiteater and Groove-billed Toucanet; also you will have the opportunity to spot Golden, Speckled, Burnished-buff, Rufous-cheeked and Beryl-spangled tanagers, to name a few. Every day, hummingbirds such as the Long-tailed Sylph and Violet-fronted Brilliant visit the Rancho Grande Biological Station's feeders. Overnight at hotel in the city of Maracay. B,L,D

DAY 04
HENRI PITTIER NATIONAL PARK AND RANCHO GRANDE BIOLOGICAL STATION
The word "Rancho Grande" has important meaning for many scientists as a result of the research conducted by famed ecologist Dr. William Beebe. Dr. Beebe conducted tropical ecology research with the New York Zoological Society and made the first references and documented the "Portachuelo" migratory pass. The area was declared a national park more than 60 years ago and was named after, Henri Pettier, the person who encourages Gomez, the dictator of that time, to protect this diverse cloud forest.

We will have all day to explore the different habitats and biodiversity of this forest, which boasts a bird population of more than 500 species. Antbirds such as Scalloped Antthrush, Plain-backed Antpitta, Short-tailed Antthrush, Slaty Antwren, White-streaked Antvireo and Black-faced Antthrush are found along the trail system behind the Rancho Grande Biological Station. Also, the wonderful Handsome Fruiteater (endemic), the White-necked and Black-hooded Thrushes, more than 11 species of tanagers including Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Blue-capped, Golden, Black-headed, Bay-headed and Speckled Tanager and a great variety of raptors including Black Hawk-eagle, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, White Hawk and Ornate Hawk-Eagle can be found. Early in the morning Howler Monkeys call from long distances while the deep song of the Southern Nightingale Wren is repeated for more than 40 seconds producing an impressive echo. In the lowlands, we will explore the moist forest of Turiamo, which is home for both Lance-tailed and Wire-tailed Manakin, Black-crested and Barred Antshrike, Ultramarine Grosbeak, Rufous-winged Antwren, Green Honeycreeper, Plain Xenops, Greenish Elaenia, Red-legged Honeycreeper and the near endemic Venezuelan Flycatcher. If time permits a short visit to the coast might let us find the Brown Pelican, Brown Booby and Buffy Hummingbird. Overnight hotel in Maracay. B,PL,D

DAY 05
MORNING IN HENRI PITTIER NATIONAL PARK, AFTERNOON DRIVE TO THE CITY OF BARINAS
After an early morning along the Choroni road in the Henri Pittier National Park, we will drive westwards to the state of Barinas, located in the foothills of the Andes. We will start at about 4,500 feet elevation in order to look for Black-and-white Owl and Band-winged Nightjar. As the sun rises, a chorus of tanagers, trogons, wrens and many others will fill the morning air. Some of the other species we will encounter include Bronzy Inca, Ochre-breasted Brush-finch, Rufous-cheeked Tanager, Collared Trogon, Long-tailed Sylph, Montane Woodcreeper, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Inca (Green) Jay and Oleaginous Hemispingus. Later in the morning we might try lower elevations in order to search for Long-tailed Antbird, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Lesser Seed-Finch, Flavescent Warbler, Lesser Elaenia and much more. Midday drive to Barinas state. Overnight in hotel in Barinas state. B,L,D

DAY 06
MORNING IN THE ANDES FOOTHILLS, MIDDAY DRIVE TO HATO EL CEDRAL
In the morning close to the town of Barinitas, our first bird sightings will be along a lovely road located on the Andean slope. We will hear the song of Little Tinamou and the call of the Tropical Screech-Owl. This area has important Amazonian birds including White-browed Antbird, Violaceous Jay, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Marbled Wood-Quail, Violaceous Trogon and Fasciated Antshrike. It's also a great spot to look for Spangled Coquette, Saffron-crowned Parrot, Yellow-ridged and Black-mandible Toucan, Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift, Crowned Woodnymph, Blue-black Grosbeak, White-ruffed Manakin, Cinereous Becard, Piratic Flycatcher, Southern Nightingale Wren, Rufous-and-white Wren, Black-billed Thrush as well as many tanagers including Speckled, Blue-necked, Palm, Black-necked and Swallow Tanager. At about midmorning we will start our drive from the high llanos towards the low llanos. On the high llanos large concentrations of seedeaters as well as egrets will be seen along the road and after passing the Apure river bridge, we will notice the contrast as we enter to the low llanos. Concentrations of egrets, storks, herons, terns, lapwings as well as many raptors including Savanna, Roadside, White-tailed, Black-collared and Zone-tailed Hawk, Crested and Yellow-headed Caracara, Pearl Kite, Great Black-Hawk, Snail Kite and White-tailed Kite are easily spotted. Afternoon arrival at Hato El Cedral and introductory to birding around the lodge. Overnight Hato El Cedral. B,L,D

DAY 07-08
HATO EL CEDRAL
The Llanos have a long cultural history that includes "vaqueros" or Venezuelan cowboys; large ranching operations some as large as 100,000 hectares; traditional music and culture. All of this is enhanced by the most impressive concentration of water birds in South American. Hato El Cedral is an active cattle ranch whose owners understand the importance of conservation. Here, thousands of Spectacled Cayman as well as Capybaras, Giant Anteater, Pink Dolphin, Nine-banded Armadillo, Red-howler Monkey plus more than 300 species of birds will be our focus for the next two days. Each morning after a very early breakfast, we will visit diverse types of habitats in search of different species. In the early afternoon we will return to the "Hato" for lunch and then later in the evening we will go out to explore again, either by boat or by foot, using spotlights to search for nocturnal dwellers such as Great Potoo, Common Fox, Great-horned Owl and many others.

The llanos are seasonally flooded savannas that have marked, dramatic contrasts between rain and dry season. During the dry season there are enormous concentrations of water birds around the last remaining pools. In the wet season we can travel by boat to locate the species disbursed among the waters. Mammals are more active at night and we should have a chance to see the Crab-eating Fox, and although it is relatively rare, we may spot an Ocelot and even a Jaguar! We will certainly look for the Great and Common Potoo, Pauraque and White-tailed Nightjar. The dry season is remarkable for its beautiful sunsets and the hundreds of Whistling-Ducks concentrated on the remaining pools.

Birds includes Hoatzin, Rufescent Tiger-heron, Jabiru Stork, Scarlet Ibis,Tourpial, Sharp-tailed Ibis, Aplomado Falcon, Amazonian Black-Tyrant, Sunbittern, Dwarf Cuckoo, Whistling Heron, Scarlet Macaw, Capped Heron, Rusty-backed Spinetail, Boat-billed Heron, White-naped Xenopsaris, Orinoco Goose, River Tyrannulet, Orinocan Saltator, Yellow-knobbed Curassow, Agami Heron and possibly Zigzag Heron! Overnight at Hato El Cedral, B,L,D

DAY 09
MORNING HATO EL CEDRAL, MIDDAY DRIVE TO THE CITY OF BARINAS. FLIGHT TO CARACAS
A morning walk will serve to look for spotting last minute species. A midday drive to the city of Barinas will be followed to a commercial flight to Caracas. Transfer to hotel in Caracas. B,PL,FD

DAY 10-SUNDAY
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for US flight. B

TRIP PRICING Per Person

COSTS PER PERSON BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

02 US$ 3,640
03 US$ 3,300
04-06 US$ 2,900
07-09 US$ 2,495
10-12 US$ 2,280
13-14 US$ 2,110

Single person supplement: US$ 395

TRIP DIFFICULTY: Requires moderate walking and riding in vehicles over dirt roads.

INCLUDES:  All lodge accommodations based on double occupancy. All scheduled domestic air and private land transportation. All transfers. All scheduled excursions with English-speaking guide services. All meals as indicated B = Breakfast, L=Lunch, PL = Picnic Lunch, D= Dinner, FD =Farewell Dinner.

NOT INCLUDED: International fights. International & domestic airport departure taxes or visa fees if it applies, excess baggage charges, additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations, alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, laundry, phone calls, radio calls or messages, and items of personal nature.