Venezuela - Llanos

Tour Code: VEN02

A 9-day birding holiday to the Henri Pittier National Park, home to nearly half the bird species recorded in Venezuela and the northern Llanos, one of the most extensive wetlands in the world.

We hope to run this tour in the future, but have not yet finalised dates and prices. To be added to a waiting list and be informed when details are confirmed, please click on the register interest button, or phone 1-844-433-9473.

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Highlights

Visit the Llanos – a wonderland of wetland birds!... 7 ibis and numerous heron species amongst them
Excellent raptor potential, averaging 20+ species, and often including one or more hawk-eagles
Yellow-knobbed Curassows, Sunbitterns and Hoatzins
Encounter such mammals as Capybara, Sloth, Howler Monkey, and perhaps even Ocelot, Jaguar or Tapir
Endemic birds galore!... from Handsome Fruiteaters to White-tipped Quetzals
Enjoy the birds and mammals of world-renowned Hato Piñero Lodge

Summary

This, our most popular birding tour to Venezuela, combines safari-style birdwatching in the magical Llanos wetlands with an exploration of the cloudforests of Henri Pittier, the country's first national park. The Llanos – a mosaic of wetlands, seasonally-inundated grasslands and deciduous forests, awash with birdlife and mammals (notably large cats!) – lie at the heart of Venezuela and its culture. We will explore them from the world-renowned Hato Piñero Lodge before heading to the Henri Pittier National Park to search for the avian gems of its cloudforests. We will also visit the Rancho Grande Biological Station and the Caribbean coast in search of their respective avian attractions.

About the region:

North-west Venezuela is renowned for its wide range of habitats and the tremendous diversity of birds they support.

Well over 500 bird species have been recorded in the virtually pristine forests of Henri Pittier National Park, which is only a 4-hour drive from Caracas. Though covering a small area, its huge altitudinal range is a one of the factors contributing to its extraordinary avian diversity.

The Llanos region is one of the largest wetlands in the world. It supports countless numbers of waterbirds, especially during the northern winter when migrants from North American arrive. Among the interesting mammals found here are cats including Ocelot, Margay, Jaguarundi and Jaguar.

The tour ‘in a nutshell’:

This 9-day holiday is Naturetrek’s most popular birding tour to Venezuela. It combines safari-style bird watching in the magical Llanos wetlands with an exploration of the subtropical cloudforests of Henri Pittier, home to nearly half the bird species recorded in Venezuela.

We will explore the Llanos from the world renowned Hato Pinero Lodge before heading to the Henri Pittier National Park. We will also visit the Rancho Grande Biological Station and the Caribbean coast in search of their respective avian attractions.

What birds might I see?

In the Llanos it is possible to find up to 7 species of ibis, including the stunning Scarlet Ibis and local Sharp-tailed Ibis, plus numerous heron species. Over 20 species of raptor occur in the Llanos region, including one or more hawk-eagles and Snail Kites.

Among the northern Venezuelan endemics we may see in Henri Pittier National Park is the Blood-eared Parakeet. Cloudforest species such as Venezuelan Wood-quail, Violet-chested Hummingbird, White-tipped Quetzal, Groove-billed Toucanet, and Venezuelan Bristle-tyrant are all possible, among many other species.Other interesting birds we may see on this tour include Yellow-knobbed Curassows, Sunbitterns, Jabiru and Hoatzins, as well as endemic birds … from Handsome Fruiteaters to White-tipped Quetzals.

Anything else?

We may encounter such mammals as Capybara, Sloth, Howler Monkey, and perhaps even Ocelot, Jaguar or Tapir! Opportunities for photographers are outstanding, in particular around Hato Pinero in the Llanos.