DAY 1: MERIDA-LA
AZULITA
Mérida City. Airport/Hotel assistance
& transfer to “Chorrera Las Gonzalez”, big waterfalls surrounded by
pristine cloud forest area, birdwatching between the falls and La Mesa
de Los Indios road (Blackburnian
Warbler, Andean Guan, Emerald Toucanet, White-capped Dipper, Goldenheaded
Quetzal, Balck Phoebe, Green Violetear,...) Lunch at
the colonial and historical village of Jají, visit to the
“Museo de los Pájaros” (wood sculptures) souvenirs. Early in the
afternoon (14:00) transfer to La Azulita town. Birding on the
way. Spectacular cloud forest of El Chorotal (1500/2000 mts.) with a great
view of Maracaibo Lake (Golden Tanager,
Blue-capped Tanager, Glossy- black Thrush, Masked Trogon, Blue-necked,
Saffron-headed, Flamed -headed, Bay-headed & Blue and Black Tanagers,
Blue-napped and Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonias, Scarlet-fronted Parakeet,
Long- tailed Sylph, Rose-headed Parakeet, Collared Inca, Mountain Velvet-breast
Hummingbird, Booted- racquet-tail Hummingbird,...) Lodge
and dinner.
DAY 2: LA AZULITA
Breakfast & morning walk around San
Luis, La Osa, & Quebrada Azul (Orange-crowned
Oriole, Magpie Tanager, Crimson-backed Tanager, White-lined Tanager, Burnished-buff
Tanager,Swallow-wing Tanager, Blue and grey Tanager, Bicolored Wren, Blue-necked
Tanager, Yellow-billed Toucanet, Crimson- crested Woodpecker, Black-faced
Tanager, Squirrel Cuckoo, Bicolored Hawk, Black-mandible Toucan, Yellow-legged
Thrush,...) Pic-nic lunch and second visit to El Chorotal
area, afternoon birding (White-
rumped Hawk, Road-side Hawk, Swallow-tailed Kite, Barred-forest Falcon,
Green Jay, Black and Chestnut Eagle, Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Ruddy Pigeon,
Band-tailed Pigeon, Andean Guan, Lazuline Sabrewing, Booted Racquet-tail
Hummingbird, Collared Inca, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Little Hermit, Golden-headed
Quetzal, Golden-winged Manakin, Red-billed Parrot, Lineated Woodpecker,
Green & Black Fruiteater, Chesnut-bellied Thrush, Swallow-wing Tanager,...)
Lodge. Dinner
DAY 3: LA AZULITA-PTO.
CONCHA
Breakfast and transfer to Puerto Concha.
Lunch and boat trip to the village of Congo, during the journey we will
visit the Catatumbo River Delta. Great scenery and wildlife experience;
Zulian Two-toed Sloth, Red Howler Monkeys, White-faced Capuchin Monkeys,
Tamandua, Caribbean dolphins. The rare Orinocan Manatee is reported in
the area. Birding. o (Black-capped
Mocking- thrush, Tropical & Grey Kingbirds, Chestnut-bellied Heron,
Hook-billed & Everglade Kite,Pygmy Swift, Smoth-billed Ani, Trou -pial,
Greater Ani, Pied Water-Tyrant, Rufous-crab Hawk, Rufous-necked Woodrail,
Great Kiskadee, White-wing Swallow, Wattled Jacana, Swallow-wing Yellow-hooded
Blackbird, Northern Screamer, Great Potoo, Pale-vented Pigeon, Ringed Kingfisher,
Green Kingfisher, Yellow-throated Spinetail, Band-tailed Barbthroat, Rufous-breasted
Hermit, Black-chested Jay, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, Brown Pelican, Common
Tern, Vermillion Flycatcher,Fork-tailed Flycatcher,Great Kiskadee, Panamá
Flycatcher, Yellow Oriole...) Lunch on the way. Accomodation
in hammocks. Dinner and night trip.
DAY 4: PTO.CONCHA-MERIDA
Breakfast and return to Puerto Concha
(Greater ani, Neotropic Cormorant, Little Blue Heron, Large- billed tern,
Laughing Gull,Common Tern Great Kiskadee,...) Lunch &
transfer to El Vigía City. Afternoon visit to the Hydroelectric
Dam of Onia (White-necked &
Capped Herons, Smoothbilled, Groove-billed & Greater Anies, White-faced
Whistling Duck, Black bellied Whistling Duck, Paraguayan Snipe, King Vulture,
Pied-billed Grebe, Purple Gallimule, Spotted Sandpiper, Dark-backed Gold
Finch, Saffron Finch, Buff- throated Saltator, Blackfaced Tanager, Yelow-hooded
Blackbird, Oriole Blackbird, Wood Pewee, Black- capped Mocking-thrush,
Tropical Mockingbird, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper,
Common Gallinule, Southern Lapwing, Osprey, Capped Heron, Anhinga, Troupial,
Yellow Oriole, Hook- Billed Kite,Common-Tody Flycatcher,...)
Evening
transfer to the City of Mérida. Check-in at the Sierra Nevada’s
National Park Guesthouse in La Mucuy area. Dinner and night walk. (Barn
Owl, White-Throated Screech-Owl,..)
DAY 5: SIERRA
NEVADA
“Very early” walk to the areas (Owls &
Nightjars) and full day birdwatching on the Humboldt trail (5:45aprox.)
Pic-nic breakfast and lunch (Glossyblack
Thrush, Black-headed Tanager, Blue and Black Tanager, Beryl-spangled
Tanager,Blackburnian Warbler, White-fronted Redstart, American Redstart,
Slate-throated Redstart, Brown-rumped TapaculoGolden-crowned Flycatcher,
Black &-white Warbler, Barred Fruiteater Chestnut-crowned Antpitta,
Smokey-brown WoodpeckerEmerald Toucanet, Crested Quetzal, Long-tailed Sylph,
Gorgeted Woodstar, Mérida Sunangel, Golden-bellied Startfronlet,
Collared Jay, Green Jay, Collared Inca, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Mountain
Velvet-bre-ast, Rose-headed Parakeet, Scaly-naped Parrot, Ruddy Pigeon,
Slaty-backed Hemispingus, Band-tailed Guan, Gray-capped Hemispingus, Masked
Trogon, Yellow-legged Thrush, White-fronted Redstart,...)
Evening birding along La Mucuy River (White
Capped Dippers) Dinner and well deserved rest at the
Park’s mountain lodge.
DAY 6: SIERRA
NEVADA-LOS FRAILES
Breakfast and morning tour to the Eagle
Pass. The highest paved road in Venezuela (over 4.000 meters), in search
of the Great Andean Condor. There is a colony of released ones established
in Mifafí Valley. Visit to the Biological Station. Birding. Souvenirs.
(Bar-winged
Cinclodes, Andean Tit-spinetail, Páramo Pipit, Bearded Helmetcrest,
Black-chested Buzzard Eagle,...). Lunch
at Mucubaji Lagoon, (Andean
Siskin, Sierra Finch, Great Thrush, Brown-back Chat-tyrant, Whitesided
Flowerpiercer, Sparkling Violetear,Speckled Teal, Blue-wing Teal,...)
Afternoon birding in Las Tapias (or Gustavo´s trail), the ecotone
between cloud forest and Páramos
(Torrent
Duck, White Capped Dipper, Lachrymose Mountain-tanager, Blue-back Conebill,
Masked Flower-piercer, Streak-throared Bush-Tyrant, ...)
Rest at Los Frailes, charming mountain lodge built in 1.643 from the ruins
of a Franciscan monastery surrounded by deep valleys, rivers, glacier lakes,
moraines and unique ecosystem. Dinner.
DAY 7: LOS FRAILES-BARINITAS
Morning tour to Santo Domingo river (Torrent
Ducks) breakfast and transfer to San Isidro trail.
Full day birding “including pic-nic lunch”. (Andean
Cock-of-the-Rock, Chestnut-bellied Thrush, Hooded- mountain Tanager, White-wing
Tanager, Bluecapped Tanager, Blue-hooded Euphonia, Speckled Tanager, Green
& Black Fruiteater, Rufous-vented Chachalaca, White Hawk, Saffron-headed
Parrot, Red-headed Barbet, Andean Guan, Ruddy Pigeon, Manakin,
Ruddy Quail-Dove, Helmeted Curassow, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Purple-throated
Fruitcrow, Orange-throated Sunangel, Band-tailed Pigeon, White-capped Parrot,
Red-billed Parrot, White-collared Swift, Cliff Flycatcher,Crested &
Goldenheaded Quetzals, Masked Trogon, Emerald Toucanet, Red-headed Barbet,
Scarlet-rumped Cacique, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Green Jay, Tropical Parula,
Three-striped Warbler, Black and white Warbler,Smoky-brown Woodpecker,
Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Orange-eared Tanager,
Lined Quail-Dove,..) Accomodation in Barinitas. Guesthouse
/ dinner.
DAY 8: BARINITAS-BARINAS-CCS
Breakfast, morning birding around La Soledad
and Altamira de Cáceres area, excelent andean foothill rainforest
(Collared
Swift, Yelow-rumped Cacique, Yelow-billed Cacique, White-vented Plumeleteer,
Boat-billed Flycatcher, Swallow-wing Tanager, Little Hermit, Red-crowned
Ant Tanager, Guira Tanager, Blackfaced Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Thrush,
Magpie Tanager, White-bearded Manakin, Bayheaded Tanager, Blue-naped
Tanager, Saffron- headed Parrot, Turpial,..) Lunch.
After noon transfer to Barinas Airport.Che-ck out. Caracas.
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