Southern Venezuela

Visiting the Orinoco basin, Junglaven and La Escalera

5 March => 24 March 2008 Orinoco Basin $3600

25 March => 13April, 2008 NW Venezuela $3090

$500 deposits are due on or before 15Sept, 2007

At last Ornifolks is offering the chance to bird Venezuela! Just about the closest South American country to the USA and certainly one of the richest in species (and with a superb new field guide to assist preparation for a trip), Venezuela, however, does occasionally get 'overlooked' in favour of other destinations further south and west in the continent. We have set up two itineraries, one visiting that part of the country north of the Orinoco River, the second that to the south. The two can either be taken together or separately.

                From Caracas we will travel to the internationally famous Henri Pittier National Park, where a host of exciting species await us, including Northern Helmeted Curassow, Handsome Fruiteater, White-tipped Quetzal, Guttulated Foliage-gleaner, Fasciated Tiger-heron, Rosy Thrush-tanager. Over 100 species are possible in a single day. Thereafter, we will relocate to Moroccoy, where our attention will be focused on finding species such as Plain-flanked Rail, Rusty-flanked Crake, Caribbean Hornero and White-eared Conebill, and some of the xerophytic habitats round Coro, which harbour Yellow-shouldered Parrot, Buffy Hummingbird, White-whiskered Spinetail, Short-tailed Tody-Flycatcher, Slender-billed Inezia, Vermilion Cardinal, Red Siskin and two as-yet undescribed species. Moving west towards the Andes we will check a variety of other areas and habitats, including the well-known Santo Domingo Valley for species such as Pygmy Palm-Swift, Shining-green Hummingbird, Grey-throated Warbler, Rusty-faced Parrot, Rose-crowned Parakeet, Mérida Sunangel, Grey-naped Antpitta, Mérida Tapaculo, Bearded Helmetcrest, Ochre-browed Thistletail, Mérida Flowerpiercer, Mérida Wren, Golden Starfrontlet, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock and Pale-headed Jacamar. We will round the first itinerary off with a visit to Hato El Cedral, in the Llanos, to search for a varied of waterbirds and others, including Zigzag and Agami Herons, Sunbittern, Orinoco Goose, Dwarf Cuckoo, Hoatzin, Aplomado Falcon, Amazonian Black-tyrant, Riverside Tyrant, Xenopsaris, White-bearded Flycatcher and Venezuelan Troupial, before heading for Yacambú National Park to search for Great Antpitta and Tocuyo Sparrow amongst others. The first itinerary will end in Caracas.

                We will commence our journey south of the Orinoco with a pioneering trip to find the Orinoco Softtail as well as a number of river-island species recently found in the Puerto Ayacucho area, including an as-yet undescribed species of spinetail. Thereafter we will head for nearly a whole week at the fantastic Junglaven Camp in the heart of Amazonia, an area rich in cracids, including Crestless Curassow and Blue-throated Piping-guan, and lots of other top-quality Amazonian birds, such as Agami Heron, Zigzag Heron, Grey-winged Trumpeter, Brown-banded and Spotted Puffbirds, Crested Owl, Tawny-tufted Toucanet, Cherrie's and Spot-backed Antwrens, Yellow-crested Manakin, Pale-bellied Mourner and Brown-headed Greenlet. It also offers one of the best chances in the world for getting to grips with Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo. The total species list for the camp is in excess of 400, and we have a good chance of encountering about half of these. The final phase of the trip will encompass a trip to the world-famous Escalera, in southern Bolívar state, where we will search for many of the tepui endemics including Peacock Coquette, Roraiman Barbtail, Red-banded Fruiteater, Rose-collared Piha, Tepui and Scarlet-horned Manakins, Greater Flowerpiercer and Tepui Brush-finch, as well as many more widespread birds, including a host of fancy cotingas such as Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, White and Bearded Bellbirds, and Capuchinbird, as well as Black Curassow and Guianan Toucanet. We will also spend some time in the lowlands below the Escalera where many other exciting possibilities await us.

Critical Dates

·            5March 2007 All international arrivals to CCS ( Maiquetia Airport ) before 0900.

·            24Mar Return to Caracas

·            25Mar Internal flight CCS=> Pto Ayacucho

·            6Apr Pto Ayacucho => CCS => Pto Ordaz

·            13Apr Internal Flight Pto Ordaz=> CCS.  International departures NOT before 1800

Package includes:

*Travel insurance policy
*All group transportation
*Accommodation at lodges & hotels indicated
*All meals
*All internal flights

Package does not include:

**International airport taxes (now usually included in your ticket)
**Alcoholic beverages
**Personal expenses such as laundry services, phone calls, etc.
**Tips
**Any other services not mentioned in the detailed program
 

About Camping (southern route only) and Luggage

Operators in Amazonas provide all camping gear except bedclothes, so a light sleeping bag is the thing to bring. Typically we sleep in hammocks on these trips and that is what is provided here, so no need for a bedroll.
The luggage allowance for the Junglaven is typically tight - somewhere between 10 and 15 kg total (including carry-on). With groups, one usually flies in on a twin-engine Islander (I'm sure you know the plane). The Junglaven folks will store excess baggage in Puerto Ayacucho if this is necessary.