DAY 1. Caracas - Merida

Meet your travel assistant at the Maiquetía airport in Caracas and he/she will welcome you to Venezuela, answer all your questions, and transfer you to your connecting flight to Mérida. That night we have a welcome reception for you where the guide will explain what the tour will be about. Overnight at Posada Sol. ( - / - / D ).

DAY 2. The Andean Region

Early in the morning we leave Merida City and head to “Chorrera Las Gonzalez” - a big waterfall surrounded by a pristine cloud forest. Between the falls and La Mesa de Los Indios road we will stop to do a bit of birdwatching and look for bird species such as the Blackburnian Warbler, Andean Guan, Emerald Toucanet, White-capped Dipper, Goldenheaded Quetzal, Balck Phoebe, and the Green Violetear.

At around noon, we leave Chorrera Las Gonzales and head to the beautiful colonial village of Jají. Here we will visit the Bird Museum and get a bit to eat. At around 2:00 PM we leave Jají and head to La Azulita. On the way, we will pass El Chorotal (1500 - 2000 m. above see level), a spectacular cloud forest which will give us a great view of Lake Maracaibo. In this part of the trip see bird species such as the 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. Overnight at a Lodge. ( B / L / D ).

DAY 3. The Andean Region

Early in the morning, after breakfast, we will walk around San Luis, La Osa, and Quebrada Azul looking for bird species such as the 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, and the Yellow-legged Thrush.

In the afternoon, after a light lunch (picnic) we will do a second visit to the Chorotal area and look for the 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. Overnight at a Lodge. ( B / L / D ).

DAY 4. The Andean Region

After breakfast we head to Puerto Concha. Upon arrival we will have lunch and right after lunch we will take a boat trip to the village of Congo. Along the Catatumbo River Delta we will see spectacular scenery and wildlife such as the Zulian Two-toed Sloth, Red Howler Monkeys, White-faced Capuchin Monkeys, Tamandua, Caribbean dolphins. If we are lucky, we might get to see the Orinocan Manatee! See bird species such as the 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, and the Yellow Oriole. Overnight in hammocks. If you are up to it, right after dinner, we can do a bit more birdwatching. ( B / L / D ).

DAY 5. The Andean Region
 
After breakfast we return to Puerto Concha and see bird species such as the Greater ani, Neotropic Cormorant, Little Blue Heron, Large- billed tern, Laughing Gull,Common Tern Great Kiskadee.

When we arrive to Puerto Concha, our driver will be waiting for us to take us to the City of El Vigía where we will visit the Hydroelectric Dam of Onia and search for the 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, and the Common-Tody Flycatcher.

In the evening we will return to Mérida. Overnight at the Sierra Nevada’s National Park Guesthouse. After dinner will we have a little night walk looking for the Barn Owl, the White-Throated Screech-Owl, among others. ( B / L / D ).

DAY 6. The Andean Region
 
Wake up very early in the morning (5:45 AM) and spend the whole day birding along the Humboldt Trail. Look for bird species such as the 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, and the White-fronted Redstart. Latter that evening, we will do birding along La Mucuy River and look for White Capped Dippers. Overnight at the Park’s mountain lodge. ( B / L / D ).

DAY 7. The Andean Region

Our day starts searching for the Great Andean Eagle (Condor). We will visit the Condor’s Biological Station and search for bird species such as the Bar-winged Cinclodes, Andean Tit-spinetail, Páramo Pipit, Bearded Helmetcrest, and the Black-chested Buzzard Eagle.

Our journey will continue to the Mucubaji Lagoon, where we will eat lunch and look for the Andean Siskin, Sierra Finch, Great Thrush, Brown-back Chat-tyrant, Whitesided Flowerpiercer, Sparkling Violetear, Speckled Teal, and the Blue-wing Teal. In the afternoon we will do birding in Las Tapias (or Gustavo´s trail), the ecotone between cloud forest and Páramos and search of the Torrent Duck, White Capped Dipper, Lachrymose Mountain-tanager, Blue-back Conebill, Masked Flower-piercer, and the Streak-throared Bush-Tyrant. Overnight at Los Frailes Lodge, a charming Franciscan monastery built in 1643 surrounded by deep valleys, rivers, glacier lakes, moraines and a unique ecosystem. ( B / L / D ).

DAY 8. The Andean Region - Los Llanos

After breakfast, we head to the Santo Domingo River and do the San Isidro Trail. We spend the day looking for species such as the 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, and the Lined Quail-Dove. Overnight in at a Guesthouse. ( B / L / D ).

DAY 9. Los Llanos

Today we will do birding around La Soledad and Altamira de Cáceres area looking for the 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, and the Turpial. ) After lunch, you will be transferred to Barinas Airport for your flight back to Caracas. ( B / L / - ).

Total Breakfast (B); Lunch (L); Dinner (D)                       
B= 8 / L= 8 / D= 8