Led by David Lindo with local guides
Friday 16 May – Saturday 24 May 2025
In association with Bird’s Wildlife & Nature
Just off the coast of South America, the island of Trinidad is the most ecologically diverse of the Caribbean Islands with more than 430 species of birds found in tropical savannah, rainforest, woodlands and mangrove swamp habitats. Trinidad is the perfect introduction to tropical birding and a must visit destination for every birder. We’ve arranged this tour to take advantage of the very best timing for visiting this nature lover’s dream, and all in the great company of David Lindo and our excellent local guides. The first segment of the tour is based at the famous Pax Guest House and during our days there we see numerous hummingbirds and several birds that are very special to Trinidad. A truly magical highlight is an evening boat trip to witness hundreds of Scarlet Ibis coming in to roost and lighting up the mangrove trees as if it was Christmas. The abundance of tropical life on the island will allow you great opportunities to observe or photograph birds, butterflies, orchids, and other tropical flora. We then move on to the paradise bird island of Tobago just a 30-minute flight away. Here staying at the best bird resort on the island we can search for special birds like White-tailed Sabrewing, a gorgeous and globally threatened hummingbird that can only be seen in Tobago and parts of Venezuela.
Arrival at Piarco International Airport in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and transfer to the famous PAX House. Depending on your arrival time you will be able to indulge in some of the wonderful avian delights of this lodge.
Night Trinidad (D)
We have 3 full days based at the famous Pax Guest House from which to explore this beautiful island. Located on the hills overlooking the Caroni Plains it offers great birding right from its balcony with feeders attracting many dazzling species. A walk along its trails will introduce us to many of the forest birds while keeping a look skyward should produce a nice variety of raptors. On our first morning we will awake to new sounds and new birds. Imagine starting the day with a wonderful list of birds all before breakfast. The raucous calls of the Crested Oropendolas will soon become familiar as will a host of other exotic sounds.
After our early breakfast we will make our way to Yerettê, the Home of the hummingbirds! Up to fourteen of the eighteen species of hummingbirds found in Trinidad and Tobago visit Yerettê, most of which can be seen during a typical visit. Our visit to this private garden is organized as an in-depth educational experience and we can enjoy not just seeing the amazing antics of these avian jewels which include the beautiful Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, we will also get educated with an introductory talk and then an invite to view the Yerettê photo-gallery, in which Theo’s incredible photographs are displayed. After lunch we will depart for the famous Caroni Swamp and its incredible wildlife. Birds here should include Neotropic Cormorant, Anhinga, Striated Heron, the impressive Boat-billed Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-heron, Limpkin, Long-winged Harrier, chances for Mangrove Cuckoo, plus Green Kingfisher, White-cheeked Pintail, Large-billed Tern, Pied Water Tyrant, Green-throated Mango, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Pale-breasted Spinetail, Black-crested Antshrike, Bicolored Conebill, and Red-capped Cardinal. The Caroni Swamp is a very specialized mangrove forest that contains several genera and species of mangroves, showing classic examples of plant adaptation in this unique brackish water community. Our day will end with the spectacular flight of Scarlet Ibis returning to their mangrove roosts at dusk, truly one of the world’s most dramatic natural moments. Returning to the boat dock at dusk we will search the mangrove-lined channels for the mysterious sounding Common Potoo!
Other wetland birds we can encounter here and other wetland areas include Savannah Hawk, Pinnated Bittern, Red-breasted Blackbird, Southern Lapwing, White-headed Marsh Tyrant, Silvered Antbird and Green-rumped Parrotlet. Some coastal areas will give an opportunity to look for Pinnated Bittern, Pearl Kite, Azure Gallinule, Wattled Jacana, and possibly Red-bellied Macaw, and even Red Howler Monkey.
Over the next couple of days, we will venture out to the best birding sites on the island in search of many wonderful and exotic species. Among the birds in our sights will be Guianan, Green-backed and Collared Trogon, Channel-billed Toucan, Chestnut Woodpecker, White-bearded and Golden-headed Manakin, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Turquoise, White-lined, Silver-beaked and Bay-headed Tanager, Green, Purple and Red-legged Honeycreepers, Yellow Oriole, Streaked Xenops, Stripe-breasted Spinetail, Plain-brown and Cocoa Woodcreepers, Gray-throated Leaftosser, Great Antshrikes, White-bellied Antbird, Black-faced Antthrush, Trinidad and Violaceous Euphonias, Red-crowned Ant-tanager and the superb Bearded Bellbird. Many areas of Trinidad have been traditionally centres for growing coffee, cocoa and citrus which play an important part in protecting wintering species from North America. We will however concentrate much of our time exploring the beautiful rich rainforests where we can add plenty of new birds, plus a wealth of other wildlife and some amazing flowers. We will look for Swallow-tailed Kite, Common Black Hawk, Ornate Hawk-eagle, Blue-headed Parrot, Scaled Pigeon, Bat Falcon, Barred Antshrike, Green-backed Trogon, Hepatic, Speckled and Swallow Tanagers, Euler’s Flycatcher, White-necked Thrush and Rufous-tailed Jacamar among many others.
Nights Trinidad (D)
Today we will head to the Northern Range where we will stay for one night. As the road snakes its way to the north-eastern coastline and here we will make stops for birds such as Blue-headed Parrot, Lilac-tailed Parrotlet, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Collared and Green-backed Trogons, Dusky-capped, Slaty-capped, Streaked and Euler’s Flycatchers, Grey-breasted Martin, Southern Rough-winged Swallow and Yellow-rumped Cacique. There will be plenty to look for along the forest edges but one of our main reasons for staying here is the attraction of a night-time visit to the nesting beaches of the spectacular Leatherback Turtle. During this time of year, hundreds of turtles emerge from the sea at night to lay their eggs – a dramatic and awe-inspiring sight. Conditions permitting, we will experience one of the most remarkable moments in the natural world as you watch these massive creatures excavate nest sites and lay their eggs before returning to their ocean world. We’ll also learn about efforts to protect these giant turtles at their nesting sites.
Night Grand Almandier (B,L,D)
The other reason for staying here in the Northern Range will be evident this morning as we search for the very localised and endemic Trinidad Piping-Guan. This critically endangered bird has got increasingly rare due to hunting and loss of habitat, but we will make all efforts to see this very special bird. There will of course be other birds, and if we need to catch up on any of these, we will have a little time before heading back to Piarco International Airport, in time for our early afternoon flight to the idyllic island of Tobago. Once here we will make our way to one of the best areas for birds on the island, the Cuffie River.
Night Cuffie River (B,L,D)
Cuffie River is simply a birders paradise, from parrots flying overhead to the antics of numerous hummingbirds whizzing to-and-fro from the feeders. The lodge and its surrounding reserve play host to all the important bird species that can be found on the island and we will be looking White-tailed Sabrewing, Blue-backed Manakin, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, Collared Trogon, Trinidad Motmot, Yellow-legged Thrush, Common Potoo, Striped Owl, and Gray-throated Leaftosser among others. If north American migrants are still around, we can expect Scarlet Tanager, Blackpoll Warbler, Northern Waterthrush and maybe a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. But its not really the migrants that we have in our sights on, as many special birds can be found here and other nearby birding spots. Here’s just a selection – Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Orange-winged Parrot, Copper-rumped Hummingbird, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Black-throated Mango, Trinidad Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Red-rumped Woodpecker, Barred Antshrike, Plain Antvireo, White-fringed Antwren, Fuscous & Venezuelan Flycatcher, Blue-backed Manakin, Spectacled Thrush and Violaceous Euphonia. We can even find White-tailed Nightjar & Pauraque. With beautiful rooms designed to maximise natural airflow, delicious meals and a pool you can relax by, there are also trails where you can indulge in nature.
Night Cuffie River (B,L,D)
This morning we will head for the coast to take a short twenty-minute glass-bottomed boat ride to Little Tobago Island. Here we can find hills covered in forest, and cliffs teeming with seabirds. Among our highlights should be Red-billed Tropicbirds and both Red-footed and Brown Boobies which nest closer to the shoreline. If available we may get to view either a day roosting White-tailed Nightjar or even a nesting Audubon’s Shearwater. As we return to the mainland for lunch, we can view numerous tropical fish among the various corals. There is even the chance of seeing a Hawksbill Turtle. This really is birding in paradise! In the afternoon we will return to our wonderful lodge where we can either relax beside the pool or continue looking for birds, butterflies and other wildlife around the lodge trails.
Night Cuffie River (B,L,D).
Today we will have to depart Tobago and transfer to the airport around 10.30am, for our 30-minute flight back to Trinidad’s Piarco International Airport. Please do not book your international departure from Trinidad before 3pm. (B,L).
This is a standard birding tour which also encompasses many different aspects of wildlife, nature and local history, and is taken at a fairly leisurely pace throughout. We have many specially birds to look for as well as endemic and rare species. We will take time for reptiles, flowers and butterflies. We can also have time to relax with time to enjoy the beaches, or swim in the clear blue sea or hotel pool.
This tour will be booked on a first come first come first serve basis with confirmed places held on receipt of a deposit. Once we receive your deposit and completed Booking Form, we will send you a receipt of money paid and also your balance due date. Please note that once the tour has been confirmed with sufficient numbers to run, then your deposit becomes non-refundable as at this point both us and our local agents will have started administrative work and payments forwarded for local agent services.
Once the tour is confirmed to go ahead, we will send you information about booking your flights. Please do not book flights until you receive this information from us.
All details concerning what to bring, airport transfers, health, wildlife checklists etc will be sent out once the tour is confirmed and we have received your final balance.
All accommodations are of a good standard and offer en-suite rooms, a good variety of locally cooked meals.
We strongly recommend that you take out adequate travel insurance to protect you against any unforeseen event, including travel delay, injury or illness prior to or during the tour. Note to check if your insurance covers you against expenses incurred due to contracting Covid-19 either before or during the tour.
Accommodation in twin rooms en-suite, all meals from dinner on 12th to lunch on 21st April, transfers, ground transport throughout, glass-bottomed boat trip, 2 domestic flights Trinidad-Tobago-Trinidad, all entrance fees, water, and services of English-speaking leaders and local guides on each island.
International airfare, insurance, drinks, tips, incidental refreshments at cafes and bars and items of a personal nature.
Click on the booking form above to reserve your place on this tour. You will be re-directed to the birdswildlife.com website.
