Guyana.......10th to 25th August 2012
Day 1: Arrive in Guyana and transfer to Georgetown.
Overnight - Cara Lodge.
Day 2: Travel eastward from Georgetown to the Abary River to look for Blood-coloured Woodpecker and Rufous Crab-Hawk, the first of the many range-restricted species we will be hoping to find on this tour. The woodpecker is only known from a narrow coastal strip which runs eastward for just a few hundred miles from Guyana and finding this species will be one of our main priorities. We will also look for the poorly-known White-bellied Piculet which can be found in this area. An area of mangrove less than 50 kilometres from Georgetown is a good place to find Rufous Crab-Hawk, a species which has been badly affected by the reduction in this habitat type. This is also a reliable site for the Woodpecker and Piculet, so we stand an excellent chance of seeing all three species. We now travel to the Demerara River. We will take a boat on the Demerara River to see the Scarlet Ibis.
Overnight - Cara Lodge.
Day 3: We will make an early morning visit to the Georgetown Botanical Gardens with a local guide in central Georgetown where a good range of species can be found. These include Snail Kite, Grey Hawk, Brown-throated Parakeet, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Black-crested Antshrike, Greyish Saltator, Buff-breasted Wren, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Golden-spangled Piculet, Spotted Tody-flycatcher, Wing-barred Seedeater, Blood-colored Woodpecker and Carib Grackle. We will walk on trails in the back on the gardens and may see Boat-billed Flycatcher, Short-tailed Swift, Ruddy Ground Dove, Silver-beaked Tanager, Piratic Greenlet. You may also see the White-bellied Piculet, Great Horned Owl, Pinnated Bittern and Brown-throated Parakeet. After breakfast transfer to the airport at nearby Ogle, where Red-breasted blackbirds sing and Snail kites patrol. We’ll fly by aircraft to Kaieteur, the world’s highest free-falling waterfall. Though Venezuela’s Angel Falls are greater in total height, their filamentous drop occurs by stages whereas Kaieteur is a single, massive, thundering cataract 100 meters wide created as the Potaro River makes a sheer drop of 228 meters, nearly five times the height of Niagara. The spectacle is the more impressive for its remoteness and it is altogether possible that we’ll be the only persons viewing it. Here we will hope to find White-chinned and White-tipped Swifts swirling over the gorge, and perhaps we’ll be lucky enough to see the astonishingly colorful Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, White-tailed Goldenthroat or Musician Wren. Orange-breasted Falcon can be seen over the gorge as it hunts for swifts (see extended description below). Flight continues on to Fairview Airstrip and then transfer to the Iwokrama River Lodge. The Iwokrama Rainforest is a vast wilderness of one million acres. This protected area was established in 1996 as the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development. The Iwokrama Forest is in the heart of one of four last untouched tropical forests of the world - The Guiana Shield of North-Eastern South America. Iwokrama was established as a living laboratory for tropical forest management because the unsustainable utilisation of these forests will result in the extinction of half the world's plant and animal species and unknown changes to global climate. This is a protected area with a difference - the full involvement of people. Iwokrama is exceptional among conservation organizations because it joins with local people in every aspect of its work. From research to business, Iwokrama ensures local economic and social benefits from forest use and conservation. The Forest is in the homeland of the Makushi people, who have lived here and used the forest for thousands of years. People are a vertical part of the ecosystem. The success of Iwokrama relies on the ownership of local people and the combined skills of specialists and communities. Iwokrama does what so many International conventions have acknowledged as best practice. It has begun conservation locally and integrated conservation into national development. This afternoon we will bird along the Screaming Piha Trail near the lodge, home to Bronzy Jacamar, Chestnut & Waved Woodpecker, Amazonian Antshrike, Gray Antbird, and Strong-billed Woodcreeper. We may also see Gray-winged Trumpeter, Black-tailed, White-tailed, Violaceous and Collared Trogons, Plain-brown, Wedge-billed, White-chinned, Buff-throated, Chestnut-rumped and Barred Woodcreepers. As the day ends we will look for Ladder-tailed Nightjar; Great and Common Potoo and the rarer Rufous Potoo and White-winged Potoo.
Overnight - Iwokrama River Lodge.
Day 4: Making another early start we will embark on the Essequibo and circumnavigate Indian House Island giving us a chance for dawn song on the river including five species of Tinamou, Marbled Wood-Quail, Band-rumped Swift, White-banded and Black-collared Swallows, and Guianan Streaked-Antwren before returning to the lodge for breakfast. We then set out by boat for half an hour or less to the foot of Turtle Mountain. Along the way Harpy Eagle have been seen and we may also see Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, King Vulture, Gray-headed, Double-toothed and Plumbeous Kites and Black-faced Hawk. Here we explore the trails for a few hours first visiting Turtle Ponds where anis, herons and Green and Rufous Kingfisher hunt and then climbing to an elevation of 900 feet for a view of the forest canopy below and chances of Green Aracari, White Bellbird or a fly-by of one of five types of Eagles. The trails may reveal Little Chachalaca, Marail Guan, Black Curassow, Squirrel and Black-bellied Cuckoos, Eastern Long-tailed and Reddish Hermits, Blue-crowned Motmot, Guianan White-necked Puffbird, Collared Puffbird, Pygmy, Todd’s, Spot-tailed, White-flanked, Gray, Long-winged, Rufous-bellied, and Brown-bellied Antwrens, White-lored Tyrannulet and Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant. On the return trip we will bird as we go and hopefully spot Caica, Blue-headed, Blue-cheeked and Mealy Parrots, Cocoi Heron, Bat Falcon, Lined Forest-Falcon and Pied Lapwing. Finally, after dark, we’ll set out on the river, in hopes of finding one or another of its four species of caiman, and listen for nightbirds such as Spectacled Owl, White-winged Potoo, Rufous Potoo, Long-tailed Potoo, Zigzag Heron or Blackish Nightjar. You may see one or another of the four species of caiman, and most certainly snakes including Cox boa, tree frogs and if lucky maybe some mammals. Maybe even a puma or capybara.
Overnight - Iwokrama River Lodge.
Day 5: This morning we will bird along the Greenheart and Woodcreeper Trails close to the Iwokrama River Lodge. Quill rattling by Spix’s Guan or Crestless Curassow may start us off and then we will look for Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Eastern Slaty-Antshrike, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet and Tiny Tyrant Manakin. The trails may also reveal Swallow-winged Puffbird, Black-spotted Barbet, Golden-collared, Yellow-throated, Crimson-crested and Red-necked Woodpeckers, Guianan Toucanet, Black-headed, White-browed, Ferruginous-backed, Warbling, Scale-backed, White-plumed, and Rufous-throated Antbirds, Ringed Antpipit, Black-tailed Tityra and Thrush-like Schiffornis. After breakfast we will transfer along the road through the heart of the Iwokrama Forest, where there is a good chance to see the elusive Jaguar. The Iwokrama forest is rapidly gaining an international reputation for its healthy jaguar populations that seem not to be troubled by the appearance of curious humans. No promises, but many have been lucky! The road also offers excellent birding, including a locality known as Mori Scrub, characterized by an unusual low, sandy forest. This supports an interesting assemblage of bird species, among them Rufous-crowned Elaenia, Black Manakin and Red-shouldered Tanager. We will stop along the road at numerous locations and look for species such as Guianan Red-Cotinga, Pompadour Cotinga, Blue-backed Tanagers, White-winged Potoo, Olive-green Tyrannulet, Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo and Marail Guan. The journey continues onto the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway. Here we can bird watch from the vantage of 35 Metres up in the canopy. Caica Parrots, Painted Parakeets, Guianan Toucanet, Pompadour Cotinga, Plumbeous Pigeon, Red-and-green Macaw, Screaming Piha and a host of crown specialists come within our view. From this tree top vantage you can sometimes see Red Howler Monkeys and Black Spider Monkeys. The trails also have an interpretative walk with the trees named and you can learn about their varied uses in the Macushi culture. Deer and agouti are also regular visitors to the lodge.
Overnight - Atta Rainforest Lodge.
Day 6: Welcome the dawn chorus from the canopy walkway. Short-tailed Nighthawks settle in for the day, Swifts take to the sky, White throated and Channel-billed Toucans yodel, and Barred Forest Falcons call. You can spend the day birdwatching from the mid and upper canopy on the walkway as flocks travel past and look for Paradise Jacamar, White-necked Puffbird, Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Todd’s Antwren, Black-tailed and Black-crowned Tityras and Dusky Purpletuft. Or you can bird along the jungle trails where antbird flocks include White-plumed Antbird, Spot-winged Antbird, Ferruginous-backed Antbird, Ash-winged Antwen, Long-billed Antwren, McConnell’s Flycatcher, Gray-crowned Flycatcher, Plain Xenops and Wedge-billed Woodcreeper. Another area where we will want to spend some time is the clearing around the lodge, as this is one of the best places to see another of Guyana’s “must see” birds, the Crimson Fruitcrow. This species is seen here on a reasonably regular basis, as it often comes to feed in some of the nearby trees. The clearing is also a reliable site for Black Curassow, as there is a family party which has become habituated to people and regularly passes through the clearing. With reasonable luck, we should be able to add this bird to the impressive list of species we hope to see around the lodge and walkway. Other species we hope to encounter during our stay include Eastern Long-tailed Hermit, Crimson Topaz, Great Jacamar, Guianan and Pied Puffbirds, Guianan Toucanet, Green and Black-necked Aracaris, Red-billed Woodcreeper, Black-throated Antshrike, Guianan Streaked Antwren, Guianan Warbling Antbird, Pompadour Cotinga, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Tiny Tyrant-Manakin, Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant, Golden-sided Euphonia and both Red-and-Black and Yellow-green Grosbeaks.
Overnight - Atta Rainforest Lodge.
Day 7: Again the opportunity for early morning birding on the walkway or jungle trails in the hope of seeing Mealy, Orange-winged and Blue-cheeked parrot, Flame-crested Tanager; Slate-colored and Yellow-green grosbeak, Slender-footed Tyrannulet, Black-capped Becard, Gray-fronted Dove, Ruddy Pigeon, Buff-checked Greenlet, Purple-breasted Cotinga, Golden-winged Parakeet, Black-throated Antshrike, Red-and-black Grosbeak and Rufous-throated Sapphire. After breakfast we depart for the Cock-of-the-rock Trail, an easy 20 minute walk, to hopefully have our first view of the Guianan Cock-of-the-rock. We will then visit a nearby Harpy Eagle nest assuming this is active. The nest itself is located in a huge emergent tree only a couple of miles from the village and if we are extremely fortunate, we may see one of the adult birds bringing a sloth or monkey to the nest to feed their chick. The journey continues on to the Amerindian community of Surama. On arrival in Surama receive a welcome from a village counsellor and settle into your accommodation. There are an excellent range of species at Surama, with one of the undoubted specialities of the area being the Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo. Whilst this species is certain tough to find, the nearby forests are certainly amongst the better places in the Neotropics to look for it. We also plan to do some night birding and will hope to locate the recently split Northern Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl, as well as Tropical Screech-Owl, Lesser Nighthawk, White-tailed Nightjar and both Great and Common Potoos.
Overnight - Surama Eco-Lodge.
Day 8: This morning we will be up early looking for birds around Surama, there are also plenty of other species to look for and during our stay we will hope to encounter Red-legged Tinamou, Painted Parakeet, Dusky Parrot, Lilac-tailed Parrotlet, Pale-throated Barbthroat, Rufous-throated Sapphire, Guianan Puffbird, Northern Slaty-antshrike, Rufous-bellied Antwren, White-browed, White-bellied & Ferruginous-backed Antbirds, Lemon-chested & Ashy-headed Greenlets and Finsch’s Euphonia. During our stay we will hope to encounter Great and Paradise Jacamars, Black-spotted Barbet, Golden-spangled Piculet, Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper, Spot-tailed and Todd’s Antwrens. We may see Dusky, Rufous-throated and Guianan Warbling Antbirds and Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant.
Overnight - Surama Eco-Lodge. BLD
Day 9: Some birding around the lodge before we transfer to Kwatamang Landing, on the Rupununi River, birding as we go. From here, we travel along the Rupununi River by boat with opportunities to see wild Giant River Otters and Black Caiman. You will pass locals fishing and bathing in the river until you reach the Rewa River and the Amerindian community of Rewa. Journey is approximately 50 miles by river and can be as short as 2 hours and as long as 4 hours depending on the water level. Rewa Village is located where the Rewa River runs into the Rupununi River in the North Rupununi. The surrounding area is rainforest, mountains and oxbow lakes and teeming with wildlife birds and fish. The community of approximately 220 persons is predominately Makushi with a few families of the Wapashani and Patamona tribes. Villagers practice subsistence farming, fishing and hunting with little opportunity for cash employment. In 2005 the community constructed the Rewa Eco-lodge so that they could establish a sustainable eco-tourism business. The lodge remains virtually unknown with very limited annual visitors. The lodge itself is situated on the river bank overlooking the Rewa River with views down river to the Rupununi River. The grassed clearing in the rainforest houses six benabs. The largest is the kitchen and dining area, with an outlook to the river. Accommodation is in several benabs each with bedrooms and large patios with hammocks for relaxing. Three bathrooms with flush toilet, shower and basin are just a few metres from the bedrooms. This afternoon take a boat up the Rewa River and then a 15-minute hike to Grass Pond. This pond or lake is about 3 kms long and is a beautiful setting with Victoria amazonica. It has a good population of Arapaima, (reportedly the highest density in Guyana), the largest fresh water fish in the world and you can also fish for Peacock Bass. During a late afternoon visit you may see Brown Capuchin monkey or Capybara. Birds likely to be seen include Limpkin, Wattled Jacana, Black-collared Hawk, Green Kingfisher and Guianan Puffbird. As dusk settles watch the flower of the Victoria amazonica bloom.
Overnight - Rewa Eco-Lodge.
Day 10: Enjoy breakfast at dawn overlooking the Rewa River. Then head out by boat along the Rupununi River, into an oxbow lake to begin a hike up Awarmie Mountain. The climb is steep in a few sections but in general not too difficult. Along the way you will lots of birds and perhaps good close up views of Black Spider Monkeys. There is good birding along the trail with White Bellbirds calling both from the scrubby woodland at the beginning of the trail and again from the forests far below you when reach the summit. Other species you may see include Ornate Hawk-eagle, Black Curassow, Red-fan Parrot, Guianan Puffbird, Todd’s Antwren, Spotted Tanager and Bay-headed Tanager. The area also has a high density of macaws including Scarlet, Blue-and-yellow and Red-and-Green. At the summit you will have absolutely stunning views across rainforest to the distant mountains. There is a small plateau on the top of the mountain and in one direction, there are uninterrupted views back to the Rupununi River, some patches of savannah and across to the distant Kanuku Mountains. In the other direction, there is a near vertical drop of at least 200m and the view is across great swathes of undisturbed forest to the distant Iwokrama Mountain and much closer, Makarapan Mountain. Return to the lodge for lunch, then take a walk through the community of Rewa to meet the locals. Visit villager’s houses where you can experience their everyday life and see activities such as grating cassava, weaving baskets and tending kitchen gardens. Later this afternoon travel up the Rewa River to a location known as Seawall, birdwatching along the river bank. This rock formation is a great place to fish or take in the beauty of the location or continue birding. Visit sand banks where giant river turtles come to lay their eggs. On the return trip spotlight for wildlife. Along the river banks you may see red howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys and brown capuchin.
Overnight - Rewa Eco-lodge.
Day 11: This morning we transfer slowly on the Rupununi River to Kwatamang Landing, keeping an eye out for Crestless Curassow, Jabiru Stork, Wood Stork, Bat Falcon, King Vulture, White-necked Jacobin, Golden-spangled Piculet and Drab Water Tyrant. The trip should give us another excellent opportunity to look for various river-edge, wetland and open country species and we stand a good chance of seeing Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Jabiru, Green Ibis, Northern (Crested) Caracara, Black-collared Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Brown-throated Parakeet and Swallow-wing. Depending on the river level, this trip offers an excellent opportunity to look for Giant Otters as there are several family groups which live along this stretch of the Rupununi River. Both Black and Spectacled Caimans also inhabit the river and several species of monkey including Red Howler, White-faced Saki and Squirrel Monkey can be found in the riverside trees. We continue by 4x4 vehicle to Annai and Rock View Lodge. The road travels through the savannah and the foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains with excellent opportunity for savannah birding. Jabiru Stork are often seen along this stretch of road. This area is the North Rupununi Savannah which is to Guyana what the Gran Sabana is to Venezuela, an extensive area of grassland with termite mounds and scattered or riparian woodland. It differs in that much of it is devoted to cattle raising, though the large ranches are not very productive. Indeed, one can travel for hours without seeing a domestic animal of any sort. Needless to say, the birdlife here is markedly different from that of the rainforest. Rock View Lodge is located where the savannah meets the forest-covered foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains. With its tropical gardens and flowering trees, the lodge resembles an oasis in the savannah, and attracts many species of birds, particularly nectar feeders and frugivores. Nearby patches of light forest are home to certain ant birds and flycatchers, and of course the grasslands support an avifauna of their own. Late afternoon we set out on the road to Camundi Bach, for Cinereous Mourner, Reddish Hermit, Rufous-bellied Antwren and Yellow-billed Jacamar, Fork-tailed Flycatchers, Savannah and Black Collared Hawks as they patrol the grassland. At dusk as nightjars and nighthawks tumble over the grasslands we will look for the Nacunda Nighthawk and White-tailed Nightjar.
Overnight - Rock View Lodge.
Day 12: We travel south by road to Ginep Landing, making several birding stops and species we could encounter include Savannah Hawk, Red-shouldered Macaw, Sooty-capped Hermit, White-tailed Goldenthroat, Cinnamon Attila, Pale-tipped Inezia, Black-crested Antshrike, White-fringed Antwren, Cayenne Jay and Orange-backed Troupial. From Ginep Landing we will journey by boat on the Rupununi River. This will give us an opportunity to look for various river-edge, wetland and open country species such as Black-bellied Whistling-duck, Jabiru, Wood Stork, Green Ibis, Northern (Crested) Caracara, Black-collared & Zone-tailed Hawks and Swallow-wing. We may also have a chance to see various animals including Giant Otters, Red Howler, White-faced Saki and Squirrel Monkey. Eventually we reach Karanambu Ranch. This is the home of Diane McTurk, widely known for her work in rehabilitating orphaned, giant river otters to the wild. Our birdwatching here will be largely in woodland patches or gallery forest along the river where we’ll hope to find such species as Spotted Puffbird, Striped Woodcreeper, Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Golden-spangled Piculet and Capuchinbird. After lunch at Karanambu Ranch we will begin to explore the nearby grasslands, gallery forest and wetlands to look for many species including the oddest-looking members of the cotinga family, the Capuchinbird, the near-threatened Bearded Tachuri, Boat-billed Heron, Pinnated Bittern, Sunbittern, Sharp-tailed Ibis, Green-tailed Jacamar, Spotted Puffbird, White-fringed Antwren, Black-chinned Antbird and Rose-breasted Chat. We also intend to make a special effort to locate the Crestless (or Lesser Razor-billed) Curassow, however, this species is tough to find. This evening, we also plan to head out onto the savannahs after dark to look for night birds and on a good evening it is possible to see at least six species of nightjar and nighthawk including Nacunda, Least and Lesser Nighthawks, White-tailed Nightjar, as well as Double-striped Thick-knee.
Overnight - Karanambu Ranch.
Day 13: Birdwatching from daybreak to nightfall or later, we’ll devote today to exploring Karanambu and its varied habitats, traveling by boat to certain localities up and downstream, and by Land Rover to one or another forest patch. Grasslands host Double Striped Thick-knees, Bi-colored Wren, and Bearded Tachuri while Forest patches host Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Violaceous Trogon, Blue Ground-Dove, Plain-crowned Spinetail and Great Antshrike. The river is home to Wood Stork, White faced and Black-bellied Whistling Doves, Stripe-backed Bittern and Pied Lapwing. As we move around we may see Least Grebe, South American Snipe, Rufous-throated Sapphire, Yellow Tyrannulet, Cliff Flycatcher and Ruddy-breasted Seedeater. When water levels are appropriate a wooded swamp near the ranch is the site of a surprisingly large colony of Boat-billed Herons. Whilst out in the boat you may see Capped and Little Blue Herons, Great and Snowy Egrets and Purple Gallinule.
Overnight - Karanambu Ranch.
Day 14: Early morning birding around Karanambu Ranch. For those interested there is also the opportunity to travel out onto the savannah to look for a Giant Anteater. After lunch take a flight back to Georgetown. We will return to the Botanical Gardens for our final birding excursion and hope to see Pearl Kite, Red-bellied Macaw, Red-shouldered Macaw and a host of parrots including the Orange-winged and Yellow-crowned Parrot and the Festive Parrot.
Overnight - Cara Lodge.
Day 15: Transfer to the international airport for the flight home that arrives on Day 16.
Tour ref: AA1248
Cost: £5,250 approx
Deposit: £400
Single Room Supplement: TBA
Leaders: Wilderness Explorers
Includes:
Economy class scheduled return flights (UK- Georgetown -UK), accommodation based on twin occupancy, all meals, ground transportation and internal flights in Guyana, entrance fees and services of leader and guides.
Excludes:
Travel insurance, alcoholic drinks except where mentioned above, departure tax and items of a personal nature.