Compare 7-Day, 2-Island Sampler AWNC & Cuffie River Retreat by Caligo Ventures vs Bhutan Tour with day hikes by Himalayan Glacier Adventure

Day 1: Arrive & Explore at the Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC)

Upon arrival at Piarco International Airport, you are met by an AWNC guide for a one hour drive from the bustling metropolis of Port of Spain to the quiet seclusion of the Centre, about an hour’s trip up into the Northern Range. Lush forests of the Arima Valley offer untamed vistas and provide the perfect place to learn about Trinidad’s abundant natural heritage. Step out onto the Centre’s wide verandah to marvel at the almost tame hummingbirds, tanagers, honeycreepers, Bananaquit, and other birds that frequent the feeders. The views of the valley (and the birds) are breathtaking. Beyond the verandah, an extensive trail system beckons. If you arrive early the entrance road is an easy walk, where under a lush canopy Trinidad Motmot and a host of other species can be found. Centre naturalists are there to help identify species. Tea time is at 4:00 PM, followed by Rum Punch at 6:00 PM and then dinner.

Birding and Wildlife Highlights

Commonly Found at the Feeders: White-chested Emerald; White-necked Jacobin; Blue-chinned Sapphire; Rufousbreasted and Little Hermits; Copper-rumped Hummingbird; Crested Oropendola; Blue-gray, Palm, White-lined, Silver-beaked and Turquoise Tanagers; Barred Antshrike; Tufted Coquette; both Purple and Green Honeycreepers; and Violaceous Euphonia. Spot From the Verandah: Double-toothed Kite; Scaled Pigeon; Black-tailed Tityra; Common Black, Gray-lined, White and Zone-tailed Hawks; Channel-billed Toucan; Bearded Bellbird; Yellow-breasted, Yellow-olive, Piratic and Boat-billed Flycatchers; Tropical Pewee; Tropical Kingbird; Tegu Lizard; and Red-rumped Agouti.

Day 2: Introductory Walk into AWNC’s Forests / Night Bird Outing

This morning begins with 6:00 AM coffee and tea served on the verandah, and a Centre naturalist on duty to help you spy as many as 40 life birds before breakfast! After breakfast, enjoy an introductory walk on the Centre’s Discovery Trail, learning more about the forest and discovering additional species. Many enjoy the challenge of spotting the Bearded Bellbird, as their distinctive “bonk!” echoes throughout the forest. Near a known bellbird lek in the trees are two species of manakins attending their leks closer to the ground. Tonight you go on a night-birding field trip to lower elevation areas, departing from the Centre between 3:00 and 4:00 PM. Don’t worry about missing out — your rum punch and hot dinner are packed to go.

An unused airfield is the first birding stop (pre-sunset), then you venture to the Aripo Livestock Station where you enjoy dinner, then set off on a slow drive looking for target species.

Morning Birding Highlights: Trinidad Motmot; both Cocoa and Spectacled Thrushes; Gray-fronted Dove; Whitebearded and Golden-headed Manakins; Green-backed and Guianan Trogons; Channel-billed Toucan; Chestnut Woodpecker; Rufous-browed Peppershrike; both Turquoise and Bay-headed Tanagers; Green Hermit; Tufted Coquette; Black-throated Mango; Forest Elaenia; Ochre-bellied Flycatcher; Yellow Oriole; White-necked Thrush; Rufous-breasted Wren; White-flanked Antwren; Long-billed Gnatwren; and Bearded Bellbird.

Night Bird Outing Possibilities: Fork-tailed Palm-Swift; Sulphury Flycatcher; Moriche Oriole (extremely rare); White-tailed Nightjar; Common Pauraque; Common Potoo; Tropical Screech-Owl; Barn Owl; and Spectacled Owl (if you’re lucky).

Day 3: Birding Trinidad’s Northern Range

Today’s scenic, day-long excursion takes us high into the Northern Range on the Blanchisseuse Road. You make frequent birding stops and then enjoy a local lunch in picturesque Brasso Seco (minimum of 4 participants; if minimum is not met, a picnic lunch will be provided). You then continue through the mountains to the village of Morne la Croix for afternoon tea and cakes (yum!) as you enjoy watching parrots head in to roost. Today also offers the opportunity to examine the strange world of leaf-cutter and army ants, as well as the chance to photograph butterflies, orchids, and other tropical flora.

Birding Highlights: Swallow-tailed Kite; Common Black Hawk; Bat Falcon; Collared Trogon; Ornate Hawk-Eagle; Channel-billed Toucan; Trinidad Piping Guan; Short-tailed Hawk; both Streaked and Euler’s Flycatchers; Rufous-tailed Jacamar; Blue-headed Parrot; Lilac-tailed Parrotlet; Orangewinged Parrot; Collared Trogon; Golden-olive; Red-rumped and Chestnut Woodpeckers; Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl; Stripe-breasted Spinetail; both Cocoa and Plain-Brown Woodcreepers; Dusky-capped, Slaty-capped Flycatchers; Rufous-breasted Wrens; Long-billed Gnatwren; Goldenfronted Greenlet; both Speckled and Hepatic Tanagers; Yellow-rumped Cacique

Day 4: Rare Oilbirds / Caroni Marsh

This morning, enjoy coffee, tea, and breakfast on the verandah, followed by a walk to see the Centre’s resident Oilbirds. We start on a short, but steep, path to Dunston Cave, a riparian grotto at AWNC. You enjoy exclusive access to a breeding colony of Oilbirds — queer nocturnal, fruit-eating birds that congregate here at one of the world’s most accessible nesting caves. By mid-afternoon you depart for Caroni Swamp, birding along the way, and then arrive at a dock in Caroni National Park. There is a Visitor Center and restrooms here, and the mangroves are good to check for new species. From here you bird by boat (watch for Ruschenberger’s Tree Boa and Silky Anteater, too), then moor up at a quiet spot in the mangroves to let the sunset show begin. Hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of Scarlet Ibis cloud the sky as they come in to roost. Tonight’s experience is one you won’t soon forget.

Birding Highlights

On the Outing to Caroni: Long-winged Harrier; Yellowhooded Blackbird; Bicolored Conebill; Masked (Redcapped) Cardinal; Straight-billed Woodcreeper; Greenthroated Mango; Northern Waterthrush; Anhinga; Striated Heron; White-cheeked Pintail; Large-billed Tern; Pied WaterTyrant; Common Potoo; and Scarlet Ibis.

Day 5: Flight to Tobago & Cuffie River Nature Retreat

This morning we say goodbye to AWNC and embark on a short flight over to Tobago. Once you land in distinctly Caribbean, laid-back Tobago, enjoy a short drive through vibrantly-colored hillside villages, to the Cuffie River Nature Retreat. Once you arrive, you have the rest of the day to stroll the grounds, take a dip in the pool or just relax. Watch the feeders where White-tailed Sabrewing and Ruby Topaz are frequent visitors. Orange-winged Parrots and nearly tame Trinidad Motmots vie with Rufous-vented Chacalaca for attention. You’ll enjoy a delicious lunch and dinner in Cuffie River Nature Retreat’s beautiful open dining room. This intimate forest retreat has just ten rooms, providing a wonderful (and birdy!) getaway.

Bird Highlights: Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Red-legged Honeycreeper; Short-tailed Swifts; Trinidad Motmot

Day 6: Birding on Cuffie River Trails & Tobago North Coast Birding

In keeping with Tobago’s laid-back vibe, today is easygoing. Based on what your guide has been seeing, you start by birding the grounds, taking a short walk, followed by driving and birding your way up the scenic Caribbean Coast. Large trees provide shade and flowers that attract Red-legged Honeycreeper’s and tanagers. See the incredibly photogenic Englishman’s Bay, watch a variety of seabirds in Charlottesville, and view St. Giles Island from Flagstaff Hill.

Enjoy a picnic lunch en route, watch for Green-rumped Parrotlets and Common Black Hawk, and Blue-backed Manakin before returning to Cuffie for a final dinner.

Bird Highlights: White-tailed Sabrewing; Black-backed Manakin; Yellow Legged Thrush; Rufous vented Chachalaca; Ruby Topaz Hummingbird; Collared Trogon; Red-crowned Woodpecker; White-fringed Antwren

Day 7: Return to Port of Spain and Departures

Today you return to Port of Spain in Trinidad to catch international flights. Your departure from Cuffie River is timed accordingly; please make sure your shuttle is arranged the day before. Flights home must be AFTER 10AM; if you have an early flight you’ll need to spend a final night at an airport hotel in Trinidad. Please discuss this with your travel planner, who can make suggestions.

Day 1: Arrival and sightseeing in Paro

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Tashi Namgay Resort)

Maximum Altitude: 2,250m/7,382ft

As our flight nears Bhutan, we can enjoy amazing views of the Himalayas including the sacred Jumolhari and Jichu Drake peaks. At the airport, we will be greeted by a representative from Himalayan Glacier who will take us to our hotel. Today, we will visit Rinpung Dzong which was built in 1646 and now houses the district Monastic Body and government administrative offices of Paro Dzongkhag. We will also visit Kichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in the country and Drugyal Dzong, built in 1646 to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over Tibetan invaders during the 1600s. Overnight in Paro.

Day 2: Paro to Thimphu, Hike to Taktsang Monastery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Namgay Heritage)

Hiking: 4-5 hrs Travel Distance: 54 km Driving: 1 hour

Maximum Altitude: 3,180m/10,434ft

After breakfast, we hike for around 4 -5 hours to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, which is Bhutan’s most famous monastery situated at 3,180 meters. Guru Rinpoche (spiritual master) is said to have flown on the back of a tigress to meditate in a cave where Taktsang Monastery now stands. Lunch will be served in the Cafeteria Restaurant, located about halfway up on the mountain. The monastery is perched on the edge of a steep cliff, about 900 meters above Paro Valley. After having explored the monastery, we hike down to the valley floor and leave for Thimphu. Overnight in Thimphu.

Day 3: Hike to Wangditse Gompa followed by sightseeing in Thimphu

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Namgay Heritage)

Maximum Altitude: 2,320m/7,612ft

In the morning, we drive to BBS Tower and then hike for 1 hour to Wangditse Gompa on leveled trail with great view of Tashichho Dzong.   From here, we also get an amazing view of the Samtenling Palace, home to the fourth King and Dorje Drak meditation retreat on the hillside above.  After touring the Gompa, we return to Thimphu. On the way, visit the mini Zoo to see the Takin, national animal of Bhutan. After lunch, we visit the King’s Memorial Chorten (built in memory of the third King of Bhutan who reigned from 1952-1972), the nunnery temple, the National Library (which houses ancient manuscripts) and the National Institute of Traditional Medicine. We may also visit the Textile Museum, the Handicraft Emporium, the traditional paper factory and the majestic Tashichho Dzong. In the evening, we enjoy strolling in the streets of Thimphu and observe the local lifestyle. Overnight in Thimphu.

Day 4: Thimphu to Punakha, Hike to Lungchutse Monastery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel (Kichu Resort)

Hiking: 2 hrs Travel Distance: 76 km Driving: 2-3 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 3,100m/10,171ft

After breakfast, we drive to Dochula pass (3,100 meters), where on a clear day we can get spectacular views of the Himalayas. We will begin 2 hours hike to Lungchutse Monastery from 108 chortens. The trail passes through rhododendron forests. Walking along the high ridges dotted with colorful Buddhist prayer flags offers us stunning views of Himalayas, plus incredible vistas into the valleys below the pass. Hike back to Dochu La Pass. After lunch, drive downhill through the rhododendron, fir and hemlock forests. On the way, we stop at Metshina Village and take a 20-minute walk through the rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang, which is a fertility temple dedicated to the Divine Madman or Lama Drukpa Kuenley. Overnight in Punakha.

Day 5: Punakha to Paro, Hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Tashi Namgay Resort)

Hiking: 2 hrs Travel Distance: 130 km Driving: 4 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 2,250m/7,382ft

At dawn, we drive 12 km north of Punakha and begin our 2-hour hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten. It is located on a beautiful hillock called Ngezergang and contains elaborate paintings dedicated to the old sect of Buddhism. We hike further towards Punakha. On the way back, we visit the Punakha Dzong which was built in 1637. It is also the second oldest and the second largest Dzong in Bhutan. In the afternoon, we drive to Paro and spend the night there.

Day 6: Final Departure

Meals: Breakfast

Today we bid farewell to the tiny Himalayan Kingdom and her friendly people. Druk Air generally departs in the early morning to avoid adverse weather conditions. Therefore, after breakfast, we will be taken to the airport in the morning for final departure.