7-Day, 2-Island Sampler AWNC & Cuffie River Retreat

7 days
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Group Tour
As clients have asked us for a shorter and more affordable tour; we now offer a 7-Day, 2-Island Sampler, featuring the world-renowned Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge in the mountains of Trinidad and time at the delightful Cuffie River Nature Retreat on Tobago. Explore Trinidad and Tobago, a prized location offering the planet’s best introduction to tropica...
From$1,795
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Overview

Trip type
Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Travel with AWNC’s expert guides, who share robust knowledge and friendly, world-class guiding skills
    • Savor four nights at the classic AWNC; relish morning coffee and birding on the famous verandah
    • Gain exclusive access to enigmatic Oilbirds in the grotto of Dunston Cave
    • Witness skies turned crimson with thousands of Scarlet Ibis coming in to roost in Caroni National Park
    • Enjoy two nights at the delightful and birdy Cuffie River Nature Retreat on Tobago
    • Explore the Caribbean side of Tobago

What's this trip about?

    As clients have asked us for a shorter and more affordable tour; we now offer a 7-Day, 2-Island Sampler, featuring the world-renowned Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge in the mountains of Trinidad and time at the delightful Cuffie River Nature Retreat on Tobago. Explore Trinidad and Tobago, a prized location offering the planet’s best introduction to tropical birding. Discover a fascinating cross-section of colorful birds from the Caribbean and South America.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityPiarco
End CityPort of Spain

Travel Themes

  • Birding
  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Photography

Destinations

  • Central America
  • Trinidad and Tobago

Activities

  • Bird watching
  • Educational/ learning
  • Nature
  • Photography
  • Short Cruise
  • Wildlife viewing

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Itinerary

Travel Map

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 ...

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; T...

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 fore...

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...
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 provid...

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 ...
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 — que...

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...

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 ...

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.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $1,795
Price per day$256
Last Updated: 5/15/2023

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Caligo Ventures.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Who We Are

We are a dynamic travel company committed to conservation. We have stayed small so that we can manage operations on passion and personal vision; we have strong relationships with our travelers, and the host lodges we visit. Originally founded by Phil and Margaret Schaeffer in 1983, Peg Abbott and her company, Naturalist Journeys, carry on the traditions of Caligo: finding sustainable, quality ecolodges, using local guides, and featuring (where possible) local foods to make for memorable travel.

We are the exclusive United States representative of the famed Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) and Lodge on Trinidad and Tobago and this relationship guides our mission. Trinidad is a marvelous example of ecotourism, where local guides have become top-rate professionals, hospitality services run with ease but retain their island flair, and menus feature local foods. Birding is augmented by a strong sense of place, and visitors make a difference. Collectively, we treasure birding, nature, travel, good food, and good company ― our inspiration in designing unique travel opportunities.

What We Do

Beyond managing every aspect of your travel experience, whether with a group or on an independent journey, we are committed to responsible travel and eco-tourism. We work tirelessly to ensure that our trips benefit the communities in which we travel, and our funds assist local conservation efforts.

Why We Are Different

We have stayed small, and we offer personal service. Our carefully-crafted travel experiences are creative, dynamic, and enduring, inspired by the natural world and the humans we share it with. We relish the art of nature travel, savoring our experience with each creature and landscape. And although birds are our specialty, natural history, scenic appreciation, culture, and geology play a strong role in all of our travels. We share expertise in birding, but blend those skills with other interests, allowing time for personal exploration.

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Logistics

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
Trip ID
caligo-SamCufCal

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