In the remote southeastern corner of Venezuela, immense flat-topped mountains dot the landscape, towering above the expansive grasslands of the Gran Sabana and the surrounding rainforests. They are the remnants of a vast sandstone plateau that once covered a large area of northeastern South America from the northern border of the Amazon basin north to the mighty Orinoco. Over time, much of the sandstone plateau eroded away, leaving only these isolated mesas to dominate the landscape.

The indigenous people of the region had a name for them--tepuis or Houses of the Gods--and one can easily believe the gods were at work here, creating a whole array of plants and animals found nowhere else on earth. Our time here will be filled with many marvelous sightings--a flashy Red-banded Fruiteater sitting quietly in a roadside melastome; a pair of striking Roraiman Barbtails creeping along the moss-laden branches of a magical elfin forest; a somber Flutist Wren performing its musical song from the dense undergrowth; or a fruiting tree full of delightfully odd Scarlet-horned Manakins.

Hummingbird fans! See our Hummer Slideshow plus a listing of all our best itineraries for 30, 40, even 50 or more hummingbirds on a tour.

The surrounding lowlands also harbor many specialties, as well as more widespread lowland forest species. These include some spectacular cotingas, from the impossibly gaudy Guianan Cock-of-the-rock to the subtly plumaged yet bizarre Capuchinbird, to the simply gorgeous Pompadour Cotinga. Among the other wonderful possibilities are Black-faced Hawk, Guianan Toucanet, hawk-like Red-fan Parrots, Crimson Topaz, Golden-collared Woodpecker, Black-throated Antshrike, Cayenne Jay, and stunning Blue-backed Tanagers and Red-and-black Grosbeaks.

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Combo Tours
If you would like a longer birding holiday, some departures of this tour may be combined with:
VENEZUELA