Sweet, Sweet T&T!

Islands we will visit on this trip: Trinidad & Tobago and Little Tobago

Overview

A golden opportunity to delight in the sights and sounds of an astonishing variety of South American species at the northern limit of their range in one of the most popular birding destinations in the Western Hemisphere. On this trip, we spend 7 nights on Trinidad and 3 nights on her sister island, Tobago.

Upcoming Tour Dates

2023

Tours running on request. Please contact us here for more information.

2024

May 14th - 23rd 2024: To express your interest in this tour, please click here. 

2025

May 6th - 16th 2025: To express your interest in this tour, please click here.

If you would like us to arrange a private Sweet Sweet T&T trip, please contact us by clicking here.

Tour Price

From USD$4585 per person - for detailed pricing please scroll to the bottom of this page.

Past Trip Reports

• June 2022 (private 7-day trip): please click here

Want to know what others have said about our tours? Click here.

Daily Itinerary

 Day 1: Touchdown in Trinidad - the land of the hummingbird

Welcome to Trinidad! Afternoon arrival into Piarco International Airport, where you will be met by your guide and transferred by pre-arranged transport to your accommodation for the first 4 nights of your T&T birding adventure.

With a rich history, this locally-owned and operated monastery turned hotel offers an authentic taste of Trinidadian hospitality. The open-air verandah overlooks a large forested valley, over which soar a variety of raptors; regular visitors to feeders include Black-throated Mango, White-chested Emerald, Copper-rumped Hummingbird, and White-necked Jacobin, as well as honeycreepers, euphonias, and other passerines. The gardens are a place of solitude, where Tufted Coquette and Ruby Topaz are attracted to the flowering verbenas, while Lilac-tailed Parrotlet and Orange-winged Amazon fly overhead.

Day 2: Trinidad - where the spectacles are spectacular!

Trinidad is a melting pot of cultures and humanity that has served to transform the island into a sea of vivid colors, and our T&T adventure begins (after a leisurely breakfast at our hotel), with a visit to a site in the lush Maracas Valley known as the ‘Home of the Hummingbird’. Here, dozens of hummingbirds (from up to 14 different species) fill the air around us, feeding right before our eyes - a photographer’s delight! We stroll through the tropical garden of this magical hummingbird haven, before settling down for a lunch of local specialties. 

The afternoon promises to provide yet more unforgettable photo opportunities, as we make for the world-renowned Caroni Swamp - the second largest mangrove wetland in Trinidad & Tobago, and just a short 20-minute drive away. Once here, we travel on a private flat-bottomed boat and begin our exploration of the mangroves that dominate this spectacular natural wonder. To delve deep into the very heart of an established mangrove swamp is something akin to journeying into a prehistoric ecosystem where everything appears to remain frozen in time. Mangroves have been on the planet for 250 million years and with their pattern of elaborate, interlaced aerial roots and entwined branches, appear determined to shield and protect the inhabitants of the swamp from the encroaching threats of the modern world.

Unsurprisingly, the tranquility of this magical place attracts an astonishing variety of birds and other wildlife. Herons of every possible description, the probing pencil-thin necks of Tricolored Heron looking positively dainty when seen in close proximity to those of their rather heavy-set neighbors, the Boat-billed Heron;  Gray-cowled Wood-Rail walk cautiously and silently through the tangled mangroves; American Pygmy and Green Kingfishers flit across our bowhead; while Bicolored Conebill and Black-crested Antshrike alight in the upper mangrove canopy; and spectacular Masked Cardinal flit frantically from one bank of a tributary to another, as all the while roosting Tropical Screech-Owl patiently await the setting of the sun.

Others known to frequent the swamp include Green-throated Mango, White-tailed Goldenthroat, Greater Ani, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Olivaceous Saltator, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, and Pied Water-Tyrant. In the skies above, we may be treated to a selection of Trinidad's extensive variety of raptors including Short-tailed Hawk, Long-winged Harrier, Plumbeous Kite, Gray-lined Hawk, and Bat Falcon. 

The swamp's inhabitants are, however, not restricted to birds alone; its banks are ideal basking sites for Spectacled Caiman, the mangroves' branches offer prime hunting for Cook's Tree Boa, and although Silky Anteaters share the Screech-Owl's penchant for nocturnal foraging, they too can be seen on occasion during the day, securely curled up in the mangrove's embrace.

As the sun dips lower in the sky, and we emerge out into an open expanse of water, we are greeted by the sight of dozens of American Flamingo feeding. Cattle, Great and Snowy Egrets, and sometimes even a few Glossy Ibis and Little Blue Heron arrive and proceed to decorate the emerald-colored mangrove islands.

However, all of this is but a precursor to the arrival of the Scarlet Ibis, and our bearing witness to a sight sure to make bird lovers the world over envious. As we sit in our boat enjoying our rum punches and homemade cake, the sky slowly begins to be patterned by the first few bright-red arrivals making their way towards us out of the west. But ones and twos soon give way to flocks of dozens of these resplendent birds, shifting and contorting in one rhythmic mass overhead as they negotiate the best approach to their roosts before nightfall. As more and more birds arrive, the dark green mangroves are gradually transformed into soft hues of gentle pinks and splashes of vibrant reds as the overlapping plumages of immature and adult ibises serve to form a natural collage of color befitting this magical setting.

A short drive sees us back at our accommodation, where we can take some time to refresh before dinner.

Day 3: Soaking up some culture

After breakfast at our hotel, with our bags packed onto our pre-arranged transport, we do some ‘gentle’ birding, passing through rural villages along farm roads. During the morning, we will make stops in a variety of habitats from wetlands to sweeping semi-wild pastures bordered by mangroves. These birding hotspots are known for species such as: Wattled Jacana, Ringed Kingfisher, White-headed Marsh Tyrant, Purple Gallinule, Pinnated Bittern, Limpkin, Striated Heron, Black-bellied Whistling-duck; and in the surrounding environs: Blue-gray and White-lined Tanager, Black-tailed Tityra, Black Vulture, Pale-vented Pigeon, Red-breasted Meadowlark, and Yellow-hooded Blackbird.

After a local lunch of Indian delicacies, we make for the extensive tidal mudflats along the west coast of this varied island. Many of the shorebirds found in Trinidad are passage migrants, and depending on the time of year, overwintering species (including Semipalmated, Western, Least, and Stilt Sandpiper, Willet, Whimbrel and Short-billed Dowitchers) can be seen voraciously feeding in order to stock up fat reserves before the long flight north. The shallow waters of the Gulf of Paria provide a safe haven from inclement weather, and the list of vagrants to Trinidad is substantial, and includes: Maguari Stork, Terek Sandpiper, Audouin’s, Kelp and Greater Black-backed Gulls, and the rare resident Rufous Crab-Hawk has also been spotted along this stretch of coastline.

Also of significant interest in this area is the beautiful Hindu Temple of the Sea. Regarded as a National Treasure to Trinidad and Tobago, this temple is a testament to one man's dedication to his faith. The original temple was built single-handedly over the course of 25 years in the mid-20th Century by Indian indentured laborer Seedas Sadhu, who reclaimed the land on which it stands from the sea. The story behind the temple’s construction is sorrowful, yet inspiring.

Day 4: Birding the savannas

Today, an early start with a packed breakfast in hand, sees us bird the lowlands and open countryside of Aripo Savanna. Here, we will encounter entirely new bird species from those seen yesterday, such as Savannah Hawk, Grey-headed Kite, Fork-tailed Palm-swift, Bran-coloured and Sulphury Flycatchers, Tropical Kingbird, Ruddy-breasted Seedeater, Plumbeous and Gray-headed Kites, Shiny and Giant Cowbirds, Blue-black Grassquit, Grassland Yellow-Finch, Green-rumped Parrotlet, as well as Striped and Little Cuckoos.

We then enjoy an al fresco lunch at a small rainforest lodge nestled in the Tamana Rainforest. A number of forest-dwelling bird species can be found throughout the grounds, including a selection of antbirds, antwrens, and anthrushes, White-throated Spadebill and Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, as well as a variety of hummingbird species including: skittish Long-billed Starthroat, robust Black-throated Mango, and dazzling Blue-Chinned Sapphire.

In the afternoon, we make our way to a seldom visited site, where the Moriche Palms dotted throughout the area offer perfect feeding grounds for Red-bellied Macaws, Orange-winged Parrots and Moriche Oriole.

Day 5: Asa Wright - a birder’s delight!

Walking out onto the verandah of the main lodge at Asa Wright Nature Centre, we are in the perfect setting for what is surely one of the most incredible birding experiences in the Western Hemisphere. With it's stunning backdrop of hundreds of acres of lush, rich tropical rainforest, we are immediately surrounded by dozens of hummingbirds (of up to 13 different species) feeding on lantana sage, vervain shrubs and numerous feeders dangling at eye level from the roof of the lodge. Photo opportunities abound as Tufted Coquette, Green as well as Rufous-breasted Hermit, Brown Violetear, White-necked Jacobin, Copper-rumped Hummingbird, and White-chested Emerald, along with many others, all hover within touching distance of our fingertips!

The vast expanse of forest stretching out before us is home to a host of birds, the colors of which you truly have to see to believe, and today, we explore the grounds of this magnificent place. Species including: Purple Honeycreeper, breathtaking Violaceous Euphonia, Squirrel Cuckoo, Barred Antshrike, Golden Olive Woodpecker, a variety of tanagers including Silver-beaked and Bay-headed, and many, many more can be found while meandering along the clearly demarcated paths. 

After a delicious buffet lunch, we make the 40 minute descent into one of the most marvelous attractions on the Asa Wright property - the deep fissure that is Dunston Cave. On our way we are sure to keep a lookout for two of the most abundant and popular non-bird species at the Lodge - the Red-rumped Agouti and impressive Golden Tegu Lizard, along with a host of other secretive forest dwellers known to frequent the trails down to the cave, including White-bellied Antbird, White-flanked Antwren and Plain-brown Woodcreeper.

However, once at the entrance to the cave, the eerie noises emanating from its interior ensure we rapidly shift our focus to the darkness before us and prepare for an encounter with one of the most bizarre avian species to be encountered on the entire trip. The primary reason why the World Wildlife Fund made a large contribution to the establishment of the Asa Wright Center in the 1960s, was in order to protect one of the most accessible colonies of Oilbird in the world, and we are about to come face to face with it. An encounter with this unique and bizarre bird - lone species in the genus Steatornis - is not to be missed!

We then enjoy another wonderful meal, before adjourning to the veranda to watch the night life of the forest begin to stir.

Day 6: High-elevation specialists in the Northern Range

Today begins with a scenic drive into Trinidad’s mountainous Northern Range and the famous birding “highway” Blanchisseuse Road. Birding stops allow us prime views of species which favour high elevations such as: Speckled Tanager, Streaked Xenops, White Hawk, Ornate Hawk Eagle, Collared and Guianan Trogons, Channel-billed Toucan, White-necked Thrush, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Little Hermit, and Lilac-tailed Parrotlet.

A local lunch in the picturesque rural village of Brasso Seco will be followed by a cacao demonstration (featuring chocolate samples) from one of the local farmers belonging to a community initiative in the area. Here, surrounded by cocoa plants, we may also be joined by Yellow Oriole, Turquoise Tanager, Lineated and Chestnut Woodpeckers, and Green Hermit. 

In the afternoon, we continue through the mountains to a scenic valley known for Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Yellow-headed Caracara, Crested Oropendola and Long-billed Gnatwren. Settling down with tea and cakes (or a home-brewed rum punch should you prefer), we have the pleasure of watching dazzlingly colourful Blue-headed Parrots fly into their roosts - a fantastic photo opportunity - before making our way back to our accommodation for a late dinner.

Following our delicious three course meal those who are interested can don their head torches and join a knowledgeable guide for a night walk along the center’s long winding driveway. Lined by lush forest on both sides, this well-paved road offers an incredible opportunity for encounters with a host of nocturnal species. Trinidad Chevron Tarantulas, Coral Snakes, Spectacled Owls, Tailless Whip Scorpions and many more are possible.

Day 7: It’s not just birds…

On Trinidad you are never far from good birding and on our final morning at the lodge, we enjoy further opportunities to observe the myriad species that frequent the feeders and numerous flowering plants and trees surrounding the lodge’s verandah.

A number of deep forest-dwelling bird species can be found throughout the grounds of the Center, including a selection of antbirds, antwrens, and the striking Trinidad Motmot. We pay a visit to leks tucked away in the forest where Golden-headed and White-bearded Manakins entertain us with territorial displays, and scan the trees for Orange-winged Amazons and Boat-billed Kiskadees, before a final stroll along the Discovery Trail in an effort to unearth some treasured gems such as Gray-throated Leaftosser and Black-faced Antthrush. Our walk culminates at a reliable spot for up-close sightings of the remarkable Bearded Bellbird - an unforgettable encounter. While in the forest we keep an eye out for splendid Blue Morpho butterflies and Giant Tree Frogs. 

In the afternoon, we will make for Trinidad’s rugged and dramatic north coast. Upon arrival, light-dependent, we will head to a private forest (to which we have been granted special permission to access) in order to seek out the critically endangered Trinidad Piping-Guan as they settle in to roost. This is now the only reliable site remaining on Earth for encounters with a bird that once numbered many thousands of individuals, but that has been hunted relentlessly and now teeters on the verge of extinction - with less than 150 remaining. We then check into our accommodation for the next two nights - a laid-back, boutique beachfront hotel, with air-conditioned rooms and private baths. Here one can enjoy quiet vistas overlooking the Caribbean Sea. 

Settling down to dine by candlelight on local cuisine prepared using locally-sourced, classic Trinidadian recipes, we know that the night is only just beginning as we look forward to bearing witness to one of the most dramatic events in the natural world. The one kilometre stretch of unspoiled quartz-rich sand in front of the hotel is one of the most important nesting grounds for the Leatherback Turtle in the world, and boasts hundreds of sightings during the months of March to August - as these gargantuan prehistoric marine reptiles haul themselves up the beach, occasionally clambering over one another, to lay their eggs along this protected coastline.

Day 8: Tobago calling

Less than 10 minutes drive from our accommodation, with a packed breakfast in hand, sees us again in the lush private forests that are home to the endemic Trinidad Piping-Guan, known locally as the Pawi. Even if the birds were sighted on the first evening, another encounter in alternate light will ensure that every opportunity is provided for observing or capturing the ideal photo. Dawn is also when the birds are far more likely to be actively feeding in the Wild Nutmeg Treess. Other birdlife here includes: the difficult Little Tinamou, Smooth-billed Ani, White-tipped Dove, White-flanked Antwren, Purple, Red-legged and Green Honeycreepers, Pale-breasted Spinetail, together with a medley of hummingbirds.

We then bird our way back to the airport to catch our 20-minute flight to the charming, quintessentially Caribbean island of Tobago. Geologically, culturally and ornithologically, Tobago is rather different from its larger sister island of Trinidad, and the stark contrast is made immediately apparent upon touching town at Tobago’s ANR Robinson International Airport. Given their close proximity, there is considerable species overlap, but there are also a number of species which are either found only on Tobago, or are far easier to see here. Home to the world’s oldest legally protected forest (protected since 1765), this tiny island’s wild and untamed beauty harbors astonishing biodiversity. 

From the airport, we make the short drive to a small mangrove wetland in order to target two specialist species: the White-fringed Antwren and recently split Tobago Greenlet, en route to our accommodation - a locally-owned ecolodge nestled in the lush and remote Runnemede Valley on the edge of the historic Main Ridge Forest Reserve. The lodge is surrounded by forested mountains, and while there, you can even enjoy a refreshing swim in its remarkable raised-deck saltwater swimming pool.

We finish the day by indulging in a delicious dinner of immaculately prepared and presented local cuisine, served in the open-air dining room, as the eerie calls of nocturnal dwellers gradually begin to pierce the cool night air. 

Day 9: A visit to the oldest protected forest reserve in the world

After a delicious breakfast, we drive high into the mountains of the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, which we explore via a remote streamside trail. This is an ancient and pristine forest draped in mosses and lianas and positively teeming with notes of myriad deep-forest dwellers. We visit a reliable lek for Blue-backed Manakin and delight in the acrobatic antics of this beautiful species.

Another treasured encounter will surely be with the absolutely stunning Yellow-legged Thrush, a typically secretive and high elevation forest species - but one that along our chosen path will often perch and bathe in quiet streams - providing unparalleled viewing opportunities.

This is a special place and other species often sighted here include Trinidad Motmot and White-winged Becard, as well as the large and striking White-tailed Sabrewing (known only to Tobago and an ever-decreasing swathe of Venezuela).

Following a relaxed lunch of locally-sourced and lovingly-prepared local dishes, we have time to enjoy the amenities and serene environs of our peacfel ecolodge The soft afternoon light falls on feeders and bathes a bevvy of tropical plants and flowering trees. These hours are yours to stroll the grounds and surrounding trails (in the company of our guide should you wish), or select a favorite perch either on the front or rear balcony from which to view an incredible array of hummingbirds - including the aforementioned sabrewing.

Other notable species include Ruby Topaz Hummingbird, Rufous-breasted Hermit and White-necked Jacobin. Over 100 species of birds have been spotted in this haven of serenity - including Golden-olive Woodpecker, Red-crowned Woodpecker, Barred Antshrike, Great Black-Hawk, Collared Trogon, and the impressive Trinidad Motmot. As sunset approaches flocks of parrots, parrotlets, and noisy chachalacas break the silence as they return to their evening roosts.

Preceded by a delicious rum punch should you so desire, we then enjoy another distinctly Caribbean dinner before taking less than 30 steps down the driveway for a remarkable encounter with the minuscule near-endemic White-tailed Nightjar. This bird will be close! Sightings of Common Potoo and Common Pauraque are also distinct possibilities.

Day 10: A jaunt to Little Tobago, where seabirds abound!

Following a relaxed breakfast, we drive along scenic bays and through colorful villages on our way to the blissful seaside town of Speyside, where we board a glass-bottomed boat for a pleasant cruise across calm, azure waters to Little Tobago Island.

The island, one of the country’s most significant wildlife sanctuaries, boasts one of the largest seabird colonies in the entire Caribbean and upon approach from the boat numerous seabirds should already be visible wheeling and cavorting over the waves. Disembarking onto the jetty we begin a gradual ascent into the dry tropical forest.

The burrows of Audubon Shearwaters are dotted throughout this island and we may be fortunate enough to see this wonderful seabird out of its element and on land. Reaching the spectacular lookout perched high atop one of countless towering cliffs that dominate this landscape, we are soon enjoying unbelievably close views of Red-billed Tropicbirds, White-tailed Tropicbirds, Red-footed and Brown Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds all cruising by at eye-level. These encounters are interspersed with regular sightings of elegant Bridled, Sooty, Roseate and Royal Terns together with Brown Noddies and Laughing Gulls. This is an experience quite unlike any other on the tour and is highly recommended.

During the ascent we will have sightings of the strikingly patterned T&T endemic Ocellated Gecko and other small inhabitants that make this tiny island home.

Leaving the island, the captain pauses (if sea conditions are favorable) to look for vibrantly-coloured tropical fish, and possibly Hawksbill Turtles, as we pass a former coral garden off Goat Island. Upon reaching the dock, we take the opportunity to sample a delicious local lunch and as we wait for our food, which is freshly made to order, we have some time here to enjoy the tranquility of this coastline.

After lunch, we make our way back to our lodge, where we have a final opportunity to observe the frenzy at the lodge’s feeders, and sit back and relax in the unparalleled serenity of this remote lodge. After dinner this evening, you may wish to take a night walk, where you may chance upon some of the nocturnal createures that inhabit the forest around the lodge. One such is the Nine-banded Armadillo, known locally as the ‘Tatu’ (among the most ancient of species found on this tiny island), which forgaes for unsuspecting insects under the cover of darkness.

Day 11: Return flight to Trinidad and onward journey home

After breakfast, we board our pre-arranged transport and make a couple of final birding stops before we reach the airport for our return 20-minute flight from Tobago to Trinidad, and onward journey home.

Pricing

2024

Tour Price: US$4785 per person (based on double occupancy rates and 10 participants). Single Supplement, i.e. if you would prefer to have a single room for the duration of your tour, there is an additional charge of US$695.

2025

Tour Price: TBC

Included in Price: All scheduled and stated flights between islands and internal boat charges between islands; local taxes; airport departure taxes; all accommodations; pre-arranged food; bottled water with meals and on birding outings; transport to and from destinations on all islands; park admission fees; guide fees; gratuities; and hotel and restaurant service charges.

Not Included in Price: Your international flights; any regional flights after the tour has finished - should you wish to return home from a different island to that on which the tour finishes; extra charges incurred for overweight or additional pieces of luggage on international or regional flights; VAT; travel insurance; laundering services; drinks.

Tour Info

Number of Species that will possibly be seen on tour: 300+

Group Size: Maximum of 10 clients plus guide.

Terrain and Pace: We cover a diverse range of terrain on this trip. Trails are primarily well maintained and relatively level. Any light to moderate ascents are conducted at a slow, steady pace with plenty of opportunities to rest along the way. A walking stick is recommended if you would usually use one for walking off-road.

Please note that the above itinerary and pricing is subject to change.