Venezuela birding tour, tailor made

Planet

In Venezuela we (as with everywhere we go) we carefully choose accommodation, supplies and transportation that either minimises its effect on the environment or helps to contribute to its sustainable development. By choosing small, privately owned accommodation where possible we also look to only stay in truly eco-lodges that abide by basic and also pioneering methods of ecological sustainability. Where possible, we make sure that the lodges, camps and ranches that we use support local projects for the protection of the wildlife and local communities which rely on tourism as the principal source of income. In fact the Hato Cedral that we use in Los Llanos is world renowned and has played host to many National Geographic documentary film crews as well as numerous studies on the wildlife and ecosystem here. Hato Cedral as with many of the places that we stay whilst in Venezuela are small privately owned places that are more concerned with quality than quantity and as a result they are very ethical in their approach. Most use solar power electricity and water recycling pumps as well as making sure that all the food consumed is produced locally. We also contribute and participate in as many studies that the local researchers are conducting as possible. By enlisting the help of anaconda and crocodile researchers we are able to directly contribute to their continued studies and help to establish long term research.

Wildlife Promise:

The conservation history of most of Venezuela is chequered a lot of the wildlife was hunted extensively; especially around Los Llanos for many years. But thanks to the patient work of a couple of ranches (including Hato Cedral) the local wildlife is being protected. Hato Cedral is the ranch that we use in Los Llanos and they have been protecting its wildlife for over 25 years and as a result the area is full of animals and birds. All of this is means that there are good numbers of iguanas, red howler monkeys, caimans, crocodiles, capybaras and the illusive anaconda close by. By bringing people here with a professional zoologist as well as professional local guides we aim to showcase the environment in full but also to allow you to learn about the problems facing the ecosystems here and highlight the ways that continued development and human exploitation are affect the species and how cutting edge research is countering the problems as well as showing you examples of success stories. We also keep a record of all the great sightings we see on each tour and record the environmental factors, this data is used by ourselves but also given to the researchers who are working on many of these species. All the information collected in invaluable as the knowledge of some of the animals that live here are little understood. We also donate our pictures to the researchers to aid in their photo identification studies.

People

As with any of our tours of South America and elsewhere in the world we always employ local guides and drivers. They have a much better local knowledge and also helps to bring in revenue sources to the local community. All of the accommodations that we stay in whilst in Venezuela we make sure that all our resources such as food, drink and equipment is locally sourced and we are always looking for ways to introduce local people into a guiding career. South America has been doing this very well for the last decade or so and it is quite common to have local guides taking you into the reserves. We think that by employing local guides we have encouraging a future generation to follow this career. Many of the accommodations that we use are involved in community based projects and schools in particular. Many of the projects that are funded by people staying here are geared towards helping the local people of the Los Llanos (and other areas we visit) deal with an increasingly developed world and how they can continue to live in harmony with the wildlife and environment into this technological age. Where possible we also employ the services of local researchers and scientists who are studying rare bird species. This increases their funding for much needed studies. Where ever possible we also hire the services of indigenous guides to take our groups as this helps to stop them becoming marginalised and also provides an income in return for them maintaining traditional and sustainable ways of life. We also encourage the purchasing of local handicrafts which are all created in a sustainable way and provide great unique souvenirs.