Arrival to Cuba in the afternoon. Meet & Greet at the airport, meeting the local tour guide and transfer to the hotel. Check in. Evening at leisure. Meals: Dinner is optional, price excluded.
Cuba is just 90 miles from the southern coast of Florida but in almost every respect it provides a complete contrast with its affluent neighbor, not least in the Socialist ideology which has shaped the island way of life for over 40 years. The avifauna is typical of the Greater Antilles but what makes Cuba a particularly attractive bird watching destination is the presence of 21 endemic species on the island plus a number of distinct subspecies. Added to the impressive selection of resident species is an array of North American passage migrants seeking food and rest before continuing their journey across the Straits of Florida. Wetland birds are also well represented on the island and compete for attention with resident pelicans and frigate birds along the coastline. The diversity and abundance of the birdlife is complemented by a largely unspoilt landscape and a relaxed, easygoing atmosphere which combine to make Cuba a very enjoyable, and ornithologically productive, holiday destination. The Cuban endemics tour offers the most to see from the beautiful wildlife and nature of Cuba.
Havana
Every week
Casual, comfortable and light
Accommondation
Program as of description
Specialized local Guide
Entrances and meals where indicated
Breakfast
Transportation during the program
Flights
Insurance, Visa
Optional meals, drinks
Optional programs, tips
Arrival to Cuba in the afternoon. Meet & Greet at the airport, meeting the local tour guide and transfer to the hotel. Check in. Evening at leisure. Meals: Dinner is optional, price excluded.
In the morning travel to the Sierra del Rosario and the Soroa Region is an excellent area for an introduction to Cuban birding. Visit The Orquideario, an orchid garden which has been declared a national monument. It has one of the largest collections of orchids in the world. Within a couple of hundred meters from our hotel there are several easy to moderate hiking trails. Visiting these we might find our first endemics: Cuban Trogon, Cuban Tody and Cuban Pygmy Owl. We should find here the melodious Cuban Solitaire, Yellow-headed and Swainson’s Warbler as well. Those who are ready for early morning walks have a chance for Scaly-naped Pigeon or even Blue-headed Quail-Dove. Accommodation in Soroa.
Meal plan: breakfast. Full board option available.
In the morning travel to Parque Nacional La Guira, where we will look for the endemic Cuban Green Woodpecker, Cuban Blackbird and for the near endemic Olive-capped Warbler, Cuban Martin and Cuban Emerald. We will have a chance for Cuban Grassquit and Cave Swallow as well. Accommodation in San Diego de los Baños.
Meal plan: Breakfast. Full board option is available
Full day bird watching in Parque Nacional La Guira. This region offers some local rarities such as Giant Kingbird, Cuban Parakeet and Cuban Parrot. Two specialties found quite easily here are the near-endemic Olive-capped Warbler and the endemic Cuban Solitaire. Plus we have a second chance for some of the species like Cuban Grassquit, Fernandina’s Flicker, Cuban Palm Crow, Gundlach’s Hawk, Cuban Tody and many more. Accommodation in San Diego de los Baños.
Meal plan: Brakfast. Full board option available.
In the morning we travel to Playa Larga. The trip will take several hours driving but we will break up the journey with a number of stops. Our destination is the fabled Zapata Swamp. This area was declared to be a biosphere preserve in 2000 and Ramsar site in 2001. It covers an area of 628,171 hectares and is the largest and best-conserved wetland in Cuba and in the Caribbean insular. In the afternoon bird watching in Zapata (Bermejas and Soplillar areas), where we can find the Zapata Sparrow, Zapata Wren, Cuban Emerald, Bee Hummingbird, Cuban Trogon, Cuban Tody and many others. We will explore Ondones, part of the Zapata Peninsula, renowned as the largest marsh in the insular Caribbean. We will travel along a road in the Fauna Reserve that makes its way through savannahs, mangrove thickets and Sub-tropical forests. This 91 thousand-acre salt marsh is one of the most important flyways for migratory birds in the northern Caribbean. The mudflats support large numbers of Egrets, Whistling Ducks and shorebirds as well as Cuban Black Hawk, Capper Rail and Osprey. In the afternoon, we will observe forest birds and some interesting shorebirds in the Palpite zone. Blue-headed Quail-Dove, Key West Quail Dove, Cuban Parrot, Great Lizard-Cuckoo, Smooth-billed Ani, Bare-legged Owl, Cuban Pygmy-Owl, Cuban Emerald, Bee Hummingbird, Cuban Trogon, Cuban Tody, Cuban Crow and many others. After dinner we will go for a short walk searching for owls and nightjars. Accommodation in Playa Larga.
Meal Plan: breakfast. Full board option available.
Today we will explore Las Salinas, part of the Zapata Peninsula, renowned as the largest marsh in the insular Caribbean. To get to Las Salinas del Brito Fauna Reserve, on the peninsula, we will travel along a road that makes its way through savannahs, mangrove thickets and sub-tropical forests. This 91 thousand-acre salt marsh is one of the most important flyways for migratory birds in the northern Caribbean. The mudflats support large numbers of great Flamingos, Egrets, Whistling Ducks and shorebirds, the Cuban Black Hawk, the Capper Rail, and the Osprey. In the afternoon, we will observe forest birds and some interesting Shorebirds in the Palpite zone. Accommodation in Playa Larga.
Meal plan: breakfast. Full board plan available.
Early in the morning we will visit Bermejas zone. In just over 1 ha is possible to display 16 of the 19 endemic, possibly in the world, Bermeja is the place where you can find the highest number of endemic species (birds per unit area). Between endemic species that nest are: Cuban Trogon, Cuban Pygmy Owl, Bare-legged Owl, Fernandina's Flicker, Cuban Green Woodpecker, Cuban Parrot, Cuban Parakeet, Gray-fronted Quail-Dove Gundlach's Hawk and many others. In addition, there are other species that are considered as winter residents like: Summer Tanager and others.. Accommodation in Playa Larga.
Meal plan: breakfast. Full board plan available.
We travel towards Camagüey and La Belén National Park where we will spend 2 nights. This region offers some local rarities such as Giant Kingbird, Cuban Parakeet and Cuban Parrot. Plus we have a second chance for some of the species like Cuban Grassquit, Fernandina’s Flicker, Cuban Palm Crow, Gundlach’s Hawk, Cuban Tody and many more. Accommodation in Belén.
Meal plan: breakfast. Full board plan available.
Driving south from Camagüey to the environs of the small town of Najasa, we spend much of today looking for some of the unique birds which live in the open savannah in this area. Endemics will be to the fore as we search for the very rare Giant Kingbird, a huge Tyrant-flycatcher which dwarfs the more familiar members of this powerfully-built genus, Cuban Parrot, Cuban Parakeet, Cuban Pygmy-Owl, Plain Pigeon, and Cuban Palm Crows. The Cuban appellation is an indication of the number of birds peculiar to the island and already at this early stage of the tour we are likely to have seen half a dozen or more species with this prefix. Accommodation in Belén.
Meal plan: breakfast. Full board plan available
In the morning we will drive to Cayo Guillermo 4 hours from La Belem and also visit Cayo Paredon Grande. We will stay 2 hrs of bird watching in Cayo Paredon. Its main bird watching attractions are the specialties only found at Cayo Coco which include the endemic sub-species Thick-billed Vireo, Mangrove Cuckoo and Bahama Mockingbird. The Cayo also marks the western limit for seeing Oriente Warbler and Cuban Gnatcatcher. Accommodation in Cayo Coco.
Meal plan: breakfast. Full board plan available.
Today we have the entire day for bird watching in Cayo Paredon Grande. Cayo Paredon Grande provides Thick-billed Vireo and gives a second chance for Cuban Gnatcatcher and Oriente Warbler. Cayo Coco is linked to the mainland by a causeway. From the causeway you can see Red-breasted Merganser, large flocks of Greater Flamingos, Roseate Spoonbill, Magnificent Frigate bird, Anhinga, Tricolored Heron, Willet, Reddish Egret, Short-billed Dowitchers and may other water birds. Accommodation in Cayo Coco.
Meal plan: breakfast. Full board plan available.
After breakfast we travel to Havana where we can immerse ourselves into an incredible mixture of culture, fantastic colonial architecture, vibrant music on the streets and in local bars during the evening. Accommodation in Havana.
Meal plan: breakfast. Full board plan available
Free time in the morning. Check out until noon. You can use the hotel facilities until the transfer. For extra cost, you can pay „Late check-out” services on site. In the afternoon transfer to the airport, leaving to home country.
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