The Natural History Highlights of Trinidad and Tobago
Tour Introduction
This gentle paced natural history itinerary combines the top wildlife attractions of the two contrasting islands of Trinidad and Tobago which together make one nation. The tour provides a varied mix of extraordinary rainforest bird life, nesting leatherback turtles and colourful coral reefs teeming with marine life. This is one of our favourite natural history itineraries, perfect for those seeking a holiday in the southern Caribbean which involves significant wildlife elements as well as comfort and beach relaxation.
Full Itinerary
Fly to Port of Spain, Trinidad. Met on arrival and transfer to Asa Wright Nature Centre. The afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the plethora of bird species found in the vicinity of the lodge. Over 400 species of birds, 108 mammals, 55 reptiles, 25 amphibians and more than 600 butterflies have been recorded on Trinidad. The famous verandah at Asa Wright overlooks many hummingbird and fruit feeders which are great for bird photography or just observation.
Staying at Asa Wright Nature Centre. Includes No Meals.
Morning guided birdwatching excursions around the lodge to look for the diverse range of birds found in the nearby forest. In the afternoon enjoy a special guided visit to Dunston Cave to see the resident colony of fascinating, bat-like oilbirds (the world’s only nocturnal fruit eating birds) which roost in the cave during the day.
Staying at Asa Wright Nature Centre. Includes All Meals.
Morning at leisure to enjoy the birds and agoutis from the verandah or explore the trails independently. In the afternoon visit Caroni swamp, an excellent example of a mangrove ecosystem. Many wetland birds can be seen here but the main event is the sight of hundreds of bright red scarlet ibis returning to their communal roost in the evening. With luck, the tiny silky anteater and impressive Cook’s tree boa can be spotted on boat trips through the mangroves.
Staying at Asa Wright Nature Centre. Includes All Meals.
Early pick up from the centre and transfer to Grande Riviere, on Trinidad’s wild northern coastline. During the nesting months of March to September, dozens of leatherback turtles come ashore each night to lay their eggs on the wild sandy beach here. Rest of the day at leisure. Optional guided excursion to watch nesting turtles in the evening.
Staying at Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel. Includes All Meals.
An (optional) early morning excursion to see late arriving nesting turtles. Grand Riviere is an internationally important area for nesting leatherback turtles sometimes recording over a hundred in one night. Full day at leisure with OPTIONAL activities available. There are many nature trails to explore and excellent birding with the endemic Trinidad piping guan the local speciality.
Staying at Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel. Includes All Meals.
Another full day at leisure with OPTIONAL activities available.
Staying at Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel. Includes All Meals.
Today transfer back to Port of Spain and fly to Tobago. Met on arrival and transfer to Blue Waters Inn. The hotel is nestled in the quiet north-eastern end of the island with a beautiful sandy beach to relax on and 46 acres of wildlife-filled tropical gardens to explore. Birds are plentiful around the hotel including the iconic Trinidad motmot.
Little Tobago, the island’s largest bird sanctuary, is only a few minutes away by boat and half an hour away is St Giles Island, the southern Caribbean’s largest seabird colony. Rest of the day at leisure.
Staying at Blue Waters Inn. Includes Breakfast and Dinner.
After breakfast enjoy a shared tour by boat to Little Tobago Bird Sanctuary on protected Little Tobago Island. During the boat trip along the edge of the island see a variety of seabirds including red-footed and brown boobies, magnificent frigate birds and red-billed tropic birds. Sooty, bridled, roseate and noddy terns begin to arrive in April. Those who also want to snorkel will be rewarded with views of some of the largest brain coral recorded in the western hemisphere! The afternoon is at leisure.
Staying at Blue Waters Inn. Includes Breakfast and Dinner.
This morning explore the Tobago rainforest on a shared birding tour. This is the oldest protected forest in the western hemisphere, established in 1776 to protect the watershed. A variety of bird species might be seen including blue-backed manakin, white-tailed sabrewing, olivaceous woodcreeper, great black hawk and collared trogon. The afternoon is at leisure.
Staying at Blue Waters Inn. Includes Breakfast and Dinner.
Full day at leisure with OPTIONAL activities available, including snorkelling or scuba diving on the nearby reef.
Staying at Blue Waters Inn. Includes Breakfast and Dinner.
Morning at leisure with OPTIONAL activities available. After lunch transfer back to Crown Point airport and fly to Port of Spain. Connect with onward international flight back home.
Includes Breakfast.
Tour Accommodation
Asa Wright Nature Centre
Overview
Having recently been taken over by Hadco Experiences, the world famous Asa Wright Nature Centre has had a modern refurbishment and been beautifully spruced up. It was set up in 1967 by a group of passionate conservationists and birdwatchers to protect part of the biodiverse Arima Valley. Asa Wright is located in a remote part of Trinidad’s northern range which rises to a little over 3000 feet and is mostly covered by tropical rainforest.
Asa Wright Nature Centre has an exceptionally diverse fauna. Over 180 bird species have been recorded around their site, and you might be able to see up to 40 varieties on a single morning from the superb veranda alone, which looks down the Arima Valley. There are multiple bird feeders that attract a constant stream of colourful and exciting species. The close proximity of the feeders affords guests rare photographic opportunities of species ranging from purple honeycreepers to bay-headed tanagers and copper-rumped hummingbirds.
The main building is actually an old coffee plantation house with décor reminiscent of its colonial past. There is a large dining room and lounge where an extensive collection of natural history books can be browsed. The most famous feature of the centre is its veranda which looks down the Arima Valley and onto multiple bird feeders that attract a constant stream of colourful and exciting species. The close proximity of the feeders affords guests rare photographic opportunities for a great diversity of species ranging from purple honeycreepers to bay-headed tanagers and copper-rumped hummingbirds.
The world’s second smallest bird, the tufted coquette, can often be seen feeding from flowering bushes just below the feeders.
Accommodation is in 29 recently modernised rooms with private bathrooms. Units cater for varying amounts of guests, and are private cottages amongst the picturesque grounds, along with a few rooms in the main house.
The main house has free Wi-Fi and a dining room that serves buffet meals – there is also a sandwich bar service. A natural swimming pool in the forest is available to guests and in the evenings there are often talks by the local naturalist guides concerning the work of the centre.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
24/7 guest services, restaurant, bar/lounge, gift shop, laundry facilities, housekeeping services, front desk,
porter service, airport shuttle (surcharge), Wi-Fi.
Rooms are each unique, in a variety of sizes and sleeping arrangements. They all have Wi-Fi access, mini fridges, air conditioning, coffee and tea making facilities, a private bathroom, and complimentary toiletries.
Local Wildlife
Asa Wright Nature Centre is most known for its bird life and in particular its feeders that attract some of the most beautiful and localised birds on the island. Some of the avian highlights include Trinidad motmots, bearded bellbird, tufted coquette, collared and green-backed trogon, white-necked jacobin, and golden headed and white-bearded manakins. Red-rumped agoutis, red-tailed squirrel, golden tegu lizard and green iguanas are seen quite regularly too. The centre also has the world’s most accessible colony of oilbirds, the only nocturnal fruit eating (frugivorous) birds in the world. Night walks can often reveal many exciting creatures including the Trinidad chevron tarantula, whip scorpion spider, fer-de-lance, Cook’s tree boa and various species of owls.
Optional Activities
Guided walks through the reserve and local forest. Excursions further away are also available to other key wildlife sites and turtle nesting beaches. Evening lectures about the centre and its wildlife and night walks are often held.
Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel
Overview
Located in Grand Riviere, in the unspoiled north east of the island of Trinidad, Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel is a beachfront ecolodge with a unique selling point: Grand Riviere Beach has been the chosen nesting site for generations of leatherback turtles, coming ashore from the months of March up until the late summer months of the northern hemisphere.
Hundreds of the enormous reptiles may clamber up the beach to dig their egg chambers and lay their eggs in a single night. After the first couple of months of the season, hatchlings can be seen emerging from their chambers, and making the short journey to the sea. Beach access to tourists and locals alike, is strictly controlled during the nesting season, but guided walks are permitted.
On the inland side of Grand Riviere village, is the edge of northern Trinidad’s expansive tract of tropical rainforest. Hundreds of bird species dwell here, including various hummingbirds, trogons, birds of prey and the endemic Trinidad piping-guan.
This peaceful hotel has recently had a complete revamp. Rooms are modern and very comfortable with all the amenities you would expect from quality accommodation. The amenities and services of the village are all within a few minutes’ walk. There is an on-site restaurant and bar, but are also some options in the village for eating and drinking, as well as a couple of small general stores.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
24/7 guest services, restaurant, bar, lounge, gift shop, laundry facilities, front desk safe for larger items, porter service, airport shuttle (Surcharge).
The rooms have tea & coffee facilities, outdoor seating/lounging area, electronic safe, free Wi-Fi, complimentary water, hair dryer, complimentary toiletries, air-conditioning units and fans.
Local Wildlife
Leatherback turtles (nesting season from March to September).
Birds include: Trinidad piping guan (endemic to Trinidad), black vulture, brown pelican, spotted sandpiper, yellow-headed caracara, Carib grackle, collared trogon, white-necked jacobin.
Optional Activities
Hiking to waterfalls, freshwater pools for swimming, secluded beach coves, birdwatching and forest hikes, kayak rental.
Guided excursions are available at an additional cost, including kayak tours, guided hikes, chocolate tour and birdwatching.
Blue Waters Inn
Overview
Blue Waters Inn is a small, 38-room hotel nestled in a secluded horseshoe bay in the quiet north-eastern end of the island, with a beautiful sandy beach plus 46 acres of wildlife-filled tropical gardens. The hotel benefits from friendly service and pleasant, well-kept rooms, each with air-conditioning, ceiling fans and sea views from every room. Some have a private balcony overlooking the beach, others have a private patio area.
Blue Waters Inn offers safe swimming and excellent doorstep snorkelling and diving on reefs featuring over 70 species of coral as well as turtles, eagle rays and manta rays. There are hummingbird feeders and nature trails through the forest at the back of the property where many birds can be seen including rufous-vented chachalaca, Trinidad motmot and orange-winged parrot.
The restaurant, Aqua, is situated on a deck right on the beach, a superb setting for a Caribbean dinner. A freshly updated menu including delicious locally caught fresh seafood, as well as a selection of Caribbean and western cuisine, is wonderfully prepared and cooked. On certain days a BBQ with a steel drum band performance is offered.
The well-stocked bar serves a wide range of cocktails and beverages as well as snacks with a picture perfect, sea view backdrop. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the communal areas.
Other facilities include a games room, tennis court, infinity pool and Jacuzzi, TV and tea and coffee facilities in the lobby, dive centre, sun loungers, currency exchange and a safety deposit box.
Little Tobago, with its impressive bird sanctuary is only a few minutes away by boat, where red-billed tropicbirds and magnificent figatebirds can be found. Half an hour away is St Giles Island, the southern Caribbean’s largest seabird colony.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Restaurant, bar and lounge, infinity pool, Jacuzzi, sun loungers, dive shop, gift shop, tennis court, room service, currency exchange, BBQ, games room, free Wi-Fi in the communal areas and air-conditioning.
Rooms all have Wi-Fi, a private balcony or patio (or both), tea and coffee making facilities, safety deposit box, private bathroom with a hairdryer.
There is the option of larger studios and bungalows also.
Local Wildlife
The coral reef just offshore from the beach is teeming with a large diversity of reef fish including jacks, groupers, kingfish, angelfish, moray and spotted eels, octopus, cuttlefish and the endangered hawksbill turtle.
In deeper waters, eagle and manta rays, sharks, jacks and other large fish can be seen. Night dives can also be arranged which provide a completely different underwater experience and give a chance to encounter eels, lobsters and sharks. For those who prefer to stay dry, glass bottom boat tours are also available.
The forest around Blue Water Inn is a good spot to see the beautiful ruby topaz hummingbird, Trinidad motmot and range-restricted rufous-vented chachalaca. The nearby island of Little Tobago has a large colony of nesting seabirds with magnificent frigatebird, red-billed tropicbird, brown noddy, sooty tern and red and brown-footed boobies all easily seen depending on the season. There is also the possibility of seeing the rare Audubon’s shearwater and roosting white-tailed nightjar.
Optional Activities
Birdwatching tours, cocoa tours, glass-bottom boat trips, kayaking, waterfall excursions, swimming, snorkelling and diving, and excursions to Little Tobago and St Giles Island. Longer excursions to the main ridge forest reserve (Tobago’s largest area of rainforest), Charlottesville and turtle nesting beaches are also possible.
Route Map
Departure Dates
Travel Information
Are International Flights Included?
No. Please contact us for a quote if required.
Flight Info:
British Airways flies 3 times a week from London Gatwick to Port of Spain.
Best Visited:
January to May
Are you ATOL Registered?
Yes. This means we are legally able to book your international flights in conjunction with your ground arrangements so you can book with us with complete confidence. Read more about our ATOL license here.
John Melton
Area Specialist
Wake early at Grande Riviere for a chance to see late nesting turtles returning to sea in daylight, much better for photography.
If you have any questions regarding this Tour, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
