Cuba
Viñales, Cayo Coco, Camagüey and Zapata
Fascinating as one of the last remaining communist regimes, Cuba is also probably the best birding destination in the Caribbean in spring. It was Island Holidays who first introduced Cuba to the British birding agenda, pioneering in the very early 1990s where most leading companies now follow.
Our tour visits a variety of habitats but the pace is gentle and you can appreciate both the birds and the countryside. In Andy Mitchell we have unquestionably the leading British authority on Cuba and its birds, and his experience and contacts mean that you will see most of Cuba's endemics, many Caribbean specialities and North American migrants, as well as getting a flavour of the Cuban way of life. Birds which we would expect to see include most of the endemics such as Cuban Solitaire, Cuban Tody, Zapata Wren, Fernandina's Flicker and the Bee Hummingbird - the smallest bird in the world.
To get the best out of our stay, we visit four very different places, using good quality, comfortable accommodation before ending up for a two-night stay in Havana - an addition which has been made in response to previous clients' expressions of interest in spending a little time in this fascinating old city. The area around the small town of Viñales in the west of Cuba is renowned for its beautiful scenery, while Cayo Coco gives us a taste of coast and lagoons. Our third stop is in southern central Cuba south of the old colonial city of Camagüey. Very little of this savannah habitat is left in Cuba as much of it was cleared in the early 20th century for food production, and the abundance here of some of Cuba's rarer bird species shows what has been lost.
We move on to the Bay of Pigs where we stay in the amazing Ciénaga de Zapata or Zapata Swamp. This is a huge nature reserve and one of the wonders of the Caribbean. There is a fascinating series of habitats in this area where swamp meets woodland meets coast, and we will concentrate on finding the special birds - both resident and migratory.
At the end of what is very much a birding holiday, we spend a couple of nights in Havana to enjoy the fascinating culture of this incredible island with its communist regime and its generous, warm-hearted people.
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