Trinidad & Tobago tailor made tours
| country: | Trinidad & Tobago |
| departures: | We offer a complete tailor made service allowing you to decide where you stay and what to do. We recommend that you spend two weeks in this fabulous country. |
| price: | From £1595 - £1945 (16 days) including flights from the UK. Please note that as a UK based company we are only able to help with flight arrangements from the UK |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
An ideal itinerary for budding naturalists and bird-watchers which takes in the world-famous Asa Wright Nature Centre and provides the opportunity to see giant turtles in the remote north-east corner of Trinidad, ending up with a few days of secluded relaxation on Tobago. Trinidad is the Eastern Caribbean's largest and most densely populated island, yet it remains one of the least touristy of all its neighbours.One of its prime attractions is the Asa Wright Nature Centre.
This former cocoa and coffee plantation is now a superb 80 hectare nature reserve, home to more than 100 bird species and a breeding colony for the elusive nocturnal guacharo, or oilbird. There's accommodation, group facilities, a research station and a series of hiking trails.
Trinidad offers some of the Caribbean's finest birdwatching - check out Caroni and Nariva Swamps and the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust.
Little sister island, Tobago, is much more relaxed with good beaches, reef-protected waters and lovely ocean-tickling hotels. It also has rainforest, good birdwatching and great snorkelling and diving. Highlights include Speyside, a small fishing village and the jumping off point for excursions to the uninhabited island of Little Tobago, a bird sanctuary 2 km off shore. Charlotteville is another delightful fishing village - quiet, secluded and lined with a palm-fringed brown-sand beach offering good swimming. There's great snorkelling at Pirate's Bay and Booby Island just south of the village. These villages are true Caribbean hideaways. You should also visit the Tobago Forest Reserve, the oldest forest reserve in the Caribbean, established in 1765.
This former cocoa and coffee plantation is now a superb 80 hectare nature reserve, home to more than 100 bird species and a breeding colony for the elusive nocturnal guacharo, or oilbird. There's accommodation, group facilities, a research station and a series of hiking trails.
Trinidad offers some of the Caribbean's finest birdwatching - check out Caroni and Nariva Swamps and the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust.
Little sister island, Tobago, is much more relaxed with good beaches, reef-protected waters and lovely ocean-tickling hotels. It also has rainforest, good birdwatching and great snorkelling and diving. Highlights include Speyside, a small fishing village and the jumping off point for excursions to the uninhabited island of Little Tobago, a bird sanctuary 2 km off shore. Charlotteville is another delightful fishing village - quiet, secluded and lined with a palm-fringed brown-sand beach offering good swimming. There's great snorkelling at Pirate's Bay and Booby Island just south of the village. These villages are true Caribbean hideaways. You should also visit the Tobago Forest Reserve, the oldest forest reserve in the Caribbean, established in 1765.
best time to go
The dry season is from November to the end of April. May can often be a good time to go as it is the end of the season and much quieter but it is very hot and humid. The rainy season starts at the beginning of June through to October. It does not rain all day but often clouds over at lunchtime and there are downpours in the afternoon. There is a risk of hurricane during August, September and October in the Caribbean and the Caribbean coasts of Central America.day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly to Port of Spain, 3 nights Half Board |
| Day 2: | Full day private city tour of Port of Spain and surrounding area |
| Day 3: | Afternoon boat trip to the Caroni Swamp, touring mangroves and watching Scarlet Ibis come in to roost |
| Day 4: | Full day North Coast drive and Marianne river hike on-route to Asa Wright, 3 nights at Full Board |
| Day 5: | Free Day |
| Day 6: | Complimentary trip to resident oil bird colony included for 3 night stay |
| Day 7: | Transfer to Grande Riviere for a beach stay and chance to see giant turtles, 3 nights |
| Day 8: | Free day |
| Day 9: | Free day |
| Day 10: | Early morning collection for Nariva Wetlands Kayak trip and Foot Safari into the Bush Bush Reserve. Picnic lunch and drop off at Port of Spain hotel, 1 night |
| Day 11: | Fly to Tobago, collect hire car at airport and drive to Arnos Vale on Tobago's northern Caribbean coast, 4 nights |
| Day 12-14: | Free day |
| Day 15: | Drop hire car at airport and fly home |
| Day 16: | Arrive UK |
Travellers' tales
The holiday was very good and certainly up with the best we have done. (more)
Tailormade holiday
This trip can be tailormade to create a unique holiday for your individual requirements by travel experts with intimate knowledge of the destination. It is a more luxurious trip that will suit those who enjoy immersing themselves in new cultures and environments before relaxing in comfort in some of the best and most characterful local accommodation! Quality and value are the hallmark of these trips.
Read an article about this tripThe rainforests of Trinidad and Tobago are an ornithologist's dream. Julie Cohen and photographer Stuart Conway take a vacation deep into the jungle to catch a glimpse of the bird of eternal darkness. (more)
how this holiday makes a difference
A highlight of this trip is seeing the giant leatherback turtles at Grande Rivere.
At the right time of year, generally between April and July, you may encounter a leatherback turtle. These giant "soft-shelled" turtles can weigh as much as 2000 pounds! Leatherbacks must travel to the Caribbean to nest because they reside in cooler latitudes of the United States, Canada and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. These areas are far too cold to provide adequate nesting conditions! Thus, Caribbean islands, including Trinidad and Tobago, are very important to the survival of these ancient creatures. Sadly, many of the leatherbacks that come to Trinidad & Tobago laden with eggs are killed when they come ashore. When an adult female is killed, thousands of eggs (which would have been laid in future years) are also lost.
It is because we have killed so many of the adults that sea turtles of all species are endangered throughout the Caribbean. Each female must lay many thousands of eggs in order for her species to survive. Only a few hatchlings in 1000 will survive to maturity and lay eggs of their own. Sea turtles are 20-35 years old, depending on the species, before they are old enough to breed. Many are killed before they reach this age. Sometimes we do not kill them directly, but still they perish from our activities. For example, turtles breath air and can drown when they become entangled in fishing nets. Also, turtles are very sensitive to light. When the nesting beach is well lit by hotels and other developments, the baby turtles are attracted by these artificial lights and crawl inland. These hatchlings never find the sea and they often die in the morning sun. Finally, turtles can mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and die when their stomachs become packed with plastic.
Grande Riviere is an important conservation area which tourism is helping to preserve. In the past locals have killed the turtles for their shells and meat and dug up their eggs. Now they are employed as wardens and help protect the turtles.
At the right time of year, generally between April and July, you may encounter a leatherback turtle. These giant "soft-shelled" turtles can weigh as much as 2000 pounds! Leatherbacks must travel to the Caribbean to nest because they reside in cooler latitudes of the United States, Canada and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. These areas are far too cold to provide adequate nesting conditions! Thus, Caribbean islands, including Trinidad and Tobago, are very important to the survival of these ancient creatures. Sadly, many of the leatherbacks that come to Trinidad & Tobago laden with eggs are killed when they come ashore. When an adult female is killed, thousands of eggs (which would have been laid in future years) are also lost.
It is because we have killed so many of the adults that sea turtles of all species are endangered throughout the Caribbean. Each female must lay many thousands of eggs in order for her species to survive. Only a few hatchlings in 1000 will survive to maturity and lay eggs of their own. Sea turtles are 20-35 years old, depending on the species, before they are old enough to breed. Many are killed before they reach this age. Sometimes we do not kill them directly, but still they perish from our activities. For example, turtles breath air and can drown when they become entangled in fishing nets. Also, turtles are very sensitive to light. When the nesting beach is well lit by hotels and other developments, the baby turtles are attracted by these artificial lights and crawl inland. These hatchlings never find the sea and they often die in the morning sun. Finally, turtles can mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and die when their stomachs become packed with plastic.
Grande Riviere is an important conservation area which tourism is helping to preserve. In the past locals have killed the turtles for their shells and meat and dug up their eggs. Now they are employed as wardens and help protect the turtles.