Trogon Trips
We started in 2000 with organising small birding excursions around Mérida in Venezuela.
Over the next years we expanded to the whole of Colombia and Venezuela.
We then decided to limit our tours to just this area, that what we know well.

Low cost
We are constant working on reducing costs and increasing the standard.
Therefore we do not waste on expensive publicity and marketing. The whole organisation is done by one person, making it possible to organize tours equal in quality for less than half price of other companies.
The tours are cheaper than organising it on your own and well organised!
No time is wasted looking for birding sites, hotels, restaurants, etc.. .

We now also organise trips without guide. We take care of the logistics (car, driver, itinerary, hotel reservation, etc..).
This way you can safe even an extra 20%.

High standard
High standard for us means comfort, safety (we don't take risks), small groups, good guides and honest open information (no hidden costs before, during and after the trip).

Comfort
We stay in nice and typical posadas (guesthouses). All rooms have private bathroom (unless mentioned in itinerary).
Sufficient comfort for birders, who want to have a good sleep for the next days birding.
On our Colombian trips we often stay within the reserves. This means staying in the middle of a top birding site.
Top value even if we have to give in a hot shower for a few days.

Overland transport in Venezuela is done in well-maintained 4x4 jeeps with good drivers.
They are working already many years for us and know the areas and the roads.
In Colombia we stay mainly in lodges within reserves. It is then better to use taxi's and buses to get quickly to the birding spots.

Safety
At this moment we are one of the only companies that can offer safe birding trips to Colombia!
We agree that we are not going to all areas in Colombia

Small groups
We usually limit the number of participants to 4-5.
In case we have a bigger group then there will be always 2 guides.
In some places we have a local guide.
Small groups is an important fact that increases the quality of a tour enormous.
This is especially true when birding in forested regions such as Venezuela and Colombia.
With a big group you won't be able to see a shy antpitta or tapaculo.
Besides you have a more personal service and everything is more flexible.
We organise as well personal trips in Colombia. They are made with the help of local guides.

Guides
Good guides, who know the birds and the areas well, are essential for a good birding trip.
We work with good guides who often are assisted with local experts.
Tours can be organised in various languages: English, French, German, Dutch and Spanish.

For whom
The trips are for everyone who enjoys birding.
We have trips for those who want some easy relaxed birding and for the real hardcore birder, going straight for the endemics he really wants.

In case you are interested, it is important not to wait too long to contact us.
Tours are rapidly booked out.
Last 3 years they were ALL booked out months before they started!

Important: For those that want to go on their own, I have put free information on the web:

Birding (safely) in Colombia

Birding around Merida (Venezuela)


Recommendations from our last trips

Paul and Jill Rendell after the N-Venezuela trip (feb 2006)

"We have completed four tours with Jurgen, two to Colombia and two to Venezuela, all have been very successful. Jurgen is very honest and will try his utmost to find you all the birds in the areas that you are visiting.
He has a good knowledge of the ID of the birds of Venezuela and the bird calls. He also has a comprehensive collection of the bird calls on CD's, which he uses to call in the skulkers. We found him to be helpful and keen at all times, although he is not so keen on waders and ducks.
We stayed at Henri Pittier National Park on both our trips to Venezuela, which is an excellent place for birds, but the accommodation is very basic. If staying at this reserve Jurgen will cook the evening meal.
The hotels used are basic but clean and the evening meals are taken in restaurants a short walk from the hotel.
Jurgen is fluent in Spanish, English and about four other languages as well as his own (Flemish).
If you would like any further information on our trips you can see the reports on Jurgens web site or we will be happy to help. We are happy to recommend Jurgen as a leader and guide and have enjoyed each trip with him.
Good luck with your trip


Piet Heemskerk (Netherlands) after a combined Venezuela/Colombia trip with local guiding (January 2007)

"Wilmer, Jurgen,
...We have had a great time in Venezuela and special in Colombia thanks to Wilmert and Wally, who have taken very good care of us in Colombia.
We are missing in the Netherlands the fresh fruits we had each day at our breakfast."


Maarten Platteeuw (Netherlands) after N-Colombia trip with local guiding (January 2007)

"Hallo Jurgen,
We zijn gisteravond laat teruggekomen uit Colombia. Het is allemaal geweldig goed verlopen. Waly is een geweldig goede gids, die ons in zeven dagen tijd een heel goede indruk heeft gegeven van de biologische diversiteit van de regio Santa Marta en La Guajira, naast een eerste kennismaking met de lokale inheemse bevolkingen en culturen.
Verder inderdaad: zeer vriendelijke en geestige mensen in Colombia. Omdat we allemaal Spaans spreken en verstaan, hebben we ons in zeer hoge mate vermaakt met alles en iedereen die we zijn tegengekomen.
Een groot succes dus!
Vriendelijke groet en dank,
Maarten."


Pekka and Stina Fågel (Finland) after a N-Venezuela trip without guiding (February 2007)