Colombia’s Birding Highlights

Typical Itinerary

1. Day 1: Depart UK

2. Day 2: Arrive Bogotá and fly to Pereira

   On arrival in Bogotá in the early morning, we take a short onward flight to Pereira in the central Andes. After arriving into the city of Pereira, we are transferred to the Montezuma Ecolodge in the Tatama National Park. We should arrive at our accommodation by midday where we have time to settle into our new accommodation before an afternoon birding.

   Birding here can produce grayish piculet, apical flycatcher and Colombian chachalaca – all Colombian endemics. The stunning vermilion flycatcher is also common here, as is the striking bar-crested antshrike. 

   Later we gather for a welcome dinner and an opportunity to discuss the forthcoming trip.

   Accommodation: Montezuma Road Ecolodge, 3-nights

3. Days 3-4 : Birding in Tatama National Park

   The Pacific slope of Colombia’s western Andes, known as the Choco, is among the most biologically diverse habitats in the world, and we have plenty of time to explore this treasure trove of birds, orchids and perhaps even a mammal or two! During our stay in the reserve we use four-wheel-drive vehicles to access tracks that descend from 1,300 to 2,300 metres in altitude, allowing us to do gentle downhill birding.

   Two of the star species here are near-mythical Colombian endemics – black-and-gold tanager and gold-ringed tanager. Other highlights here might include Choco specialities such as black solitaire, Choco trogon, toucan barbet, black-chinned mountain-tanager, yellow-collared chlorophonia, bicoloured antvireo and chestnut-bellied flowerpiercer. Indeed, Montezuma is so productive and holds so many special species found only in the Choco habitat, that it might well prove to be the top birding location for the trip. Considering Santa Marta is included in our itinerary, this goes to show how impressive a site this really is!

   We make the most of the generally clear mornings. This region receives a great deal of rain and we can expect a downpour or two, especially as the day progresses. Showers often pass quickly and we can always retreat to the vehicles should it get particularly heavy. However, if the skies are clear we might be lucky to be graced with a flyby from raptors such as the beautifully marked ornate hawk-eagle or perhaps an impressive black-and-chestnut eagle. We can expect a dazzling list of tanagers that might include purplish-mantled, silver-throated, rufous-throated, glistening green and flame-faced to name but a few! Woodpeckers, too, are well represented, with regional specialities including yellow-vented, crimson-mantled and powerful. Each day there is also time to enjoy the delights of the hummingbird and fruit feeders around the lodge.

4. Day 5: Transfer to Pereira

   Following a morning excursion in Tatama National Park and a spot of lunch, it is time to return to Pereira and to our overnight accommodation close to the city – a beautiful colonial-style hacienda set in gardens with a small swimming pool.

   Accommodation: Hacienda San Jose, 1-night

5. Day 6: Birding in Otún Quimbaya Reserve

   This morning we head to nearby Otún Quimbaya Reserve, where our targets include the hard-to-see endemic chestnut wood-quail, endemic Cauca guan – the latter presumed extinct until its rediscovery in 1994 – and the striking red-ruffed fruitcrow. At one spot, we have an excellent chance of seeing the stunning multicoloured tanager, as well as crested ant-tanager – both Colombian endemics.

   This is the perfect place to locate roaming mixed-species flocks made up of metallic-green, golden-naped and saffron-crowned tanagers, as well as a selection of flycatchers, foliage-gleaners and woodcreepers. Early morning also offers chances of mammal sightings, including red howler monkey, Hoffmann's two-toed sloth and even the elusive mountain tapir.

   After a productive morning we have lunch at the ranger station, whose gardens attract a range of hummingbirds and offer excellent photographic opportunities. We then stop at a bridge that spans the Otún River and scan for three sought-after waterbirds: torrent duck, white-capped dipper and torrent tyrannulet, before continuing to the mountain settlement of Manizales. 

   Accommodation: Hotel Termales del Ruiz, 2-nights

6. Day 7: Manizales; drive to Nevado del Ruiz

   After an early start, we head into the mountains east of Manizales, stopping in cloud forest to try to locate a feeding flock of endangered rufous-fronted parakeets – an unpredictable and often skittish Colombian endemic. Higher up we enter beautiful páramo, which harbours a number of sought-after species. Top of our list is buffy helmetcrest – a páramo specialist that feeds repetitively on the same flowers, so we can lie in wait and get close-up views of this jaw-dropping, emblematic bird.

   We lunch at a nearby hotel, which has hot springs, plus hummingbird feeders that attract shining sunbeam, rainbow-bearded thornbill and sword-billed hummingbird.

   Our route back to Manizales gives an opportunity to search for more special birds such as golden-headed quetzal, plushcap, Andean motmot and both scarlet-bellied and black-chested mountain-tanagers.

7. Day 8: Manizales; visit Rio Blanco Reserve

   Rio Blanco Reserve, which protects pristine cloud forest, has a reputation as one of Colombia’s top birding sites, thanks to species that include masked saltator, white-capped tanager, mountain cacique, powerful woodpecker, golden-plumed parakeet, rusty-faced parrot, chestnut wood-quail, ocellated tapaculo, plushcap, red-hooded tanager, buff-breasted mountain-tanager and black-billed mountain-toucan. However, it is the opportunity to see a variety of antpittas that makes this a must-visit location – a single morning’s birding can result in no fewer than five species of this skulking group.

   We lunch at the reserve’s small guesthouse, where hummingbird feeders provide opportunities to photograph long-tailed sylph, tourmaline sunangel, Andean emerald and sparkling violetear, all of which are regular visitors. This keeps us busy in the early afternoon, when the forest is quiet. We stay on until after nightfall to try for nocturnal species that include various nightjars and owls. 

   Accommodation: Valdivia Plaza Hotel, 2-nights

8. Day 9: Drive to Jardıin; afternoon visit to Andean cock-of-the-rock lek

   Depending on how lucky we were at Rio Blanco, we may revisit the reserve for a few hours; otherwise we make our way north to the quaint colonial town of Jardı́n, stopping to bird on the way.  

   There will be time to wander around the beautiful central square, before we head to a lekking site for Andean cock-of-the-rock just outside town. It’s scarcely credible that this lek could be so close to human habitation, but it doesn’t seem to put off the males who often approach to within a metre or two!  

9. Day 10: Drive to Medellin; fly to Santa Marta & transfer to Minca

   This morning we have a final opportunity to try for any species that might have eluded us until now. After breakfast we make the relatively long drive to Medellin, from where we fly to the Caribbean coastal city of Santa Marta and transfer a short distance to the small settlement of Minca. This little village is popular with visitors thanks to its cool mountain streams, waterfalls and friendly atmosphere. 

   We should arrive in time to enjoy some gentle birding around our lodge, including the hummingbird feeders set up on the balcony which attract rufous-breasted hermit, steely-vented and rufous-tailed hummingbirds, black-throated mango, white-necked jacobin and white-vented plumeleteer. 

   Accommodation: Hotel Minca La Casona, 1-night

10. Day 11: Birding around Minca; drive to El Dorado Lodge

    This morning we enjoy birding in productive sites around Minca. Target species include golden-winged sparrow, rosy-thrush tanager, coppery emerald, northern royal flycatcher, black-crowned antshrike and keel-billed toucan, among many others. 

    Later on we make our way by 4WD to the famous El Dorado Lodge, which perches high on the San Lorenzo ridge of the Sierra de Santa Marta – a truly spectacular location and a fitting final stop on this epic birding tour! 

    Accommodation: El Dorado Lodge, 3-nights

11. Days 12-13 : Birding at El Dorado Lodge

    We enjoy two full days on the San Lorenzo ridge of the Sierra de Santa Marta – surely one of the world’s top birding locations! 

    The Sierra de Santa Marta harbours some 20 Colombian endemics – the highest concentration of any location in the country. Of these, it is perfectly feasible to view 15-18 during a three-night stay! We can encounter some – such as Santa Marta brush-finch, yellow-crowned whitestart, Santa Marta mountain-tanager and rusty-headed spinetail – with relative ease. Others require greater effort, and it is these more furtive species that are our main focus. These include Santa Marta sabrewing, Santa Marta parakeet, Santa Marta antpitta, Santa Marta foliage-gleaner and black-backed thornbill. 

    In addition to the endemics we can expect to see many more excellent birds such as black-chested jay, band-tailed guan, white-tipped quetzal, golden-breasted fruiteater, coppery emerald, rosy-thrush tanager, red-billed parrot, rusty-breasted antpitta, lined quail dove, black-fronted wood-quail, white-rumped hawk and grey-throated leaftosser.

12. Day 14: Return to Bogotá

    There will be time this morning for some final birding in search of any species which might have eluded us, before we retrace our route back down to Minca. 

    Later we return to Santa Marta to catch a flight back to Bogotá, where we are greeted and transferred to a comfortable city hotel.

    Accommodation: Emaus Hotel, Bogotá, 1-night

13. Day 15: Chingaza National Park excursion; depart Bogotá

    On our final day we enjoy a full day excursion to the spectacular high-altitude Chingaza National Park, a short distance east of the bustling capital. This is a beautiful site, which protects páramo, sub-páramo and elfin forest habitats, and harbours a number of country endemic and near-endemic birds. 

    We try a little-known patch of cloud forest for the elusive brown-breasted (flame-winged) parakeet – another Colombian endemic. The reserve is also home to spectacled bear, puma and margay, although considerable luck is required to see any of these secretive creatures. Chingaza is all about quality over quantity, but birding in such stunning Andean scenery is a treat – especially when the weather behaves itself. 

    We return to our hotel in Bogotá with time to freshen up before transferring to the international airport for our flight back to the UK.

14. Day 16: Arrive UK