Best birdwatching tour. The privileged geographical conditions of this region have made protected areas refuges for thousands of species of fauna and flora. Their beauty and great variety make Colombia the ideal destination for nature and photography lovers, especially birdwatchers. The options and opportunities are many, that’s why we have put together a team and a set of services for you to enjoy the experience to the fullest. During this itinerary we will explore Los Andes mountain range, in the regions of the biogeographic Chocó, the Cauca valley and the Coffee region. A comfortable 4×4 vehicle conditioned for the different terrain conditions will be driven by a guide experienced in wildlife monitoring and photography. This is the ideal way for you to live a memorable experience.
Trip Details
Tour Highlights
The Tropical Andes region is a biodiversity hotspot described as a "Global Epicenter of Biodiversity" by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund.
The Biogeographic Chocó is known as one of the wettest and rainiest places on the planet. It is home to more than 600 species of birds.
All hotspots are important for conservation biology, but this tour in particular is special because it has several endemic species included in the checklist.
Among its different vegetation we have: the sub-Andean forest, the cloud forest and the paramo ecosystem.
The diversity of vegetation across their wide altitudinal range is home to more than 1,600 species of birds.
Scientists believe that in a single tree over 50 meters high can be found more insects than those found in the entire area of the British Isles.
Tour Type
Customizable
Private
Shared
Thematics
Birdwatching
Photography
Wildlife
Itinerary
DAY 1
Cali (Airport) + KM 18, Cali
PM – BOSQUE DE NIEBLA Birding & Nature
PM – BOSQUE DE NIEBLA Birding & Nature
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D
Bosque de Niebla Lodge (or similar)
45 km // 1h30m
DAY 2
KM 18, Cali
AM – SAN FELIPE
AM – SAN FELIPE
PM – HUMMINGBIRDS GARDEN
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B, L, D
Program the schedules according to your check-list.
Bosque de Niebla Lodge (or similar)
2 km // 30m
DAY 3
KM 18, Cali + Doña Dora
AM – BOSQUE DE NIEBLA Birding & Nature
AM – BOSQUE DE NIEBLA Birding & Nature
PM – DOÑA DORA Birdwatching
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B, L, D
Doña Dora farm house (or similar)
40 km // 1h15m
DAY 4
Doña Dora + Laguna de Sonso
AM – ANDEAN COCK-OF-THE-ROCK (LEK)
AM – ANDEAN COCK-OF-THE-ROCK (LEK)
PM – CAUCA RIVER Birding & Nautical Tour
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B, L, D
1h
Osprey EcoLodge (or similar)
106 km // 3h
DAY 5
Laguna de Sonso + Anaime Canyon
AM – LAGUNA DE SONSO (IBA) Birding
AM – LAGUNA DE SONSO (IBA) Birding
PM – RETORNO DE LOS COLIBRÍES Natural Reserve
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B, L, D
Urapanes del Bosque Lodge (or similar)
215 km // 4h
DAY 6
Anaime Canyon + Otún River Basin
AM – WAXPALM FOREST, La Tribuna farm
AM – WAXPALM FOREST, La Tribuna farm
PM – After enjoying a picnic breakfast, we return to El Retorno de los Colibríes to enjoy a picnic lunch. At noon, we will return to the route of this great journey through the coffee region.
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B, L, D
1h
Otun Quimbaya Lodge (or similar)
95 km // 3h30m
DAY 7
Otún River Basin
AM – OTUN QUIMBAYA FLORA AND FAUNA SANCTUARY
AM – OTUN QUIMBAYA FLORA AND FAUNA SANCTUARY
PM – At the end of the afternoon we will go to the El Cedral sector to wait for the appearance of the mystical Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque). This mammal has nocturnal and early morning habits, so we will take a rest in a simple and comfortable peasant’s house. We will also have the opportunity to observe other mammals such as colombian Red Howler Monkey (Alouatta seniculus) and Crab-eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous).
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B, L, D
El Cedral Lodge (or similar)
10 km // 30m
DAY 8
Otún River Basin + Rio Blanco Reserve
AM – LOOKING FOR THE TORRENT DUCKS
AM – LOOKING FOR THE TORRENT DUCKS
PM – Afternoon transfer to Rio Blanco Reserve to enjoy the forest birds and hummingbirds in the gardens.
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B, L, D
Casa Nueva, Rio Blanco Lodge (or similar)
82 km // 2h40m
DAY 9
Rio Blanco Reserve + Termales del Ruíz
AM – RIO BLANCO Natural Reserve
AM – RIO BLANCO Natural Reserve
PM – Afternoon transfer to Termales del Ruíz to enjoy the garden with hummingbirds and time to relax in the hot spring pools.
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B, L, D
Program the schedules according to your check-list.
Hotel Termales del Ruíz (or similar)
30 km // 1h 30m
DAY 10
Nevado del Ruíz + Montezuma Rainforest
AM – PÁRAMO DEL RUÍZ
AM – PÁRAMO DEL RUÍZ
PM – Transfer to Montezuma Rainforest Ecolodge, located at Tatama National Park.
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B, L, D
Montezuma Rainforest Ecolodge (or similar)
145 km // 4h15m
DAY 11
Tatamá National Natural Park
FULL DAY: Montezuma Rainforest 1 / 2
FULL DAY: Montezuma Rainforest 1 / 2
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B, L, D
Program the schedules according to your check-list.
Montezuma Rainforest Ecolodge (or similar)
22 km // 4h
DAY 12
Tatamá National Natural Park
FULL DAY: Montezuma Rainforest 2 / 2
FULL DAY: Montezuma Rainforest 2 / 2
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B, L, D
Program the schedules according to your check-list.
Montezuma Rainforest Ecolodge (or similar)
22 km // 4h
DAY 13
Montezuma Rainforest + Pereira (Airport)
This morning’s birding activity will depend on the flight schedule. Please note that you must be in the waiting room 2 hours before for domestic flights and 3 hours before for international flights.
This morning’s birding activity will depend on the flight schedule. Please note that you must be in the waiting room 2 hours before for domestic flights and 3 hours before for international flights.
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Hotels
Bosque de Niebla Lodge
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$$$
Located 21 km from Cali's city center, this privileged site is set in the cloud forests of the mountains in the La Elvira forest reserve area. It offers accommodation with a restaurant, garden and 24-hour reception. Free WiFi is available throughout the property. Some rooms have a balcony and/or terrace with garden or city views. The lodge serves continental and vegetarian breakfast. It has spaces to enjoy nature: a hide with 360° observation capacity, another handcrafted hide inside the forest, balcony and viewpoint where you can observe and photograph a great variety of birds such as the Red-headed Barbet, the Chestnut Wood-Quail (endemic), Tanagers, Hummingbirds and much more.
Doña Dora Farmhouse
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$$$
An excellent place for birdwatching 55 km from Cali, with a privileged location between the Western Cordillera and the Pacific Ocean, at an altitude of 1200 m. It offers basic lodging services, restaurant with local food and a wonderful observatory. There is probably no better place in the world to observe the iconic Barbate Toucan, which is endemic to the Chocó and found only in western Ecuador and Colombia. The list also includes the Golirrufa Tanager, the Mountain-headed Tanager Oropendola and many more species. For those who dare to hike the demanding terrain of these jungle mountains the reward is fantastic, a very active lek of Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, which offers good opportunities for photographic recording.
Air Conditioning
WiFi
SPA
Osprey EcoLodge
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$$$
Located on the banks of the Cauca River, 60 km from the city of Cali. It offers basic lodging in cabins of traditional construction of the communities of artisanal fishermen of the region, you can also taste the typical gastronomy. The nautical tours along the Cauca River are an ideal adventure for contemplation and photography. Bird watching tours can also be scheduled in the wetlands area of Laguna de Sonso, which is at an altitude of 937 m, and is classified as an area of importance for the conservation of birds (AICA) by Birdlife International. Its flagship species is the Horned Screamer (Anhima cornuta).
Urapanes del Bosque
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$$$
A place located in the forests of the mountains of the Cordillera Central, 12.5 km from Cajamarca (Tolima, CO). It offers a comfortable lodging service surrounded by nature. It offers organic products and regional gastronomy. Nearby are the Andean forests of Palma de Cera which are home to the Yellow-eared Parrots, an endemic species in danger of extinction.
Santuario Otún Quimbaya
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$$$
Located 16 km from the city of Pereira, this lodge is inside the reserve and offers all the basic amenities. About 90% of the protected area corresponds to natural forests, in different stages of succession, and mature forests. In addition to the red howler monkeys and the charismatic torrent ducks, you can also observe the Cauca guan, an endemic species that usually roosts near a beautiful wooden observation tower in the surrounding Andean jungle. It offers restaurant service.
Refugio El Cedral
This resting point is located very close to the Otún Quimbaya Sancturary Flora and Fauna, sharing characteristics in the ecosystem present in the middle basin of the Otún River. A simple and comfortable space surrounded by Andean jungle that receives the local farmers who live in the upper part of the mountains, but the star visitor is one of the great mammals of the Andes, the Woolly Tapir or Andean Tapir. It is an easy and unique opportunity to record this enigmatic and special animal.
Rio Blanco, Casa Nueva
The Rio Blanco and Quebrada Olivares Protected Forest Reserve is one of the areas with the greatest biodiversity in the world and conservation of natural resources. It is located on the Central Andean mountain range in the department of Caldas, three (3) km from the northeastern side of the municipality of Manizales. It is located in the mountainous zone of the great Chinchiná River Basin and has 4,932 hectares of cloud forest. Its altitudinal range is between 2,150 and 3,700 meters above sea level. The average temperature is 11°C (52°F) and the relative humidity is 90%. It has two types of rooms, the Casa Vivero of classic architecture with shared bathrooms, and the Casa Nueva designed with greater comfort and private bathrooms.
Termales del Ruiz
This hotel features a restaurant and includes a free breakfast. It is located 54 km from Manizales, and features a hot springs pool. The rooms are modern. An array of activities can be enjoyed on site or in the surroundings, including hiking. The property is 50 km from Manizales Airport and a 2-hour drive from Nevado del Ruiz Volcano.
Montezuma Rainforest EcoLodge
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$$$
Family Ecolodge located in one of the most biodiverse areas of the world, has 12 rooms with comfortable beds equipped with bathroom, hot water shower and electricity. Delicious homemade meals based on typical Colombian cuisine are offered to suit all types of dietary preferences (vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.). Bird feeders, flowers and fruit trees surround the lodge, attracting every day a great variety of hummingbirds, tanagers, creepers, euphonias and many other species.
Price Details
Included
Meals indicated in the program
Accommodation in standard hotels
Transportation in comfortable vehicles
Tour leader and English speaking guide
Local guides specialized in the region
Local transportation
Boat transportation
Not Included
Domestic flights
International flights
Additional drinks and meals
Medical insurance
Expenses not specified in the program
Tips
Minimum Deposit
30% (The last payment must be completed 45 days prior to the start of the trip.)
Terms & Conditions
The terms of sale may differ based on the nature of your trip and how close your departure date is. Please review our conditions here for more information .
Spotted Species
Here is a non-exhaustive list of Animal Species you can spot during this tour
Acorn Woodpecker
The Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is a medium-sized woodpecker with unique face pattern: red crown,...
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Golden-plumed Parakeet
The Golden-plumed Parakeet (Leptosittaca branickii) is a large green parakeet, are highly specialized for life...
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Indigo-capped Hummingbird
The Indigo-capped Hummingbird (Saucerottia cyanifrons) is a medium-sized colorful hummingbird species endemic to Colombia with...
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Tolima Dove
The Tolima Dove (Leptotila conoveri) is a medium-sized dove endemic to Colombia, Shy dove found...
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Yellow-eared Parrot
The Yellow-eared Parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis) is an endangered parrot species only occurs in the waxpalm...
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Sparkling Violetear
The Sparkling Violetear (Colibri coruscans) is a large aggressive hummingbird that usually dominates feeders or...
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Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
The Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) is a medium-sized hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of...
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Andean Motmot
The Andean Motmot or Highland Motmot (Momotus aequatorialis) is a colorful near-passerine bird found from...
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Blue-winged Mountain Tanager
The Blue-winged Mountain Tanager (Anisognathus somptuosus) is a colorful bird species found in the mountainous...
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Chestnut Wood-Quail
The Chestnut Wood-Quail (Odontophorus hyperythrus) is a bird species found in the forests, only in...
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Colombian Chachalaca
The Colombian Chachalaca (Ortalis columbiana) is a noisy bird species found in the forests of...
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Crimson-rumped Toucanet
The Crimson-rumped Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus haematopygus) is a medium-sized, grass-green toucan of humid tropical forest from...
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Golden Tanager
The Golden Tanager (Tangara arthus) is a small tanager found in Andean foothills and subtropical...
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Little Tinamou
The Little Tinamou (Crypturellus soui) is a furtive, almost tailless small game bird that lives...
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Multicolored Tanager
Multicolored Tanager (Chlorochrysa nitidissima) is endemic to Colombia, known for its vivid multicolored plumage. It...
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