Matt Brooks didn't discover birding until (literally) the day after college, but that hasn't stopped him from turning it into a life-long hobby and obsession. He came into his own as a birder in Alaska while working for the Forest Service and Fish & Wildlife Service in various bird-related capacities over the years....more
Juan Caicedo has a B.A. in Natural History and Cultural Studies from Prescott College in Arizona. For his senior thesis he worked with rural and urban communities in Sonora, Mexico to protect a riparian area important for birds and archaeological conservation....more
Colombia’s incredible biological and cultural diversity make it an amazing destination. As we travel, we will spend time learning about several of the country’s major pre-Columbian cultures, such as the Muisca, Tayrona, and Quimbaya. This tour is designed to take full advantage of Colombia’s natural and cultural diversity to give you a wonderful introduction to this spectacular country.
Nature Treks and Passages is working closely with ProAves in developing and offering this unique tour. ProAves is a Colombian non-governmental organization dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats. The organization owns a superb network of reserves which protect over 35,000 critical acres and over 1,100 bird species, including over 62% of Colombia’s threatened birds.
Day 1
Arrive in Bogotá. You will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel in the elegant and safe Parque 93 District in the north of Bogotá. We will have dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Day 2
We will spend our first full day getting oriented to Colombia and its capital by visiting several of the major cultural sites. Our city tour will begin leisurely after breakfast and will start off in the Plaza de Bolívar which is surrounded by the National Cathedral, Justice Palace, Congressional seat, and Mayor’s office and is one block from the Presidential House. We will then explore the historic Candelaria neighborhood and have lunch before visiting the world famous Gold Museum, where we will see artifacts from all of the major pre-Columbian cultures of the country. After the Gold Museum we will take a cable car ride up to Monserrate Peak (10,367’) where we will enjoy coffee at the mountain top café and take in the stunning view of the entire city, the Bogotá Savanna, and surrounding mountains. As we head back to our hotel and nearby restaurant for dinner we will stop at the offices of ProAves (our tour partner) for a short presentation about the important bird conservation work they undertake.
Day 3
Birding in the spectacular Chingaza National Park, about a 2 hour drive from Bogotá. We will view distinctive flora and fauna. Birds we will look for include: Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Tawny Antpitta, Mattoral Tapaculo, Black-capped Tyrannulet, White-throated and White-banded tyrannulets, Rufous Wren, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Slaty, Pale-naped, and Stripe-headed brush-finches, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Pearled Treerunner, Tyrian Metaltail, Superciliaried and Black-capped hemispingus, Golden-fronted Whitestart and Black-crested warblers,Rufous-browed Conebill; Lafresnaye’s Flowerpiercer, Blue-backed Conebill, Scarlet-bellied and Buff-breasted mountain-tanager, Great Thrush, Mountain Cacique. We will also look for the near endemic hummingbirds Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Coppery-bellied Puffleg, Bronze-tailed Thornbill and Bearded Helmetcrest, and the endemic Brown-breasted (Flame-winged) Parakeet.
We will be back in Bogotá for dinner near the hotel.
Day 4
This will be a birding and travel day as we move from the Bogotá Plateau to the Magdalena Valley lowlands and the town of Mariquita. We will start our morning visiting the Florida Wetlands. This is one of the top birding sites in Bogotá and is an excellent place to search for all the marsh and scrub species endemic to the Bogotá area. The site supports good populations of two highly threatened endemics to the Bogotá Plateau (Apolinar's Wren and Bogotá Rail) as well as other specialties such as the Silvery-throated Spinetail, Andean Siskin (near endemic), Subtropical Doradito, Rufous-browed Conebill, Spot-flanked Gallinule, and Noble Snipe. Other species include Sparkling Violetear, Brown-bellied Swallow, Great Thrush, Black Flowerpiercer, Yellow-backed Oriole, and the ubiquitous Rufous-collared Sparrow are also present. From La Florida we will leave for the Magdalena Valley, spending most of the afternoon driving and stopping to bird watch (approximately 5hrs) along the very scenic highway as we descend from the Bogotá Plateau and into the warm, humid lowlands below.
Mariquita is a popular weekend getaway for Bogotanos (residents of Bogotá) and is one of Colombia’s fruit capitals. Its agricultural diversity includes a great variety of avocados, mangos, banana, papaya, guava, as well as sugar cane and panela production (unrefined sugar), but it is most famous for its production of mangostino (a sweet tropical fruit unknown to most Americans). We will visit some of the fruit stands on the outskirts of Mariquita to see and sample the local fruits. After checking into our hotel we will do some late-afternoon birding on the hotel grounds.
Day 5
This will be a birding and travel day as we move west from the Magdalena Valley lowlands up the western slope of the Central Cordillera (approximately 5 hrs). Our destination will eventually be the excellent Otun-Quimbaya Sanctuary. We will start our morning driving to the Rio Blanco Reserve near the city of Manizales. There we will visit the Antpitta Feeding Project and look for Chestnut-crowned, Brown-banded, Slate-crowned and Bicolored Antpittas and later have lunch while we enjoy some of the best hummingbird watching in Colombia at the reserve’s restaurant. Hummingbirds may include Green Violet-ear, Sparkling Violet-ear, Speckled Hummingbird, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Mountain Velvetbreast, Bronzy Inca, Collared Inca, Buff-tailed Coronet, Tourmaline Sunangel, Long-tailed Sylph, and White-bellied Woodstar. After lunch we will continue on to the Otun-Quimbaya Sanctuary, settle into the comfortable on-site accommodations and do some relaxed birding at the lodge.
It harbors excellent subtropical and montane forest, which supports a great variety of Andean birds, including many endemics and specialties. Possible birds include Cauca Guan, Multicolored Tanager, Crested Ant-Tanager, Chestnut Wood-Quail, Greyish Piculet, Moustached Puffbird, Torrent Duck, Moustached and Brown-banded Antpitta, Bar-crested Antshrike, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Plumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, and Slate-colored Seedeater. At least two endemic species, the Crested Ant-Tanager and Grayish Piculet can be found in the vicinity of our lodge.
The sanctuary will be our base for the next two nights.
Day 6
We will have the entire day to leisurely explore the sanctuary along easy dirt roads and trails while we look for the birds mentioned above. Also present are mammals such as Red Howler Monkeys and Two-toed Sloths and a host of tropical butterflies. We will return to the lodge for lunch and some down time, with optional birding around the lodge before we go out again in the afternoon for more birding and exploring of the spectacular forest within the sanctuary.
Day 7
This will be a birding and travel day as we move north along the Central Cordillera to the picturesque town of Jardín (approximately 6 hrs). We will bird our way out of the Otun-Quimbaya Sanctuary and take a scenic drive through Colombia’s most famous coffee region and the heart of the Quimbaya Culture’s territory.
Jardín is set in a beautiful valley and is one of the most attractive examples of a typical pueblo in Colombia’s main coffee growing region. We will arrive in Jardín and settle into our beautiful flower-clad hacienda hotel and do some relaxed afternoon birding at the hotel grounds.
Day 8
We will have the entire day to explore the ProAves Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve, the town of Jardín, and the surrounding hillsides at our own pace. In the morning we will look for and learn about the highly endemic and endangered Yellow-eared Parrot, whose conservation is one of ProAves’ flagship projects. This parrot is dependent on the wax palm, Colombia’s national tree and is one of the tallest and highest altitude growing palms in the world. While we are scanning for parrots we will also look for other incredible species such as Chestnut-crowned Cotinga,Black-and-white Seedeater,White-browed Spinetail, Spillmann’s Tapaculo, Golden-crowned Tanager, Golden-faced Whitestart,Black-billed Mountain Toucan, and Tanager Finch, as well as great mixed flocks of highland tanagers, warblers, and flycatchers.
After we get our fill for the morning we will return to town for lunch and some down time with an optional visit to explore Jardín’s plaza, which is a Colombian National Monument. In the afternoon we will head back out to another site near town and look for birds we may have missed in the morning or new ones including, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Red-bellied Grackle, Golden Tanager, White-tailed Hawk, Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Streaked Xenops, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Chestnut-collared Swift, Bronzy Inca, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Andean Emerald, Yellow-throated Brush Finch, Streak-necked Flycatcher, Striped Treehunter, Masked Flowerpiercer, and Lineated Foliage Gleaner.
Day 9
Today will be a birding and travel day that will take us from the Central Cordillera to the Caribbean coast and up to the crown jewel of Colombia birding and the highest costal mountain range in the world: the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. We will leave Jardín right after breakfast and travel north (approximately 4-5 hours) to the airport in Medellín for a flight (1 hour) that will put us into the costal city of Santa Marta for lunch. After lunch we will take a leisurely drive (approx. 2-3 hours) and bird our way up to the spectacular El Dorado Lodge, perched at 6,500’ in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park. We’ll spend the rest of the day settling in to our stunning accommodations at the El Dorado Lodge’s bird-filled grounds and relaxing from the day’s travel (many endemic birds can be seen directly from the Lodge’s balcony). Dinner will be at the Lodge.
Day 10 & 11
Founded in 2006, The 1,600 acre El Dorado Reserve is ProAves’ flagship reserve and is set within the larger Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park. We will have the next two full days to explore the El Dorado Reserve and surrounding area at a comfortable pace, while still having great opportunities to see the many exciting species found here, including nearly 20 endemics . We’ll also enjoy stunning views of Santa Marta and the Caribbean Sea below and views of Colombia’s tallest peaks above. Over the course of the next two days here we will drive to higher elevations in search of endemics and other exciting species, returning to our comfortable lodge each night. We will also visit a nearby shade-grown coffee plantation to learn more about bird conservation efforts with coffee growers and see a coffee processing demonstration. Among the endemics we hope to see include Santa Marta Screech-Owl, Santa Marta Parakeet, the rare Black-backed Thorntail, Santa Marta Woodstar, Santa Marta Seedeater.Santa Marta Mountain Tanager,Santa Marta Toucanet, Blossomcrown, Santa Marta Antpitta, Santa Marta and Brown-rumped tapaculos, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, White-tailed Starfrontlet,Santa Marta and White-lored warblers, Santa Marta Brush Finch, Rusty-headed and Streak-capped spinetails, and Yellow-crowned Whitestart. Other possible species include Lined Quail-Dove, Black-fronted Wood-Quail, White-tipped Quetzal, Gray-throated Warbler,White-rumped Hawk, and Golden-breasted Fruiteater.
One of our evening programs at the Lodge will be a presentation about the Sierra Nevada’s Tayrona Culture. The Tayrona were the first advanced indigenous culture encountered by the Spaniards in the New World, in 1499. As the Spaniards advanced from their base in Santa Marta in search of El Dorado the Tayronas put up fierce resistance but were eventually wiped out. Today the range is inhabited by a few indigenous groups, one of which, the Kogi (also spelled Kogui) is considered by many anthropologists to be one of the most authentic surviving civilizations of pre-Columbian America.
Day 12
This morning we will have a leisurely descent from the El Dorado Reserve back to the costal town of Santa Marta. On the way we will make a few stops, including the coffee growing town of Minca, where we will look for Coppery Emerald, Golden-fronted Greenlet, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, and Golden-winged Sparrow, among other bird species. If we get back to Santa Marta early enough and there is interest, we can have an optional visit to the Tayrona Archaeological Museum. At the museum we will see gold and pottery artifacts as well as an impressive scale model of the “Lost City”. This evening we will enjoy dinner and drinks by the ocean.
Day 13
Founded in 1521, Santa Marta is Colombia’s oldest surviving colonial city. The site for the town at the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta was chosen to serve as a convenient base for the extracting the incalculable gold treasures of the Sierra’s Tayrona Culture. We will spend the morning exploring a little bit of town (including the Tayrona Museum if we are not able to visit on Day 12) on our way to do some birding in the arid coastal habitats near the airport. Our short flight (1.5 hours) will take us back to Bogotá. Once there we will head to the same Bogotá hotel as before and have some down time before our farewell dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Day 14
This morning after breakfast we will take you to the Bogotá International Airport and see you off at the terminal. We will coordinate with you beforehand to ensure you are at the airport with plenty of time to catch your flight home.
FOR A DETAILED INTINERARY, PLEASE CONTACT US AT info@naturetreks.net.
The price of this 14-day trip is $4299 based on double occupancy and a minimum of 8 people. The single supplement is $300. We will match you with a roommate of the same gender if you choose, but if this is not possible you will be charged the single supplement fee. The tour fee includes all accommodations, meals, guides, entrance fees, tips, and transportation from Bogota'. It also includes trip insurance covering emergency medical services and emergency medical evacuation.
The following are not included: airfare to the starting place of the trip, alcoholic beverages, tips for the birding guides, immigration fees levied by Colombia, and costs resulting from illness, injury, or emergency evacuation, program changes and delays beyond our control.
To register for this tour, contact Debra Tranberg at info@naturetreks.net or call(781) 789-8127 for a registration packet. A deposit of $600 per person is required to reserve a spot on the trip. Full payment of the tour fee is due ninety days prior to the tour departure. Please send your checks to Nature Treks and Passages, P.O. Box 542, Bryantville, MA 02357. If you have any questions, please contact Debra Tranberg at(781) 789-8127 or info@naturetreks.net.
Come back soon for our upcoming schedule.
A US passport valid six months beyond your anticipated date of return to the US is required.