17 Days
Colombia
BIRDING TOUR 17D (A)
This tour is designed for birding enthusiasts, where you will visit different spots in Colombia surrounded by great nature and where you will also have the chance to observe great bird species. Our country is known for having the largest diversity of bird species in the world. This trip aims to have low carbon footprint as the transportation is mainly by road, with just 2 internal flights.
Here you can expect to visit great ecolodges with beautiful details and have a comfortably experience visiting also the main cities of the country. You will be able to admire great and very diverse landscapes by completely different ecosystems at each region, also with the chance to observe wildlife, depending how deep in nature you want to get at each destination.
Itinerary
Itinerary Expand All
Day 1
WELCOMING IN BOGOTA
A person from our team will be waiting for you at your arrival time at El Dorado Airport in Bogota and will take you to the hotel. On the way, he will give you a briefing of the whole experience with some advice and recommendations for a pleasant trip. Subsequently, you will have the rest of the day free at leisure, having time to recover from the flight or explore the city by yourself.
Day 2
HUMMINGBIRD SANCTUARY
On this day, you will be taken to a hummingbird observatory located in rural area of the town of La Calera, where you can easily observe more than 14 different species in that place. Later on, you will be taken the Chingaza National Park located 60 kms away from Bogota, where you will have talk by the local authorities, before heading to the cabins inside the protected area, where you will check-in and will acclimatize sleeping at 3.240 m.a.s.l.
Day 3
CHINGAZA NATIONAL PARK DAY 1
On this day, we can optionally wake up early to observe birds of the national park. After breakfast, we will explore the spectacular landscapes of Chingaza and its lagoons, looking for the spectacled bear by car. We can optionally do some hikes up to 10 kms by some trails of the Paramo ecosystem learning about the endemic plants, and animals of the protected area the whole day. At the end of the day, we will get back to the cabin to have dinner and rest.
Day 4
CHINGAZA NATIONAL PARK DAY 2
On this day, we can optionally wake up early in the morning for a bird watching activity. After breakfast, we will get deeper inside the national park and can either look for the Andean bear by car or by hiking different trails by the hidden spectacular landscapes of the Colombian Andes. With some luck we might see the Andean bear among other endemic species of the place. After lunch, we will get back to Bogota to spend the night and rest in a comfortable hotel.
Day 5
MONTEZUMA LODGE – DAY 1
On this day, you will have a transfer to be at the airport of Bogota 2 hours before your flight to Pereira. Once there, you will be taken in a 2.5-hrs. transfer to the Montezuma Rainforest Lodge, which is very famous place due to its level of endemism. You can enjoy the afternoon in the feeders of the place and can walk by the surroundings where you can see the first hummingbirds and other bird species.
Day 6
MONTEZUMA LODGE – DAY 2
On this day, we will take you at 5:30 AM in a 2-hrs. transportation by the mountains of the Tatama National Park, where you will be taken to the highest birding spot of the area at 2.550 m.a.s.l. where the goal is to observe birds such in this destination that is home to more than 600 different bird species and more than 70 colombian endemic species. You can explore as much as you want the highest parts till the 1.900 m.a.s.l. before heading back to the lodge.
Day 7
MONTEZUMA LODGE – DAY 3
On this day, we will take you at 5:30 AM in a 1-hr. transportation by the same road taken the day before, but this time you will start to observe birds from the 1.900 m.a.s.l. heading down till the 1.300 m.a.s.l. of the lodge. You will have the whole day available to bird as much as you want with your expert guide, this time aiming to see different species due to the lower altitude. You will also see a denser vegetation and with some luck other type of wildlife.
Day 8
JARDIN
On this day, you will have breakfast and after that will leave the reserve. Then you will have a 5-hrs. transfer to Jardin, passing by wild mountains and roads full of green landscapes. On the way you will have the chance to observe different bird species on the last part of the road before arriving to Jardin. Once you arrive, you will check-in at the hotel and can enjoy this town, which is one of the most beautiful in the region.
Day 9
ANDEAN COCK-OF-THE-ROCK
On this day, after breakfast, you will visit the Andean cock-of-the-rock reserve, where you can easily observe this famous bird in an identified lek of the place. After lunch you can visit some waterfalls of the region, where you can enjoy the pristine nature of this unspoiled destination, you can visit the lookout with a great view of the area or you can just relax in this quiet town that has several secrets to be discovered in its walkable streets.
Day 10
MEDELLIN
On this day, after breakfast you will have a 4-hrs. ground transfer to Medellin. Once there, you will be welcomed and taken to your hotel located in El Poblado neighborhood, a great area of this city, which is easy to get by and you will have a free afternoon. Your hotel also has one of the greatest restaurants of the city and there are nice places to visit in this, which is named the eternal-spring city due to its great weather all year round.
Day 11
COMUNA 13 + MEDELLIN HIGHLIGHTS
On this day, you will have a full day tour starting at 9:00 AM visiting in the morning the Comuna 13, which is one of the most famous activities in this city, where you can see the transformation and evolution from a violence past to a modern city. In the afternoon you will visit the most famous spots of the downtown such as Botero and light squares, the national palace, La Alpujarra, Carabobo Street, among others, before getting back to the hotel.
Day 12
FLIGHT TO SANTA MARTA
On this day, you will have a free morning to enjoy the last moments at the eternal-spring city and later you will have a transfer to the airport of Medellin 2 hours before your flight to Santa Marta. Once there, you will have a 1-hr. transfer from the airport to your ecolodge located next to Tayrona National. Your hotel has a great pool and it is next to a pristine beach that you can enjoy in the afternoon at leisure.
Day 13
TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK
On this day, you will have a transfer at 8:00 AM to Tayrona National Park, where you will begin a guided hike along its trails, where you will be able to appreciate its rocky landscapes and wild beaches. With a little luck you will be able to see some fauna along the way and contemplate the unique landscape of this place until you reach the famous San Juan del Guia cape. In the afternoon you will return by walk and then by vehicle to the hotel.
Day 14
MOUNTAIN HOUSE – DAY 1 MINCA
On this day, you will be picked up at 9:00 AM and will have a 3-hrs. transfer to your accommodation, located in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, which has the highest mountains next to the ocean in the world. First you will pass by Minca and then you will head to the reserve located at 1.695 m.a.s.l. You will have a guide the whole day in order to do wildlife observation along the way from the sea level to the elevation of the place.
Day 15
MOUNTAIN HOUSE – DAY 2 SAN LORENZO
On this day, we will wake up at 4:30 AM in order to take you to Cuchilla de San Lorenzo located at more than 2.100 m.a.s.l. with the chance to observe different bird species due to the elevation of the area. During the rest of the day, we will continue exploring the very well-preserved jungle with several butterflies, reptiles, birds, waterfalls and pristine nature in this special biodiversity spot between the snow-capped tropical mountains and the ocean.
Day 16
MOUNTAIN HOUSE DAY 3
On this day, you will have a second guided birdwatching activity in this area, which is one most famous nationwide for this activity, due to its geographical location and well-preserved ecosystems, having hundreds of endemic species and some of them in critical danger of extinction. During the rest of the day, you can enjoy the great landscapes of the place and do some optional hikes, before having a 3-hrs. transfer to your hotel in Santa Marta.
Day 17
FLIGHT OUT
On this day, you will have breakfast at the hotel. You will have a transfer included to take you to the international airport of Santa Marta in order to be 3 hours before your flight out the country or 2 hours before flight connections inside Colombia.
Cost Info
Cost Info
Price includes
- LODGING Hotels of different categories depending on the destination in double occupancy.
- ACTIVITIES All the activities mentioned in the plan, in private tours & transportations.
- MEALS 16 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 7 dinners.
- TRANSFERS All the transfers between cities, towns and wildlife reserves are private.
- GUIDANCE English speaking guides throughout the trip for all activities.
- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE CARD The tour includes a travel assistance card for all the days that covers possible accidents, medical attention and emergency transportations for a quick response in case of being necessary according to the evacuation time during the activities and level of medical attention at the destination.
Price excludes
- International flights.
- Activities, additional drinks or elements not described in the plan.
- Tips, snacks and souvenirs.
- Personal items not described in the itinerary.
- Other languages speaking guides/translators.
Add-ons & optionals
Add-ons & optionals
- Other languages speaking guides/translators, according to availability of guides for the desired date, in this case it is advisable to book in advance.
- Private tours for smaller groups that don’t want to have shared activities and transportations.
- Private single rooms for just one person (price under request).
- Upgrade to a higher accommodation that can be quoted upon request and confirmation of availability in that hotel
What to take?
What to take?
- Hat and/or other sun protection for the head and neck.
- Long-sleeved shirts to avoid sunburn and mosquito bites during outdoor activities.
- Wear comfortable pants and avoid wearing jeans.
- Bring waterproof clothing and/or rain poncho.
- Appropriate footwear for the hikes, trekking boots are necessary and several pairs for change as footwear can get wet during the hikes.
- Swimming suit, towels and water shoes for the days in front of the sea.
- Sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
- Personal binoculars are mandatory and cameras are highly recommended.
- Protection for electronic devices since they may be susceptible to damages due to humidity and/or rain.
- Non-disposable rigid container to refill water (canteen or thermos).
- Personal documents and count with your own medical insurance.
- Personal medicines and first aid kit.
Recomendation
Recomendation
WEATHER CONDITIONS, CONNECTIVITY & BILINGUISM
It is necessary to be properly prepared for the weather conditions on the travel dates, which are detailed below, but as this is an approximation, please note that they may vary. You will visit several rural areas, where communications might be difficult and also you need to take into account that not everywhere you can find bilingual staff or people at the destinations.
Bogotá D.C. (Days 01-02-04):
Temp. Min: 8ºC Max: 16ºC, slightly humid climate / (2600 m.a.s.l.)
Good phone signal and wi-fi.
Some locals and people at the hotel speak fluent English.
Chingaza National Park (Days 03-04):
Temp. Min: 6ºC Max: 14ºC, humid climate / (3.000-3.750 m.a.s.l.)
No phone signal and good wi-fi.
You will have a bilingual guide but locals do not speak English.
Pereira (Days 05-07):
Temp. Min: 10ºC Max: 25ºC, humid climate / (1411 m.a.s.l.)
Good phone signal and good wi-fi.
You will have a bilingual guide and a few locals speak English or just the basics at the hotel.
Jardin (Days 08-10):
Temp. Min: 17ºC Max: 27ºC, slightly humid climate / (1750 m.a.s.l.)
Good phone signal and good wi-fi.
You will have a bilingual guide but locals do not speak English.
Medellín (Days 10-12):
Temp. Min: 17ºC Max: 27ºC, slightly humid climate / (1495 m.a.s.l.)
You will have a bilingual guide and some locals speak English with bilingual staff at the hotel.
Tayrona National Park & surroundings (Days 12-14):
Temp. Min: 17ºC Max: 32ºC, slightly humid climate / (0-100 m.a.s.l.)
Appropriate phone signal and good wi-fi.
You will have a bilingual guide but locals do not speak English, having staff at the hotel with just to communicate in English.
El Dorado Lodge (Days 14-17):
Temp. Min: 12ºC Max: 20ºC, slightly humid climate / (900-2100 m.a.s.l.)
No phone signal and broken wi-fi.
You will have a bilingual guide but locals do not speak English.
FAQ´s
FAQ´s
PLUG TYPE
• Voltage: 110V
• Frequency: 60 Hz
• Plugs: Type A / B
CURRENCY
Colombian Peso (COP) 1 USD = 3.800 COP approx.
It is advisable to carry cash for extra expenses during the trip since in some areas access to ATMs and dataphones may be limited or non existant:
- Tayrona National Park
- El Dorado Lodge
REDUCTION OF WASTE GENERATION
We promote the reduction of waste generation from single-use plastics, so we recommend bringing your own non-disposable rigid container to refill water in hotels, especially for days when outdoor activities are planned.
TIPPING
- Tipping is not mandatory, but if you consider you can tip the guides with an amount from 50.000 to 100.000 COP (12 to 25 USD aprox.) per day of service.
- At the restaurants the suggested tip is 10% of the service.
SEASONS
- Contrary to the seasons in the rest of the country, the rain and dry seasons occur in different months.
- Normally, the rainy (high waters) season starts in January and ends in May, however, it is starting to be more difficult to exactly know when the season will change.
- On high waters season you can easily get to several spots and destinations by canoe or boats while in the dry season you will have to walk longer distances.
- In the low waters season that starts from June to November there is less rain, and some river wildlife might be easier to spot, but when there is a strong drought the lagoons and lakes might have affectations to spot wildlife.
PLEASE INFORM IN ADVANCE ABOUT
- Food restrictions and/or preferences.
- Important illnesses to take into account, disabilities, allergies and/or other medical conditions that may affect the development of activities.
- Blood type.
- Special requirements for the trip within the reach of our logistics.