DAY 1: ARRIVAL BOGOTA TO CALI
Welcome to Colombia! Today we will meet at the El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá for our local flight to the Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport, in Cali, which is located in the Cauca Valley, nestled between the western and central Andean ranges. Upon our arrival, we will visit the Chicoral region at 1,800 meters (6,000 ft.) of elevation. There we will have the chance to see Colombian Chachalaca, Uniform Antshrike, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Crested Quetzal and Golden-winged Manakin, among other birds.
Rainbow-bearded Thornbill
DAY 2: ANCHICAYA
At the Pacific slope of the western Andes, the Old Buenaventura Road crosses the forested area of Anchicaya at an elevation around 750 meters (2,500 ft.). This area is influenced by the Choco region with a great chance to see some Choco specialties, including Choco Toucan, Zeledon’s Antbird, Golden-chested Tanager and Scarlet-browed Tanager.
DAY 3: FINCA ALEJANDRIA
One hour away from Cali on the eastern slope of the Western Andes, the San Antonio Forest sits at an altitude of 2,100 meters (7,000 ft.). It is a great place to find nice Andean birds such as Scaled Fruiteater, Crested Quetzal and Golden-winged Manakin. We can also find other interesting birds in the feeders at Finca Alejandria. Here, it is possible to see the endemic Multicolored Tanager and several hummingbirds, among them the regional endemic Blue-headed Sapphire, Tourmaline Sunangel and Buff-tailed Coronet.
In the afternoon, we will drive to the Sonso Lagoon in Buga. A number of aquatic birds can be observed in this wetland, such as Horned Screamer, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Masked Duck, Striated Heron, Snail Kite, Red-capped Cardinal and Yellow-hooded Blackbird. The vegetation around the lagoon is the perfect habitat for the endemic Apical Flycatcher, as well as Little Cuckoo, Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher and the regional endemic Spectacled Parrotlet.
DAY 4: MONTEZUMA MOUNTAIN
The Montezuma Mountain has a strong Choco region influence, making it one of the most biologically diverse places on our Colombia birding tour. This combination between the Pacific and the Western Andes offers many national and regional endemics. We will travel approximately 4 hours to get there, birding along the way. Birding stops will give us the chance to find the endemic Turquoise Dacnis. In Montezuma, we will enjoy the hummingbird feeders — Violet-tailed Hummingbird, Empress Brilliant, Velvet-purple Coronet, White-tailed Hillstar and Purple-bibbed Whitetip can be seen here, all of them regional endemics.
DAY 5: MONTEZUMA MOUNTAIN
This will be a full day of birding in Montezuma. We will start very early (4:40 a.m), and drive all the way to the top of the mountain. While taking in the beautiful sunrise, we will start our birding day off with two endemic birds: Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer and Munchique Wood-Wren. We will continue our way down the road in search of the endemics Gold-ringed Tanager, Black-and-gold Tanager and Golden-breasted Fruiteater.
Colombia
DAY 6: OTUN QUIMBAYA
After five days in the Western Andes, it is time to make our incursion into the central range. Otun Quimbaya is located at the foothill of the volcanic complex Ruiz-Tolima (Los Nevados National Park) at 1,900 meters (6,200 ft.) above sea level. It is a fabulous place, with a road that opens into a gorgeous forest. This protected area is the best place to look for the Cauca Guan, an endemic and endangered species that was believed to be extinct until this healthy population was rediscovered two decades ago. Also, the largest Neotropical passerine, the Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, is relatively easily seen there. We will also look for the endemic Chestnut Wood-Quail and Stiles’s Tapaculo, and regional endemics such as Greenish Puffleg, Streak-capped Treehunter, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant, and Chestnut-breasted Wren, among many others.
DAY 7: RIO BLANCO RESERVE
The charm of this reserve lies in the possibility it offers to see several different species of antpittas very up close. Here, the Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Bicolored Antpitta, Slate-crowned Antpitta and the endemic Brown-banded Antpitta are habituated to receive food from the local guide, luring them outside of the thick understory. At the hummingbird and tanager feeders it is possible to see White-bellied Woodstar, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager, and Slaty Brushfinch, among others. On the reserve’s trails, we will focus on searching for Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Dusky Piha, Black-collared (Quindio) Jay, Golden-headed Quetzal and Masked Saltator, to name a few.
DAY 8: LOS NEVADOS NATIONAL PARK
With another early start this morning we will catch the first rays of the sun in the upper cloud and elfin forests along the way to Los Nevados National Park. Here we will look for the endemic Rufous-fronted Parakeet, as well as Andean Lapwing, Andean Teal, Golden-crowned Tanager, and Black-backed Bush Tanager. At the entrance of the national park at 4,100 meters (13,500 ft.) of elevation we will look for the highlight of this region, an endemic with a very restricted range, the Buffy Helmetcrest. We can also find White-chinned Thistletail, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Tawny Antpitta, Plain-capped Ground-Tyrant and Plumbeous Sierra-Finch. In the afternoon, we will spend time at the Termales del Ruiz Hotel and its beautiful surroundings. At the hummingbird feeders, we will hope to see the Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Mountain Avocetbill, Black-thighed Puffleg, Shining Sunbeam and Great Sapphirewing.
DAY 9: MIDDLE MAGDALENA VALLEY
It is time to head down the eastern Andean slope towards the middle Magdalena Valley. We will drive along the old road to Libano (four hours from Termales del Ruiz), making some stops to look for some special birds, including Yellow-eared Parrot, Yellow-headed Brushfinch and Crested Ant-Tanager. As we arrive in Libano, we will have a chance for the endemic Tolima Dove and Tolima Blossomcrown.
DAY 10: GUARINOCITO LAKE
Today we will visit Guarinocito Lake, where we will have another opportunity to spot some aquatic birds that we have not yet seen, as well as a few new species that make their home in this wetland habitat: Pied Water-Tyrant, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, Yellow-chinned Spinetail and Black-capped Donacobius. However, the jewel of this lake is the Northern Screamer.
DAY 11: BELLAVISTA RESERVE
The Bellavista Reserve – a lowland wet forest -is a great place for other Colombia endemics such as White-mantled Barbet, Antioquia Bristle-Tyrant, Sooty Ant-Tanager, Beautiful Woodpecker and Velvet-fronted Euphonia. We can also find Yellow-backed Tanager, Black-faced Dacnis and White-bibbed Manakin, among others.
DAY 12: JARDIN ENCANTADO & DEPARTURE
On the way to Bogota we will visit a farm with hummingbird feeders. Among its most prominent visitors is the endemic Indigo-capped Hummingbird. Other visitors we hope to see are the Shining-green Hummingbird, Gorgeted Woodstar, Red-billed Emerald, Short-tailed Emerald, Lazuline Sabrewing and another fifteen hummingbird species. Around the farm we also have the chance to find the Ash-browed Spinetail, Black-backed Grosbeak and Gray-throated Warbler. In the afternoon we will drive to Bogotá and transfer to airport.
Our Colombia birding tour concludes in Bogota.
