Logistics in our Tours

We carefully select all of the hotels we stay in to ensure your utmost comfort. We always use high-quality hotels as an essential part of our trips because we want our clients to have the best impression of Colombia. Our accommodation includes private bathrooms and showers in each room, unless otherwise indicated. In remote destinations, it is sometimes difficult to find these services. Our itineraries commonly offer two accommodation options, one of which is VIP which makes use of luxury hotels, many of which have swimming pools and other services, whilst we also make use of great hotels without luxury elements like a gym or a pool. Both are excellent options with which you will feel really comfortable.

We always use comfortable vehicles in perfect mechanical and visual condition.  During long journeys vehicles have air-conditioning and reclining seats with sufficient legroom. We also hire drivers with great experience on the roads of Colombia who are friendly and polite, but who, more importantly, comply with all driving regulations and are familiar with the demands of our clients in terms of mobility. In general, we use 4×4 vehicles or Jeeps for short journeys to remote destinations where birds and nature can be observed.  If these vehicles do not meet our expectations in terms of comfort, we promise to always select the best available option in each location with the aim of promoting the improvement of such services within each community. For journeys lasting longer than 10 or 12 hours by road, we prefer to travel by air and, fortunately, Colombia has airports in almost all of its main cities.  Most importantly, we employ professional drivers who respect the rules of the road and are always thinking of your safety.  Many of our drivers are part of our team because they have worked with us for many years, as is the case with Jovani Florez, Antonio Sanguino and Angel Calentura, all of whom have earnt our trust.

We have a wide range of options for people with special diets, so if you are vegetarian, we can organize meals according to your needs. We always ask our clients if they have any special requirement with respect to food, such as a lactose intolerance or not eating red meat, as this is important for us.

We always follow a timetable and plan daily activities for you.  There will always be a common interest among our clients, whether that be the general observation of nature or birdwatching.  Nothing is improvised during our trips, unless something unexpected occurs that is outside of our control.  We give precise details prior to your trip regarding each route and destination, safety and health advice, climate, appropriate clothing, activities, journey times and a detailed document containing all of the information that you need to know to enjoy a successful visit to Colombia.

We manage a maximum group size of 10 clients plus the MANAKIN guide and an additional guide should the group be on a tour in association with another birding company.  We believe that maintaining a small group size is essential to providing a good trip as it allows us to offer a more personalized service and our guide is therefore able to respond to the needs of our clients without compromising those of others.

If you are wondering who our clients are, you should know that, generally they are people who are really passionate about nature and birds.  On top of this, they are friendly and willing to go the extra mile to be able to see what they want to. Our clients are always conscious of every detail and constantly evaluate the quality of each trip, kindly advising us of elements that can be improved and putting their full trust in us. These people have a good idea of Latin American manners and always want to know more about the places they visit.  In summary, they are great people!

The rhythm of our tours is relatively easy and appropriate for people of all ages. It is not necessary to be a traveler with expert knowledge of nature but have in mind that Colombia is a mountainous country with a variety of climates and habitats throughout its territory; we have very cold places, and others with high temperatures. The roads are steep in some of our destinations and, although generally we don’t have to walk long distances to find special places or birds, some locations are more difficult to reach than others. Our clients will be given notice and information in detail about these places.  For trips by road, you should know that remote destinations in Colombia in general don’t have good roads and, because of this, some journeys take more time in certain sections.  But don’t worry – your transport is always comfortable, air-conditioned and offering sufficient legroom so that you can stretch your legs.  We will advise you if it is necessary to travel on roads in a bad condition, or whether we have to switch to Jeeps or 4×4 vehicles in places with harsher terrain.

If you are passionate about birding, you should know that we strongly recommend finding the birds that you need to add to your checklist. The rhythm of our trip will depend on the number of species that you need and your physical condition.  We’re dedicated to finding your target species and that is why we offer the possibility to see more than 67 species of endemic birds and more than one hundred specialty birds.

In general, and due to our experience, we stay in a place for a sufficient amount of time to allow you to see all of the species in the area. We know how frustrating it is to leave a location without having seen all of the birds due to a lack of time.  Our itineraries are well planned, always focusing on your satisfaction.  You shouldn’t worry about having to leave quickly or being in a hurry.

Usually we provide country breakfasts or lunch that our clients do not have to carry. You only need to take personal snacks and water.  We normally return to the hotel or accommodation before dinner and we never sleep in tents or hammocks.  At the end of each day, we compile a list of the species seen using a detailed and up-to-date checklist which we provide.

All of the activities are optional, as long as this does not affect the continuation of the trip. Out permanent objective is to make sure our clients achieve their established aims for the trip and with that in mind we are always prepared to encourage and support you.  If this is the first time that you’ve been on a nature or birding tour in a foreign country or in Colombia and you have questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.  We’ll be happy to give you information in as much detail as possible and the best advice to make sure you have an enjoyable and memorable trip.