Colombia Endemic 1 – Andes & Choco
Colombia is home to at least 1950 bird species – about 20% of the total bird diversity in the world. With 80 endemic species, the country is a top destination for birders, naturalists, and wildlife photographers. The fact that the country has opened recently, along with the growing interest in the conservation and development of nature tourism, has meant that every day provides new and better places for observation and photography of birds and wildlife in general. The complex geography of the country offers a wide variety of ecosystems which has led to speciation occurring across the entire territory. The Andes in Colombia divide to the south into three branches, interspersed by the deep valleys of the Magdalena River and Cauca, biogeographic barriers that for millions of years have not allowed the connection of the species that inhabit the high mountain ecosystems, causing the evolution and speciation to take place separately on each branch. This tour is focused on the observation of endemic species, almost endemic and of restricted ranges in the isolated moorland ecosystems, Andean forests and high Andes of the country. Colorful tanagers, iridescent hummingbirds, shy antpittas, incredible toucans and noisy jays are a central part of each day on this trip. You will be immersed in the cloud forests of the eastern and central Andes, the cold, but fascinating moorlands over 4000 m (12,000 ft), the dry forests of the inter-Andean valleys and the rain forest that over the western Andes face the pacific. During our tour, it will be possible to see 35 endemic and 51 near-endemic species from the Eastern, Central and Western Andes. A tour where the number of birds can reach 550 species! And where you can enjoy the magical and majestic mountains of this beautiful and mega-diverse country.
Key Species
| Alto-Pisones Tapaculo |
| Antioquia Wren |
| Apical Flycatcher |
| Apolinar´s Wren |
| Black Inca |
| Black-and-gold Tanager |
| Blue-throated Starfrontlet |
| Bogota Rail |
| Brown-banded Antpitta |
| Brown-breasted Parakeet |
| Buffy Helmetcrest |
| Cauca Guan |
| Chestnut Wood-Quail |
| Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer |
| Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird |
| Colombian Chachalaca |
| Coopery-bellied Puffleg |
| Crested Ant-Tanager |
| Cundinamarca Antpitta |
| Dusky Starfrontlet |
| East Andean Antbird |
| Fuerte´s Parrot |
| Gold-ringed Tanager |
| Green-bearded Helmetcrest |
| Greyish Piculet |
| Mountain Grackle |
| Moustached Brush-Finch |
| Multicolored Tanager |
| Munchique Wood-Wren |
| Niceforo´s Wren |
Highlights
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You will be able to enjoy the famous Colombian area of the coffee triangle, known worldwide for its incredible crops and its beautiful landscape, as well as being a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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We will observe birds in the largest moor in the world, Sumapaz.
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We will visit the colorful municipality of Jardín, which keeps the typical colonial architecture of the coffee zone and we will be able to have one of the best coffees in the world.
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We will enjoy a morning observing birds in the surroundings of the Nevado del Ruíz volcano over 4000 meters above sea level.
- Destination
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Departure
Bogota DC IATA: BOG / Bogota DC IATA: BOG
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Dress Code
Casual. Comfortable athletic clothing, hiking shoes, hat and warm jacket.
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Included
Accomodation in Double RoomAll 4x4 vehicules or boatsAll domestic flightsAll ground private transportationAll meals B-L-DColombian Event InsuranceEntrances to all natural reservesHot drinksPrivate transfer Airport - hotel - aiportProfessional Private Birding GuideProfessional Private DriverSingle room - adicional paySnaks and waterSoda or juice with each mealVegan and Vegetarian menus
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Not Included
Activities not included in the itineraryAlcoholic drinksExtensions of a trip due to circumstances beyond our controlInternational flights and taxesInternational phone callsLaundry serviceMedical expenses (not covered for evet insurance)Room serviceTips or gratuityToiletries
From our gallery
Day 1. Arrival at El Dorado International Airport of Bogotá / Bogota
Day 2. Birding in the Chingaza National Park and hummingbird observation in La Calera / Bogota
Day 3. Birding in Monterredondo Cloud Forest/ Bogota
Day 4. Birding in PNN Sumapaz, transfer to the city of Tunja / Tunja
Day 5. Rogitama Nature reserve, Transfer to the municipality of Soata / Soata
Day 6. Soata oak forest / Soata
Day 7. Chicamocha Canyon dry forest, transfer to Bogota / Bogota
Day 8. Flight to the city of Pereira, transfer to Otun-Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary / Otun
Day 9. Birding at Otun-Quimbaya Sanctuary for Fauna and Flora, owl watching at night / Otun
Day 10. Transfer to Santa Rosa El Cortaderal ranch, transfer to Montezuma (Central Andes) / Montezuma
Day 11. Montezuma Rainforest Reserve (Western Andes) / Montezuma
Day 12. Montezuma Rainforest Reserve (Western Andes) / Montezuma
Day 13. Montezuma Reserve, transfer to Manizales (Western Andes) / Manizales
Day 14. Rio Blanco Nature Reserve (Central Andes) / Manizales
Day 15. Nevado del Ruiz National Park, transfer to Jardin (Central Andes) / Jardin Village
Day 16. Yellow-ear Parrot Reserve (Central Andes) / Jardin Village
Day 17. Bolombolo Location, transfer to Urrao (Cauca Valley) / Urrao Village
Day 18. Starfrontlet Reserve – Colibri del Sol (Western Andes) / Urrao Village
Day 19. La Romera Reserve, transfer to Medellin (Central Andes) / Sabaneta Village
Day 20. International Flight home from Medellin
William Gunn Porteous - England
I lived in Colombia in the 1990s when travel in the country was restricted and potentially dangerous, and now that the greater part of the country is safe I set out to find a local organisation which could show me the birds I still needed to see. The organisation I found is Manakin Nature Tours, run by Eduardo Urueña and Andrea Borras. I have just returned from my first tour with Eduardo to the Cauca Valley and the Western Andes and I could not be more satisfied. Everything from Cauca Guan to Red-bellied Grackle, including such gems as Lanceolated Monklet, Yellow- headed Manakin, Bicoloured Antpitta and both the endemic Bangsias. Detailed attention to logistics, client comfort and expert guiding are the hallmarks of Manakin Nature Tours, and I hope to be back in Colombia in August to clean up, with Eduardo’s help, the birds of the Santa Marta Massif.
Olaf Soltau - New York, City
In the summer of 2010, I went on a private trip with Manakin Nature Tours that focused on specialty birds of Colombia Central Andes, Cauca Valley and Choco regions. From start to finish, our group was in excellent hands. Always professional and courteous, Luis Eduardo and Andrea worked very hard to make sure we were well prepared and taken care of. Luis Eduardo is an excellent guide with in-depth knowledge of the birds and the best places to find them. As an added advantage, he has up to date knowledge of the political situation in various parts of the country and we felt safe wherever we went. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide to experience the renaissance of Colombian tourism and birding and, of course, spectacular birds!
Philip Rostron/Austin, Texas
This was my third trip to Colombia, concentrating on the Western and Central Andes. I had a specific target list of around twenty species and Luis put together a good looking itinerary which took in sites to maximize chances for my target species. In the end, through Luis’s organizational and bird-finding skills we were very successful, ¡finding all but one of my targets and even finding some extra time at the end of the trip for a bonus bird! Along the way we saw some fabulous and rare birds such as Fuertes’s Parrot, Urrao Antpitta, Crescent-faced Antpitta, Dusky Starfrontlet, Yellow- headed Manakin, Chocó Vireo and Gold-ringed Tanager. All together a great and very successful trip – Gracias Luis!