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15 Days from$3800 p/p in USD -
DeparturesYear Round
Destinations
Colombia,
Tour Type
Guided, Small Group
Safari Standard
Budget, Luxury
Tour Overview
This is an amazing photography bird and nature tour in the Colombian Andean Mountains. Colombia is known as the country with the highest number of bird species in the world, nearing a staggering 1950 species, and for many reasons has grabbed the headlines in the bird world in recent years. More and more sites are offering feeding stations conducive to photography, not just for the spectacular hummingbirds, but also for tanagers, antpittas and more. This photo safari is a moderate paced birding safari, with a strong focus on Colombia’s remarkable birdlife and nature, offering diverse photographic opportunities. Group size is 1-8 people. Safari Dates: 15-29 November 2021 SPACES AVAILABLE (also available year round!)
General Information
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Safari types:Birding Safari, Guided Safari, Photo Safari
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You will visit:Los Nevados National Park, Bogota, Observatorio de Colibries, Finca Colibri, Jardin, Manizales, Rio Blanco Nature Reserve, Cali, Finca Alejandria
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Activities:Walking Safari, Nature Walk, Birding, Cultural Experience
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Getting around:Transfer Vehicle, Domestic Flight
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Start/end:Start/end in Bogota
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Minimum age:14+
Price Per Person – USD
From USD 3,800 per person, double occupancy (single room supplement USD 450)
Safari Dates: 15-29 November 2021 SPACES AVAILABLE (also available YEAR ROUND)
Days: 14 nights and 15 days
Areas: Bogota, Mundo Nuevo & Feeders, Finca Colibri, Rio Blanco, Nevados del Ruiz, Tinamu, Finca Alejandria, La Minga, El Descanso, Cali.
Gr0up: max 6 birders
Leader Guide: Oswaldo Cortes + local guides
Book this trip as a private departure for any group size (even as a solo traveler you can join a group with established dates)
What's Included
TRANSPORT
- Private transport in 4×4s and jeeps
Flight: Cali to Bogota City - Private return airport/hotel transfers
MEALS
- All food: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in all locations with open menu in restaurants
- 2 snacks daily that includes bottle water, fruit, hot drinks
- Water available all the time on the bus –big bottle to recharge portable bottles
- Vegan and vegetarian menus
ACCOMMODATION
- All hotels described in the itinerary (14 nights)
- Eco-lodges inside the Natural Reserves
- Towels and linen provided in all places
- Entrance fees at National Parks and Reserves
- Local guides, drivers and cooks
- The group will be accompanied by a professional guide all time from Bogota Birding & Colombia Wildlife Tours
- Experienced cooks in all reserves, lodges and hotels
What's Excluded
- International flights and taxes
- Alcoholic drinks
- Activities not included in the itinerary
- Personal expenses such as laundry, room service
- Tips and gratuities
- Travel insurance
- Extensions of a trip due to circumstances beyond our control
Disclaimer
- This itinerary is owned and delivered by ‘Bogota Birding Tours‘
- All prices are ‘From’ and may vary at the time of booking
- Display price is usually based on two people sharing
- ‘Bogota Birding Tours‘ reserves the right to change the content and price of the itinerary
- All itineraries are subject to availability
Day by Day Overview
Transfer from El Dorado International Airport to hotel. Meeting with the leader guide of Bogota Birding & Colombia Wildlife Tours. If you like we can visit Bogota attractions, such as the Gold Museum (Museo del Oro), Cerro Monserrate, or the Candelaria neighbourhood.
- Overnight: Hotel Hilton
- Altitude: 8530 ft (2600 m)
- Inclusions: Transfer airport to hotel; dinner; hotel accommodation
High Andean Cloud Forest and Hummingbird Observatory. This morning will see us birding in the cool cloud forest in the northeast of Bogota, especially targeting species like the Lazuline sabrewing, Short Tailed Emerald, Gorgeted Woodstar and numerous other species. In the afternoon we will stop at one of the best set of hummer feeders in all of Colombia: Observatorio de Colibries, where we are likely to get great views of some truly amazing birds including Blue-throated Starfrontlet, both Black- and Green-tailed Trainbearers, Glowing Puffleg, Sword-billed Billed Hummingbird and Coppery-bellied Puffleg.
- Overnight: Hotel Hilton
- Altitude: 9186 ft – 9842 ft (2800m – 3000m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
We will move from Bogota to Finca Colibrí in Fusagasuga. The hummer feeders here attract superb species including Lesser Violetear, Long-tailed Sylph, Golden-winged Manakin, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Golden Tanager, Fawn-breasted Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, Bay-headed Tanager, Flame-rumped Tanager, Blue-and-black Tanager, Speckled Tanager, and the temperate forest often has good mixed species flocks with typical Andean birds such as tanagers, flower piercers, warblers, flycatchers and others.
- Overnight: Hotel Hilton
- Altitude: 9186 ft – 9842 ft (2800m – 3000m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
This morning we will to transfer from the hotel to El Dorado Airport for to take a flight Bogota to Medellin. On arrival we will move across the Cauca Valley to Jardin (small town) but first we have to do stop at restaurant the Rancherito for our first time to experience the photographic moment at the rustic feeder (Black Winged Saltator, Black Capped Tanager, Flame-rumped Tanager, Acorn Woodpecker and Emerald Toucanet). After lunch we continue to drive to Jardin. In the late afternoon we visit one of the most accessible lekking sites on Colombia for to get really good quality photographic of the stunning Andean Cock-of-the-rock.
- Overnight: Hotel Hacienda Balandu (Jardin)
- Altitude: 5741 ft (1750m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
This morning will be the highest elevation at Jardin (Yellow Eared Parrot Nature Reserve) where we have hummingbird feeders: Collared Inca, Bufftailed coronet, Tourmaline Sunangel, Mountain Velvetbreast and for season (Dusky Starfrontlet). Also the local ranger has feeders for Rufous Antpitta plus around the garden you can to get photograph the Golden Face Whitestart. Then after lunch we finish the day again at Cock-of-the-rock lek.
- Overnight: Hotel Hacienda Balandu in Jardin
- Altitude: 5741 ft (1750m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
We’ll transfer from Jardin this morning to the city of Manizales in the central Andes. From here we’ll travel about 5 hours up into the mountains and valley. The afternoon is photographic time at feeders at Hotel Tinamu (Bronzy Inca, Black throated Mango, Steely vented hummingbird) as well as the tanager feeders.
- Overnight: Tinamu Lodge
- Altitude: 4101 ft (1250m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
We leave Hotel Tinamu early and will enjoy the Rio Blanco Nature Reserve, situated above the city of Manizales. Here there are over a dozen active hummingbird feeders along a wooden balcony that is lined with flowers (Long-tailed Sylph, Buff-tailed Coronet, Speckled Hummingbird) but this places is amazing for your ANTPITTA FEEDERS (Bronw Banded Antpitta, Bicolored Antpitta, Slaty Crown Antpitta, Chestnut Crowned Antpitta) Also has perching areas for photography Andean Guan, Blue Winged Brush Finch, Buff Breasted Mountain-tanager and Slaty Brush Finch.
Cloud forest. The more stunning and awesome place in Eastern Andes, there we have the show antpitta around the feeders: Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Brown-banded Antpitta, Bicolored Antpitta, Slate-crowned Antpitta, some times Chestnut-naped Antpitta Other birds also come into the antpitta feeding sites including Green-and-black Fruiteater , Gray-browed Brushfinch, Great thruhs, rufous collared sparrow. Around the hummingbird feeders: Long-tailed Sylph, Bronzy and Collared Incas, Tourmaline Sunangel, Lesser Violetear, Sparkling Violetear, Speckled Hummingbird, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Buff-tailed Coronet, White-bellied Woodstar, Booted Racket-tail and some times wegde bill hummingbird. The places also has the banana feeders, which at the moment coming the Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager and Slaty Brush-Finch. Around the forest we can to find the stunning Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Masked Trogon, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Golden-plumed Parakeet, Black-collared Jay, Rusty Faced Parrot or Andean Pygmy Owl.
- Overnight: Tinamu Lodge
- Altitude: 7053 ft (2150m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
This morning we’ll travel about 1.5 hours up into the mountains high above the city to a remote and beautiful elfin and cloud forest. We’ll spend the morning at Hacienda el Bosque where the main attraction is the feeding station that has been setup here to view the incredible Crescent-faced Antpitta. Sometimes to offer good chances to photograph Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan. Then after lunch we’ll go to Hotel Termales for new hummingbird and tanager species: near-endemic Black-thighed Puffleg, Rainbow bearded Thornbill, Viridian Metaltail, Glowing and Golden-breasted Pufflegs, Great Sapphirewing also It has feeders for Lacrimose and Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanagers, Pale-naped and Gray-browed Brush-Finches, Glossy Flowerpiercer and BUFFY HELMETCREST, an impressive endemic hummingbird, often can be photographed on perches or while feeding on Espeletia flowers near to the top the mountains (not coming to feeders) . Other targets here are Tawny Antpitta, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Sedge Wren, Andean Tit-Spinetail, White-chinned Thistletail, Andean Siskin and Plane Naped Brush Finch.
- Overnight: Hotel Termales del Ruiz
- Altitude: 13123 ft (4000m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
This morning will be the highest elevation at Nevados National Park looking for the endemic Buffy Helmetcrest, a stunning hummingbird, which can often be photographed on perches or while feeding on Espeletia flowers. Other change (without feeders) as well Tawny Antpitta, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Sedge Wren, Andean Tit-Spinetail, White-chinned Thistletail, and Andean Siskin. The scenery is also impressive with fast grasslands. Then in the afternoon again feeders at Hotel Termales.
- Overnight: Hotel Termales del Ruiz
- Altitude: 13123 ft (4000m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
Morning photographic time around the feeders then we’ll transfer from Hotel Termales to the city of Cali in the western Andes. From here we’ll travel about 5 1/2 hours up into the mountains and valley to Cali town.
- Overnight: Araucana Lodge
- Altitude: 3339 ft (1018m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
The Finca Alejandria is much warmer in the afternoon and cooler in the morning. It has quite a different set of species to photograph. There will be options around the feeders for the likes of endemic Multi-coloured Tanager, and lovely hummers such as the Booted Racket-tail, Blue headed sapphire, purple throated Woodstart and Bronzy Inca. Also the tanagers like: Golden Naped tanager, Golden tanager, Saffron crowned tanager, flame-rumped tanager, scrub tanager and Green honeycreeper also the chachalaca and toucanet. The forest itself also offers great birding, with the likes of Ornate Hawk-Eagle and Golden-headed Quetzal always a possibility. Full Day at Finca.
- Overnight: Araucana Lodge
- Altitude: 3339 ft (1018m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
Another bird photography area is the main draw here its superb garden with numerous feeders, a covered area, and plenty of space for multi-flash setups: Multi-coloured Tanager, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Red-headed Barbet, and Black-capped Tanager are all regular visitors to the bananas, plus several euphonias. As for the hummingbirds; Green Thorntail, Western Emerald and Purple-throated Woodstar.
- Overnight: Araucana Lodge
- Altitude: 3339 ft (1018m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
The Anchicaya area became popular with Colombian birders long before it was recognized as the place to find the rare Toucan barbet. This morning we will get an early start, photograph a small and basic feeder station at our accommodations that is little-known in birding circles. Also known as Dona Dora after the lovely lady who owns it, it has become known as a paradise for birds attracting rarities like the Chocó Brush-Finch, Toucan Barbet, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia and some times Moss backed tanager When the Ficus tree is in the fruit season it’s a remarkable sight, as tropical rarities practically queue up to feed. Full day at Dora’s house and around the forest.
- Overnight: Araucana Lodge
- Altitude: 3339 ft (1018m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
We shall return to the airport in Cali mid-afternoon for an internal flight to Bogota where the tour will conclude for some, while everyone else can look forward to our Orinoquia extension. Delicious final dinner and end to this amazing birding and nature trip.
- Overnight: Hotel Hilton
- Altitude: 3339 ft (1018m)
- Inclusions: Private transport; all meals; hotel accommodation
The participants will we be transferred to the El Dorado International Airport for their international flight or onward connections in Colombia.
- Altitude: 8530 ft (2600m)
- Inclusions: Breakfast; airport shuttle
End of Awesome Iridescent Birding & Photography Tour with Us!
