The Very Best of Colombia: The Andes and Chocó
November 2026/2027/2028

We invite you to view our revised Colombia Birding Tour: The Very Best of Colombia itinerary. This 14-day Colombia birding tour provides some of the best birding that Colombia has to offer and will explore many of the country’s finest birding sites. We will visit the central Andes from the spectacular Los Nevados National Natural Park and the Rio Blanco Reserve in search of the most-wanted White-capped Tanager, Ocellated Tapaculo, Masked Saltator and Buffy Helmetcrest to the Otún-Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary in search of the endemic Cauca Guan and the secretive Hooded Antpitta. At the bird-rich Tatamá National Park, where the western Andes meets the Chocó, we will search for a fine selection of Colombian birds, such as Gold-ringed (endemic), Black-and-gold and Glistening-green Tanagers, Club-winged Manakin, Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer, Dusky Starfrontlet, Black Solitaire and Munchique Wood Wren. We will then explore wetlands near the shores of the Cauca River in search of the endemic Apical Flycatcher, Spectacled Parrotlet and many classic aquatic species.

Multicolored Tanager is one of our targets on this tour.

Without doubt, another highlight of this birding tour will be the Pacific lowlands, where we will have the chance to look for the most-wanted Toucan Barbet and visit the San Cipriano Reserve where it is possible to find Chocó specials such as Black-tipped Cotinga, Black-breasted Puffbird, Tawny-crested Tanager, Rufous-winged Tanager, Scarlet-and-white Tanager and the unique Sapayoa. The Pacific lowlands are home to the sought-after Ocellated Antbird, Rose-faced Parrot, Choco Toucan and Lita Woodpecker. The humid forests above Cali are home to the Multicolored Tanager, one of the most beautiful tanagers in the world.

Colombia with its many diverse habitats is home to more bird species than any other country in the world. With the country’s almost 2,000 bird species, be prepared to be in awe of its spectacular avifauna as we explore Colombia on this 14-day birding adventure. This tour can be combined with our Santa Marta Escape birding tour which takes place immediately after this tour and is centered around the endemic-rich Santa Marta Mountains in northern Colombia.

The endemic Gold-ringed Tanager is a major target on this tour.

Itinerary (14 days/13 nights)

Day 1. Arrival in Cali

Our tour will start in the city of Cali, which is our rendezvous point in Colombia. You will be met at Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport and then transferred to your hotel.

Overnight: Hotel Dann Carlton, Cali

Day 2. Finca La Florida and Alejandria

We will begin our tour visiting La Florida Reserve where we will spend the whole morning getting acquainted with many exciting Colombian bird species including the sought after Multicolored Tanager. The bird feeder here attracts the endemic Chestnut Wood Quail and sometimes Little Tinamou and Scaled Antpitta. Other birds to be seen in the area include Chestnut-rumped Toucanet, Red-headed Barbet, Green Honeycreeper and Saffron-crowned, Golden-naped, Summer, Flame-rumped, Metallic-green and Golden Tanagers.

We will hope for views of Chestnut Wood Quail in La Florida Reserve (photo Gilberto Collazos).

Afterwards, we will head to the famous Finca Alejandria, where we will look for hummingbirds such as Long-tailed Sylph, White-booted Racket-tail (a recent split from Booted Racket-tail), Bronzy Inca and Blue-headed Sapphire. Other species that we will search for here include the Colombian Chachalaca (endemic), Black-winged Saltator, Acorn Woodpecker, Squirrel Cuckoo, Golden-headed Quetzal, Streak-capped Treehunter, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch, Russet-crowned Warbler, Montane Woodcreeper, Slate-throated Whitestart and Golden-winged Manakin. If we are lucky Common Potoo may be seen at daytime roosts. Other hummingbird species on our radar here include Greenish Puffleg, White-necked Jacobin, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Steely-vented Hummingbird, Andean Emerald, Speckled Hummingbird and Green Hermit. We will visit another private feeding station in the area where we should see similar birds, with the main target being Blue-throated Sapphire.

Overnight: Dann Carlton, Cali

Day 3. Anchicaya Road and Doña Dora feeders

Today we will visit the Doña Dora feeders, beyond the famous Kilometer 18, where we will have the chance to enjoy our first set of Chocó specials. In this area Pacific slope species reach their eastern extent and meet other more typical western Andes species. At the hummingbird feeders we normally find White-whiskered Hermit, Green Thorntail, Empress Brilliant, Violet-tailed Sylph and White-tailed Hillstar. The fruit feeders attract the most-wanted Toucan Barbet, which will be the main target of our visit. Other interesting species include Black-headed and Choco Brushfinches, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Grey-and-gold and Rufous-throated Tanagers and Sooty-headed Wren. If neighboring trees are in fruit, it is possible to find the most-wanted Yellow-collared Chlorophonia. After another fantastic day’s birding, we will stay another night in the Cali area.

Overnight: Dann Carlton, Cali

The brightly colored Toucan Barbet (photo Gilberto Collazos).

Day 4. San Cipriano Reserve and transfer to Buga

Today, we will have a very early start to travel to the San Cipriano Reserve, looking for Chocó specials such as Stub-tailed Antbird, Black-breasted Puffbird, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Scarlet-browed, Blue-whiskered and Scarlet-and-white Tanagers, Spot-crowned Antvireo, Dusky Pigeon, Barred Puffbird, Moustached Antwren, Chestnut-backed and Bicolored Antbirds and if we are lucky, we could find the most-wanted Ocellated Antbird, Rose-faced Parrot, Black-tipped Cotinga, Five-colored Barbet and the prized Sapayoa. From here, we will transfer to Buga.

Overnight: Hotel Guadalajara

Day 5. Sonso Lake and transfer to Cajamarca

We will have an easy morning visiting the Sonso Lake, looking for Spectacled Parrotlet, Jet Antbird, Apical Flycatcher (endemic), Orange-crowned Euphonia, Common Potoo, Common Nighthawk, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Red-breasted Blackbird, Oriole Blackbird, Blackish Rail, Greyish Piculet (endemic), several aquatic species and the secretive Dwarf Cuckoo. After 3-4 hours of birding, we will drive towards the town of Cajamarca in the foothills of the Tolima massive, a snow-capped mountain.

Overnight: Urapanes del Bosque

The gorgeous Indigo-capped Hummingbird.

Day 6. Fuertes’s Parrot Reserve

Today we will have an early start to visit the Fuertes’s Parrot Bird Reserve, one of the few places in the world where you can see the Critically Endangered and endemic Fuertes’s Parrot. Another target of this reserve is the Endangered endemic, Yellow-eared Parrot, a scarce parrot which nests at high elevation. Wax palm trees are widespread in the reserve which offer better views and photography chances than those birds seen in Jardin de Antioquia (Medellin). The new Retorno de los Colibries feeding station offers super opportunities for Colombian endemics such as Tolima Dove, Tolima Blossomcrown, Indigo-capped Hummingbird and Colombian Chachalaca. Others to look for here include Masked Trogon, Strong-billed and Montane Woodcreepers, Slaty Spinetail, Crimson-backed Tanager, White-throated and Crimson-rumped Toucanets, Andean Motmot, Olivaceous Piculet, Acorn Woodpecker, Inca Jay and Bar-crested Antshrike.

Overnight: Urapanes del Bosque

Fuertes’s Parrot; one of several parrot species we hope to see on this tour.

Day 7. Transfer to Montezuma

After some final birding in the area, we will transfer to Montezuma Ecolodge located in the foothills of the Tatama National Park, outside Pereira. This family-run property is the only accommodation in the area and although relatively basic it offers a nice experience in one of Colombia’s main birding hotspots. This is another area where Pacific slope species meet Andean species range and is one of the few accessible Chocó areas. We will arrive in the afternoon with time to check in and enjoy hummingbird feeders where we might find species such as Western Emerald, White-tailed Hillstar, Tawny-bellied Hermit and the uncommon Purple-bibbed Whitetip.

Overnight: Montezuma Ecolodge

Day 8. Montezuma Ridge (top)

Today we will have an early start and a full day to explore the top of the Montezuma ridge at 8,530 feet (2,600 meters) above sea level, where we will look for Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer (endemic), Munchique Wood Wren (endemic), Smoky Bush Tyrant and Collared Inca. We will also look for incredible mixed-species flocks that make Montezuma famous, which often include Gold-ringed (endemic), Glistening–green, Black-and-gold and Purplish-mantled Tanagers, Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner, Spillmann’s, Narino and Tatama Tapaculos, Montane Woodcreeper, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Bronze-olive Pygmy Tyrant, Handsome Flycatcher and with luck, White-faced Nunbird and Tanager Finch. The hummingbird feeders below the ridge attract Tourmaline Sunangel, Velvet-purple Coronet, Greenish Puffleg, Violet-tailed Sylph, Empress Brilliant and Brown Inca. At night we will look for Tropical Screech Owl around the cabins.

Overnight: Montezuma Ecolodge

Black-and-gold Tanager; yet another Colombian endemic.

Day 9. Montezuma (mid-elevation) and transfer to Pereira

We will have another early start today, this time to focus on mid-elevation species in the Cajones sector of the park. Here we will look for Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, Uniform Treehunter, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Uniform Antshrike, Bluish Flowerpiercer, Black-and-gold (endemic) and Rufous-throated Tanagers, Pacific Tuftedcheek, Choco Brushfinch, Choco Vireo, Golden-winged Manakin, Black-throated Tody-Tyrant, , Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, Crested Ant Tanager and with luck, Black Solitaire, Scaled Fruiteater, Choco Vireo  and Beautiful Jay. In the early afternoon we will leave the reserve and transfer to Pereira for the night in a comfortable hotel.

Overnight: Movich Pereira Hotel

The beautiful Yellow-collared Chlorophonia.

Day 10. Otún-Quimbaya Sanctuary and transfer to Manizales

Our predawn start will involve a drive from Pereira to the Otún-Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, where we will look for the endemic Cauca Guan and the secretive Hooded Antpitta. Other birds to look for here include Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Crested Ant Tanager (endemic), Andean Motmot, White-throated Toucanet, Stiles’s Tapaculo (endemic), Streak-capped Treehunter, Sooty-headed and Torrent Tyrannulets, Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, Whiskered Wren, White-capped Dipper and Torrent Duck. After lunch we will drive to Manizales, our base for the next few days.

Overnight: Hotel Quo, Manizales

Day 11. Rio Blanco Reserve

Today we will spend the morning visiting the Rio Blanco Reserve, paying particular attention to the three different antpitta stations of this reserve to look for Bicolored, Chestnut-crowned, Brown-banded and Slate-crowned Antpittas. The mixed-species flocks at Rio Blanco normally include Blue-and-black, Grass-green and Blue-capped Tanagers, Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Capped Conebill, Black-eared Hemispingus, Superciliaried and Oleaginous Hemispingus, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Pearled Treerunner and Green-and-black Fruiteater. Some understory species we will look for include Rusty-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Flammulated Treehunter, Streak-headed Antbird, Blackish Tapaculo, Russet-crowned Warbler and Grey-browed Brushfinch. Other highlight species to look for at Rio Blanco include Masked Saltator, Dusky Piha and White-capped Tanager. Occasionally it is possible to find Stygian Owl at its daytime roost.

Overnight: Hotel Quo, Manizales

Day 12 Hacienda El Bosque

Today we will spend the full morning at Hacienda El Bosque, a private reserve which has become a mandatory birding and photography hotspot for birdwatchers visiting Colombia. Here we will have the chance to look for the sought after Crescent-faced Antpitta. Other targets include Equatorial Antpitta, White-browed Spinetail, White-banded and White-throated Tyrannulets, Mountain, Rufous and Grass Wrens, Black-crested Warbler, Blue-backed Conebill, White-throated Quail-Dove, Grey-browed Brushfinch and Hooded Mountain Tanager. While here we will also enjoy the lodge feeders which attract handsome species such as Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, a big target for many visitors, and this reserve offers close up views of this species. Other interesting species seen here include Andean and Sickle-winged Guans. Hummingbirds will of course be high on our agenda here and include Sword-billed Hummingbird, Tourmaline Sunangel, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Shining Sunbeam and many others.

Overnight: Hotel Quo, Manizales

The striking Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan.

Day 13. Los Nevados National Natural Park

Today we will have an early start to explore the high elevation páramos below the snow-capped mountains. Outside the park we will look for Buffy Helmetcrest (endemic), Andean Tit-Spinetail, Many-striped Canastero, Grass Wren, Tawny Antpitta, Plain-colored Seedeater, Plumbeous Sierra Finch and Stout-billed Cinclodes. If we are lucky, we might see the mighty Andean Condor soaring above the mountains alongside the commoner Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle. We will try to locate the uncommon Black-backed Bush Tanager before returning to our hotel and enjoying its hummingbird feeders. These feeders attract species like Great Sapphirewing, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Black-thighed and Golden–breasted Pufflegs, Shining Sunbeam, Viridian Metaltail and Rainbow-bearded Thornbill. Other species around the hotel include Paramo Tapaculo, Glossy Flowerpiercer and Pale-naped Brushfinch.

Overnight: Hotel Quo, Manizales

The cute Crescent-faced Antpitta in Hacienda El Bosque.

Day 14 Transfer to Pereira and departure

Today we will transferr to Pereira domestic airport where we will say goodbye and catch domestic flights back to Cali, Bogota or Medellin from where you can take international flights back home.

Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling or other factors.

COLOMBIA: THE VERY BEST OF COLOMBIA

               TOUR-SPECIFIC INFORMATION

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO OUR COLOMBIA TOURS IN GENERAL

The birding on this Colombia tour is simply outstanding, both in terms of numbers and diversity of species. This itinerary is designed to provide you with the best of the country, from the central Andes, including the high Andean Mountains of Los Nevados National Park and the Rio Blanco Reserve, to the Chocó rainforest, and the western Andes. We believe you are going to love your Colombian birding tour with us!

ARRIVAL INFORMATION

Please e-mail us (or contact us in a different way, if preferred) before you book any flights, as the information shown here is just an initial guide. Our tour will start in the city of Cali at Alfonso Bonilla Aragon (CLO) International Airport which can be reached with direct flights from all over Colombia and from some international airports like Miami (USA) and Panama City (Panama). You might wish to consult your travel agent to book your most convenient flight (and contact us if you want guidance). Your tour leader will be waiting for you at Cali airport with a small board with the Birding Ecotours logo and will then transfer you to your hotel. Please be aware that most international flights arrive in Cali in the afternoon, so we don’t have any birding activities planned for Day 1. In case you arrive on an early flight, you will be transferred to the hotel but may have to wait until check-in is available. For an early check-in you might be charged extra directly by the hotel; this cost is excluded from the Birding Ecotours tour price.

Please remember to keep your luggage tags, as they are required to exit the terminal at Cali  airport.

When filling out the customs declaration form, please use the below address for the hotel:

Hotel Dann Carlton, Carrera 2 # 1 – 60, B/ El Peñon, Cali, Colombia

DEPARTURE INFORMATION

Our tour will end in the city of Pereira after a wonderful 14 days/13 nights in Colombia. With the conclusion of the final morning’s birding, your tour leader will transfer you to the Matecaña International airport (PEI) from where you can take connections to some international destinations or any city in Colombia to connect with your international departure.

DOMESTIC FLIGHT INFORMATION

Our tour will end with the road transfer from Manizales to Pereira airport from which you can take your flight connections back home. Your final flight details will be provided within two months of the start of the tour, after we have received full payment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND PACE

We qualify this trip as moderate difficulty. Most of the birding consists of walking along roads, some of which are in hilly terrain, however, we will also spend time sitting and enjoying hummingbird feeders and watching for birds around the lodges’ clearings. We have to negotiate some short, steep walks in the Andes to reach prime birding habitat and some feeding stations. Colombia, however, does not require long, hard mountain walks as is the case for some other Birding Ecotours destinations like Peru, Guatemala, or Ecuador.

Keep in mind that (as is usual on birding trips) we need to be awake very early in the mornings, and pre-dawn starts are in order each day. We normally spend the whole morning birding in the field, returning to the lodge for lunch, and then providing opportunities for a little rest before continuing our birding in the afternoon. Your guide will sometimes invite you to look for owls at night, but this is an optional activity that you can skip if you feel tired. Some people prefer to rest, skipping birding in the afternoon; this can be done at those lodges when we are staying more than one night. When we do birding stops while traveling from location to location, people who feel tired do not have to follow the group and can remain in the vehicle.

Even though we spend two or three nights at a few of our accommodations on this tour, which allows you more free time without the need to pack and re-pack every day, Colombia is a big country, and the tour includes some lengthy drives. These drives, however, allow you to enjoy the interesting countryside and maximize chances for unexpected birds along the drives.

We will stay at the best available accommodation on this tour, however, despite this, not all lodges provide facilities such as air conditioning or heating (the latter is almost non-existent in Colombia). Some accommodations will provide fans. Heating is not available in the hotel in the Andes, where it can get cold at night.

We think this trip might be difficult for people with back, walking, and balance problems or for those who are not used to a birding trip with early starts involved.

ATM MACHINES

ATM machines are available in Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Calí.

ALTITUDE

We will reach high elevation at Los Nevados National Park, 13,000 feet (~4000 meters) above sea level. Please ask your doctor if you have any medical conditions that might be affected by high altitude. Spending a few hours at high elevation is never normally a problem, but some minor symptoms might appear, like a slight headache and mild dizziness. A regular Paracetamol 400 mg, taken two hours before we reach this elevation, should prevent any headache trouble. We suggest avoiding eating a large dinner on the previous night which will aid with digestion.

WEATHER

We ask you to be ready for all kinds of weather during this trip.

The central Andes can be sunny in the morning, but the temperature can drop to 60 °F (16 °C) with 70 % humidity, which results in feeling cold at night. We can also expect some rain in this part of the Andes, however, several flocks of birds are more active on rainy and overcast days.

Up in Los Nevados National Park in the Cordillera of the central Andes, windy days may further amplify the colder temperatures. Please check here for our suggested packing list for a birding tour.

The Chocó rainforest is probably one of the most humid natural areas in the world, so during our stay there we should encounter some rain, which should, however, not be an impediment to finding good birds. It is hot in the mornings (if not overcast), with temperatures reaching 86 °F (30 °C). The weather is similar around Calí – high humidity and some rainy mornings should be expected.

LAUNDRY

Laundry service is available at the hotel in Manizales, and Hotel Dann in Cali. The Finca Montezuma cabins offer laundry service as well, but they don’t have a drier, so clothes must be hang-dried, and if we have rainy or very damp days your clothes may not dry well. We think the most convenient laundry options during the trip are Manizales, and Calí. Laundry fees are not included in the tour price.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation at Finca Montezuma is fairly basic and rustic, however, the private rooms are comfortable and clean. The small house provides shared and en-suite bathroom cabins (depending on availability); unfortunately hot water is not available 24/7. Finca Montezuma is a remote location on the border of the Tatamá National Park. We consider the birding here excellent with some of the most-sought-after species in Colombia, such as Gold-ringed Tanager.

TRANSPORT

We will have a private van for the whole tour with plenty of room for everybody. However, we will have to divide the group for the birding around Montezuma Ecolodge. The road conditions along this stretch are rough for the regular tourist vans, so we will replace the van with 4×4 vehicles. Normally for a group of four people we use two 4×4 vehicles.

Colombia General Information

Download The Very Best of Colombia Tour Information