Colombia, with its diverse landscapes, is home to more bird species than any other country in the world.

With almost 2,000 species, be prepared to be in awe of the spectacular avifauna as we explore Colombia’s

lush cloud forests, wetlands, valleys, and high mountain plains on this 15-day adventure. Join Colombia Bird-

watch to this dynamic birding destination as we enjoy the culture, gastronomy and fine people Colombia has

to offer.

Amid the cloud forests surrounding the infamous KM 18, search for a variety of species as well as visit

an Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek. The birding is amazing, with mixed-species flocks of Multicolored, Purplish-

mantled, Scrub and Golden-naped Tanagers foraging among the mist-laden trees along side Green-and-Black

and Scaled Fruiteaters, Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia and Golden-headed and Crested Quetzal.

Spend time at a prolific wetland area in search of an assortment of shorebirds and waterbirds in the

Cauca Valley. The Sonso Lagoon is one of Colombia’s largest wetland reserves and home to Bare-faced Ibis,

Chestnut-naped Antpitta Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

COLOMBIAWestern and Central Andean Endemics, Cauca Valley and Choco

Specialties

Colombia is Magical Realism

Jul 1 - Jul 15, 2014Jan 6 - Jan 20, 2015Jul 1 - Jul 15, 2015

Jan 12 - Jan 26, 2016Mar 15 - Mar 29, 2016

Jul 1 - Jul 15, 2016

Cocoi Heron, White-throated Crake, Blackish Rail

and Wattled Jacana. With luck you may encounter

rare species such as Pinnated Bittern, Bar-crested

Antshrike, and the endemics Apical Flycatcher and

Grayish Piculet. Keep your eyes open for Horned

Screamer – a large bird that can be described as a

cross between a turkey and a goose.

In the Choco Bioregion, one of the wettest

and most biodiverse hotspots in the world, look for

the endemic Gold-ringed Tanager and Munchique

Wood-wren, and the near endemic Black Solitaire

and Orange-breasted Fruiteater. Then head to the

Otun-Quimbaya Sanctuary in search of the endemic

Cauca Guan and for the best views in the world of

Red-ruffed Fruitcrow. At the world-renown Rio Blanco

Reserve, hope for a variety of antpittas plus other spe-

cies along this altitudinal gradient. Soak in hot springs

overlooking the scenic Central Andes, and look for

species adapted to high elevations in Los Nevados

National Park with the beautiful Nevado del Ruiz as

a backdrop. Join us in a beautiful country with an

unsurpassed diversity of fauna and flora.

COST: $4,400 or £ 2,685 per person, double oc-

cupancy, not including airfare, singles extra. Single

Supplement: $500 or £ 305

AIRFARE: Approximately $900 from the USA, or

£840 from London, depending on origin.

GROUP SIZE: 8 participants, not including leaders.

NUMBER of DAYS: 15 days total, including estimat-

ed travel time.

Crested Quetzal

LEADER: Christopher Calonje, with local guides at

all locations.

ACCOMODATIONS: Our lodging will range from rus-

tic cabins to nice hotels.

OUR LEADER: Christopher Calonje was born and raised in

Colombia where his grandfather and parents instilled

an appreciation for the beautiful birds of Colombia

from a young age. He graduated with a degree in

Natural Resources Planning at Humboldt State Uni-

versity, located in Northern California, and worked ten

years as an environmental consultant in the Pacific

Northwest. Chris specializes in wetland science, bot-

any, and environmental education. He began leading

groups in 2008 in his native Colombia, founded Co-

lombia Birdwatch to promote responsible ecotourism,

and devotes his time to various non-profit conserva-

tion groups and local communities. His family and

Blue-winged Mountain-tanager Multicolored Tanager

Green-and-black Fruiteater

friends in Colombia have welcomed numerous tour

groups to their properties in all regions of Colombia.

DETAILED ITINERARY: Day 1 ~ Flights to Cali Your tour leader will meet you at the airport for

your transfer to the hotel.

Lodging: Hostal Santa Rita

Day 2 ~ El 18 and Andean Cock-of-the-rock Lek Today we spend the morning around the fa-

mous El 18, located on an 1800-meter (5,900-foot)

pass 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Cali along

the road that connects Cali with the port city of Bue-

naventura. We will spend the day birding near the

hotel along a road that passes through fragments

of cloud forest usually with good mixed flock activ-

ity. Birding can be very productive here, and we will

look for four endemics – Chestnut Wood-Quail, Gray-

ish Piculet, handsome Flame-rumped Tanager, and

the spectacular Multicolored Tanager. This area is

a tanager paradise, where we have a good chance

to observe some stunning birds like Choco endemic

Purplish-mantled, Summer, Golden, near endemic

Scrub, Metallic-green, Saffron-crowned, and Golden-

naped tanagers as well as Ashy-throated Bush-Tana-

ger and Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager. We hope to

be dazzled by an impressive show of hummingbirds

Blue-naped Chlotophonia

Apical FlycatcherSpectacled Parrotlet

Bar-crested Ant-shrike Jet Antbird

Crested Ant-tanager

at a private house along the same road, including the

beautifully ornate Long-tailed Sylph, Purple-throated

Woodstar, Blue-headed Sapphire, Green Violetear,

Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Speckled Hummingbird, and

White-necked Jacobin. We also hope to find some

hummingbirds that lek in small groups such as the

Brown Violetear and Tawny-bellied Hermit.

Our next stop is Bichacue Yath reserve, a

beautiful moss and fairy garden that also offers great

birding opportunities. Nearby we will stop at a few

bridge crossings over the Felidia River searching for

more endemics – Crested Ant-tanager, Grayish Picu-

let, and Apical Flycatcher.

At 5 pm we will visit an active Andean Cock-

of-the-rock lek for some close-up views of this mag-

nificent bird’s display. This short, 10-minute walk will

take us down a steep hill to their lek near the river.

Then we will drive back to Cali for dinner and rest.

Lodging: Hostal Santa Rita

Day 3 ~ San Antonio Forest and Travel to Buga We will spend the morning birding in the pris-

tine sub-Andean cloud forest of the San Antonio For-

est, near El 18. Here we will bird along small grav-

el roads where we might see striking birds such as

Green-and-black Fruiteater, Chestnut-breasted Chlo-

rophonia, and Blue-naped Chlorophonia, inconspicu-

ous Golden-headed Quetzal, Scarlet-fronted Para-

keet, Red-faced Spinetail, Spotted and Rusty-winged

Barbtails, Streaked Xenops, and noisy, inquisitive

Crimson-rumped Toucanet. We will also listen and

search for species with interesting calls and songs,

like the hawk-like whistle of the Scaled Fruiteater,

warbling song of Black-billed Peppershrike, and beau-

tiful flute-like song of Andean Solitaire. Other species

we may find are Chestnut-breasted Wren, Greenish

Puffleg, large Montane woodcreeper, Scale-crested

Pygmy-tyrant, Choco endemic Nariño Tapaculo, and

hyperactive Cinnamon Flycatcher.

Then we will make our way towards Buga, a

Crimson-rumped Tucanet

marvelous city and one of the most important religious

pilgrimage centers in Colombia. Our colonial hotel has

a large swimming pool and impressive architecture.

Lodging: Hotel Guadalajara de Buga

Day 4 ~ Sonso Lagoon We will start early to take a 10-minute drive to

the wetland gem, Sonso Lagoon. This lagoon is one

of the only remaining wetlands in the Cauca Valley

and is teeming with birds, making it one of Colombia’s

best wetland birding locations. Here we will search

the marshes and lagoons that line the east bank of

the Cauca River for Fulvous and Black-bellied whis-

tling-ducks, Anhinga, Neotropical Cormorant, Little

Blue, Cocoi, and Striated herons, Snowy Egret, Black-

necked Stilt, gregarious Bare-faced Ibis, and Snail

Kite. We are likely to find Wattle Jacana, which have

a polyandry mating system, where females mate with

many males within a breeding season. Polyandry is a

fascinating adaptation that occurs in less than 1% of

birds, and is most common in shorebirds. We also will

look for species that spend the non-breeding season

in Colombia, such as locally rare Glossy Ibis, Cinna-

mon Teal, Lesser and Greater yellowlegs, and Spot-

ted and Least sandpipers.

Other rare species we might spot include Pin-

nated Bittern, endemic Apical Flycatcher, Roseate

Spoonbill, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, and Horned

Screamer. Horned Screamers are closely related to

geese and have some bizarre morphological features

such as spurs on their wings used for fighting and air

sacs in their legs used to make sounds. Along ripar-

ian areas we may find Southern Lapwing, Greater Ani,

Ringed Kingfisher, Crested and Yellow-headed Cara-

cara, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Southern Beard-

Sonso Lagoon

less-Tyrannulet, Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet, Yellow

Warbler, hard to visually identify Yellow-olive Flycatch-

er, Grey and Ruddy-breasted Seedeaters, Blue-black

Grassquit, and Cinereous Becard. Greater Anis are

fascinating because two to four unrelated pairs form a

nesting group that build a single nest in which all the

females lay their eggs and raise the young commu-

nally.

In nearby oxbows (called madres viejas in Co-

lombia) we hope to observe handsome birds such as

Jet Antbird, Orange-crowned Euphonia, and Fiery To-

paz plus Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher. We will have

lunch at the hotel and prepare for our 5 hour drive to

the Montezuma Lodge, which will require a transfer to

4x4 vehicles. Lodging: Montezuma Lodge

Day 5 ~ Montezuma Lodge

The Montezuma Lodge offers unsurpassed

hospitality and magnificent feeders and birding right

from the lodge, but we will save the feeders for later.

An early start will have us in search of Colombian en-

demics such as Gold-ringed Tanager and Chestnut

Wood-quail. If the weather is on our side, we will have

fantastic views of Cerro Tatama, with hopes of run-

ning into species such as the endemic Beautiful Jay,

Orange-breasted Fruiteater, White-faced Nunbird,

Glistening-green Tanager, Streak-capped Treehunter,

Linnetaed Foliage-gleaner, Olivaceous Piha, and Indi-

go Flowerpiercer. River crossing will give us a chance

for White-capped Dippper, and we won’t have to ven-

ture to far from the lodge to have chances for Toucan

Barbet, Black Solitaire, Choco Vireo and the beautiful

Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia.

White-tailed HillstarGolden-breasted Fruiteater

Violet-crowned WoodnymphGold-ringed Tanager

Lunch at the lodge will give us a chance to en-

joy the hummingbird feeders with visitors such as Vi-

olet-tailed Sylph, Empress Brilliant, White-tailed Hill-

star, and the near endemic Purple-throated Woodstar.

We will spend the afternoon birding the vicinity of the

lodge in preparation for a long ascent the following day.

Lodging: Montezuma Lodge

Day 6 ~ Higher elevations of Tatama National Park A

very early start will have us at the top of the hill by

sunrise, in hopes of making the best out of a long

day of birding. Our targets at he higher elevation are

the endemics Munchique Wood-wren and Chestnut-

bellied Flowerpiercer, which should be easy to see

in the open areas of the top of the hill. The long de-

scent will provide opportunities for some nice spe-

cies, including Flame-faced Tanager, Glossy-black

Thrush, Tanager Finch, and Black-and-gold, Rufous-

throated, and Golden-chested Tanagers. We will have

a picnic lunch along the way to maximize our bird-

ing, allowing time to get after forest skullkers such

as Spillman’s Tapaculo and Hooded Antpitta. A long

day if birding will come with the reward of an exqui-

site home-cooked meal and a good night’s sleep.

Lodging: Montezuma Lodge

Day 7 ~ Montezuma Lodge and travel to Otun-Quimbaya

Munchique Wood-wren

Broad-billed Motmot

After breakfast we will have time to enjoy the

banana feeders where Silver-throated Tanager, Buff-

throated Saltator, and Golden-naped Tanagers take

turns at the bananas in a semi-polite manner. Also,

the kitchen staff sets out maize for a population of

Blackis Rail that live in a nearby wetland, affording

great views of this usually hard-to-see bird. After lunch

we will head towards the Otun-Quimbaya Reserve,

which will be a 5 hour drive. We will drive through the

city of Pereira, and wind along the Otun River, finally

arriving at the locally run and rustic, La Suiza Lodge,

where we will spend the night.

Lodging: La Suiza Lodge Cabins

Day 8 ~ Otun-Quimbaya Reserve We will rise predawn to look for Choco endem-

ic Colombian Screech-Owl, and then continue birding

at the Otun-Quimbaya Reserve right at the doorsteps

of our hotel. The Otun-Quimbaya Reserve is a flora

and fauna sanctuary located on the west slope of the

Central Cordillera, and is home to the Wax Palm, pal-

ma de cera, the tallest palm in the world that grows

up to 70 meters (230 feet) and is the national tree of

Colombia. These palms, unlike most other species of

palm, thrive at high altitudes and cool climates found

here. We will also be received by the sounds of Howl-

er Monkeys and the endangered, endemic Cauca

Guan, once believed to be extinct until rediscovery of

a population in 1990.

Otun-Quimbaya is also one of the best places

in the world to observe Red-ruffed Fruitcrow. We will

search for endemics – Chestnut Wood-Quail, recently

described Stiles’s Tapaculo – and near endemics, like

Moustached Antpitta, the handsome Rufous-breast-

ed Flycatcher, and bright-colored Golden-fronted

Whitestart. Other impressive birds we hope to find

include Three-striped, Russet-crowned, and Canada

Warblers, Masked Trogon, Green Jay, Highland Mot-

mot, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, and Orange-bellied

Cauca Guan Red-ruffed Fruitcrow

Collared Trogon

Torrent Duck

Euphonia. We will also look for Black-billed Moun-

tain-Toucan, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Plumbeous-

crowned Tyrannulet, Marble-faced and Variegated

bristle-tyrants, and Glossy and Masked flowerpierc-

ers. Lodging: La Suiza Lodge Cabins

Day 9 ~ Otun-Quimbaya Reserve This morning we will devote time to finding the

infamous Torrent Duck. En route to Manizales, a 3.5-

hour drive, we will stop at a roadside lake where we

will be able to encounter more aquatic species includ-

ing Pied-billed Grebe, Masked Duck, and Blackish

Rail. We will spend the next two nights at the Rio

Blanco Reserve 30 minutes from Manizales, touted

as one of the three best birding sites in the world. Our

accommodations for the next two nights are rustic, but

comfortable and clean, and with unsurpassed hospi-

tality. Lodging: Rio Blanco Lodge

Day 10 ~ Rio Blanco Reserve Manizales is in the middle of the famed Coffee

Triangle, and is a great central location from which we

can visit several reserves that are inhabited by some

of Colombia’s most rare and threatened species. The

Rio Blanco Reserve is owned by Aguas de Maniza-

les, the local water company, and is situated along

an altitudinal gradient, therefore including a wide va-

riety of ecosystems. We could possibly observe five

antpitta species at feeders located within a short hike

from the lodge, including endemic and endangered

Brown-banded, Bicolored, Chestnut-crowned, Chest-

nut-naped, and Slate crowned antpittas. Other feeder

visitors seldom seen include Slaty-backed Nightingale

Thrush and Stripe-headed Brush-Finch. Additional

species observed in surrounding areas of the lodge

are endemic and endangered Rufous-fronted Para-

keet and the very rare Masked Saltator.

Many sought after species that we may en-

counter here include Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Gold-

en-fronted Whitestart, Dusky Piha, Lachrymose and

Buff-breasted mountain-tanagers, showy Grass-

green and White-capped tanagers, Powerful Wood-

pecker, and the hard to see Ocellated, Blackish, and

Spillman’s tapaculos. Other less common species

that are possible are Black-billed Peppershrike, the

handsome Plushcap, Mountain Cacique, and endan-

gered Golden-plumed Parakeet. Lodging: Rio Blanco

Lodge

Day 11 ~ Rio Blanco Reserve

Chestnur-crowned Antpitta Golden-plumed Parakeet

Today we will visit the reserve’s several well-

maintained hummingbird feeders that attract a great

variety of hummingbirds. We hope to see Tourmaline

Sunangel, Buff-tailed Coronet, Speckled Humming-

bird, Bronzy and Collared incas, Mountain Velvet-

breast, the tiny, slow-flying White-bellied Woodstar,

and the showy Long-tailed Sylph. This evening we

will drive back to Manizales to spend two nights at

Hotel Termales del Otono, where we can relax in its

mineral-rich, medicinal hot springs and enjoy scenic

views of the central Andes. Lodging: Hotel Termales

del Otono

Day 12 ~ Los Nevados National Park We will explore Los Nevados National Park,

located on the highest part of the Colombian central

Andes. We will wind through patches of forest that

open up to Paramo, an ecosystem of tropical grass-

lands above the treeline, toward the picturesque

5,300-meter (17,400-foot) volcano Nevado del Ruiz.

The scenery in Paramo is magical and surreal, with

velvety Frailejon plants adding to this effect. Frailejon

plants belong to the Espeletia genus and are endemic

to Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.

We will reach elevations up to 3,950 meters

(13,000 feet), so it will be cold. Here we hope to find

species adapted to high elevations like near endemic

Bearded Helmetcrest and Rainbow-bearded Thornbill,

both of which sometimes forage on the ground, Virid-

ian Metaltail, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Brown-backed

Chat-Tyrant that often conspicuously perches at the

top of shrubs, the beautiful Golden-crowned Tana-

ger, near endemic Black-backed Bush-Tanager, and

Glossy Flowerpiercer. We may also find a variety of

seedeaters in the Paramo, including Plumbeous Sier-

ra-Finch plus Paramo and Plain-colored seedeaters.

We will search for the very rare and endan-

gered endemic Rufous-fronted Parakeet along a two-

kilometer stretch of road that passes through elfin for-

est, an ecosystem of dwarfed plants. We also hope

to spot the very tame Tawny Antpitta, a common com-

panion to this area. We will stop at a nearby glacial

lake, Laguna Negra, where we may find Many-striped

Bicolored Antpitta

Scarlet-bellied Mountain-tanager

Canastero, White-tailed Hawk, the rare Black-chested

Buzzard-Eagle, Andean Tit-Spinetail, White-chinned

Thistletail, Andean or Ruddy Duck, Andean Teal,

Grass or Sedge Wren, and Pale-naped Brush-Finch.

In the early evening we will explore Manizales then re-

turn to our hotel, where we can soak in the hot springs.

Lodging: Hotel Termales del Otono

Day 13 ~ Manizales to Cali for Cali city tour We’ll leave for Cali in time to see the best of this

city. We will tour San Antonio, one of the oldest and

most beloved neighborhoods in Cali, exploring the co-

lonial architecture and enjoying panoramic views of

the city. We will dine in San Antonio and return to the

hotel to relax and rest before tomorrow’s departure.

Lodging: Hotel Obelisco

Day 14 ~ Dolmetsch Arboretum We will have the morning to explore Cali and

then have lunch at the Dolmetsch Arboretum with the

director, Alvaro Calonje. The Dolmetsch Arboretum

houses more than 2,200 plants from around the world,

and is world-renown for its cycad collection, containing

more than 60 species. Cycads are an ancient group

of seed plants that are much less abundant than they

were during the Jurassic period, and their geographic

ranges have contracted, resulting in cycads being one

of the most threatened plant groups in the world. Be-

cause of the variety of plants at the arboretum, we can

see a good variety of birds, such as Green Jay, Ru-

fous-tailed Hummingbird, Crimson-rumped Toucanet,

Acorn Woodpecker, and Blackburnian Warbler.

Our farewell dinner will give us a chance to

reminisce on the good times and good birding that

Colombia, its people and its birds allowed us to have. Lodging: Hotel Obelisco

Day 15 ~ Flights homeward After breakfast, our agent will transfer you to

the Cali Airport, or you may choose to extend your

stay to see more amazing sites in South America.

Trip Includes:

Bottled Water Throughout the Trip

Snacks Throughout the Trip

All Meals From Breakfast on Day 2 to Breakfast on Day 15

All Lodging (Double Occupancy)

Entrances to Parks and Reserves

Local Guides

Terrestial Transport From Airport Pickup to Airport Drop-off

Bearded Helmetcrest

Manizales

Does not include:

Tips

Alcoholic Beverages

Insurance

Airfaire to Colombia

Laundry