18 Nov 2025 - 24 Nov 2025 (7 days)
USD3,595 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Carlos Bocos
Tour price (Per person): USD3,595 * GBP2,852 * EUR3,418 * AUD5,541
Single Supplement: USD410 * GBP325 * EUR390 * AUD632
Flight costs (Linked Tour): USD100 * GBP79 * EUR95 * AUD154
Colombia has more species of birds than any other country - a staggering 1930+ species are to be found within the confines of this incredible nation; of which, at least 89 are endemic. This huge diversity of species results from the equally diverse range of habitats: three Andean Cordilleras (Western, Central and Eastern Andes), two inter-Andean valleys (the Cauca and Magdalena Valleys), the lowland forests of the Amazon and Orinoco regions, the isolated snow-capped Santa Marta Mountains, the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, deserts and lakes, and the rich wet forests of the Chocó all help to make it one of the most exciting countries to bird on earth!
Our series of northern Andes tours focus on the bulk of endemics that Colombia has to offer; working our way through the Central and Eastern Andean ranges and both the Magadalena and Cauca Valleys, as well as the dry Guajira desert and the impressive Santa Marta Mountains.
Our tour of Bogota and the Upper Magdalena Valley takes us to the Eastern Andes sites of Chingaza, Guasca, Sumapaz and Chicaque for Flame-winged Parakeet, Green-bearded Helmetcrest, Apolinar's Wren, Bogota Rail and Moustached Brushfinch. We next move west, visiting the hummingbird paradise of Jardin Encatado en route to Mariquita. The dry forest sites are home to Velvet-fronted Euphonia, Apical Flycatcher and Tolima Dove, while the higher cloud forests of Clarito Botero hose Yellow-headed Brsuhfinch and Crested Ant Tanager. A quick side stop to Canon Combeima should deliver Tolima Blossomcrown, before we continue to Loros Andinos for the rarely seen Fuertes's Parrot. Finally, we have a day around Otun-Quimbaya to find the formerly presumed extinct Cauca Guan and possibly Multicolored Tanager.
Silvery-throated Spinetail, Flame-winged Parakeet, Green-bearded Helmetcrest, Apolinar’s Wren, Bogota Rail, Yellow-headed & Moustached Brushfinches, Indigo-capped Hummingbird, Velvet-fronted Euphonia, Colombian Chachalaca, Apical Flycatcher, Tolima Dove, Crested Ant Tanager, Tolima Blossomcrown, Fuertes’s Parrot, Cauca Guan, Multicolored Tanager, Chestnut Wood Quail
montane forest, montane grassland, montane lakes, crater lakes, dry forest, cloud forest, temperate forest
temperate to cold in highlands, hot and possibly humid in lowland
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader and 1 local leader
brisk pace, some demanding walks
basic to some comfortable hotels
moderate with some challenging species
700+ (Andean Endemics combined with Santa Marta Extension)
spectacular scenery
average to good
Tuomas is a great guide and excellent with bird IDs and helping people see all of the birds as much as possible. He also managed to maintain group morale despite a very ambitious and exhausting itinerary.
This was an excellent opportunity to see a part of Colombia that I hadnt visited. It was a vigorous schedule, as predicted; fortunately, participants could opt out of activities if they preferred. Our guides were both top rate, with complementary strengths. The result was a lot of birds, particularly endemics, seen. Accommodations were appropriate to each area. The van and driver were superb.
Dusan is an outstanding guide. He consistently made sure that all of us saw each bird and knew its name. I have hearing and mild short-term memory problems and Dusan took specialefforts to be sure that these did not interfere with my birding success on the trip. Not only does Dusan know all of the Colombian birds by sight, but he knows all of their calls and is able to talk at length about their biology and behavior - that is, he is an excellent teacher, too. This is something that I appreciate greatly, as I am a retired college professor of biology and I recognize an excellent teacher when I see one in action. In addition to his skills as a guide, Dusan was tireless in making sure that the constantly-changing tour arrangements went smoothly from day to day. I am certain that we got every minute that was possible out in the field looking for new birds; this was the goal of the tour (1000 species seen in 30 days of birding). He has a very pleasant, enthusiastically-encouraging personality and is outstanding at promoting group coherence and morale in difficult and sometimes mildly-dangerous situations.
Thank you so much for a wonderful experience on my Remote Colombia Tour. Forrest remains among one of the best guides I have ever travelled with. His knowledge of the areas within Colombia is astounding, he clearly knows his birds and their respective calls, he knows the off-track spots to seek out the more difficult species and the local people he interacts with clearly respect and value their relationship with him. Witnessing the interaction of these relationships makes for such a more enjoyable overall experience. Forrest as a guide brings a strong combination of spotting birds, knowing the bird calls and getting people on the bird. Equally important, he interacts with each and everyone of his participants and just displays such a passion for birds, wildlife and the local culture.
Forrest Rowland is an incredible guide.
Colombia - Perijá & Santa Marta Endemics - Tailormade 2024 - September 2024
Colombia - Highlights 2024 - July 2024
Colombia - Highlights (ECU replacement) 2024 - January 2024
Colombia - Northern Andes: Central Andes 2023 - October 2023
Colombia - Northern Andes: Medellin & surrounds 2023 - October 2023
Colombia - Northern Andes: Bogota & surrounds 2023 - October 2023
Colombia - Northern Andes: Santa Marta 2023 - September 2023
Colombia - Santa Marta Extension I 2023 - August 2023
Colombia - Highlights 2023 - August 2023
Colombia - Santa Marta Extension II 2022 - December 2022
Colombia - Northern Andes: Western & Central Andes 2022 - November 2022
Colombia - Northern Andes: Medellin & Magdalena Valley 2022 - November 2022
Colombia - Northern Andes: Bogota & surrounds 2022 - November 2022
Colombia - Highlights 2022 - September 2022
Colombia - Mega Birding Tour II 2021 - November 2021
Colombia - Mega Birding Tour I 2020 - January 2020
Colombia - Highlights 2019 - November 2019
Colombia - Santa Marta Extension 2019 - November 2019
Colombia - Perijá & Santa Marta Endemics (SGT) 2019 - October 2019