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Why go Birding in Colombia?

Icaro Birding Tours to Colombia in a nutshell

Epic Andes Birding Tour

Our most colorful birding tour will take you to explore birding hotspots in the Cauca Valley (home to over 900 bird species), the Choco Bioregion (the most biodiverse region on earth), and the Coffee Triangle region of Colombia (best coffee in the world).

Our favorite birds: Endemic Multicolored Tanager & Gold-ringed Tanager, Toucan Barbet (photo), and Endemic Buffy Helmetcrest

Duration: 12 days
Price: $4,200 per birder
Goal: 350 – 450 bird species including +35 endemics

Add the Santa Marta Endemics Tour and save $500!

Magdalena Valley of Magic Tour

If you support the mission of the American Bird Conservancy this tour is for you. We visit two Nature Reserves supported by the ABC for the protection of the iconic and endangered Chestnut-capped Piha and Blue-billed Curassow.

Most coveted birds: Endemics White-mantled Barbet (Photo), Beautiful Woodpecker, and Red-bellied Grackle

Duration: 15 days
Price: $4,800 per birder
Goal: +400 bird species including +30 endemics

Add the Santa Marta Endemics Tour and save $500!

birding colombia
Santa Marta Endemics Tour

The Santa Marta Mountain range on the Caribbean Coast of Colombia is recognized as a hotbed for endemism in the Americas. Detached from the Andes by a wide valley, isolation has created the perfect conditions for up to 20 bird species to be found here and nowhere else. In just 7-days you will have the chance to see many of these endemics and around 300 bird species total

Birds of particular interest include (E) Sierra Nevada Brush-finch, (E) Santa Marta Tapaculo, (E) Santa Marta Woodstar, (E) Santa Marta Blossomcrown (E) Santa Marta Antbird, (E) Santa Marta Screech-owl, (E) Santa Marta Parakeet, (E) White-tailed Starfrontlet, (E) Santa Marta Mountain-tanager, (NE) White-tipped Quetzal among many more

Duration: 7 days
Price: $3,000 per birder
Goal: Over 250 bird species including over 20 endemics!

Remote Amazon Birding Tour

An off-the-beaten-path birding tour to remote areas in Amazon foothills will set you on track to explore habitats as diverse as white sand Amazon soils, Guiana Shield, Terra Firme tropical forests, gallery forests, and seasonally flooded Varzea Forest A once in a lifetime birding experience not suitable for the faint of heart.

Birds of particular interest include Fiery Topaz, Tawny-tufted Toucanet, White-plumed Antbird, Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, Red-fan Parrot, Capuchinbird, Yapacana Antbird, Black-spotted Bare-eye and many more bizarre-looking specialties.

Goal: About 300 bird species including 100 specialties
Duration: 10 – 12 days: We have two versions for this tour
Price: $4,500 – $5,000 per birder

What our guests have to say about
Icaro Birding Tours to Colombia

My brother and I couldn’t have imagined a more inspiring place to spend as this pandemic was unfolding — to be bombarded with beautiful birds and extraordinary landscapes– not to mention the people — was perfect!

Tamara Krendel

Andover, MA

What struck me most about that trip was the interaction with the indigenous people, actually being on their land and seeing their villages. That was an incredible experience. I was amazed at how clean those villages are and the two bathrooms that I used were so very clean. I was amazed – Hopefully, you can keep that trip going with other groups. It is a great one!

Joelle Finley

New Orleans, LA

“We did have a great time – Johnnier is an exceptional guide who can find and get a scope on just about any bird, even before the rest of the group has picked it out of the vegetation!  Mario is an exceptional driver on his way to being a great birder too!  Our group got along really well and it was a joy from start to finish.  We’ll be happy to fill out the survey.  Colombia lived up to all my expectations – what a beautiful country, so full of life of all kinds – the plants, the birds, the butterflies – I already want to go back to see some of the other habitats and continue to expand my bird list!”

Juanita Hummel

Hopewell, NJ

“Birding Trip. Well planned, excellent accommodations, good food, world-class bird guide. The tour guide was always available and proactive!”

Tom O'Flarity

New Orleans, LA

“This tour was designed for the active, committed birder with a special interest in hummingbirds. Colombia is home to more different hummingbird species than any other nation on the planet. In that aspect, it was a complete success. The sites were well-chosen and they offered very nice amenities for “off the beaten path” outdoor enthusiasts. I look forward to their next offerings!”

Nancy Newfield

New Orleans, LA

“From Cali to Manizales and back, this trip took us from wild, secluded outposts to resort-class, heated-pool hotels among some of the most beautiful birds on earth. Incredible days and, Julio, the best guide imaginable. Highly recommended.”

David Stacy

Houston, TX

“We took so many pictures!! Great guide, great driver, great birds. I hope more people travel to Colombia to see the unique habitats and help develop birding and eco-tourism. And if you are going, Icaro offers some well-planned itineraries based on lots of local knowledge.”

Lisa Wahl

Berkley, CA

Icaro Birding Offers More

Our team

  • Juan Manuel Cardona
    Juan Manuel Cardona
    Birding guide
  • Andrea Beltran
    Andrea Beltran
    Birding guide
  • Johnnier Arango
    Johnnier Arango
    Birding guide
  • Camilo Orjuela
    Camilo Orjuela
    Birding guide
  • Giovani Ortiz
    Giovani Ortiz
    CEO
Juan Manuel Cardona
Birding guide

JuanMa is a Colombian birding guide who is passionate about birds, music, and nature. He lives in the Coffee Triangle of Colombia and is co-founder and local birding guide at Otún Quimbaya Fauna & Flora Sanctuary, a community initiative that offers awesome birding.

Fun Fact: Juan is an outstanding musician who plays the Marimba!

Andrea Beltran
Birding guide

Andrea holds a degree in Biology and Environmental Education and has been passionate about birding in Colombia for 7+ years. She is a pioneer as a woman birding guide in Colombia and is leading the way for others.

Fun Fact: Andrea is the Director of Operations at Birding & Herping, a biodiversity conservation initiative that she founded with her husband Alejandro in 2015.

Johnnier Arango
Birding guide

Johnnier cultivated his passion for birds and nature conservancy in the Serranía de Los Paraguas just beyond the Colombian
western Andes. He knows just as much about birds as he does about plants.

Fun Fact: His birding playground, the Choco Bioregion, is one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth.

Camilo Orjuela
Birding guide

Since 2013 when Camilo moved to live in Inirida, a capital city in the Amazon’s foothills, his passion and commitment for nature, conservation and indigenous populations have grown to a level where today he is the expert for all the exotic and weird-looking birds of the Amazon. Who knows? maybe one day Camilo will find a new bird species for science.

Fun Fact: Through Camilo’s effort the indigenous communities in Inirida are benefiting from ecotourism and the conservation of the ecosystems

Giovani Ortiz
CEO

Giovani started birding 4 years ago in New Orleans, LA as he was jogging with ideas around sustainability, ecotourism and his beloved Colombia. Together with good friends and excellent birders he embarked on a first birding adventure that has brought him back many times to explore birding hotspots across the Andes Cordillera, the Caribbean Coast and Amazon foothills. Giovani is in charge of marketing, sales and making sure you have a delightful birding experience in the country with more bird species on earth – Colombia!