Bogota & Coffee Area Birding Itinerary

This is the perfect birding adventure for the discerning birder and nature lover with just over a week to embark on an international birding adventure in the tropics. On this short yet mesmerizing birding tour in the Andes, you can expect to find over 200 bird species including 30 species of hummingbirds and many iconic birds that call Colombia home. Please take a look at the itinerary and let us know whether this tour is for you.

Day 1 – Arrival in Bogotá: Welcome to Colombia!
As you step off your plane at Bogota International Airport, you’ll be greeted by your tour guide and the driver who will whisk you away to a comfortable haven, your home away from home in this bustling metropolis. Tonight, we will introduce you to the wonders of our Bogotá birding adventure, discussing the route, rules, expectations, and so on. Any questions you have will be answered, ensuring you’re fully prepared for our first day of birding.

Night at Hotel Luisitania Bogotá

Day 2 – Chingaza National Park and the Hummingbird Observatory

Leaving the bustling city behind, we venture into the enchanting world of Chingaza National Park, a mere 1.5-hour journey from Bogotá. Here, lush Andean forests, subparamo, and paramo ecosystems await. Keep your binoculars ready, for we’ll seek out some of Colombia’s avian gems, including the elusive Brown-Breasted Parakeet, the resplendent Green-bearded Helmetcrest, and the melodious Silvery-throated Spinetail.

Next, we descend to the Hummingbird Observatory, nestled 40 minutes from Chingaza, amid a high Andean forest. This mystical place boasts 118 bird species, including a dazzling array of 18 hummingbird species. Among these are the Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Coppery-bellied Puffleg, Green and Sparkling Violetear, Speckled and Sword-billed Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Purple-backed Thornbill and the vibrant Shining Sunbeam. Photographers, be prepared to capture these winged jewels in all their glory.

Night at Hotel Luisitania Bogotá

Day 3 – Tabacal Lagoon and the Enchanted Garden

At the crack of dawn, and beating Bogota’s traffic, you travel west towards the Magdalena Valley and the Tabacal Lagoon, a hidden wetland just 1.5 hours from Bogotá. At the entrance, you can expect to find some interesting targets including Black-bellied Wren, Ruddy Foliage-gleaner, and Red-billed Scythebill. As we venture further, we may spot the Velvet-fronted Euphonia and the elusive White-throated Crake. Our quest may even lead us to the majestic Black Hawk-Eagle and the captivating White-bearded Manakin.

Tabacal offers a tantalizing taste of the lush lowland forests of the Magdalena Valley, an essential stop on your Short Colombia birding tour.

In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Enchanted Garden, a private paradise perched at 4,990 fasl. Over 200 hummingbirds grace this garden at any given time with their presence, including the esteemed Indigo-capped Hummingbird, Red-billed and Short-tailed Emerald, and the hard-to-find and stunning Indigo-Topaz Hummingbird.

We travel west for another two hours to spend the night at the quintessential colonial town of Honda, perched in the heart of the Magdalena Valley.

Night Hotel Posada las Trampas