Bogota & Coffee area Birding tour
A nice and comfortable tour around Bogota and the beautiful Coffee region
Join us for a short & convenient, yet mesmerizing birding adventure through Colombia’s Andes Cordillera! Our tour begins in Bogota, the vibrant capital, birding diverse ecosystems like cloud forests, sub-paramo, and paramo. We’ll then head west to explore the lowland tropical forest with its many range-restricted and endemic species, followed by a picturesque stay in the Coffee region. Experience breathtaking landscapes, discover rich birding hotspots teeming with hummingbirds and tanagers, and savor the finest coffee on the planet.
Tour Duration: 8 Days
Best Tour Dates: February – March & June – August
Tour Size: Up to 6 birders
Tour Guide: Ivan Aguilera, Juan Manuel Cardona or Miguel Lopez
Tour Goal: 200-300 bird species including 15 endemics
Tour Price: $3,500 per birder
Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate
Iconic bird species to find include Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Sword-billed, Indigo-Topaz Hummingbird, Rainbow-bearded Helmetcrest, Buffy Helmetcrest, Red-billed Scythebill, White-bearded and White-bibbed Manakin, Sooty Ant-Tanager, White-capped Tanager, White-mantled Barbet, Masked Saltator, Bicolored, Brown-banded and Crescent-faced Antpitta, Andean Condor, Grey-breasted Mountain-toucan, Cauca Guan, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow.
Birding Highlights
• Prepare to be mesmerized as we visit many hotspots adorned with bird feeders, attracting a stunning variety of up to 30 hummingbird species and many tanager species.
• Birding Bellavista Reserve presents a great introduction to the Magdalena Valley’s endemics and range-restricted bird species.
• Discover the renowned RÃo Blanco Reserve, famous for its feeding stations that entice up to five Antpitta species
• Hacienda el Bosque is an amazing new hotspot in the Coffee area with a unique grape feeder to attract Grey-breasted Mountain toucan
• Birding around the active Nevado del Ruiz volcano allows you to see the endangered, endemic, and restricted Buffy Helmetcrest.
• Enjoy a relaxing afternoon birding at Termales del Ruiz, a beautiful hotel in the pre-paramo ecosystem with a mesmerizing hummingbird garden and a steaming, hot, sulfurous thermal pool to enjoy after a delightful day of birding.
Tour Map
Included in the Short Birding Tour
• Private land transportation and 1 internal flight
• All meals starting with dinner on day 1 through breakfast on last day
• Plenty of bottled water and snacks
• Lodging in nice hotels and ecolodges
• Entrance fee to the Fincas, Natural Parks and Reserves
• Basic Travel Insurance
Not included in the Short Birding Tour
• International flights
• Medical and personal liability insurance
• Personal expenses (laundry, tips, international phone calls)
• Not specified expenses
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
Day 4 – Exploring Bellavista Natural Reserve in La Victoria, Caldas
Our journey takes us to La Victoria, a birding hotspot in the heart of the Magdalena Valley, nestled between the Eastern and Central Andes Cordillera. Here, we’ll encounter a very fine representation of the valley birds with over 200 species recorded including Black-faced Dacnis, Sooty Ant-Tanager, White-mantled Barbet, and the dazzling White-bibbed Manakin. Keep your eyes peeled for snakes, tarantulas, monkeys, and sloths as you explore this lush landscape.
In the afternoon, we’ll make a 3.5-hour transfer to our base camp in Colombia’s coffee region, the nice and picturesque Paraiso Verde lodge, a perfect continuation of your Short Colombia Birdwatching Tour.
Night at Paraiso Verde
Day 5 – The Wonders of RÃo Blanco Reserve
A mere 35-minute drive brings us to the RÃo Blanco Reserve, a sanctuary for Masked Saltator, Bicolored Antpitta, and Brown-banded Antpitta. In the morning, savor a cup of Colombia’s finest coffee while marveling at the dazzling hummingbird garden, including the Tourmaline Sunangel and the enchanting Long-tailed Sylph.
Later, we’ll journey with a local guide to the special Antpitta feeding stations, offering an up-close encounter with the endemic Brown-banded Antpitta, Slate-crowned Antpitta, and the impressive Chestnut-crowned Antpitta. The rest of the day will be spent exploring the extensive trail network, where you may spot rare treasures like the Stygian Owl, Dusky Piha, and the elusive Ocellated Tapaculo.
As the day draws to a close, we’ll return to Recinto del Pensamiento, reminiscing about the avian wonders we’ve encountered on your Short Colombia birding tour.
Night at Paraiso Verde
Day 6 – Páramo del Ruiz and Termales del Ruiz
Today, we ascend to Páramo del Ruiz, the highest altitude in our tour at 13,400 fasl but just for a few hours. Here, you’ll search for the marvelous, endemic, and endangered Buffy Helmetcrest feeding from the speletia flowers and the hard-to-find Rufous-fronted Parakeet. Other notable species include the Buff-breasted and Hooded Mountain Tanager, Tawny Antpitta, Andean Condor, and the elusive Black-chested Buzzard-eagle.
In the afternoon, we’ll descend to Termales del Ruiz, a high-altitude haven boasting 10 species of hummingbird in their spectacular gardens, including the sought-after Black-thighed Puffleg, Rainbow-bearded Helmetcrest, and Golden-breasted Puffleg. This is a heaven place for Photographers.
The hotel boasts a steaming, hot, sulfurous delightful thermal pool that you can enjoy after a fulfilling day of birding. Relax and rejuvenate as you go over the memories of your Colombian birding adventures.
Night at Termales del Ruiz Hotel
Day 7 – Hacienda el Bosque and Sub-Páramo Marvels
A short 35-minute drive from our hotel takes us to Hacienda El Bosque, a fantastic new addition to Colombia’s top birding destinations. Nestled in a high Andean Forest, this paradise is home to the Crescent-faced Antpitta and the Grey-breasted mountain toucan, two species rarely found elsewhere.
Photographers, you’ll have ample opportunities to capture these elusive treasures, along with other gems like the Rufous Antpitta, Mountain Velvetbreast, Golden-fronted Redstart, Pearled Treerunner, and the Barred Fruiteater.
In the late afternoon, we head south to our final birding location, the magnificent Otun Quimbaya Natural Reserve.
Night at Hotel Kumanday
Day 8 – Otún Quimbaya and Farewell to Colombia
Your Short Colombia Birdwatching Tour concludes in the stunning Otun Quimbaya, where flat trails and navigable understory make birdwatching a breeze. Seek out the endemic and range-restricted Cauca Guan, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Golden-plumed Parakeet, Mustached Antpitta, Hooded Antpitta, and the elusive Chestnut Wood-Quail with the guidance of your experienced Colombian birding guide.
In the afternoon, we’ll bid farewell to the birds of Colombia as we transfer to Pereira airport for your flight back to Bogotá, concluding your short yet memorable birding adventure. If needed, we’ll provide you with accommodation for the night. The airport is just a short 20-minute shuttle ride away.
Add a 7-day Santa Marta Endemics extension and get $800 OFF total in your combined adventure
Photos Day 3
Blue-throated Starfrontlet by Nick Athanas
Red-billed Scythebill by Robin Gwen Agarwal
Sword-billed Hummingbird by Doug Greenberg
White-bearded Manakin by Felix Uribe
Photos Day 5
Slate-crowned Antpitta by David Larson
Sooty Ant-tanager by Nick Athanas
Stygian Owl by Ron Knight
White-mantled Barbet by Luis Fdo Serna
Photos Day 8
Cauca Guan
Crescent-faced Antpitta
Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan
Hooded Mountain Tanager
Rainbow-bearded Thornbill by Luis F Serna
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow