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Magdalena Valley of Magic Birding tour
This endemic rich birding tour takes you on a magnificent journey through the heart of Colombia’s Andes, exploring hotspots along the Magdalena River and its namesake valley that divides Eastern from Central Andes Cordillera. We conveniently start birding in and around Bogota, Colombia’s capital, eventually descending into the lowlands of the Magdalena Valley. You will be able to explore 3 beautiful nature reserves, two created with support from the American Bird Conservancy. This birding tour is somehow more remote and off-the-beaten-path than other tours and yet, it offers all the Colombian charm, safety, and comfort characteristic of our tours.
Tour Duration: 15 days *Including Blue-Billed Curassow Reserve*
Next Tour Dates: January 20 – February 3 l March 10-24 l July 7-21, 2025 *Others upon request*
Tour Price: $6,000 per birder in a 2 guests per room accommodation
Single Occupancy Supplement: $600
Tour Goal: Over 450 bird species including +30 endemics
Tour Size: Limited to 6 participants
Tour Guide: Juan Manuel Cardona, or Johnnier Arango
Birds of particular interest include Green-bearded Helmetcrest, White-mantled Barbet, Beautiful Woodpecker, Velvet-fronted Euphonia, Antioquia Bristle-Tyrant, Chestnut-capped Piha, Red-bellied Grackle, Yellow-eared Parrot and the spectacular Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
Highlights for the tour
- Let’s support American Bird Conservancy by visiting natural reserves they co-funded to protect the habitats of endemic and endangered bird species, the Chestnut-capped Piha and Yellow-eared Parrot
- We pay visit to the nice and private Río Claro Reserve in humid tropical forest where at sunset and after a day of great birding we stare in awe at a colony of the noisy, bizarre, eye-catching, and nocturnal Oilbird
- This birding tour will give you the opportunity to spend time in the wonderful Medellin city, one of the most exciting cities in Latin America
- We invite you to include a 2-day extension to explore ABC’s cofunded Blue-billed Curassow, not for the faint-of-heart but a great hotspot for Magdalena specialties.
- In the beautiful town of Jardin – “The Garden” we will visit the most active Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek in Colombia
Tour Map
Magdalena Valley of Magic Tour
Day 1 – Arrival at Bogota International Airport
Upon arrival in Bogota, we will pick you up at the airport and will drive to a nice hotel in a trendy area of the city to spend the first two nights. We will have a welcome dinner and will go through intros and logistics for our first day out birding.
Night at Hotel Lusitania Bogotá
Day 2 – Chingaza National Park and Hummingbird Observatory
Chingaza National Park is located just east of Bogotá (1.5 hours drive), at 11,000 fasl altitude in High Andean forest, subparamo, and paramo ecosystems where the weather can vary magically from sunny to rainy and then foggy many times a day. Key bird specialties to find here include the uncommon (E) Brown-Breasted Parakeet, and (E) Green-bearded Helmetcrest, Rufous-browed Conebill, Bronze-tailed Thornbill, Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Pale-bellied Tapaculo, Agile Tit-Tyrant, and Rufous-browed Conebill
The Hummingbird Observatory is located only 11.1 miles from Bogota, at an altitude of 9,800 fasl in a high Andean forest. Up to 18 hummingbird species can be found here including the weird-looking Sword-billed Hummingbird, (NE) Blue-throated Starfrontlet, and (NE) Coppery-bellied Puffleg
Night at Hotel Lusitania Bogotá
Day 3 – Tabacal Lagoon and The Enchanted Garden
The beautiful Tabacal Lagoon located 30 miles west from Bogota at an altitude of 4,100 fasl is the go-to hotspot to find Black-bellied Wren, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Ruddy Foliage-gleaner, and Red-billed Scythebill. Other main targets from the lower elevations include (E) Velvet-fronted Euphonia, White-throated Spadebill, White-bearded Manakin, Jet Antbird, and Stripe-breasted Spinetail. This site is a great introduction to the birds of the Magdalena Valley.
In the late morning, we will visit the Enchanted Garden, a private residence located about 30 mins away from Tabacal at an altitude of 4,990 fasl. Some 300 hummingbirds can be seen at any moment coming to the 40 plus feeders present in the garden. 27 hummingbird species have been recorded here including the elegant (E) Indigo-capped Hummingbird and the (NE) Red-billed and Short-tailed Emeralds. Other highlights include Brown Violetear, Ruby-Topaz Hummingbird, White-bellied and Gorgeted Woodstars, and Black-throated Mango
Later in the afternoon, we will travel for another 2 hours to the heart of the Magdalena Valley to spend the night at the nice colonial-style Boutique Posada Las Trampas hotel.
Day 4 – Bellavista Natural Reserve – Guarinocito Wetland and Río Claro
Our journey takes us to La Victoria, a municipality located 40-min drive west from Las Trampas, a birding hotspot in the heart of the Magdalena Valley. 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 and after driving for just 40 mins we will find the Guarinocito wetland, a really productive hotspot to observe a number of specialties in a short period of time. Some of the main targets here include Russet-throated Puffbird, Savanna Hawk, Wattled Jacana, Large-billed Tern, Green Kingfisher, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Yellow-headed Caracara, Pied Water-Tyrant, Black-capped Donacobius, and Yellow-chinned Spinetail. In the late afternoon, we will drive west to the Río Claro Nature Reserve located in the other side of the Magdalena Valley, foothills of the Central Andes Cordillera.
Night at Los Colores Ecopark
Day 5 – Río Claro Nature Reserve
The reserve is located at an elevation of 1,950 fasl and covers an area of 250 ha. A dirt road provides great birding opportunities, with chances for specialties such as the endemics White-mantled Barbet, (E) Beautiful Woodpecker, (E) Magdalena Antbird, (E) Sooty ant-tanager, (E) and range-restricted Antioquia Bristle-Tyrant
Other birds of interest include Barred Puffbird, (NE) Yellow-browed Shrike-vireo, (NE) Scarlet-browed Tanager, (NE) Saffron-headed Parrot, Blue-crowned Manakin, Moustached, Dot-winged, and Rufous-rumped Antwrens, and Broad-billed Motmot among others. Over 490 bird species have been recorded on this Reserve.
Later in the day, we will visit the entrance of a cave inside the reserve which is home to the very noisy, bizarre, eye-catching, nocturnal Oilbird colony. This very interesting night bird uses sonar to navigate, and it is a delight to see. and White-bearded Manakins engaging in their curious displays.
Night at Los Colores Ecopark
Day 6 – Morning birding towards Medellin
This morning will be dedicated to complete the list of specialties from the Magdalena Valley and to drive towards the marvelous Medellin City. In the afternoon and after checking-in at a nice colonial-style hotel, we will go on a city tour that can include birding time at the Botanical Garden, visiting the Botero Square, Pueblito Paisa and riding the picturesque Metrocable up the mountains of Medellin.
Night at Hotel in Medellin
Day 7 – Birding and driving towards Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve
From Medellin, we will drive north up to the fantastic Chestnut-capped Piha reserve making promising stops along the way. Actually, this route is very interesting because of its strategic location between the limits of the Magdalena Valley, the Central Andes cordillera and the Choco Bioregion, we get to see a nice mix of birds from all 3 ecosystems. Our top target in-route is the rewarding yet hard to find Tody Motmot. Other birds of interest include Black-faced Dacnis, White-bearded Manakin, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Fasciated Antshrike and more.
After arriving at the municipality of Anori, we will have a late lunch and will continue birding around the lodge until late afternoon.
Night at the Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve
Day 8 – Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve
It wasn’t until the year 2001 that the elegant and endemic Chestnut-capped Piha was described in a tiny fragmented forest in the northeast extreme of the Central Andes. In 2006, the local NGO ProAves with support from ABC (American Bird Conservancy) acquired an area of approximately 3,271 acres to support the conservation of the Piha and established a network of trails to find this and other key species. The reserve is located in the El Roble, Anorí (Antioquia), with an altitude between 4,593 and 6,069 fasl, 479 bird species have been recorded on this location
Key species at the reserve include (E) Chestnut-capped Piha, (E) Black-and-gold Tanager, (E) Chestnut Wood-quail, (E) Parker’s Antbird, (E) Red-bellied Grackle, (E) Multicolored Tanager, (NE) Scarlet-and-white Tanager, Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager, (NE) Purplish-mantled Tanager, Ochre-breasted Antpitta and (NE) Sooty-headed Wren among many others.
Night at the Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve
Day 9 – Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve and back to Medellin
Birding in the morning we should have time to complete the list of bird specialties at the Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve before heading back to Medellin in the afternoon, birding and driving. We will finally, spend the night at a nice colonial-style hotel in Medellin before heading to the beautiful town of Jardin “The garden”.
Night at Hacienda Hotel la Extremadura
Day 10 – Birding Bolombolo and Jardin
In the morning and after a 1.5-hour drive south we will find the Bolombolo municipality with a characteristic dry tropical forest and home to the endemic and sought-after Antioquia Wren. Other birds of interest in route to Jardin include endemics Apical Flycatcher, and the dimunitive Grayish Piculet, Bar-crested Antshrike, a lek of Golden-collared Manakin, Cinereous Becard, Hook-billed Kite and Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher.
Jardin is one of the most beautiful colonial style towns in Colombia with its brightly painted houses, and colorful floral displays. The main plaza, El Libertador Park, features rose gardens, a central fountain and the twin-towered, neo-Gothic Basilica.
Just after lunch we will go for a leisure walk to La Herreria trail, which is right in town for specialties such as Blackish Rail, Moustached Puffbird, and White-capped Dipper. Jardin is one of the best places in the country for birding as it caters to all levels of bird enthusiasm. On the edge of town is a display site of the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, one of the most iconic and brightly colored species in South America.
Night at Hotel Balandu
Day 11 – Ventanas and Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve
In the early morning we ride 4×4 vehicles to the higher parts of a road on the outskirts of Jardin. Birding at Dona Lucia place we will find an Antpitta paradise with species like Endemic Chami Antpitta & Chestnut-naped coming often to the feeders. Other birds of interest include Slate-crowned Antpitta, Chestnut-collared Swift, Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Green Jay, Citrine Warbler, and Scarlet-rumped Cacique.
This area is also home to Proaves’ Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve, which protects Wax Palm habitats home to the highly endangered Yellow-eared Parrot, formerly thought to be extinct, only present in Colombia and currently one of the rarest birds in the world.
The list of specialties in this part of Colombia includes (E) Turquoise Dacnis, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Speckle-faced Parrots, Masked Flowerpiercer, White-capped Tanager, near-endemic Tanager Finch, Chestnut-crested Cotinga and endemic Dusky Starfrontlet.
Night at Hotel Balandu
Day 12 – Finca Bambusa and back to Medellin
Finca Bambusa is owned by a family of birders who in addition to grow traditional crops like coffee and plantain, have a nursery for regional ornamental plants. Feeders in the garden will attract attractive species such as Red-headed Barbet, Colombian Chachalaca, Flame-rumped Tanager, Acorn Woodpecker, Blue-necked Tanager, Scrub Tanager, Black-capped Tanager, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Blue-headed Parrot, and Green Hermit. This is a great place to spend a few hours enjoying the birding show while sipping a cup of very good coffee.
In the afternoon we will take the 3 hours drive back to Medellin, making sure you all are at easy reach to the Medellin airport the next day
Day 13 – Flight to Bogota and end of the tour
Depending on what plans you have, we include a flight back to Bogota for you to take your international connection back home. You may also want to spend more days in Medellin for birding or leisure (highly recommended). It was a true pleasure to go birding with you in beautiful Colombia.
OPTIONAL For Private Groups
Level: Moderate to Hard
Price $1,000 per birde
Opt-in for a 2-day exploration of the iconic Blue-billed Curassow reserve after day 4, an American Bird Conservacy-funded initiative to protect the habitat of the critically endangered Blue-Billed Curassow. The experience is amazing, and birding is great but – you’d need a good level of endurance since the entrance is downhill and the main trail is a semi-steep slope
Day 5 and 6 – Blue-billed Curassow Reserve
The Blue-billed “Paujil” reserve was created in November 2003 with the support of ABC (American Bird Conservancy) and GCF (Global Conservation Fund), to preserve the enigmatic, endangered, and endemic Blue-billed Curassow (El Paujil). The Paujil reserve covers 8.448 acres and is located between 490 and 3,937 fasl. There are 396 bird species recorded in this location
Endemics like White-mantled Barbet, Antioquia Bristle-tyrant (rare), Colombian Chachalaca (common), Sooty Ant-Tanager, and Beautiful Woodpecker are possible to see on this reserve
Other birds of interest include Chestnut-backed Antbird, Yellow-backed Tanager, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, (NE) Black-billed Flycatcher, One-colored Becard, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Slaty-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Black-bellied Wren, and Shining-green Hummingbird
2 Nights at Blue-billed Curassow reserve
Photos Day 3
Black-billed Mountain Toucan
Blue-throated Starfrontlet by Nick Athanas
Sword-billed Hummingbird by Doug Greenberg
White-bearded Manakin print
Photos Day 5
Blue-crowned Manakin
Sooty Ant-tanager by Nick Athanas
Wattled Jacana by Dave Curtis
White-mantled Barbet by Luis Fdo Serna
Photos Day 9
Black-and-gold Tanager by Nick Athanas
Ochre-breasted Antpitta by Panegyrics of Granovetter
Purplish-mantled Tanager by David Larson
Tody Motmot by Dominic Sherony
Photos Day 12
Andean cock of the rock
Golden-collared Manakin Aaron Maizlish
Slate-crowned Antpitta by David Larson
Yellow-eared Parrot by Francesco Veronesi
Turquoise Dacnis by Nick Athanas
Jardin Landscape