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About this trip
Welcome to Colombia´s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta birding route!
Colombia is a destination on the list of every naturalist and birder! The megadiversity of this country provides an extraordinary variety and combination of habitats, landscapes, cultures and climates, all these contrasting environments are home to approximately 20% of all the bird species in our planet, 1,952 species and counting with the new discoveries.
Our present journey starts in the historic city of Cartagena in the Caribbean and ends in the Andes in Bogotá. This program consists of a very special birding journey to see endemic and near-endemic birds in northern Colombia where you can enjoy two of the most important mountain ranges in the country: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Perija Mountains, with the addition of the dry forest in the region of La Guajira where other special birds are ready to be observed and photographed.
This extraordinary area of Colombia provides the opportunity to observe some of the most iconic endemic species of Northern South America. We have added 2 nights in Bogota to observe some additional endemics in the montane forest and Paramo habitat in Chingaza National Park.
The Caribbean habitats & birds
We begin our exploration at the dry scrub forest, the habitat between the cities of Cartagena and Barranquilla, by sea level, where we hope to find an array of lowlands bird specialties, such as the recently split and endemic Turquoise-winged Parrotlet and the endemic Chestnut-winged Chachalaca. Afterwards we will start ascending in elevation towards the spectacular Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, the highest coastal mountain range on Earth.
We take you to northern Colombia, one of the most interesting regions of the country and South America, with contrasting and different habitats including high elevation mountains, separate and unlike in nature from the Andes, dry forests, wetlands, mangroves, and coastal habitats.
Itinerary and visits summary
DAY 1: Welcome to the Caribbean! Full day exploring colonial Cartagena as a group. Overnight Cartagena
DAY 2: From Cartagena heading out to Barranquilla, birding Salamanca, arrival to Santa Marta. Overnight Santa Marta
DAY 3: From Santa Marta road birding to Minca, birding Minca feeding stations. Overnight Minca
DAY 4: Exploring and birding Minca, afterwards heading to El Dorado Bird Reserve. Overnight El Dorado
DAY 5 – 6: Birding and exploring El Dorado Nature Reserve. Overnights at El Dorado Reserve
DAY 7: El Dorado Nature Reserve – Minca – road birding to Riohacha. Overnight Riohacha
DAY 8: Birding and exploring La Guajira desert, Los Flamencos Fauna and Flora Sanctuary – Riohacha. Overnight Riohacha
DAY 9: From Riohacha roadbirding to Valledupar. Overnight Valledupar
DAY 10: Valledupar to Manaure and Serranía del Perijá mountains, the northern Andes. Overnight Manaure
DAY 11: Full day at Perijá mountains- Sabana Rubia Paramo. Overnight Manaure
DAY 12: From Manaure to Valledupar, afternoon flight to Bogota. Overnight Bogota
Day 13: Birding the Andes of Bogota – AM. Chingaza National Park – PM. La Calera Hummingbird Garden. Overnight Bogota
Day 14: Birding Bogota wetlands – early AM La Florida marshes, after 2 pm transfer to El Dorado airport - international flights back home, end of services
What’s included
- Transfers airport hotelUpon arrival we will greet you and transfer to your hotel, this includes all transfers from airport to hotels and those from hotel or lodges to airport
- Land transportationPrivate ground transportation during the itinerary, program and tour
- Hotels and lodgesAll accommodations under double occupancy, according to the itinerary and program
- Full boardAll meals from dinner of day 1 until lunch of day 14, snacks for excursions, pure water, please bring a refillable personal bottle, and soft drinks
- WifiWifi connectivity when available at hotels and lodges
- All excurisions & parksAll excursions and activities, as well as park admission fees, or those to private reserves, bird and wildlife observatories,
- Domestic flightDomestic flight from Valledupar to Bogotá
- Birding GuideProfessional bilingual birding and naturalist guide for the program, including local guides in different regions, supporting local ventures
- Colombian taxesLocal sales taxes in Colombia that apply to our visits and program, currently at 19%
What’s not included
- International flightsInternational flights from your home to Cartagena Colombia and back home from Bogotá
- Alcoholic beveragesAlcoholic beverages and other personal expenses such as laundry
- GratuitiesGratuities to guides, hotel or lodge staff
Available Packages
Colombia, Birding The Caribbean & Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, including 2 nights in Bogotá.
This program consists of a very special birding journey to see endemic and near-endemic birds in northern Colombia where you can enjoy two of the most important mountain ranges in the country: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Perija Mountains, with the addition of the dry forest in the region of La Guajira where other special birds are ready to be observed and photographed.
This extraordinary area of Colombia provides the opportunity to observe some of the most iconic endemic species of Northern South America. We have added 2 nights in Bogota to observe some additional endemics in the montane forest and Paramo habitat in Chingaza National Park.
DAY 1: Welcome to the Caribbean! Full day exploring colonial Cartagena as a group. Overnight Cartagena
DAY 2: From Cartagena heading out to Barranquilla, birding Salamanca, arrival to Santa Marta. Overnight Santa Marta
DAY 3: From Santa Marta road birding to Minca, birding Minca feeding stations. Overnight Minca
DAY 4: Exploring and birding Minca, afterwards heading to El Dorado Bird Reserve. Overnight El Dorado
DAY 5 – 6: Birding and exploring El Dorado Nature Reserve. Overnights at El Dorado Reserve
DAY 7: El Dorado Nature Reserve – Minca – road birding to Riohacha. Overnight Riohacha
DAY 8: Birding and exploring La Guajira desert, Los Flamencos Fauna and Flora Sanctuary – Riohacha. Overnight Riohacha
DAY 9: From Riohacha roadbirding to Valledupar. Overnight Valledupar
DAY 10: Valledupar to Manaure and Serranía del Perijá mountains, the northern Andes. Overnight Manaure
DAY 11: Full day at Perijá mountains- Sabana Rubia Paramo. Overnight Manaure
DAY 12: From Manaure to Valledupar, afternoon flight to Bogota. Overnight Bogota
Day 13: Birding the Andes of Bogota – AM. Chingaza National Park – PM. La Calera Hummingbird Garden. Overnight Bogota
Day 14: Birding Bogota wetlands – early AM La Florida marshes, after 2 pm transfer to El Dorado airport - international flights back home, end of services