Dates: January 14-21, 2025
Cost: $4550 CAD | $3400 USD
The tour fee above its based on double occupancy and includes all ground transportation, accommodations, all meals and professional guiding services. The single supplement for this tour is $700 CAD.
Deposit and Cancellation Information: $800 CAD | $600 USD
The deposit for this tour becomes non-refundable 150 days prior to the starting date of the tour. The remaining balance is due by October 1, 2024. For cancellations between 60-90 days prior to departure a 50% refund will be issued. If a cancellation is made 59 days or less prior to departure, no refund will be issued.
Group Size: 6-10 participants
This small group size and high guide to participant ratio ensures that everyone will have an enjoyable experience on this tour.
This tour can be combined with Colombia: Western Andes and/or Colombia: Santa Marta
Cost: $4550 CAD | $3400 USD
The tour fee above its based on double occupancy and includes all ground transportation, accommodations, all meals and professional guiding services. The single supplement for this tour is $700 CAD.
Deposit and Cancellation Information: $800 CAD | $600 USD
The deposit for this tour becomes non-refundable 150 days prior to the starting date of the tour. The remaining balance is due by October 1, 2024. For cancellations between 60-90 days prior to departure a 50% refund will be issued. If a cancellation is made 59 days or less prior to departure, no refund will be issued.
Group Size: 6-10 participants
This small group size and high guide to participant ratio ensures that everyone will have an enjoyable experience on this tour.
This tour can be combined with Colombia: Western Andes and/or Colombia: Santa Marta
Itinerary
Day 1: Araucana Lodge to Manizales / Arrive in Manizales
We will leave Araucana Lodge following breakfast, embarking on a journey to Manizales. Along the way, we plan to pause at both the Rio Bravo Reserve and the Cameguadua Reserve before arriving in Manizales. We will meet those joining us on this leg of the tour in Manizales in the evening.
Days 2 & 3: Rio Blanco Reserve
The Rio Blanco Reserve, is located just 30 minutes from the city of Manizales, and encompases a diverse range of ecosystems. During our two-day visit to the reserve, we have the opportunity to observe up to five antpitta species at feeders near the lodge. These include the endemic and endangered Brown-banded Antpitta, as well as the elusive Bicolored, Chestnut-crowned, Chestnut-naped, and Slate-crowned Antpittas. Additionally, rare visitors to the feeders include the Slaty-backed Nightingale Thrush and Stripe-headed Brush-Finch. In the rich biodiversity of Rio Blanco, we might encounter scarce and endangered species such as Rufous-fronted and Golden-plumed Parakeets. Other species to be on the lookout for include the Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Golden-fronted Whitestart, Dusky Piha, Masked Saltator, Lachrymose Mountain-Tanager and Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanagers, as well as vibrant Grass-green Tanager and White-capped Tanager. The list continues with the Powerful Woodpecker, and the Ocellated, Blackish, and Spillman’s Tapaculos. Less common species that we may find include Long-tailed Black-billed Peppershrike, Plushcap, Red-hooded Tanager and Mountain Cacique.
Day 4: Hacienda El Bosque to Hotel Termales del Ruiz
Hacienda El Bosque is an hour's drive east from Manizales, we will plan to arrive early for breakfast before spending the rest of the day of birding. Our focus on this remarkable property which is also an operational farm, includes species such as the Crescent-faced Antpitta, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan , Collared Inca, Tourmaline Sunangel, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Purple-backed Thornbill, and Hooded Mountain-Tanager. We will also have a chance to see Sword-billed Hummingbird, the only bird in the world with a longer bill than its body!
Following lunch we ascend up the mountain to a higher elevation. Our destination is Hotel Termales del Ruiz, situated at an elevation of 11,000 ft, it provides stunning views of the Andes and will be our base for two nights.
Day 5: Los Nevados National Park
Today we will travel to Los Nevados National Park, situated on the highest reaches of the Colombian central Andes. We will traverse areas of woodland that open up to Paramo, a tropical grassland ecosystem above the treeline, leading us toward the captivating volcano Nevado del Ruiz. We will reach a high elevation today at 3,950m (13,000 ft) so the climate will be cold. Our objective in this high-elevation environment is to find species adapted to survive at this altitude such as the endemic Buffy Helmetcrest and the nearly endemic Rainbow-bearded Thornbill and Black-backed Bush-Tanager. In addition to these range-restricted species, we may encounter Viridian Metaltail, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Golden-crowned Tanager, and Glossy Flowerpiercer. The Paramo may also offer sightings of Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, Paramo Seedeater and Plain-colored Seedeaters.
Day 6: Tinamu Nature Reserve to Pereira
The morning will be dedicated to searching for any previously missed targets and watching the active hummingbird feeders at the lodge. There will be an opportunity this morning to search for a very rare species in the form of the endangered Rufous-fronted Parakeet along a two-kilometer stretch of road that passes through elfin forest. Another target we have is the Tawny Antpitta, a fairly common species in this habitat. We will stop for lunch at Tinamu Lodge, where possible species include Moustached Puffbird, Jet Antbird, Stripe-throated Hermit, Bay-headed Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, and Guira Tanagers. We will continue on to Pereira where we will spend the next two nights.
Day 7: Otun-Quimbaya National Park
Situated on the western slope of the Central Cordillera, the Otun-Quimbaya Reserve is a sanctuary for biodiversity. It is home to the Wax Palm, which is the national tree of Colombia and the tallest palm species in the world. This location is also home of the endemic Cauca Guan, a species that was believed to be extinct until a population was discovered in 1990. One of the greatest spots on the globe to see Red-ruffed Fruitcrows is Otun-Quimbaya. We will be searching for near-endemic species such as Moustached Antpitta, and endemic species such as Chestnut Wood-Quail, and the recently discovered Stiles's Tapaculo. We hope to see more stunning birds such as the Orange-bellied Euphonia, Masked Trogon, Green Jay, Andean Motmot, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, and Three-striped, Russet-crowned, and migrants such as Canada Warblers. Additionally, we will search for Marble-faced and Variegated Bristle-Tyrants, Glossy and Masked Flowerpiercers, Plumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, and Chestnut-breasted Wren.
Day 8: Depart Pereira
We will depart from Pereira today. For those continuing on to Santa Marta we will catch a flight with a short connection in Bogota.
We will leave Araucana Lodge following breakfast, embarking on a journey to Manizales. Along the way, we plan to pause at both the Rio Bravo Reserve and the Cameguadua Reserve before arriving in Manizales. We will meet those joining us on this leg of the tour in Manizales in the evening.
Days 2 & 3: Rio Blanco Reserve
The Rio Blanco Reserve, is located just 30 minutes from the city of Manizales, and encompases a diverse range of ecosystems. During our two-day visit to the reserve, we have the opportunity to observe up to five antpitta species at feeders near the lodge. These include the endemic and endangered Brown-banded Antpitta, as well as the elusive Bicolored, Chestnut-crowned, Chestnut-naped, and Slate-crowned Antpittas. Additionally, rare visitors to the feeders include the Slaty-backed Nightingale Thrush and Stripe-headed Brush-Finch. In the rich biodiversity of Rio Blanco, we might encounter scarce and endangered species such as Rufous-fronted and Golden-plumed Parakeets. Other species to be on the lookout for include the Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Golden-fronted Whitestart, Dusky Piha, Masked Saltator, Lachrymose Mountain-Tanager and Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanagers, as well as vibrant Grass-green Tanager and White-capped Tanager. The list continues with the Powerful Woodpecker, and the Ocellated, Blackish, and Spillman’s Tapaculos. Less common species that we may find include Long-tailed Black-billed Peppershrike, Plushcap, Red-hooded Tanager and Mountain Cacique.
Day 4: Hacienda El Bosque to Hotel Termales del Ruiz
Hacienda El Bosque is an hour's drive east from Manizales, we will plan to arrive early for breakfast before spending the rest of the day of birding. Our focus on this remarkable property which is also an operational farm, includes species such as the Crescent-faced Antpitta, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan , Collared Inca, Tourmaline Sunangel, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Purple-backed Thornbill, and Hooded Mountain-Tanager. We will also have a chance to see Sword-billed Hummingbird, the only bird in the world with a longer bill than its body!
Following lunch we ascend up the mountain to a higher elevation. Our destination is Hotel Termales del Ruiz, situated at an elevation of 11,000 ft, it provides stunning views of the Andes and will be our base for two nights.
Day 5: Los Nevados National Park
Today we will travel to Los Nevados National Park, situated on the highest reaches of the Colombian central Andes. We will traverse areas of woodland that open up to Paramo, a tropical grassland ecosystem above the treeline, leading us toward the captivating volcano Nevado del Ruiz. We will reach a high elevation today at 3,950m (13,000 ft) so the climate will be cold. Our objective in this high-elevation environment is to find species adapted to survive at this altitude such as the endemic Buffy Helmetcrest and the nearly endemic Rainbow-bearded Thornbill and Black-backed Bush-Tanager. In addition to these range-restricted species, we may encounter Viridian Metaltail, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Golden-crowned Tanager, and Glossy Flowerpiercer. The Paramo may also offer sightings of Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, Paramo Seedeater and Plain-colored Seedeaters.
Day 6: Tinamu Nature Reserve to Pereira
The morning will be dedicated to searching for any previously missed targets and watching the active hummingbird feeders at the lodge. There will be an opportunity this morning to search for a very rare species in the form of the endangered Rufous-fronted Parakeet along a two-kilometer stretch of road that passes through elfin forest. Another target we have is the Tawny Antpitta, a fairly common species in this habitat. We will stop for lunch at Tinamu Lodge, where possible species include Moustached Puffbird, Jet Antbird, Stripe-throated Hermit, Bay-headed Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, and Guira Tanagers. We will continue on to Pereira where we will spend the next two nights.
Day 7: Otun-Quimbaya National Park
Situated on the western slope of the Central Cordillera, the Otun-Quimbaya Reserve is a sanctuary for biodiversity. It is home to the Wax Palm, which is the national tree of Colombia and the tallest palm species in the world. This location is also home of the endemic Cauca Guan, a species that was believed to be extinct until a population was discovered in 1990. One of the greatest spots on the globe to see Red-ruffed Fruitcrows is Otun-Quimbaya. We will be searching for near-endemic species such as Moustached Antpitta, and endemic species such as Chestnut Wood-Quail, and the recently discovered Stiles's Tapaculo. We hope to see more stunning birds such as the Orange-bellied Euphonia, Masked Trogon, Green Jay, Andean Motmot, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, and Three-striped, Russet-crowned, and migrants such as Canada Warblers. Additionally, we will search for Marble-faced and Variegated Bristle-Tyrants, Glossy and Masked Flowerpiercers, Plumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, and Chestnut-breasted Wren.
Day 8: Depart Pereira
We will depart from Pereira today. For those continuing on to Santa Marta we will catch a flight with a short connection in Bogota.