AT THE HILLS OF THE TALLEST COASTAL MOUNTAIN OF THE WORLD-

– NORTHERN COLOMBIA BIRDING TOUR –

– THE SOUTH AMERICAN CARIBBEAN + SIERRA NEVADA DE SANTA MARTA –

 

Overview

During this journey, you will have the opportunity to visit the amazing Via Parque Salamanca where the Caribbean meets the Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta. With extensive sandy beaches, coastal lagoons and marshes, this rich ecosystem is home to dozen of species of seabirds, plovers and other sea-related bird species, including migratory and resident. You will also have the unique opportunity to meet the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the center of the universe as the descendants of Tayronas believe. La Sierra Nevada evolved isolated from the Andes generating extraordinary scenarios of endemism and rarity. From snowed-capped mountains to the Caribbean Sea, this particular mountain embraces different habitats and ecosystems from humid and dry forests to mountain forests and paramos, the high altitude grasslands. This mountain is also home of Kogis, Wiwas and Arsarios communities that survived the Spanish conquer with strong ties to mother nature.

Fast view of your Birding Tour

 

Day 1: Arrive at Barranquilla

Day 2: Birding in Salamanca Natural Park, Transfer to Guajira Peninsula

Day 3: Birding in Guajira Peninsula and transfer to Tayrona region

Day 4: Birding in Don Diego River towards de caribbean seashore, transfer to Minca

Day 5: Birding in the coffee area at Minca and transfer to El Dorado bird reserve

Day 6 and 7: Birding endemics at Cuchilla de San Lorenzo

Day 8: Birding at El Dorado reserve and Towards Minca

Day 9: Transfer to Airport in Santa Marta, end of services

What’s included

  • Private transportation services from day 1 to day 9 in vans or 4×4 trucks

  • All meals from breakfast of day 2 to breakfast of day 9

  • Open menu at restaurants, snacks and water during the whole trip

  • At meals, first drink is included (local beer, soda, juice or water)

  • Double accommodation as described in the program

  • Entrance fees and permits at natural reserves

  • Expert guide during all your itinerary

  • Private driver during all the trip

  • Scope, pointing light and audio playback equipment

  • Checklist of the potential species of the trip

What’s not included

  • International and national Flights and taxes

  • Personal equipment

  • Laundry service

  • Tips

  • Medical expenses

  • Alcoholic drinks

  • Phone Calls

  • Other activities and services

  • We suggest Global Rescue services but our travelers are free to choose their insurance company

Birding Tour Relevant information and Feature 

  • Tour Dates:

    15 Jan – 23 Jan 2023

    07 May – 15 May 2023

    22 Oct – 30 Oct 2022 & 2023

  • Length: 9 Days

  • Tour price per person: 

    US$ 2745

  • Single Supplement: 

  • Max group Size: 8 travelers + 1 Leader

  • Expected Number of Birds:

  • Birding tour extensions:

  • Starting City: Barranquilla

    Ending City: Santa Marta

  • Pace: Moderate

  • Physical difficulty: Easy

  • Tour Type: Birding Endemic Focus

 

 

 

Itinerary Map

 

 

 

Calendar

March 2024

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 Day 1

Arrival at Barranquilla city, private transportation to hotel.

-/-/-

 Day 2

In the morning we’ll take the main road towards Riohacha, capital of the Guajira department, crossing Via Parque Isla de Salamanca, more than 135,000 acres of extensive sandy beaches, coastal lagoons, mangroves and marshes, between the Caribbean Sea and the Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta. This Important Bird and Biodiversity Area –IBA- is home to dozen of species of seabirds, plovers and other coastal-line bird species, including migratory and resident. We’ll also have the opportunity to watch several species associated to dry forests and mangroves, including the endemics Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, the near endemic Chestnut Piculet and other species like Sapphire-throated Hummingbird, Red-Rumped Woodpecker, Bicolored Conebill, Northern Scrub-Flycatcher, Panama Flycatcher, Pied Water-Tyrant, and Black-crested Antshrike, among other species of the almost 200 species registered on this site.

Along the road, we’ll make several stops to watch the Stripe-backed Wren, Russet-throated Puffbird, Brown-throated Parakeet, and other species associated to aquatic and littoral ecosystems. We’ll keep stopping along the way to watch and photograph the variety of aquatic birds in their ecosystems.

Continuing to the northeast, we’ll get to the La Guajira peninsula where the weather will be dryer and we’ll see some species that can only be seen in Colombia and Venezuela. In the afternoon, we’ll visit some scrub areas and subxerophitic (semi-desert) to start for our search of objective birds. (List mentioned ahead). After birding, overnight in our hotel.

B/L/D

 Day 3

Early in the morning we’ll visit desert and dry forest ecosystems looking for representative birds like the near endemics White-whiskered Spinetail, Chestnut Piculet, Slender-billed Tyrannulet, Glaucous Tanager, Tocuyo Sparrow, Buffy Hummingbird and the Red-billed Emerald. Other specialties are Vermilion Cardinal, Orinocan Saltator, Green-rumped Parrotlet, and the White-fringed Antwren, among others. We’ll be checking some lagoons and wetlands according to the season where we’ll expect to see species like Scarlet Ibis, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret, Black Skimmer, wintering shorebirds, gulls, terns, and the beautiful American Flamingos in the Camarones lagoon. After visiting semi-desert areas, dry forest and the Flamencos Sanctuary, we’ll head towards the Tayrona Natural Park. In the ofternoon we’ll look for Lance-tailed Manakin, White-bellied Antbird, and Buff-breasted Wren. Overnight near Tayrona Park.

B/L/D

 Day 4

In the morning we’ll be birding along the Don Diego River where we’ll be able to see the near endemics Black-backed Antshrike, Russet-throated Puffbird, Caribbean Hornero and White-whiskered Spinetail. Other specialties of the area are: Black Hawk-Eagle, White-necked Puffbird, Collared Aracari, Keel-billed Toucan, Golden-olive woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Yellow-olive flycatcher, Ochre-faced (Yellow-breasted) flycatcher, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Rufous-and-white Wren, Black-chested Jay, Golden-fronted Greenlet, Brown-capped Vireo, Whooping Motmot, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Black-crested Antshrike, White-fringed Antwren and Yellow Oriole.

After a delicious local lunch by the river, we will sail by boat observing birds on both sides until we reach the Caribbean coast, an ideal place to contemplate the beauty of the landscape of the highest coastal mountain on the planet enjoying birds like Mangrove Swallow, Royal Tern, Brown Pelican, Collared Aracari and many more species associated with dry forest and seashore ecosystems.

After birding, we’ll continue with a transfer to our hotel in Minca.

B/L/D

 Day 5

During the morning we’ll be birding at Minca, in the coffee plantation area that conserves a rich diversity of native trees used as shade for the coffee plants. This ecosystem is used as “stop over” for dozens of boreal migratory species between October and April.

We’ll use 4×4 trucks making stops on the way, searching for endemics like Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner, Santa Marta Antbird, Santa Marta Tapaculo, Santa Marta Sabrewing, Santa Marta Woodstar and the near endemic Black-headed Tanager. Other specialties would be Bay-headed Tanager and Groove-billed Toucanet.

Around midday, we’ll be arriving at El Dorado ecolodge, where we can get near the feeding sites with bananas, hummingbird feeders and compost piles and watch the endemics Santa Marta Blossomcrown, Santa Marta Screech-owl, Sierra Nevada Brush-Finch and the near endemic Black-fronted Wood-Quail among other interesting species like Band-tailed Guan, and Blue-naped Chlorophonia.

B/L/D

 Day 6 and 7

Because of its isolation from the Andean mountain range, and its very interesting geographic configuration, this place in particular has some of the highest records on endemic species and subspecies of the world, which makes this place really interesting for birdwatchers. On this site we’ll be looking for the endemics Santa Marta Parakeet, Yellow-crowned Redstart, Santa Marta Warbler, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, Brown-rumped Tapaculo, Rusty-headed Spinetail, White-lored Warbler, Santa Marta Blossomcrown, White-tailed Starfrontlet, Streak-capped Spinetail, and Black-cheeked Mountain-Tanager.

On these 2 days of birdwatching, we’ll be also looking for the endemic subspecies of Cinnamon Flycatcher, Black-hooded Thrush, Blue-capped Tanager, Golden-breasted Fruiteater and Santa Marta Toucanet among others. Other species worth to mention is the near endemic White-tipped Quetzal and other specialties like Groove-billed Toucanet, the Rusty-breasted Antpitta, and the Rufous Antpitta.

B/L/D

 Day 8

In the morning, we’ll look for more target species not registered during our trip in El Dorado Reserve. Afterwards, we’ll head towards Minca making some stops on the way to check some species that can be missing. We expect the near endemics Golden-winged Sparrow, Black-backed Antshrike, and other interesting species like Golden-fronted Greenlet, Rufous-breasted Wren, Scaly-breasted Wren, as well as the Scaled Piculet, and Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant among others.

Once we get to our Hotel, we’ll rest and spend some time watching the hummingbirds and other species that visit the place.

Overnight at Minca.

B/L/D

 Day 9

After breakfast, transfers from the hotel to the airport in Santa Marta, end of services.

B/-/-

 

 

 

Gallery