-COLOMBIAN WILD ORCHIDS OF THE EASTERN ANDES TOUR-

Overview

This tour takes you to the Tropical Andes orchids in the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia. For 14 days, we cross parts of Meta, Cundinamarca, Boyacá and Santander Departments (Provinces) through several ecosystems including the Andean cloud forests, páramos and subpáramos (high mountain grasslands). We will see a great variety of orchid genuses such as Epidendrum, Cyrtochilum, Odontoglossum, Lepanthes, Masdevallia, Stelis, Pleurothallis, Maxillaria  and Telipogon. All these genera embrace an abundant diversity in terms of varieties, sizes, colors and type of growing (terrestrial, epiphytic or rupicola). On this journey, we may see endemic and threatened species as Cyrtochilum weirii, Odontoglossum luteopurpureum, Odontoglossum gloriosum, Odontoglossum crispum, Masdevallia misasii, Masdevallia aenigma, Lepanthes erytrochles, Lepanthes chelonion and Lepanthes matisii among others.

This route operates all year so some orchids may not be in bloom. However, we will see common genera distributed among departments as well as endemic and rare orchids found nowhere else in the world.

Fast view of your Orchids Tour in Colombia

 

Day 1: Arrive at Bogotá

Day 2: Orchids of the Colombian west slopes of East Andes Mountain Range

Day 3: San Juanito – Chingaza Natural Park

Day 4: Chingaza Natural Park

Day 5: Encenillo Biological Reserve

Day 6: El Guavio

Day 7: Boyacá Department – Paipa surrounds

Day 8: Guantiva – La Rusia – Virolín

Day 9: Guanentá Alto Río Fonce Fauna and Flora Sanctuary

Day 10: Arcabuco – Rogitama Natural Reserve

Day 11 and 12: Moniquirá – Puente Nacional – La Belleza

Day 13: Florián – Saboyá

Day 14: Bogotá

What’s included

  • Private transportation services from day 1 to day 14

  • All meals from dinner of day 1 to lunch of day 14

  • 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

  • Magnifying glass and other equipment for Orchid observation and manipulation

  • 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

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

Orchid Tour Relevant Information and Feature 

  • Tour Dates:

    06 Nov – 19 Nov 2022

    05 Feb – 18 Feb 2023

    14 May – 27 May 2023

  • Length: 14 Days

  • Tour price per person: 

    US$ 4270

  • Single Supplement: 

  • Max group Size: 8 travelers + 1 Leader

  • Tour extensions:

  • Starting City: Bogotá

    Ending City: Bogotá

  • Pace: Moderate

  • Physical difficulty: Easy

  • Tour Type: Orchids Journey

 

 

 

Itinerary Map

 

 

 

Calendar

March 2024

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 Day 1

Arrival to El Dorado International Airport.

Transfer to the hotel. Relax.

-/-/-

 Day 2

Early at the morning we take the main road to Llanos Orientales (Orinoco savannas). We stop for some Colombian coffee about half way.  At this point, we leave civilization behind and enter the well-conserved forests of the Meta region, on the west slope of the Cordillera Oriental. We will spend the night in a country house near Chingaza National Park.

B/L/D

 Day 3

In the morning we will continue our journey from high Andean forest to the high-altitude subpáramos and páramos. This unique ecosystems are a large water reservoir and plants have evolved to withstand extreme temperatures. We will reach heights of more than 3,000 meters above sea level and visit pre-Hispanic sacred lakes of Chingaza territory. We will stay at a mountain lodge or camp, depending on availability. Orchid species in this area include Epidendrum oxysepalum, Pleurothallis lilijae, Fernandezia sanguinea, Epidendrum erosum, Masdevallia strumifera.

B/L/D

 Day 4

We will stay in Chingaza National Park, visiting the Chuza reservoir and the Laguna Seca sector, reaching the northeast part of the park in the municipality of Guasca, where we will spend the night. Species seen this day might include Epidendrum frutex, Trichosalpinx chamaelepanthes, Pachyphyllum chrystallinum, Cyrtochilum revolutum and Telipogon nervosus.

B/L/D

 Day 5

We will visit Encenillo Biological Reserve, focusing on Andean forest ecosystems. We will find a good diversity of orchid genera associated to encenillo trees (Weimmania tomentosa), one of the flagship species in the reserve. We will spend the night at the municipality of Guasca. Among others, we will find species such as Epidendrum scutella, E. decurviflorum, Pleurothallis talpinaria, Telipogon berthae and Oncidium ornithorhynchum.

B/L/D

 Day 6

At early morning, we will travel to Guavio territory to visit a conserved forest fragment near Chingaza Park. The area is famous for the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) and a great array of bird species. Orchids here include Epidedrum klotzscheanum, Stelis sp., Barbosella cucullata, Elleanthus aurantiacus and Otoglossum sp.

B/L/D

 Day 7

We will take the road to Boyacá Department, through the town of Guatavita towards Paipa city where we can take a medicinal thermal bath. On the way, we stop to observe some common species of orchids such as Epidendrum secundum, E. zipaquiranum, Elleanthus sp. and Stelis sp.

B/L/D

 Day 8

Early in the morning we will leave Boyaca to enter Santander Department, up to Guantiva – La Rusia Paramo complex, visiting a still-intact territory with communities living in remote and inaccessible areas. We will reach our lodging near the Sanctuary of Fauna and Flora Guanentá Alto Rio Fonce where we will stay two nights. Species here include Epidendrum chioneum, Stenorrynchos vaginatum, Telipogon nervosus, Maxillaria aurea and Cyrtochilum sp.

B/L/D

 Day 9

We will spend the day walking and learning about the region. We will have a lunch with members of the Virolín community, and hear how they propagate and conserve native orchids. Among others, we will see species such as Cyrtidiorchis frontinoensis, Comparettia falcata, Dryadella simula, Maxillaria fractiflexa, Maxillaria lepidota and Odontoglossum ramosissimum.

B/L/D

 Day 10

After breakfast, we will return to Boyacá Department, making a few stops on the road to look for some epiphytic and terrestrial orchid species. We will arrive at our destination near Arcabuco municipality to spend the night. In the afternoon we will visit humid forests with several species of Pleurothallis, Epidendrum, Oncidium and Elleanthus among other genuses.

B/L/D

 Day 11 and 12

Descending the altitudinal gradient, we will visit Moniquira town in Santander, continuing to the Puente Nacional municipality, where we take a natural path to our lodging. During the trip we will be able to see species from the CyrtochilumBrassia and Maxillaria genuses. We will spend the next two nights in a country house with an excellent view and surrounded by forest fragments and several miniature orchids as NeooreophilusLepanthesPlatystele and some ornamental and emblematic as Odontoglossum crispum.

B/L/D

 Day 13

After breakfast, we go to the town of Florián, driving through rugged and mountainous terrain with forests and orchids such as Sobralia spEpidendrum fimbriatumElleanthus sp. and Cyrtochylum sp. We overnight in Saboyá municipality in Boyacá Department.

B/L/D

 Day 14

We will return to Bogota to take flights back home or stay one more night if is desired/necessary. Depending on when we arrive in Cundinamarca Department, it may be possible to visit areas near the city, some high Andean forests, with terrestrial orchids such as Malaxis, Epidendrum, Stenorrhynchos and epiphytic orchids as Lepanthes and other Pleurothallidinae.

B/L/-

 

 

 

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