Bogotá’s strategic location on top of the Eastern Andes range make it one of the best places in the country, and possibly in all of South America, to explore a diverse array of ecoystems from a single base point.
We start out in the city of Bogotá where we will visit one of its urban wetlands and the botanical gardens. The next day we travel south of the city to a beautiful cloud forest reserve with over 300 species. Here we spend the night at the lodge before continuing further down the slope of the Andes to the coffee zone for birdwatching through shade-grown coffee plantations and the neighboring forest reserve. This is one of the lesser-visited jewels of the region and we can also arrange a coffee tour for travelers who would like a rich, cultural experience. We then return to Bogotá for visits to Sumapaz National Park and the Hummingbird Observatory to spot high-altitude endemics and near-endemics found nowhere else. For visitors who would like a chance to see the Andean Condor, as well as other wildlife such as Spectacled Bears, coatis & deer, we can arrange an extension of 1-2 nights in Chingaza National Park.
Bogota International Airport (Google Map)
Arrival & debriefing. Acclimatization. The night will be spent at a hotel in Bogotá.
In the morning we will visit a wetland in Bogotá, followed by a visit to the botanical gardens. Night spent at a hotel in the city.
Possible sitings include the Rufous-browed Conebill (NE), Yellow-hooded Blackbird (ESS), Andean Ruddy Duck (ESS), American Coot (ESS), Andean Siskin, Lesser Goldfinch, Spectacled Parrotlet, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Blue-winged Teal, Purple Gallinule, Common Gallinule, Sparkling Violetear, White-bellied Woodstar, Roadside Hawk, Bare-faced Ibis, Pied-billed Grebe, Yellow-backed Oriole, Striated Heron, Black flowerpiercer, Rusty Flowerpiercer, Palm Tanager, Venezuelan Troupial & Magpie Tanager.
We leave Bogotá and travel towards Chicaque Cloud Forest, a private reserve with more than 300 hectares of pristine forest and 300+ bird species. We will spend the night at the park lodge.
Possible sitings include the Black Inca (E), Indigo-capped Hummingbird (E), Golden-bellied Starfrontlet (NE), Moustached Brush-finch, Andean Guan, Emerald Toucanet, Flame-faced Tanager, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Grass-green Tanager, Collared Inca, Blackish Tapaculo, Band-tailed Pigeon, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Montane Woodcreeper, Streaked Xenops, Booted Racketail, Azara’s Spinetail, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Brown-capped Vireo, Andean Solitaire, Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Metallic-green Tanager, Squirrel Cuckoo, Masked Flowerpiercer, Acorn Woodpecker & Gorgeted Woodstar.
After a morning of birdwatching in Chicaque we travel further south towards the coffee lands of Tibacuy, where we will be welcomed by 200+ species that inhabit the Quininí forest reserve and adjacent shade-grown coffee plantations. We will spend the night on a local coffee farm.
Possible sitings include the Turquoise Dacnis (E), Velvet-fronted Euphonia (E), Colombian Chachalaca (E), Scrub Tanager (NE), Bar-crested Antshrike, Crimson-backed Tanager, Red-headed Barbet, White-lined Tanager, Saffron Finch, Bay-headed Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Spectacled Parrotlet, White-vented plumeleteer, Streaked Saltator, Buff-breasted Saltator, Green Hermit, Rusty-margined Flycatcher & Crimson-rumped Toucanet.
Day of birding in the Quininí forest reserve and surrounding farms. Night spent back in Bogotá.
We travel to Sumapaz National Park, home to the largest páramo ecosystem in the world and a number of important species found nowhere else on earth. Day for high-altitude endemics (3800 m.a.s.l). Night spent in the city.
Possible sitings include the Green-bearded Helmetcrest (E), Apolinar’s Wren (E), Bogotá Rail (E), Silvery-throated Spinetail (E), Bronze-tailed thornbill (NE), Rufous-browed Conebill (NE), Pale-bellied Tapaculo (NE), Andean Teal, Tawny Antpitta, Noble Snipe, Black-chested Buzzard Eagle, Chestnut-winged cinclodes, Brown-backed Chat-tyrant, Tyrian Metaltail, Red-rumped bush-tyrant, Many-striped Canastero, Ruddy Duck, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Glossy Flowerpiercer, Pale-naped Brush-finch, Andean Siskin, Plumbeaous Sierra-finch and the Andean Tit-spinetail.
In the morning we will visit the Hummingbird Observatory with a chance to see 17 different hummingbird species, as well as a number of high-altitude species including mountain tanagers, cotingas, spinetails & conebills. We then travel towards Siecha near Chingaza National Park for a chance to see the elusive Bogotá Rail. Night spent in the city.
Possible sitings include the Silvery-throated Spinetail (E), Bogotá Rail (E), Rufous-browed Conebill (NE), Pale-bellied Tapaculo (NE), Copperty-bellied Puffleg (NE), Blue-throated Starfrontlet (NE), Golden-fronted Whitestart (NE), Glowing puffleg, Tyrian Metaltail, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Great Sapphirewing, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Black-tailed Train Bearer, Red-crested Cotinga, Shining Sunbeam, Buff-breasted Mountain Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Pale-naped Brush-finch, Brown-backed Chat-tyrant, White-throated Tyrannulet & Andean Siskin.
We can add an additional 1-2 nights in Chingaza National Park for those who would like a chance to see the Andean Condor, as well as other wildlife such as Spectacled Bears, coatis & deer.
