Colombia - Multicoloured Tanager Tour

Tour Code: COL02

An 11-day tour exploring the exceptional birdlife of Colombia's central and western Andes and Cauca Valley.

12 days from
£4,395 (Inc flights)

Land only price from
£3,395

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Highlights

This 12-day birding tour, which can be easily combined with our Santa Marta Endemics tour, begins with an exploration of Otún Quimbaya, noted for Torrent Duck, Cauca Guan and Red-ruffed Fruitcrow. Manizales is our next base, from where we enjoy the energetic flocks and antpitta feeding stations of the Rio Blanco Reserve. Nearby is the up and coming Hacienda el Bosque, home to Crescent-faced Antipitta and Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, amongst many others. Also from Manizales we ascend the slopes of the 5,429-metre-high Nevado del Ruiz for the stunning endemic Buffy Helmetcrest and the splendid hummingbirds of the volcano's thermal springs. We next travel west to Montezuma to some of the most beautiful cloudforest in Colombia. A suite of endemics is present here, including Munchique Wood-wren, Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer, Gold-ringed Tanager and Black-and-gold Tanager. Other tanagers keep us royally entertained during a 3-night stay, including jaw-droppers such as Purplish-mantled, Glistening-green, and Grass-green. The tour ends with some birding around Cali for Cauca Valley specialities, before driving up to the fabled ‘KM18’ for Multicoloured Tanager plus a host of colourful Tangara tanagers.

Red-ruffed Fruitcrow & Cauca Guan at Otún Quimbaya
Antpitta feedings stations at Rio Blanco – photograph Slate-crowned amongst others
Crescent-faced Antipitta and Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan at Hacienda el Bosque
Stunning endemic Buffy Helmetcrest on high slopes of Nevado del Ruiz
Wonderful Montezuma cloudforest & mind-blowing birding
Gold-ringed & Black and Gold Tanager amongst many target endemics
Cauca Valley specials in Cali, including Greyish Piculet & Bar-crested Antshrike
Excellent food & hospitality at Araucana on the Buenaventura Rd, plus Multicoloured Tanager nearby!
Direct flights from Heathrow to Bogota with Avianca

Grading

Dedicated birding tour with plenty of time spent on foot off the beaten track. Early starts.

Colombia, with almost 1,900 recorded species at the last count, including around 80 endemics, is the undisputed number one country on the planet for bird diversity. Unfortunately, for most of the 90’s and ‘noughties’, civil unrest had made visiting remote areas within the country distinctly unadvisable. Whilst ecotourism flourished in neighbouring Panama, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil and Peru, Colombia remained in the doldrums, waiting patiently for the chance to reveal its wonderful landscapes, birds and people to the world once more. Happily, Colombia has changed dramatically in the past few years and birders worldwide are now flocking to this beautiful country in search of its many avian jewels. Colombia’s topography is both diverse and breath-taking, with snow-capped mountains, cloud-filled valleys, savannas and rainforests augmented with a magnificent birdlife ranging from tiny hummingbirds to toucans, fruitcrows and an incredible array of colorful tanagers. This tour concentrates on endemics as well as the trademark hummingbirds, antpittas and tanagers which are always a feature of birding tours in the subtropical Andes.

DETAILED INFORMATION

Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1

Fly London to Pereira, via Bogota

Day 2

Otún Quimbaya

Day 3/4

Manizales - Rio Blanco

Day 5

Hacienda el Bosque/Nevado del Ruiz

Day 6/8

Montezuma

Day 9/10

Araucana Lodge (KM18 & San Lorenzo)

Day 11

Cali to Bogota; in flight

Day 12

Arrive London

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What's Included

What's Included?

Flights
Accommodation: A mixture of birding lodges and small hotels.
Food: All meals are included.

Reviews

Visited a number of sites and spent long days walking on trails and roads. The tour was very successful in terms of our goal, which was finding a wide variety of Colombian birds - and in spending time in a variety of tropical mountain environments, particularly tropical rainforests. Our guide, Juan Manuel Cardona, was really excellent: he was very skilled at locating local species of birds and (importantly) making sure everyone saw every bird. He was also quite knowledgeable about the other flora and fauna. Accommodations were very good, as was food. I think at the end we were all quite pleased with the trip. My partner and I were both really glad that we took this tour. From start to finish, very helpful. The tour was well planned. My partner and I were particularly impressed by the help we received from Naturetrek in dealing with a specific difficult situation that we encountered: it turned out that our travel insurance did not cover one part of the trip itinerary; the company made alternative and very satisfactory arrangements for us. We will likely use this Naturetrek again.
A.J. British Colombia, Canada, Dec 23
Naturetrek have wealth of experience organising wildlife holidays overseas. The arrangements for this trip were faultless. I have travelled with Naturetrek many times; this holiday was well up to their usual standards.
R.C. Bedfordshire, Feb 19
It was truly excellent! Everything was well organised and all the logistics and accommodation worked like a dream. The tour organisers and bird guides were all first rate and the tour leader, Andrea Beltran, was a really gifted 'people person' who combined birding ID skills and tour leadership with the ability to infuse the whole group with enthusiasm and a confidence that any challenges would be immediately addressed.
N.B. Suffolk

Very recently back from a most enjoyable trip... to Colombia. Everything about the tour ran smoothly, our guide and driver were helpful, polite, presentable and knowledgeable, and the accommodation was fine. A little basic sometimes, but clean, very well located and we always felt safe. We got to see some great birds, and Alejandro was very good at getting everyone on the birds quickly. lastly, we found Colombia a most efficient and pleasant country to visit and - as always with a Naturetrek tour - we felt well looked after. We have made almost twenty trips with Naturetrek - I believe that speaks for itself!!
D. & D.L. West Sussex

Exciting!? And so it was! From the snow-capped mountains with wispy volcanic plumes to Finca Lolita - a marvellous abode overlooking Cali. The owners so welcoming. Absolutely loads of birds. Enjoyed the "road trip" feel of this tour.
J. & J.C. Nottinghamshire

The group which I was a part of was very good. All made sure we saw all the birds together. The leader was superb. His knowledge was excellent in finding birds.
T.G. Cardiff

This, our latest trip with Naturetrek was, I felt, perfectly balanced between trail birding and photographing birds round the various feeding stations. Alejandro was a brilliant leader with a wide range of knowledge who looked after us perfectly.
D.S. Worcestershire

Alejandro was a first rate leader who was very knowledgeable about the birds, plants and cultural aspects of Colombia. It was wonderful to see the various species of Antpittas so closely and the array of feeders at Alejandria was amazing.
M.W. Worcestershire

The guide was excellent and his conscientiousness and knowledge were exemplary. Certainly we saw a wide variety of birds which were a delight to behold in their display of stunning colours. Once again, the guide was excellent here in trying to ensure that each member of the party was able to enjoy as many of the birds which we saw, as possible. It was he who made the holiday for me, the success which it was.
E.S. Derbyshire

A very enjoyable tour with superb birds, a good itinerary which worked well with no real problems, good guides, and excellent company in the participants. The group gelled well, very important to making a successful and enjoyable trip. Scenery was fantastic, especially the trip up to Nevado del Ruiz.
J.W. Aberdeenshire

Everything went to plan. All was exactly as Andy (Tucker) described it. Colombia is beautiful, friendly, hospitable and untouched by foreign tourists.
J.G. Hampshire

The tour leaders were very helpful and the tanagers were fantastic. I had a thoroughly enjoyable holiday with lots of new birds. I can't think of anything that would improve it.
M.W. Essex

Andrea was an exemplary trip leader. Highly organised and attentive; a very good birder; and with excellent skills in dealing with people. It was a great tour and a good group: everyone keen, engaged and working hard to find stuff.
N.B. Suffolk

Ferney and Andrea were outstanding bird guides and made a fantastic team. No efforts were spared to find birds for us. Well planned tour with good choice of diverse habitats.
J.L. Oxfordshire

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Dates & Prices

2024

Departures Availability Cost

Wed 27th Nov – Sun 8th Dec FULL £4,395

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£3,395

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£395

2025

Departures Availability Cost

Tue 21st Jan – Sat 1st Feb FULL £4,395

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£3,395

Room sharing options:

If a customer on this departure has already expressed an interest in sharing a room it will be flagged here. We will identify if there are sharing options for male, female or both.

Male sharing available

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£395

Thu 13th Feb – Mon 24th Feb FULL £4,395

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£3,395

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£395

Fri 7th Mar – Tue 18th Mar 5 £4,395

Book Tour Show Details

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£3,495

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£395

Thu 6th Nov – Mon 17th Nov SPACES £4,495

Book Tour Show Details

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£3,595

Room sharing options:

If a customer on this departure has already expressed an interest in sharing a room it will be flagged here. We will identify if there are sharing options for male, female or both.

Female sharing available

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£395

Wed 26th Nov – Sun 7th Dec 6 £4,495

Book Tour Show Details

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£3,595

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£395

2026

Departures Availability Cost

Mon 19th Jan – Fri 30th Jan 6 £4,495

Book Tour Show Details

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£3,595

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£395

Sat 31st Jan – Wed 11th Feb SPACES £4,495

Book Tour Show Details

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£3,595

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£395

Sun 1st Mar – Thu 12th Mar SPACES £4,495

Book Tour Show Details

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£3,595

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£395

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Our bargain birdwatching tours suit keen birders who want an active, fast-paced birding holiday with a dedicated focus on searching for birds rather than on looking at the area’s other wildlife or cultural highlights.
We offer a wide selection of long-haul holidays to many destinations in South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and elsewhere.
What can I expect?

An expert English-speaking local ornithologist leader
Outstanding value for money
Dawn-to-dusk birding with limited time for rest, relaxation and outside interests
Enviable bird lists
Focused searches for endemics and regional specialities

Who are these tours best suited to?

Keen & active birders – whether expert or making their first visit to a country or continent
People looking for an action-packed bird-focused tour

Where can I go?
Naturetrek's selection of birdwatching holidays includes many South and Central American countries including Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and Panama.
In Africa our selection includes Malawi, Ethiopia and South Africa, while in India and Nepal we offer a choice of 17 bargain birdwatching tours! Here are a few more choices:

Endemics of Western Australia
Argentina's Mar Chiquita
Birds of Brazils Atlantic rainforest
Colombia – home to the world’s richest avifauna
Sri Lanka’s endemic birds

 
 

 
Our specialist recommends...




"I’d recommend our ‘Nepal’ holiday visiting Chitwan National Park and Koshi Tappu Reserve, and ‘India – Bharatpur & Chambal’ within Asia. Try ‘Ecuador – Cock-of-the-rock’ for a superb introduction to Andean birding, while, if you want a bit of luxury, the accommodation we use on our ‘Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park’ tour is top class.” 

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager

 
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The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.

Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:

Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar

Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
 

Our specialist recommends...


"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader

  
 
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Tour Dates or Itinerary Don't Suit?

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

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Tour Reports

Tour report - November 2018

Tour report - February 2018

Tour report - November 2017

Tour report - February 2017

Tour report - January 2017

Tour report - October 2016

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