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Colombia - Mega Birding Tour

© Toucan Barbets by Adam Riley

Colombia is undoubtedly the most diverse and exciting country on Earth. With two coastlines, four cordilleras, and a vast expanse of Amazonian rainforest habitats, one could spend years searching out all the natural wonders that it holds. Our Mega tour spends a month traversing all three Andean Chains and exploinge the depths of the Magdalena and Cauca Valleys. From the white sand and terra firme forests of Inírida, to the humid Choco, we will sample the richest rainforests in the country. Finally, from the dry Caribbean coast, up lush slopes to the San Lorenzo Ridge, we will enjoy the best of the legendary, endemic-rich, Santa Marta Mountains. This tour is hands down the single most comprehensive offer to experience the most biodiverse nation in the world, and we welcome you to join us on this amazing challenge!

Flights to Inírida are operated by a single airline, with a variable schedule. It is highly likely that the tour logistics will require adjustments closer to departure once the flight schedules are confirmed.

Top Birds

Bogota Rail; Cauca Guan; Chestnut-winged & Colombian Chachalacas; Chestnut Wood Quail; Red-fan, Yellow-eared & Rusty-faced Parrots; Golden-plumed, Rufous-fronted, Barred, Cobalt-winged & Santa Marta Parakeets; Santa Marta Screech Owl; White-tipped Quetzal; Pompadour & Purple-breasted Cotingas; Capuchinbird; Red-ruffed Fruitcrow; Red-bellied Grackle; Black-collared Jay; Beautiful Woodpecker; Orinoco & Chestnut Piculets; White-mantled Barbet; Crescent-faced, Cundinimarca, Brown-banded, Slaty-crowned, Muisca & Bicolored Antpittas; Grey-cheeked Nunlet; Brown-banded Puffbird; Antioquia Bristle Tyrant; Pale-bellied, Narino, Magdalena, Stiles’s & Tatama Tapaculos; Golden-breasted & Orange-breasted Fruiteaters; Silvery-throated & White-whiskered Spinetails; Recurve-billed & Black Bushbirds; Bar-crested & Klage's Antshrikes; Turquoise Dacnis; Bronze-tailed & Rainbow-bearded Thornbills; Sapphire-bellied, Indigo-capped, Chestnut-bellied & Shining-green Hummingbirds; Santa Marta Blossomcrown; Black Inca; Empress Brilliant; Blue-throated Starfrontlet; Buffy Helmetcrest; Black-thighed & Coppery-bellied Pufflegs; Pacific Tuftedcheek; White-tailed Hillstar; Fiery Topaz; White-bibbed, Golden-collared, Black, Lance-tailed & Yellow-headed Manakins; Rose-breasted Chat, Yapacana, Chestnut-crested & Magdalena Antbirds; Choco Vireo; Bicolored Antvireo; Ruddy Foliage-gleaner; Amazonian Umbrellabird; Orinoco Softtail; Chestnut-capped & Olivaceous Pihas; Apolinar’s, White-headed, Chestnut-breasted, Niveforo's & Sooty-headed Wrens; Munchique Wood Wren; Rufous-rumped Antwren; Indigo & Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercers; Masked Saltator; Uniform Treehunter; Star-chested Treerunner; Fulvous-breasted Flatbill; Black Solitaire; Yellow-collared & Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonias; Crested & Sooty Ant Tanagers; Purplish-mantled, Glistening-green, Black-and-gold, Gold-ringed, Multicolored & White-capped Tanagers; Black-chinned Mountain Tanager; Antioquia, Choco, Santa Marta, Ochre-breasted, Sierra Nevada, Pale-naped, Moustached & Black-headed Brushfinches; Colombian Mountain Grackle.

Top Mammals

South American & Mountain Coatis; Crab-eating Fox; Pale-throated Three-toed, Brown-throated & Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloths; Black-eared Opossum; Colombian Red Howler Monkey; Variegated Spider Monkey; Silvery-brown & Mottle-cheeked Tamarins; Grey-handed Night Monkey; White-throated, Guianan Brown & White-fronted Capuchins; Tapeti; Central American Agouti; Santander Dwarf, Western Dwarf, Red-tailed, Northern Amazon Red & Andean Squirrels; Tayra; Ocelot; Jaguarundi; Long-tailed Weasel; Red Brocket and White-tailed Deer.

Habitats Covered

Amazonian terra firme and white sand forest, Paramo and Elfin Forest, montane lakes and xerophytic scrub, coastal lagoons, mangroves, grasslands & wetlands

Expected Climate

Temperate to cold in highlands (Los Nevados, Santa Marta), hot and humid in the lowlands (Rio Claro, Inírida). Rain is likely on some days.

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & 1 Local Leader

Tour Pace & Walking

Our Mega tours are very fast-paced birding adventures designed for the dedicated lister and serious birder. The focus of the tour is to see as many of the endemics and area specials as possible in our given time. In order to cover the necessary route to maximise the species list we tend to spend a single night at most sites and travel large distances. There is very little down time aside from that spent driving from one site to the next. These tours are not suitable for dedicated or avid photographers; inexperienced or new birders; as well as anyone with serious mobility or health challenges.

Accommodation

basic to comfortable

Ease of Birding

moderate with some challenging species

Number of Species Expected

900+

Other Attractions

Spectacular scenery in Los Nevados and Santa Marta Mountains, rarely seen mammals.

Photographic Opportunities

limited due to time constraints

What our clients say about us

Robert Williams
CA, Colombia 2017

From the several members of the office staff to the actual tour itself, I have nothing but high praise for my Rockjumper experience. This was my first tour with Rockjumper, but I hope it won't be my last. Alison and Sarah were tremendously helpful. Rob Williams is as good a leader as I have ever experienced. He not only knows the birds, but he made sure that we all got to see them, showing patience way beyond what I thought necessary. When one of our participants lost his passport, Rob bent over backwards to help this hapless person, never complaining while doing so. Rob always told us what the plan was for the next day. When Plan A didn't pan out, he had Plan B ready. If something went askew, he handled it with aplomb, always keeping his sense of humour. Did I mention he showed us wonderful birds? Oh, we saw some beautiful ones!

Dušan Brinkhuizen
CH, Colombia 2021

Dusan is an outstanding guide. He consistently made sure that all of us saw each bird and knew its name. I have hearing and mild short-term memory problems and Dusan took specialefforts to be sure that these did not interfere with my birding success on the trip. Not only does Dusan know all of the Colombian birds by sight, but he knows all of their calls and is able to talk at length about their biology and behavior - that is, he is an excellent teacher, too. This is something that I appreciate greatly, as I am a retired college professor of biology and I recognize an excellent teacher when I see one in action. In addition to his skills as a guide, Dusan was tireless in making sure that the constantly-changing tour arrangements went smoothly from day to day. I am certain that we got every minute that was possible out in the field looking for new birds; this was the goal of the tour (1000 species seen in 30 days of birding). He has a very pleasant, enthusiastically-encouraging personality and is outstanding at promoting group coherence and morale in difficult and sometimes mildly-dangerous situations.

Tuomas Seimola
TS & VS, Colombia 2021

Our guide Tuomas was excellent, the trip was excellent!

Dušan Brinkhuizen
PE, Colombia 2021

I would just like to praise Dušan for all the constant effort he put in during a trip with external problems. He dealt with the bureaucracy of all our nations in getting our covid tests and the form filling, and it was no easy task. His knowledge of the birds and especially their calls, gave the the whole trip an extra level and I profited handsomely from his skills. I would be most happy to go on a tour with Dusan again.

Forrest Rowland
AF, Colombia 2018

Forrest Rowland was superb as usual.  Both his birding skills and people skills are extraordinary.

Colombia - Mega Birding Tour II 2024

15 Nov 2024 - 14 Dec 2024 (30 days)

USD11,995 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Carlos Bocos

Tour price (Per person): USD11,995 * GBP9,698 * EUR11,250 * AUD18,695

Single Supplement: USD810 * GBP655 * EUR760 * AUD1,262

Flight costs: USD710 * GBP574 * EUR666 * AUD1,107

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