Chingaza National Park is located just outside of Bogotá (1.5 hours land trip), it includes vast areas of high Andean forest, subparamo, and paramo ecosystems and provides access to some key specialties such as the uncommon (E) Brown-Breasted Parakeet, (E) Green-bearded Helmetcrest, and (E) Silvery-throated Spinetail. 

Hummingbird Observatory is located 40 mins from Chingaza, at an altitude of 9,800 fasl in a High Andean forest. The weather can vary magically from sunny to rainy many times a day, and it is no surprise to see the fog coming down the mountain as well. A total of 118 bird species have been reported here including some 18 hummingbird species. Specialties include (NE) Blue-throated Starfrontlet, (NE) Coppery-bellied Puffleg, Shining Sunbeam, Green and Sparkling Violetear, Speckled and Sword-billed Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Black-tailed Trainbearer, and Purple-backed Thornbill 

Night at hotel Lusitania

We will leave the hotel early for the 2 ½ hour drive south of Bogota to Parque Nacional Natural Sumapaz at high altitud where we will spend the day. This is the best site in Colombia to go over the endemic and range restricted Green-bearded Helmetcrest. Other birds of particular interest include Bogota Rail (E), the 

recently split Boyaca Antpitta (E), the declining Apolinar’s Wren (E) and many other 

birds including Andean Teal, Andean Duck, Pale-bellied Tapaculo (ne), Red-rumped 

Bush-Tyrant, Black-chested Buzzard,-Eagle, Chestnut-winged Cinclodes, and Many-striped Canastero

Night at Hotel Lusitania 

Leaving Bogota behind we will drive for about 1 hour and 20 mins to Chicaque National Park in Cloud forest. More than 400 species have been recorded in this location with . The feeders here will be a delight for photographers with Longuemare’s Sunangel (ne), Tourmaline Sunangel,  Long-tailed Sylph, Glowing Puffleg, Black Inca (E), Golden-bellied Starfrontlet (ne), Mountain Velvetbreast, Buff-tailed Coronet, White-booted Racket-tail, and White-bellied Woodstar among the regulars. Other interesting species here could include Spot-flanked Gallinule, Southern Emerald-Toucanet, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Green-and-black 

Fruiteater, Whiskered Wren, Andean Solitaire, Moustached Brushfinch (ne), Golden-fronted Redstart (ne), Grass-green Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, and many others. 

We will then head west for about 2 hours north to the town of San Francisco, where we will spend about an hour at a private residence known as Jardin Encantado (Enchanted Garden). More than 100 individual hummingbirds of several species swarm the many feeders here and include Indigo-capped Hummingbird (E) and Short-tailed Emerald (ne) which can be difficult anywhere else. Other common species here may be some we have already seen including Black-throated Mango, Sparkling, Brown, and Lesser Violetears, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, White-vented Plumeleteer, and White-bellied Woodstar. 

In the afternoon we will bird the forest and open areas of Laguna el Tabacal where we will look for Red-billed Emerald (ne), Bar-crested Antshrike (ne), Velvet-fronted 

Euphonia (E), Gray-cowled Wood-Rail, White-throated Crake, Spectacled Parrotlet (ne), Blue-lored Antbird (ne), Rusty-breasted Antpitta, White-bearded Manakin, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Black-bellied Wren, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Orange-billed Sparrow, Gray-throated Warbler (ne), and Scrub Tanager (ne). 

From here it is a bit over 2 hours to the municipality of Honda, and our accommodations for the night, the Hotel Boutique Posada Las Trampas. 

Bellavista reserve, located just 45 mins away from your hotel in Honda is an amazing tropical forest birding hotspot in the Magdalena Valley that divides Eastern and Central Andes Cordillera, with over 200 species recorded. Some specialties on Victoria include Black-faced Dacnis, (E) and NT Sooty Ant-Tanager, and (E) White-mantled Barbet, Beautiful Woodpecker, and the spectacular (E) White-bibbed Manakin. 

We could also see some of the fairly common lower elevation hummingbirds including Green Hermit, Pale-bellied Hermit, Stripe-throated Hermit, 

Purple-crowned Fairy, Blue-chested Hummingbird, and White-necked Jacobin. 

In late afternoon we’ll start making the 3 hour drive to our hotel, the Paraiso Verde near Manizales. Over our 3 night stay here, we should take some time to watch the feeders as this is probably the best location on this itinerary to see Purple-throated Woodstar. 

Night at Paraiso Verde

We’ll get an early start to get up to the Paramo del Ruiz at 13,000 feet elevation for a 

good number of special birds including the Buffy Helmetcrest (E), Viridian Metaltail, 

Shining Sunbeam, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Great Sapphirewing, Black-chested 

Buzzard-Eagle, Andean Condor, Rufous-fronted Parakeet (E), Equatorial Antpitta, 

Tawny Antpitta, Paramo Tapaculo, Stout-billed Cinclodes, White-chinned Thistletail, 

Black-backed Bush-Tanager, and Paramo Seedeater. 

In the late morning, we will descend for 30 mins to the spectacular Termales del Ruiz, a high-altitude hotel with a set of gardens that normally attract 10 species of hummingbirds including the highly regarded (NE) Black-thighed Puffleg, (NE) Golden-breasted Puffleg, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Tourmaline Sunangel, Viridian Metaltail, Shining Sunbeam, Great Sapphirewing, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, and Purple-backed Thornbill.

Night at Paraiso Verde

It will be a short, 35 minute drive this morning to Hacienda El Bosque, where the 

antpittas will be the highlight. Several species occur here, and have been “trained” to come to worms thrown out for them. Which antpitta species show for us depends on the time of year and other conditions, but include Chestnut-crowned, Chestnut-naped, Bicolored (ne), Equatorial, and the scarce and stunning Crescent-faced. 

Other interesting species here include Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Barred Fruiteater, White-throated Quail-Dove, Andean Guan, Mountain Velvetbreast, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Spillmann’s Tapaculo, and Tyrannine Woodcreeper. In the afternoon, we’ll visit subparamo habitats nearby. 

Rio Blanco Reserve is the go-to spot for three very attractive species: Masked Saltator, (NE) Bicolored Antpitta, and (E) Brown-banded Antpitta. The two Antpittas are commonly heard and both are seen readily at feeding stations. The Saltator is regular, but certainly not guaranteed. 

Hummingbirds of particular interest include Tawny-bellied Hermit, White-throated Daggerbill (ne), Long-tailed Sylph, Bronzy Inca, and Fawn-breasted Brilliant. This is another good location for anpittas coming in for worms, with Undulated, Chestnut-crowned, Chestnut-naped, Bicolored (ne), Brown-banded (E), and Slate-crowned in the area. 

Lots of other birds can be found at fruit feeders and in the forest, including Chestnut Wood-Quail (E), Golden-headed Quetzal, Andean Motmot, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Rusty-faced Parrot (ne), Golden-plumed Parakeet, Ocellated Tapaculo, Dusky Piha, Black-collared Jay, Mountain Cacique, Red-hooded Tanager, White-capped Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager.

In the afternoon we will drive for 35 mins to spend the night at the highly regarded Tinamu Birding Reserve

Tinamu Birding Nature Reserve is located on 15 ha of a dry forest at 4,019 feet asl, it is home to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, butterflies, and a variety of plants and trees. Birds of interest at Tinamu include Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Black-throated Mango, White-vented Plumeleteer, Blue-headed Parrot, Flame-rumped Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, Common Potoo, Brown-throated Parakeet, Giant Cowbird, Cocoa Thrush, (E) Grayish Piculet, Tropical Screech-Owl, Mustached Puffbird, and the amazing Golden-collared Manakin.

After spending quality time at the well-kept trails and the many hummingbird feeders we will transfer for 2 hours to our final destination, the Otun Quimbaya Natural Reserve

Night at hotel Kumanday