Tucked into the transition zone between the Amazon and the Orinoco basins, the department of Guaviare unfolds as a landscape of gentle plains and rolling terrain, where dense tropical rainforest gives way to ancient river terraces and the ever-shifting floodplains of the vega de río. Here, under a tropical climate that rarely dips below 26°C and rains that arrive generously — over 2,600 mm a year, mostly between April and November — life proliferates in staggering abundance. More than 750 bird species have been recorded within this remarkable mosaic of habitats, from the fiery, almost otherworldly display of the Guianan Cock-of-the-rock to the silent, commanding presence of the Harpy Eagle patrolling the canopy, and the unmistakable calls of the Toco Toucan echoing through the treetops. Beneath the forest canopy, jaguars move unseen through the undergrowth, woolly monkeys swing between branches in tight-knit troops, Amazonian tapirs wade through quiet streams, and pink river dolphins surface along the winding waterways. In Guaviare, the Amazon and the Orinoquía meet and blend, creating one of Colombia's most vital — and most breathtaking — refuges for wildlife.

Arriving at midday in San José del Guaviare after taking a flight from Bogotá. We went straight forward going to afternoon Birdwatching.

We'll pick you up at your hotel in San José del Guaviare and head straight into the wild heart of the region, starting at the Puerta de Orión — a towering rock formation in the Serranía de la Lindosa, sculpted over thousands of years by relentless erosion. From there, we'll continue to the village of Playa Güío, where a water trail leads us into Laguna Negra. Gliding by canoe across its still, dark waters, we'll keep watch for the Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) — a bizarre and ancient-looking bird often nicknamed the "stinkbird" — and the Horned Screamer (Anhima cornuta), its haunting calls echoing across the lagoon. The mirror-like surface of the Caño Negro, framed by dense forest, sets the tone for the adventure ahead.

We'll travel 19 km from San José del Guaviare along the road to Barrancón to reach Los Cámbulos, a sprawling 6,000-hectare wetland complex of sandbanks and mudflats where grasses and shrubs create ideal habitat for seedeaters, shorebirds, and a wealth of waterbirds — ibises, sandpipers, and the ever-graceful Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) hunting over the water. In the afternoon, we'll walk a white-sand trail through a nature reserve that has been under restoration for more than 15 years, now home to the striking pink aquatic plants (Macarenia clavigera) that carpet the riverbed in colour — a scene that rivals the famous Caño Cristales itself.

Today we explore the Raudal del Guayabero, a river that winds down from the Sierra de la Macarena like a serpent threading through rocky formations. Along the way, keep an eye out for primates, birds, and — if we're fortunate — river dolphins surfacing nearby. At Puerto Lucas, we'll begin the climb to a panel of pre-Hispanic rock art more than 8,000 years old, said by local legend to depict the hierarchy of life itself. From the summit, a viewpoint rewards us with a sweeping vista of unbroken rainforest cut through by the river below.

We'll set out along an 8-km trail of moderate-to-challenging difficulty inLa Espernza Private Reserve, 18 km from San José del Guaviare. The path crosses open pastureland and sandstone forest before reaching a lookout point — prime territory for spotting the Guianan Cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola rupicola) and the striking Paradise Jacamar.

To close the tour, we'll spend the morning at a feeding station set within a várzea ecosystem along the Guaviare River — the very first bird feeding station established at the gateway to the Colombian Amazon. Here, the photography opportunities are exceptional: the Turquoise Tanager (Tangara mexicana), Silver-beaked Tanager (Ramphocelus carbo), Masked Crimson Tanager (Ramphocelus nigrogularis), Scarlet-crowned Barbet (Capito aurivirens), and White-eared Jacamar (Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis) are all regular visitors. Along the surrounding trail, keep your camera ready for the striking Wire-tailed Manakin (Pipra filicauda), performing its distinctive courtship display in the understory.

We'll travel to the village of Cerro Azul and visit Finca Ecoturística El Chotaduro, a working farm with a powerful story to tell. Here, you'll learn the history of a property that once bore witness to the impact of coca cultivation, discovering the true process behind its production, as well as the remarkable transformation the local community has undergone in its search for hope and a new way of life. Along the way, we'll also keep an eye out for the Mottle-faced Tamarin (Saguinus inustus), a small and elusive primate found in only a handful of places on Earth.

After lunch, accompanied by the local Fantasías de Cerro Azul Association, we'll explore Cerro Pinturas — home to 12,000-year-old rock art, rich birdlife, and a natural cavern — guided by a member of the local community

After breakfast, the transport takes you to the Airport to take the flight home.

1. Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus ornatus)

2. Black-spotted Bare-eye (Phlegopsis nigromaculata)

3. Black-throated Trogon (Trogon rufus)

4. Bronzy Jacamar (Galbula leucogastra)

5. Chestnut-capped Puffbird (Bucco macrodactylus)

6. Cliff Flycatcher (Hirundinea ferruginea)

7. Collared Puffbird (Bucco capensis)

8. Cream-colored Woodpecker (Celeus flavus)

9. Dusky-throated Antshrike (Thamnomanes ardesiacus)

10. Gray-chested Greenlet (Hylophilus semicinereus)

11. Gray-cowled Wood-Rail (Aramides cajaneus)

12. Guianan Cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola rupicola)

13. Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin)

14. Ladder-tailed Nightjar (Hydropsalis climacocerca)

15. Orinoco Goose (Oressochen jubatus)

16. Paradise Tanager (Tangara chilensis)

17. Pheasant Cuckoo (Dromococcyx phasianellus)

18. Pied Lapwing (Hoploxypterus cayanus)

19. Red-headed Manakin (Ceratopipra erythrocephala)

20. River Tyrannulet (Serpophaga hypoleuca)

21. Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)

22. Rusty-backed Spinetail (Cranioleuca vulpina)

23. Sand-colored Nighthawk (Chordeiles rupestris)

24. Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber)

25. Scarlet-crowned Barbet (Capito aurovirens)

26. Screaming Piha (Lipaugus vociferans)

27. Spot-winged Antbird (Myrmelastes leucostigma)

28. Spotted Antpitta (Hylopezus macularius)

29. Great Black Hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga)

30. Striolated Manakin (Machaeropterus striolatus)

31. Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant (Hemitriccus striaticollis)

32. Swallow-winged Puffbird (Chelidoptera tenebrosa)

33. Undulated Tinamou (Crypturellus undulatus)

34. White-browed Antbird (Myrmoborus leucophrys)

35. White-eared Jacamar (Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis)

36. White-ibis (Eudocimus albus)

37. White-shouldered Antbird (Akletos melanoceps)

38. White-shouldered AntshrikeT (hamnophilus aethiops)

39. Wire-tailed Manakin (Pipra filicauda)

40. Black-faced Antbird (Myrmoborus myiotherinus)