This tour takes us to a different part of Colombia than our excursion to Araucana Lodge, It begins and ends in the city of Barranquilla, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is the highest coastal mountain in the world and one of the most important endemism centers in the world, with 22 species of birds restricted to it. Join us on a search for many of these endemics, including Santa Marta Screech-owl, antpittas (four species), tapaculos (two species), foliage-gleaners (two species), Brush-finches (two species), parakeets, (five species) sabrewings (two species), bush-tyrants (three species), seedeaters (nine species), and, of course, a huge array of warblers (thirty species!), and tanagers (fifty-four species!)

This trip will also take us to Isla Salamanca, Tayrona,  and Los Flamencos National Parks, where birding through mangroves and coastal wetlands along  the ocean and in dry scrub forest should yield species such as the near endemic Buffy Hummingbird, the endemic Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Russet-throated Puffbird, the near endemic Chestnut Piculet,  Bicolored Conebill, Tocuyo Sparrow, and Panama Flycatcher.

Although this week is designed as an extension to the Araucana Lodge trip, you can obviously do this as a stand-alone trip by arriving at Barranquilla on Day 1.

View Trip Birdlist Here

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Colombia is the birdiest country on earth, with 1,930 species—almost 20% of the world’s total in 1% of its landmass, with new species still being discovered and new records being announced regularly. It is easy to see why. Colombia is tropical yet it also has ample elevation changes due to the Andes; furthermore it has both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Lots of different habitats ensure an abundance of bird species.

This tour celebrates the opening of Colombia’s newest birding lodge, allowing one to bird in very comfortable accommodations in some of the best birding sites in Colombia without having to spend much time in a vehicle. The Araucana Lodge is brand-new (its opening date was January 2019). It was designed specifically for birders and nature lovers, with spacious rooms and all the comforts that ensure a good night’s rest. This tour represents our first effort at a new sort of trip we’re offering called “Home Base”—in these trips you’ll stay at one place for the duration. No packing and unpacking daily. No long travel days between destinations. And the lodges where we’ll be staying are welcoming of travel partners who are non-birders.

For those who enjoy bird photography, Araucana Lodge and many of the reserves along the route have excellent feeder set-ups that  provide some of the best photographic opportunities in Colombia.

This trip includes visits to some of Colombia most iconic birding locations, including KM 18 and the San Antonio Cloud Forest (an excellent introduction to birding in the Colombian Andes), the San Cipriano Reserve (which features the humid forests of the Pacific lowlands), the Anchicaya Valley (which is located in one of the most biodiverse national parks in the planet), and an active Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek.

And if this isn’t enough birding for you, check out our extension to Santa Marta, a completely different Colombian region with its own ecosystems and birds.

View Trip Bird List Here

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