Colombia,Santa Marta,Perija 12 days


PBT offers birding in colombia as the number one in bird species; we are starting birding the atlantic coast,  santa marta mountains and perija reserve for more endemic.

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta: Have the highest concentration of continental range-restricted birds. There are two places very well located to do our birding time succesfully:

Dorado lodge from proaves, it has rooms with private toilets and hot water and feeders, the location in the reserve is much easier and close to get san lorenzo rigde mountain for more endemics species. El Dorado is located at 6300 feet (1900m), the lodge is near the center of the reserve, which extends from 3000 to 8700 feet (900 to 2600m).

Parque Nacional Isla Salamanca:

Coastal Habitats: Isla Salamanca is a barrier island separating the Caribbean from a huge lagoon. It stretches from near Santa Marta to the mouth of the Rio Magdalena near Barranquilla. We will try to get off the busy two-lane highway wherever possible to sample a variety of habitats including saltwater ponds, freshwater marshes, mangroves, scrubby woodland, and open fields.

Guajira Peninsula:

Coastal Desert: Along the shores of the Caribbean away from the moist lower slopes of the Sierra. The main peninsula still has some wild west elements. There we will bird along the road to Parque Nacional Los Flamencos, where in the coastal lagoon we may well see the flamencos, although they are most often a distant shimmer of pink. At closer range will be an assortment of waterbirds, potentially including Reddish Egret (white and dark morphs), Magnificent Frigatebird, a few migrant shorebirds, and a half dozen species of gull and tern.

  • DAY 1: Arrival in Cartagena Colombia

You will be welcome to Cartagena by your birding guide from PBT. There you will be transfer to a comfortable hotel in the city. Depends of your arrival time we will meet for lunch or dinner. If there is some extra time we can enjoin enjoy the Plazas, Gold Museum and part of the old city. Night in Hotel

  •  Day 2: Barranquilla, Salamanca Park, Riohacha

Early visit Jardin Botanico Guillermo Piñeres where we can find Scaly-breasted Hummingbird, Turquoise-winged Parrotlet, Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Glaucous Tanager, Trinidad Euphonia, Stripe-backed and Bicolored Wren, Lance-tailed Manakin and Black-crested Antshrike. Then will head to numerous marshes and drier scrubby habitat for Northern Screamer, Russet-throated Puffbird, Brown-throated Parakeet, Caribbean Hornero, Carib Grackle and if times permits we will stop at Universidad del Norte for another chance of Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Grey-lined Hawk, Brown-throated Parakeet, Black-chested Jay. After lunch we will drive to Salamanca National Park where we will find birds of mangrove ecosystems and we will search birds also in the location named Km 4 for extra species we might see along the birding road Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, Sapphire-throated Hummingbird, Bicoloured Conebill, Pied Puffbird, Golden-green Woodpecker, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Stripe-backed Wren, Russet-throated Puffbird, Caribbean Hornero, Green, Bare-faced- Glossy and White Ibis, Limpkin, Blue-winged Parrotlet, Cattle Tyrant. We will arrive to Riohacha city for dinner. Night in Hotel

  • Day 3. Flamencos, Minca

Early birding at Los Flamencos National Park searching for Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, Bicolored Conebill, Pied Puffbird, Panamanian Flycatcher, Golden-green Woodpecker, Black-collared Haw, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Common ground-dove, Brown-throated and Blue-crowned parakeet, Green-rumped Parrotlet, Red-billed Emerald, Buffy Hummingbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Russet-throated Puffbird, Red-crowned Woodpecker, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Caribbean Hornero, Pale-breasted Spinetail, Black-crested, Black-backed antshrike, White-fringed Antwren, Northern Scrub-Flycatcher, Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Venezuelan flycatcher, Bicolored Wren, Black-chested Jay, Scrub Greenlet, Glaucous tanager, Black-faced Grassquit, Pileated Finch, Orinoco Saltator, Yellow Oriole, Chestnut Piculet, White-whiskered Spinetail, Slender-billed Tyrannulet, Tocuyo sparrow, Vermilion CardinaL. Then we will head up to Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta with a stop at Minca place for lunch having fun with the feeders for Rufous-tailed and Steely-vented Hummingbirds, Red-billed Emerald, Crowned Woodnymph, White-vented Plumeleteer, White-necked Jacobin and many others. Then we wll have some birding around the area for some extra species- Nigh at Minca Lodge

  • DAYS 4,5,6: Santa Marta Full Days Birding

After breakfast we will have start our birding drive up to Santa Marta on our way to San Lorenzo Ridge and the medium areas of El Dorado Natural Reserve, in where we can see many endemics for the area. Nights in Dorado Lodge

Some birds: Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Screech-Owl, White-tailed Starfrontlet, Santa Marta Woodstar, Rusty-headed Spinetail, Santa Marta Antpitta, Brown-rumped Tapaculo, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, Yellow-crowned Whitestar, White-lored Warbler, Santa Marta Warbler, Santa Marta (Black-cheeked) Mountain-Tanager, Black-backed Thornbill, Colombian Nevada Brush-Finch, Bangs Wood-Wren, Black-fronted Wood-Quail, White-tipped Quetzal, White-rumped Hawk, Band-tailed Guan, Sickle-winged Guan, Band-tailed Pigeon, Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Red-billed Parrot, Masked Trogon, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Yellow-billed (Groove-billed) Toucanet, Emerald Toucanet, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Spotted Barbtail, Streaked Xenops, Gray-throated Leaftosser, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Rufous Antpitta, Mountain Elaenia, Black-capped Tyrannulet, Venezuelan and White-throated Tyrannulet, Olive-striped Flycatcher, Black-throated Tody-Tyrant, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Orange-billed and Slaty-backed Nightingale-thrush, Great Thrush, Black-hooded Thrush, Slate-throated Redstart, Three-striped Warbler, White-sided Flowerpiercer, Blue-naped Chlorophonia and many others.

  • DAY 7: Dorado Lodge - Valledupar

We will depart early this morning and head down the mountain stopping at Las Gaviotas for a number of lowland forest species such as Lance-tailed Manakin, White-bellied Antbird, Buff-breasted Wren, Gartered Trogon, Brown-capped Tyrannulet, Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher, White-necked Puffbird. Then we will head to our next destination which we usually arrive late afternoon. Night in Valledupar

  • DAY 8: Los Besotes Road to Chamicero de Perija.

Early start birding above Valledupar for Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Scaled Dove, Double-striped Thick-Knee, Shining-green Hummingbird, Double-banded Puffbird, Chestnut Piculet, Military Macaw, Black-backed Antshrike, White-whiskered Spinetail, Slender billed and Pale-tipped Tyrannulets, Venezuelan Flycatcher, Lance-tailed Manakin, Golden, fronted Greenlet and Trinidad Euphonia. After lunch, we will go up to Chamicero de Perija Reserve for Perija endemics and for Golden-bellied Starfrontlet, Rufous Spinetail and Rufous Antpitta and many others. Night in Perija

  • DAYS 9,10: Chamicero de Perija.

We will begin birding in the paramo working our way down over the course of the day for Perija Metaltail and Perija Thistletail, Golden-bellied Starfrontlet, Streakbacked Canastero, Blackchested Buzzard-Eagle and White-rumped Hawk, Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Crested Quetzal, Barred Fruiteater, Andean and Band-tailed Guans, Red-crested Cotinga, Black-throated Tody-Tyrant, Perija Brush-finch, Plushcap, Paramo Seedeater, Black-fronted Wood Quail, Black Flowerpiercer, Longuemares Sunangel, Mountain Velvetbreast and both Chestnut-capped and Slaty Brush-finch.  The afternoon will be spent birding some of the good mid-elevation forest patches along the road for Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Wattled Guan, Streak-capped Treehunter, White-browed and Rufous Spinetails, Perija Tapaculo, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Variegated Bristle Tyrant, Yellow-billed Cacique, Oleaginous Hemispingus, Venezuelan Tyrannulet, Buff-breasted and Lacrimose Mountain Tanagers, as well as the endemic Black-fronted Brush-finch and many others. We will have days to explore the area for more species. Nights in Perija

  • DAY 11: Perija - Minaure

Early birding down the Perija ridge, foothills and coffee plantation forests of the lower slopes where we might find  Red-legged Tinamou, Crested Bobwhite, Coppery Emerald, Rufous-shafted Woodstar, Klages Antbird, Rufous-breasted Wren, Grey-throated Warbler, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Fulvous-headed Tanager and Golden-winged Sparrow. We will arrive in the afternoon to village of Minaure. Night there

  • DAY 12: Minaure, Valledupar

Early birding for some extra species such as Perija Brush-finch, Grey-throated Warbler, Yellow-throated Toucan, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Moustached Puffbird and Golden-headed Manakin. We will leave Minaure and drive back to Santa Marta for any flight connections.

have a nice birding time!

TOUR TIME 12 DAYS & 11 NIGHTS
GROUP SIZE From 2 to 8 People
TOUR DATES Fixed and custom dates - TOUR CALENDAR
PRICE PER PERSON USD 3,500
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT US$ 300.00 (we do not charge this; hotels and lodges do)
   
ACCOMODATION Comfortable places with private toilet, hot water, WI-FI 
EASY OF BIRDING Easy to moderate with some challenging species
PHOTOGRAFIC CHANCE Excellent
INCLUDE Hotel, lodges, domestic flight, full meals, soft drinks, entrance fee, private transport, driver and guide
NOT INCLUDE International flight, any alcoholic drinks, laundry, phone calls, extra activities
  • Lena and I want to thank you again for a wonderful trip. It is hard to believe it is over. We appreciated your great bird-finding skills, the design of the trip and your taking care of us so well. Although Lena took a couple afternoons off, she finished the trip very enthusiastic about the whole experience. Take care and hope to see you again some day.

    William Proebsting
  • Omar really took care of us from picking us up at the airport to getting us back there, 21 tour days, one in country fight day to Cusco, 1 National Strike day off , 1Partial Rain Day...whew, yet 656 BIRDS in that time frame (21 Days). I am still exhausted...

    Bruce Garlinger