Colombia - Santa Marta Endemics & Caribbean Coast

Our adventure begins in Bogotá, where we will spend our first night before setting off on our exciting expedition. Upon arrival, you will be met at the airport and transferred to the Movich Buró 26 Hotel, where you can relax and prepare for the unforgettable journey ahead. Accommodation at Movich Buró 26 Hotel.

This day, we fly from Bogotá to Riohacha, the gateway to Colombia’s spectacular La Guajira Peninsula. Upon arrival, we enjoy a scenic 30-minute drive to the charming village of Camarones, nestled between the Caribbean coast and the arid landscapes of northern Colombia.

La Guajira is one of South America’s most distinctive birding destinations, where tropical dry forest, thorn scrub, saline lagoons, and coastal habitats combine to support an extraordinary concentration of regional specialties and near-endemic birds. Following lunch, we begin our first birding excursion, exploring the dry scrub and surrounding lagoons during the cooler hours of the afternoon, when bird activity is at its peak.

Our main targets include some of the peninsula’s most iconic species, such as the beautiful White-whiskered Spinetail, the spectacular Vermilion Cardinal, with its vivid scarlet plumage and striking crest, the charming Chestnut Piculet, Buffy Hummingbird, and Tocuyo Sparrow. Other possibilities include Bare-eyed Pigeon, Common and Ruddy Ground-Doves, Brown-throated and Blue-crowned Parakeets, Green-rumped Parrotlet, Red-billed Emerald, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Blue-crowned Motmot, Russet-throated Puffbird, Pale-breasted Spinetail, Black-crested Antshrike, White-fringed Antwren, Northern Scrub Flycatcher, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Slender-billed Tyrannulet, Pale-eyed Pygmy Tyrant, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Glaucous Tanager, Pileated Finch, Grayish, Buff-throated, and Orinocan Saltators, Saffron Finch, and Yellow Oriole, among many others.

Depending on water levels, we may also make a brief stop at the nearby coastal lagoon, where a variety of shorebirds, herons, egrets, gulls, terns, flamingos, and other waterbirds can often be observed.

As the afternoon draws to a close, we drive approximately 30 minutes to Riohacha, where we settle into Taroa Hotel for the night, ready to continue exploring the remarkable birdlife and landscapes of La Guajira the following day. (B, L, D)

We begin the day with an early morning birding excursion around Camarones, taking advantage of the cooler temperatures and peak bird activity before breakfast. Accompanied by a knowledgeable local guide, we explore a network of trails winding through tropical dry forest, thorn scrub, and patches of woodland, providing additional opportunities to search for the Guajira Peninsula’s unique birdlife. Species missed the previous afternoon, including White-whiskered Spinetail, Vermilion Cardinal, Chestnut Piculet, Buffy Hummingbird, and Tocuyo Sparrow, remain among our priorities, while the surrounding vegetation often reveals an excellent variety of flycatchers, tanagers, finches, and other dry forest specialties.

Before departing, we make another visit to the nearby coastal lagoon, where we may encounter flamingos, herons, egrets, shorebirds, gulls, terns, and other waterbirds depending on seasonal water levels.

Following lunch overlooking the Caribbean coast, we begin our scenic drive west toward the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, one of the world’s highest coastal mountain ranges and an internationally recognized center of endemism. As we leave the arid landscapes of La Guajira behind, the vegetation gradually changes from dry thorn scrub to increasingly lush tropical forests, reflecting the dramatic environmental transition that characterizes northern Colombia.

Near Santa Marta, we transfer from our vehicle into comfortable 4WD SUVs for the ascent into the mountains. Our destination is the charming village of Minca, situated at approximately 2,000 feet (600 m) above sea level. Nestled among forested hillsides and coffee farms, Minca enjoys a pleasantly cool climate and serves as the gateway to the extraordinary biodiversity of the Sierra Nevada.

Our lodge, located on the outskirts of the village, offers spectacular views across the surrounding forests and features excellent hummingbird feeders. Here we may enjoy close encounters with Steely-vented Hummingbird, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Black-throated Mango, White-necked Jacobin, White-vented Plumeleteer, and, with a bit of luck, Pale-bellied Hermit. Other regular visitors include Orange-chinned Parakeet, Boat-billed Flycatcher, and a variety of colorful tanagers and tropical birds.

We settle into our comfortable lodge for the next stage of our adventure, surrounded by the magnificent forests of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, one of Colombia’s most remarkable birding destinations. Accommodation at Minca La Casona Hotel. (B, L, D)

We will be up early for breakfast and an outing nearby, here we’ll bird a nice trail that offers a suite of excellent birds which might include Black-backed Antshrike, both Lance-tailed and White-bearded Manakin, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Whooping Motmot, both Lineated and Spot-breasted Woodpeckers, Keel-billed Toucan, Golden-fronted Greenlet, both Rufous-and-white and Rufous-breasted Wrens, the tricky Long-billed Gnatwren and the very attractive Golden-winged Sparrow.

Some of our targets among other lower-elevation species of the foothills of Santa Marta would be Santa Marta Parakeet, Rusty-headed Spinetail, Hermit Wood-wren, both Santa Marta and Sierra Nevada Antpittas, Sierra Nevada Brush-finch, Brown-rumped Tapaculo, Santa Marta Bush-tyrant, Yellow-crowned Redstart, Santa Marta Warbler and Santa Marta (Black-cheeked) Mountain -Tanager! In the evenings we’ll also try for the recently described Santa Marta Screech-Owl – of course endemic! Later we will head upslope for about two hours to the lodge at El Dorado, making a few stops along the way. Night at El Dorado Lodge. (B, L, D)

Our general routine will be an early (pre-dawn, perhaps 4:00 a.m., on the one or two mornings we go to the top of the ridge) departure; a simple breakfast (either at the lodge or as a picnic, depending on our destination for the day); a focused morning of birding; lunch at the lodge; a break after lunch; and easy birding in the late afternoon, followed by dinner at the lodge. There will also be plenty of time to enjoy the birds in the garden, where the photographic opportunities are excellent, as Crowned Woodnymphs (colombica) and Lesser (formerly Green) Violetears throng the hummingbird feeders, rarer hummingbirds are realistic White-tailed Starfrontlet, and, exceptionally, Black-backed Thornbill, Blue-naped Chlorophonias (endemic yellow-fronted form psittacina) and Black-capped Tanagers come to the fruit, and many gorgeous flowers are stationary targets. There are always a few Santa Marta Brushfinches about, and the scraps behind the kitchen attract Sierra Nevada (part of the former Stripe-crowned, now split up into a plethora of species) Brushfinches (basilicus). Sickle-winged and Band-tailed guans can be rather raucous around the clearing and gang up at feeders and the composting area. The lodge is in a small clearing and the forested road extends above and below, easy birding territory for those with more energy during breaks, and there are a couple of trails on which one or two quiet birders can surprise Lined Quail-Dove or Gray-throated Leaftosser.

The Santa Marta Mountains shelter twenty species of endemic birds, the highest concentration of endemics in such a small area, of any locality in Colombia. Indeed, because of this concentration of endemic birds, this area is of special interest to birders and naturalists alike, and thanks to the El Dorado Reserve, and the access track which runs through it, this region is one of the top birding sites in the tropical Americas.

All of the Santa Marta endemics can be seen along the forested road (well, it’s more of a 4×4 track!) which eventually ends at a communication facility at 9,600 feet. The views along the way are simply spectacular, with humid montane forest draping the mountainsides in all directions and the shimmering Caribbean coast spread out before us some sixty miles away, while a turn of the neck will reveal the snowcapped peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, perhaps while an endemic Santa Marta Woodstar fills up on its last nectar for the day!

Yet more sought after species (many of them endemic subspecies, and potential future  splits) can be found in these mid/high elevation humid forests, and we will spend our time here looking for such beauties as White-tipped Quetzal, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Whiterumped Hawk, Band-tailed Guan, Sickle-winged Guan, Blackfronted Wood-quail, Band-tailed Pigeon, both Scarlet-fronted and Barred parakeet, Masked Trogon, (Santa Marta) Emerald Toucanet, Streaked Xenops, Graythroated Leaftosser, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Mountain Elaenia, Black-capped Tyrannulet, both  Spectacled and White-throated Tyrannulet, Olive-striped Flycatcher, Black-throated Tody-Tyrant, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Chat-tyrant, both Orange-billed and Slaty-backed nightingale-thrush, Yellow-legged Thrush, Black-hooded Thrush, Slate-throated Redstart, Threestriped Warbler, White-sided Flowerpiercer, Blue-capped Tanager, Blue-naped Chlorophonia and Paramo Seedeater. Night at El Dorado Lodge. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we begin our descent from El Dorado Nature Reserve, enjoying birding stops at different elevations along the winding mountain road. The dramatic altitudinal gradient of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta creates a remarkable diversity of habitats, offering excellent opportunities to encounter species that occupy distinct ecological zones and many of the region’s endemic birds.

Throughout the morning, we explore a variety of forest trails and roadside viewpoints, carefully searching for some of the Sierra Nevada’s most sought-after specialties. Possible highlights include the endemic Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner, Santa Marta Antbird, Golden-winged Sparrow, Coppery Emerald, Swallow-tailed Tanager, Keel-billed Toucan, and the beautiful Gartered Trogon, together with a rich assortment of flycatchers, woodcreepers, tanagers, hummingbirds, and mixed-species feeding flocks that are characteristic of these montane forests.

As we descend, the changing vegetation provides new birding opportunities at every stop, allowing us to experience the exceptional biodiversity for which the Sierra Nevada is internationally renowned. Our guide will adjust the pace and birding locations according to recent sightings, weather conditions, and the activity of the birds to maximize our chances of rewarding encounters.

In the afternoon, we arrive in the picturesque village of Minca, where we check into our comfortable hotel. Before sunset, there is time to relax, enjoy the peaceful surroundings, or watch the activity around the hotel’s gardens and feeders, which often attract hummingbirds, tanagers, and other colorful tropical birds. Accommodation at Minca La Casona Hotel. (B, L, D)

Our final day begins with an early departure from Minca at approximately 5:00 AM, allowing us to reach Via Parque Isla de Salamanca shortly after sunrise, when bird activity is at its peak. Located between the Caribbean Sea and the Magdalena River, this remarkable protected area forms part of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta Biosphere Reserve and is recognized as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. Its unique mosaic of mangrove forests, coastal lagoons, marshes, and tropical dry forest supports an exceptional diversity of resident and migratory birdlife.

We spend the morning exploring the park’s trails and mangrove habitats in search of several regional specialties and new additions to our trip list. Among our principal targets are the beautiful Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, one of Colombia’s most localized endemic species, along with Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Golden-green Woodpecker, Red-rumped Woodpecker, Turquoise-winged Parrotlet, Bronzed Cowbird, Bicolored Conebill, and many other waterbirds, shorebirds, herons, egrets, raptors, and passerines associated with these rich coastal ecosystems.

Following our morning birding excursion, we continue to Barranquilla International Airport, where participants will be dropped off in time for their departing flights, bringing this memorable journey through Colombia’s Caribbean region and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to a close. We recommend booking international flights departing from Barranquilla no earlier than 1:00 PM, allowing sufficient time for the morning excursion and transfer to the airport. (B)