General advice for an independent Colombia trip, and blue bearded helmetcrest (2 Viewers)

[Antpitta'd]

Hi all, long time lurker finally making an account to post as I’m planning a big year. I’m planning on spending a few months in Colombia from beginning of December 2024, and would love to get some advice on a high level trip plan.

I’ve done some neotropical birding but Colombia will be completely new to me so I’m keen to see as much of it as I can while I have the time. I’m planning some self-contained trips out to Mitu, Inirida & Leticia and then otherwise I’ve been vaguely planning on following Ross Gallardy’s exceptional report from 2016-17: https://budgetbirders.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/colombia_report_final.pdf, but would be great if anyone has any other spots they’d recommend (or conversely any spots you’d recommend avoiding)

I’ll be travelling solo and keen to bird independently where possible, but otherwise happy to travel anywhere and everywhere. Apologies as I realise this is a pretty broad request!

I was also planning on trying to trek to see the blue bearded helmetcrest after (hopefully) adding green and Buffy - can anyone recommend a guide for this?

Thanks very much in advance!

 

[njlarsen]

You have not done Colombia unless you do the north, which includes the specialties seen around Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Minca) and around El Camarones further east. Trip reports should get you onto some options.
Niels

 

[simmojunior]

Hi all, long time lurker finally making an account to post as I’m planning a big year. I’m planning on spending a few months in Colombia from beginning of December 2024, and would love to get some advice on a high level trip plan.

I’ve done some neotropical birding but Colombia will be completely new to me so I’m keen to see as much of it as I can while I have the time. I’m planning some self-contained trips out to Mitu, Inirida & Leticia and then otherwise I’ve been vaguely planning on following Ross Gallardy’s exceptional report from 2016-17: https://budgetbirders.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/colombia_report_final.pdf, but would be great if anyone has any other spots they’d recommend (or conversely any spots you’d recommend avoiding)

I’ll be travelling solo and keen to bird independently where possible, but otherwise happy to travel anywhere and everywhere. Apologies as I realise this is a pretty broad request!

I was also planning on trying to trek to see the blue bearded helmetcrest after (hopefully) adding green and Buffy - can anyone recommend a guide for this?

Thanks very much in advance!

The top two places to go are San Cipriano (not in Gallardy's report but he went a few years after) and Montezuma. Both fantastic. I also recommend contacting Diego Espitia for the Tolima endemics, Yellow-eared Parrrot and Fuertes' Parrot. Some more tips in my thread here: Independent Colombia (Santa Marta and Central / Western Andes) July 2023

Try Breiner Tarazona for the Helmetcrest trek tho I have not done it. Let me know if anything else I can help with.

 

[Antpitta'd]

You have not done Colombia unless you do the north, which includes the specialties seen around Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Minca) and around El Camarones further east. Trip reports should get you onto some options.
Niels

Thanks very much Niels! Is it doable independently or would you recommend a guide?

 

[Antpitta'd]

The top two places to go are San Cipriano (not in Gallardy's report but he went a few years after) and Montezuma. Both fantastic. I also recommend contacting Diego Espitia for the Tolima endemics, Yellow-eared Parrrot and Fuertes' Parrot. Some more tips in my thread here: Independent Colombia (Santa Marta and Central / Western Andes) July 2023

Try Breiner Tarazona for the Helmetcrest trek tho I have not done it. Let me know if anything else I can help with.

Tthat thread is incredibly useful, sounds like a fantastic trip - I've heard similar things about the driving in Santa Marta. I've reached out to Breiner now, thanks so much for all the help.

What was your favourite place you visited on that trip?

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks very much Niels! Is it doable independently or would you recommend a guide?

We drove most of the time ourselves, but hired Breiner for 1+1/2 day around Minca / El Dorado Lodge, and Tocuyo birding for a day in the Camarones area.
Niels

 

[Antpitta'd]

We drove most of the time ourselves, but hired Breiner for 1+1/2 day around Minca / El Dorado Lodge, and Tocuyo birding for a day in the Camarones area.
Niels

Ah I'm not a particularly confident driver so am keen to stick to buses / taxis where possible. I'll do some more research, cheers Niels

 

[simmojunior]

Ah I'm not a particularly confident driver so am keen to stick to buses / taxis where possible. I'll do some more research, cheers Niels

Sylvana Travel can arrange transport. I don't recommend driving in Northern Colombia.

My favourite places were Montezuma and San Cipriano.

 

[TicoTyler]

We did a short trip to Bogotá a few weeks ago. Basically, it was cheaper to have a layover in Bogotá so I made it a 6 day one.

Sumapaz National Park is great for some paramo endemics. Apolinar's wren in particular has a super limited range and is in that national park. Near Bogotá airport is Chicaque Nature Park. It's got potential and is a nice spot but we had so many bad experiences there with logistics and the management that I'd not really recommend it if you can find a better spot.

 

[AveryBartels]

In general, getting between places in Colombia should be pretty readily achievable using public transit. Often, you'll find though that you need independent transport to get to the birding areas themselves. In some cases this can be easily arranged through the lodge/reserve (eg Montezuma, El Encanto etc.). One thing you might find helpful in Colombia is hiring a taxi for the day, this can be actually not as expensive as you might think and often you can negotiate an hourly rate.

There is much that can be done independently in Colombia so you'll have plenty of choice. I would strongly encourage you to visit the south of the country as Huila, Putumayo and Nariño have an increasing number of fantastic options including:

Huila
-El Encanto Ecolodge/La Drymophilla Reserve and nearby National Parks (worth at least 3-4 days)

Putumayo
-Mocoa area including Trampolin de las Aves, Vereda Campucana and several new small sites (La Discosura, Mirador Casa Azul, new Scaled Antpitta feeder) on the HWY heading North towards Huila. Some of this you an do yourself but you might be well served to hire a local guide such as Edilson Rosero Edilson Albeiro Rosero

-Puerto Asis area including Finca El Escondite, Playa Rica and the neighbourhood of local guide Diego Rocha Diego Rocha - López

-La Isla Escondida Reserve, an absolute must. Plan to spend 3-5 days at least, this place is brilliant but note that it is a ~5km walk into the lodge. They can arrange transport to the trailhead from Puerto Asis, Orito or Mocoa. N.R. La Isla Escondida – Eco-lodge in primary Amazon rainforest

-Sibundoy area, especially Paramo Bordoncillo. Spend the night at Laguna La Cocha so that you are only 30 minutes away. Birding laguna La Cocha is also worth an afternoon. Note you will need to pay a small entrance fee at he house at the trailhead to Bordoncillo. Cotinga and Masked Mountain-tanager easiest past the first tower

Nariño
-Tuquerres area, under-birded but there are two new sites that might be worth your time. Cabañas Andariegos apparently has Curve-billed Tinamou around, a friend stopped off there recently mid-day and heard one. Andariegos . Secondly, along the road down towards Ricuarte there is a side-road (gated, apparently you can only enter before 10am) where Turquoise Jay has recently been found. Carunculated Caracara common here as well and Andean Lapwing has been seen. I would imagine a bus could drop you off here 1°03'00.7"N 77°44'49.5"W

-Ricuarte and Junin areas. There are several excellent Choco foothill and mid-elevation birding sites here that warrant a good week or so. I would suggest staying a couple nights at Reserva La Planada, 2-3 nights at Aves y Florez Lodge and (assuming it is ready) at the new accommodations at La Nutria Reserve. This last is particularly brilliant and is run by the local Awa indigenous community. Mauricio Florez should be able to help you arrange stays at the various places (he runs the Abes y Florez Lodge) Mauricio Flórez

-Tumaco, arrange birding with local guide Jonathan Sequeda. Security could be a bit of an issue here IF you do not know where you can and can't go. With Jonathan it will be perfectly safe (I recently led a tour group here, and have not heard of any birders having problems), worth ~2 days Jonathan Sequeda Zuleta

Lastly, I presume you are familiar with Cloudbirders.com - my most recent Colombia trip report is up on there and it details most of these birding sites.

Feel free to shoot me a private message if you want any further info on any of the above, or other areas in Colombia.

 

[kb57]

Ah I'm not a particularly confident driver so am keen to stick to buses / taxis where possible. I'll do some more research, cheers Niels

I was planning to drive for part of my short trip to Colombia but was pleased I didn't in the end - got around fine by bus and birded with a mix of hiring guide and driver for day trips, and self-guided birding when staying in nature reserves.
I had Colombian rules of the road explained to me by a driver whilst overtaking trucks in fog on mountain pass hairpin bends above Bogota, and to be honest it didn't encourage me to self-drive.
In terms of sites I never got to any of the highly recommended places in the north or south of the country, but the sites in Antioquia accessed from Medellin and the lowland habitats in the mid-Magdalena valley have much to offer too, and could also be accommodated if you're doing a longer trip of a few months.
Rio Claro nature reserve is easily accessible on the main Bogota - Medellin road and has a really impressive oilbird roost plus a host of other lowland forest species. Jardin is easily reached by bus from Medellin, is a really nice little town to spend a couple of days, and has a superb Andean cock-of-the-rock lek just at the edge of the town, plus yellow-eared parrots and antpittas up on the Riosucio road out of town. I think these sites are covered well in Ross Gallardy's report.

 

[Antpitta'd]

In general, getting between places in Colombia should be pretty readily achievable using public transit. Often, you'll find though that you need independent transport to get to the birding areas themselves. In some cases this can be easily arranged through the lodge/reserve (eg Montezuma, El Encanto etc.). One thing you might find helpful in Colombia is hiring a taxi for the day, this can be actually not as expensive as you might think and often you can negotiate an hourly rate.

There is much that can be done independently in Colombia so you'll have plenty of choice. I would strongly encourage you to visit the south of the country as Huila, Putumayo and Nariño have an increasing number of fantastic options including:

Huila
-El Encanto Ecolodge/La Drymophilla Reserve and nearby National Parks (worth at least 3-4 days)

Putumayo
-Mocoa area including Trampolin de las Aves, Vereda Campucana and several new small sites (La Discosura, Mirador Casa Azul, new Scaled Antpitta feeder) on the HWY heading North towards Huila. Some of this you an do yourself but you might be well served to hire a local guide such as Edilson Rosero Edilson Albeiro Rosero

-Puerto Asis area including Finca El Escondite, Playa Rica and the neighbourhood of local guide Diego Rocha Diego Rocha - López

-La Isla Escondida Reserve, an absolute must. Plan to spend 3-5 days at least, this place is brilliant but note that it is a ~5km walk into the lodge. They can arrange transport to the trailhead from Puerto Asis, Orito or Mocoa. N.R. La Isla Escondida – Eco-lodge in primary Amazon rainforest

-Sibundoy area, especially Paramo Bordoncillo. Spend the night at Laguna La Cocha so that you are only 30 minutes away. Birding laguna La Cocha is also worth an afternoon. Note you will need to pay a small entrance fee at he house at the trailhead to Bordoncillo. Cotinga and Masked Mountain-tanager easiest past the first tower

Nariño
-Tuquerres area, under-birded but there are two new sites that might be worth your time. Cabañas Andariegos apparently has Curve-billed Tinamou around, a friend stopped off there recently mid-day and heard one. Andariegos . Secondly, along the road down towards Ricuarte there is a side-road (gated, apparently you can only enter before 10am) where Turquoise Jay has recently been found. Carunculated Caracara common here as well and Andean Lapwing has been seen. I would imagine a bus could drop you off here 1°03'00.7"N 77°44'49.5"W

-Ricuarte and Junin areas. There are several excellent Choco foothill and mid-elevation birding sites here that warrant a good week or so. I would suggest staying a couple nights at Reserva La Planada, 2-3 nights at Aves y Florez Lodge and (assuming it is ready) at the new accommodations at La Nutria Reserve. This last is particularly brilliant and is run by the local Awa indigenous community. Mauricio Florez should be able to help you arrange stays at the various places (he runs the Abes y Florez Lodge) Mauricio Flórez

-Tumaco, arrange birding with local guide Jonathan Sequeda. Security could be a bit of an issue here IF you do not know where you can and can't go. With Jonathan it will be perfectly safe (I recently led a tour group here, and have not heard of any birders having problems), worth ~2 days Jonathan Sequeda Zuleta

Lastly, I presume you are familiar with Cloudbirders.com - my most recent Colombia trip report is up on there and it details most of these birding sites.

Feel free to shoot me a private message if you want any further info on any of the above, or other areas in Colombia.

Wow, thanks so much Avery, this is incredibly helpful. To be honest I'd not really considered the south but I absolutely will now! I'll be travelling in from Ecuador also so can just do that via bus and spend some time in the south. I've heard excellent things about Isla Escondida but the rest are entirely new to me.

I'll peruse your reports and then shoot over any specific questions. Thanks again - it makes it so much easier planning independent trips when people share their knowledge like this!

 

[Antpitta'd]

I was planning to drive for part of my short trip to Colombia but was pleased I didn't in the end - got around fine by bus and birded with a mix of hiring guide and driver for day trips, and self-guided birding when staying in nature reserves.
I had Colombian rules of the road explained to me by a driver whilst overtaking trucks in fog on mountain pass hairpin bends above Bogota, and to be honest it didn't encourage me to self-drive.
In terms of sites I never got to any of the highly recommended places in the north or south of the country, but the sites in Antioquia accessed from Medellin and the lowland habitats in the mid-Magdalena valley have much to offer too, and could also be accommodated if you're doing a longer trip of a few months.
Rio Claro nature reserve is easily accessible on the main Bogota - Medellin road and has a really impressive oilbird roost plus a host of other lowland forest species. Jardin is easily reached by bus from Medellin, is a really nice little town to spend a couple of days, and has a superb Andean cock-of-the-rock lek just at the edge of the town, plus yellow-eared parrots and antpittas up on the Riosucio road out of town. I think these sites are covered well in Ross Gallardy's report.

Haha yeah that mirrors what I've heard with the driving! Thanks very much, will add them to the plan.

The more I read, the more I want this to be a pretty long trip... Is it pretty easy to extend the 90 day stay to 180?