Best birding trips in Central/South America? (1 Viewer)

[cabaldwin]

My fiancée and I are planning a 1-week birding trip to somewhere in Central or South America for early August this year and I'm looking for advice or opinions on what would give us the best bang for our time/buck. We are thinking about Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador... somewhat in that order right now. Ideally we'd spend a few days birding in the jungle and a couple days laying on the beach. We're both fit enough for several miles of hiking. I'll have my lighter weight M43 Panasonic Lumix camera with a 100-300mm (200-600mm equivalent) lens -- so we'd love to get close enough to see and photograph lots of birds we don't normally see in SoCal and the Western US, and hte more colorful and unique, the better.

Any ideas or suggestions to narrow that down -- or specific guides or tours you recommend? Preferably day or two birding/wildlife tours, not a week-long organized group tour. [Edit: Also if you have any recommendations for specific lodges in the jungles of any of the areas I mentioned.]

Thanks!

 

[temmie]

Santa Marta and Tayrona are an obvious choice fitting well with your requirements. There are (plenty) of guides in the Santa Marta area who can arrange logistics / guiding for some days of birding.

I haven't done any beaches in Ecuador and the beach is a bit further from the (cooler) subtropical hills. The pacific is also a bit colder than the Caribbean.

The same would apply to Costa Rica, but it seems the best beaches are still to be found on the Pacific coast. You can't go wrong with Costa Rica but I honestly can't (from experience) recommend a good hang-out that's both good for birding and close to some nice beaches (but there must me many).

 

[raymie]

The same would apply to Costa Rica, but it seems the best beaches are still to be found on the Pacific coast. You can't go wrong with Costa Rica but I honestly can't (from experience) recommend a good hang-out that's both good for birding and close to some nice beaches (but there must me many).

Hacienda Baru is an excellent lodge that offers both incredible birding and a nice beach on the same property.

 

[DMW]

Perhaps worth noting that there's currently civil unrest in Ecuador and government advisories against travel to parts of the country. I've no idea what the reality of risk is on the ground but at the least it might affect validity of travel insurance.

 

[cabaldwin]

Thanks @temmie, @raymie and @DMW!

We don't need the beaches and birding locations to be in the same location. Just saying we're not planning 7 days of birding. We're happy to drive and see the country.

 

[njlarsen]

Of countries in CA and SA, I would probably recommend these:
Santa Marta Mts and Tayrona in Colombia (Stay at least part of the time in El Dorado reserve above Minca, a couple of more days in Minca and max two days in Tayrona)

Western Panama with birding in the area around either Boquete or Volcan followed by one or two days on the beach in areas near David.

Central Panama with several days in El Valle del Anton followed by a little time along the pacific coast west of El Valle. If you want to splurge, do the five day stay at Canopy Lodge in El Valle for the maximum benefit of having guide available all the time.

In all of these countries, notice the difference in bird life between higher areas and coast can be quite strong, so moving down does not mean stopping birding. On a recent trip to Colombia, the only Macaw came down in the Tayrona area.
Niels

 

[njlarsen]

Of countries in CA and SA, I would probably recommend these:
Santa Marta Mts and Tayrona in Colombia (Stay at least part of the time in El Dorado reserve above Minca, a couple of more days in Minca and max two days in Tayrona)

Western Panama with birding in the area around either Boquete or Volcan followed by one or two days on the beach in areas near David.

Central Panama with several days in El Valle del Anton followed by a little time along the pacific coast west of El Valle. If you want to splurge, do the five day stay at Canopy Lodge in El Valle for the maximum benefit of having guide available all the time.

In all of these countries, notice the difference in bird life between higher areas and coast can be quite strong, so moving down does not mean stopping birding. On a recent trip to Colombia, the only Macaw came down in the Tayrona area.
Niels

Reading again that you plan on early August, more votes for Colombia. From experience, Central America at that time can be hit and miss with the weather.
Niels

 

[cabaldwin]

Reading again that you plan on early August, more votes for Colombia. From experience, Central America at that time can be hit and miss with the weather.
Niels

Ahh. We were just looking at Canopy Lodge in Panama. Are there any Lodges in Colombia you recommend?

 

[njlarsen]

Especially in August, I would recommend the northern end of Colombia. I already mentioned El Dorado Lodge above Minca, it is a great place. A guide is not included (opposite of Canopy), so you need to arrange that yourself. Breyner Tarazona (spelling of first name?) is a great choice in that area, but perhaps better economy in having him help while you stay in town, and then use your own time and legs while staying in El Dorado. Being up in one of their Cabins seemed like expensive but also money well spent.

Check this link to my ebird trip report from the same time of year:

https://ebird.org/tripreport/155148

Someone else mentioned a place in Minca that might be better than where we stayed in the lower area, I think I saw this in this forum somewhere: Colombia

Niels

 

[cabaldwin]

Especially in August, I would recommend the northern end of Colombia. I already mentioned El Dorado Lodge above Minca, it is a great place. A guide is not included (opposite of Canopy), so you need to arrange that yourself. Breyner Tarazona (spelling of first name?) is a great choice in that area, but perhaps better economy in having him help while you stay in town, and then use your own time and legs while staying in El Dorado. Being up in one of their Cabins seemed like expensive but also money well spent.

Check this link to my ebird trip report from the same time of year:

https://ebird.org/tripreport/155148

Someone else mentioned a place in Minca that might be better than where we stayed in the lower area, I think I saw this in this forum somewhere: Colombia

Niels

Thanks. We started a deep dive into Colombia lodges last night. Still looking at Costa Rica as well. Colombia may demand more than a week long trip, especially at 16 hours of travel each way...

 

[mjh73]

Thanks. We started a deep dive into Colombia lodges last night. Still looking at Costa Rica as well. Colombia may demand more than a week long trip, especially at 16 hours of travel each way...

I think in a week you can cover a smallish area well (say Minca / Santa Marta) or a larger area (say coast /Santa Marta / Perija) a bit more frantically. We did the latter in October last year:

Arrive evening Barranquilla
Day 1 Palermo-coastal stops
Stay Minca

Day 2 Minca
Stay El Dorado next 2 nights

Day 3&4 El Dorado
Depart afternoon. day 4 , stay Camarones

Day 5 La Guarija
Stay Valledupar

Day 6&7 Perija
Stay Proaves 2 nights then depart from Valledupar airport

We stopped at the edge of Los Besotes en route to Perija which was a miscommunication with our guide, we wanted to try for currasow but really needed to give it at least a day in the ecoparque proper not a brief late afternoon stop on the edge.

 

[cabaldwin]

I think in a week you can cover a smallish area well (say Minca / Santa Marta) or a larger area (say coast /Santa Marta / Perija) a bit more frantically. We did the latter in October last year:

Arrive evening Barranquilla
Day 1 Palermo-coastal stops
Stay Minca

Day 2 Minca
Stay El Dorado next 2 nights

Day 3&4 El Dorado
Depart afternoon. day 4 , stay Camarones

Day 5 La Guarija
Stay Valledupar

Day 6&7 Perija
Stay Proaves 2 nights then depart from Valledupar airport

We stopped at the edge of Los Besotes en route to Perija which was a miscommunication with our guide, we wanted to try for currasow but really needed to give it at least a day in the ecoparque proper not a brief late afternoon stop on the edge.

This is great! Thank you!