13 days bird watching tour in Colombia from the Cundiboyacence highlands –Oriental prairies and Central Andean Regions Schedule
Day 1 BOGOTÁ 2600 m.a.s.l TO THE ROGITAMA RESERVE (2488 m.a.s.l): This trip can take us about 3 hours getting to the reservation, around midnight. Rogitama is a small private reservation, member of RESNATUR, where an exemplary work of habitat reconstruction has been carried out during the last 20 years.
Day 2 AM. ROGITAMA RESERVE: Without getting up very early, after the nocturnal journey, we can admire the: The Black Inca, Golden-bellied Starfrontlet and 71 other species of birds in the gardens around the house
PM TO SOATÁ (BOYACÁ DEPARTMENT) After a 6 hours trip by road in very good conditions, and crossing the snow mountain of La Rusia, we arrive in the town of Soatá in the department of Boyacá (1850 m.a.s.l) where 375 species of birds have been reported. Soatá, a very unique area: the upper region is part of a corridor with 150 thousand hectares in oak, the lower region is completely different, dry, and it is the only place in Colombia where dates are grown. The hotel, old and big, used to be a hospital and military quarters in the past.
Day 3 AM. SOATÁ HIGH LANDS (Called the alto de Gonzaga) We will be able to see the some ornithological specialties, including: Mountain Grackfe Rusty-faced Parrot
PM. SOATÁ LOW LANDS Zone called by ornithologists of the region the coast, the river Chicamocha Thryothorus nicefori, Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird
Day 4 AM. TO BOGOTÁ IBA C008 Wetlands of Savannah (2600 m.a.s.l.) There are wetlands with ornithological specialties within the urban area of Bogotá, such us: Rallus semiplumbeu Y Cistothorus apolinari, including several other species
PM TRIP TO THE ORIENTAL PRAIRIES a to 2 hour journey from Bogotá, huge plains bordering Venezuela and Brazil, and various ecosystems such as: Mountain Feet, the flooded savannahs, the gallery forests and morichales, among others.
Day 5 and 6 LLANOS The Unamas Reservation This huge natural reserve member of RESNATUR, with about 4,000 hectares, has large population of wild mammals as jaguars, pigs, deer, a feast for lovers of wild life. In birds, we can see several species more typical of the Amazon than of the center of Colombia, some of the important ones for seeing are: Paradise Tanager, Opal-rumped Tanager
Day 7 IBA C0179 Canyon del Rio Guatiquia PRAIRIES Guayabetal City In this area of the Mountain Foot of the prairies and from coffee area, we can climb very near the snow mountain (alto de sobretana), which limits with the Meta department, where we could see 130 species among others: Cundinamarca Antpitta, Flame-winged Parakeet
Day 8 MANIZALES IBA C00045 Rio Blanco low lands This municipal reserve of 4343 hectares, member of RESNATUR, is seen by the WWF as the best bird watching place in the cloudy forests of Colombia, where we will enjoy the greatest diversity of hummingbirds in feeders of Colombia with up to 22 different species, 13 species in between endemic and almost endemic, a total of 362 ornithological specialties such as: Brown-banded Antpitta, Mask saltator
Day 9 MANIZALES IBA C00045 Rio Blanco middle lands: Due to its large size and altitudinal diversity of the White River (2200 m.a.s.l. to 3800 m.a.s.l.), we have three different areas for visiting according to altitudes, in this middle part, it is possible to observe around a 100 different other: Black-thighed Puffleg
Day 10 MANIZALES IBA C00045 Rio Blanco high lands: At the highest point of this reserve, after a one hour journey by car we can enjoy some species typical of the high mountains such as: Andean Lapwing and Páramo Tapaculo, among others
Day 11 MANIZALES Los Nevados Natural National Park: Area of 58,000 hectares, which are shared by 4 departments, where water is produced for 26 municipalities and 5 million people. In this park with at least 3 mountain ecosystems, we will see on the way up to the snow regions, among other ornithological specialties nearly 40 species: Rufous-fronted Parakeet, Tawny Antpitta, Bearded Helmetcrest, Black-backed Bush- Tanager, Golden-crowned Tanager
Day 12 AM MANIZALES Ecoparque los alcazares, part of the 10 municipal eco-parks of the city of Manizales, and as an ecosystem would include the beginning of the coffee zone where we could see 100 species which include: Red¬headed Barbet, Great Antshrike
PM TO OTUN QUIMBAYA This area of 400 hectares and part of the nationwide system of national parks in the condition of a sanctuary for the flora and fauna, has 218 species of birds
Day 13 AM OTUN QUIMBAYA IBA C0047 Forests del Oriente de Risaralda to highlight as very valuable for observing in this area are the Multicolored Tanager, Cauca Guan, Torrent Duck, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
PM TO EL CAIRO CITY (Valle del cauca department) a little more than a 3 hour journey from Otún Quimbaya we will visit the small coffee vilage, nearly 2000 m.a.s.l.. An hour away by SUV 4x4 from the municipal area of El Cairo, we find the borders of the high lands of the Chocó department from which we can appreciate the beautiful scenery of the Cerro el Torrá and the Chocó plains, for a short moment.
Day 14 AM EL CAIRO NATURAL RESERVE CERRO DEL INGLES: In this very humid reservation, member of RESNATUR with large endemism and stories, and part of a local network of nearly 200 natural reservations of the Chocó and Valle del Cauca ascribed to htto:llwww.serraniagua.org/, also showing among other wonders: Gold-ringed Tanager, Black-and-gold Tanager, Glistening-green Tanager and 120 more species
PM TO IBAGUÉ CITY in Tolima department, mountain foot of the Central Mountain Range, eastern margin, which corresponds to the high valley of the Magdalena river
Day 15 AM IBAGUE NATURAL RESERVE GAIA Only 5 minutes from the city's urban area this reservation, member of RESNATUR, with a few hectares of shaded coffee plantations, gives shelter to more than 200 species of birds among which are: Tolima Dove, Blossomcrown; Apical Flycatcher
PM TO BOGOTÁ CITY |
