It’s simple, the Santa Marta Mountains are home to the highest concentration of endemic birds in the continental Americas. This, plus the very dry and tropical dry forests of northern Colombia, creates the perfect scenery for a memorable trip. Enjoy the views of the Caribbean sea and its white-sand beaches which lie under the vigilance of the Santa Marta mountains.
Welcome to Colombia, the ultimate destination for bird enthusiasts!
Our carefully curated tour caters to all types of birders, whether you’re an avid enthusiast in search of rare species or someone seeking a more leisurely pace. The highlight of this expedition is the abundance of endemic species found in the stunning Santa Marta Mountains. As we venture through the northern part of Colombia, you’ll encounter a diverse array of ecosystems, ranging from tropical dry environments to subtropical forests. Notably, the Santa Marta range, a distinct group of mountains, hosts a unique array of avian life, with over 20 bird species evolving independently from their counterparts in the main Andes range.
Barranquilla – Santa Marta
The Caribbean Coast of Colombia is warm and tropical. Arid areas are overlapped with tropical dry forests. The Caribbean culture is pretty much like the one in Central America and other places of the region. Two main indigenous groups: Wayuu (the people from the desert) and Tayronas inhabit the region.
This day the group will meet the guide, talk about the itinerary, resolve questions, prepare everything, and fly in the evening to the coastal city of Barranquilla.
Night in Barranquilla. 5 m. 26°C
Early in the morning, we’ll take a 15-minute drive to our first stop on the outskirts of Barranquilla, where we’ll search for our first regional endemic: the noisy Chestnut-winged Chachalaca. After targeting a few other species, we’ll head east toward Salamanca National Park. Just before reaching the park, there’s a village road known for several specialties, including the (NE) Northern Screamer, (E) Bronzed Cowbird, White-cheeked Pintail, Dwarf Cuckoo, Stripe-backed Wren, (E) Turquoise-winged Parrotlet, Russet-throated Puffbird, and more.
A short drive will take us to Salamanca National Park, a protected area that preserves extensive mangrove ecosystems. Here, we’ll be on the lookout for the endemic Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, Sapphire-throated Hummingbird, Bicolored Conebill, Brown-throated Parakeet, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Golden-green Woodpecker, Pied Puffbird, and other key species.
After this exciting introduction to the Caribbean avifauna, we’ll drive to the tourist town of Palomino or Riohacha, where a beautiful beach awaits us. If time allows, we may also stop to look for additional specialties in the vicinity of Palomino or Riohacha.
Night in Palomino/Riohacha. 5 m. 28°C
We will rise early and head to the town of Camarones, where we’ll explore the trails through dry scrub forest, targeting key specialties such as the (NE) White-whiskered Spinetail, (NE) Orinocan Saltator, (NE) Slender-billed Inezia, (NE) Chestnut Piculet, (NE) Red-billed Emerald, and the rare (NE) Tocuyo Sparrow. In this very dry tropical forest, we’ll also search for other noteworthy species, including the Near-endemic Vermilion Cardinal, a bird of cultural significance to local communities.
Additional highlights in this area include Bare-eyed Pigeon, Blue-crowned Parakeet, Green-rumped Parrotlet, Red-billed Emerald, (NE) Buffy Hummingbird, Black-backed Antshrike, Northern Scrub-Flycatcher, Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, (NE) Glaucous Tanager, Double-striped Thick-knee, Northern White-fringed Antwren, Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Pileated Finch, Reddish Egret, Scarlet Ibis, White-tipped Inezia, Caribbean Hornero, and the charismatic American Flamingo.
Night in Palomino/Riohacha. 5 m. 28°C
This morning, we’ll explore a section of tropical dry forest just a few kilometers from Palomino, where we’ll be on the lookout for species such as Lance-tailed Manakin, One-colored Becard, Buff-breasted Wren, Brown-capped Tyrannulet, Trinidad Euphonia, Keel-billed Toucan, White-bellied Antbird, Grey Hawk, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Gartered Trogon, Barred Antshrike, and more.
Afterward, we’ll drive toward the majestic Santa Marta Mountains, the tallest coastal mountain range in the world, and home to over 20 endemic species—the highest concentration in the Americas! Although our afternoon will be spent in the foothills, another tropical dry forest here offers the chance to spot more specialties, including Military Macaw, Black-backed Antshrike, Pale-bellied and Sooty-capped Hermits, Rufous-breasted and Rufous-and-white Wrens, Lance-tailed Manakin, Blue Ground-Dove, Zone-tailed Hawk, White Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk, King Vulture, Golden-fronted Greenlet, Long-billed Gnatwren, and others.
Night in Minca. 650 meters
We will rise early and begin our ascent into the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. Along the way, we’ll stop to search for the first endemics and other specialties of the region, including (E) Sierra Nevada Brushfinch, (E) Santa Marta Tapaculo, (E) Santa Marta Woodstar, (E) Santa Marta Blossomcrown, (E) Santa Marta Antbird, (E) Santa Marta Foliage-Gleaner, (E) White-lored Warbler, (E) Streak-capped Spinetail, Band-tailed Guan, King Vulture, (NE) Golden-winged Sparrow, Scaled Piculet, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, (NE) Yellow-billed Toucanet, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Red-billed Parrot, (NE) Spectacled Tyrannulet, and Rusty-breasted Antpitta, among others.
We’ll have lunch at the lodge and spend the afternoon birding in the surrounding forests, where we may spot the recently described Santa Marta Screech-Owl at dusk, (NE) Black-fronted Wood-Quail, (NE) White-tipped Quetzal, and the stunning Golden-breasted Fruiteater.
The lodge’s feeders are often visited by local tanagers, such as the Bay-headed Tanager (local race) and the striking Black-headed Tanager, along with regular visitors like the Blue-naped Chlorophonia. This is also a perfect spot to relax and enjoy fantastic views of common hummingbirds and the always breathtaking sunset over the Caribbean Sea.
Night in Mountain House lodge. 1700 meters
Today, we will rise very early and ascend to higher elevations in search of the Santa Marta endemics found in this region. With breathtaking views of Colombia’s tallest snowy peaks, we’ll focus on finding species like the Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Warbler, Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, Santa Marta Antpitta, Brown-rumped Tapaculo, Rusty-headed Spinetail, Yellow-crowned Whitestart, Black-backed Thornbill, and Sierra Nevada Antpitta.
Additional specialties in this area include the Santa Marta race of the Tyrian Metaltail, Scaly-naped Parrot, Flammulated Treehunter, Golden Grosbeak, Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, and the near-endemic White-tipped Quetzal.
In the afternoon, we’ll explore areas around and below the reserve to search for any remaining specialties we may have missed.
Night in Mountain House lodge
This morning, we will begin our descent to the lowlands, exploring the forests below Mountain House Bird Lodge and continuing toward Minca. Along the way, we’ll target any key species we may have missed (see Day 4). We’ll arrive in Minca by lunchtime, after which we’ll explore the tropical dry forest below the town in search of additional or missed species.
Depending on prior arrangements, we may fly to Bogotá in the late afternoon for international connections, or we may stay overnight in Santa Marta. International flights also depart from Cartagena, which is a 3-hour drive from Santa Marta.
Night in: Santa Marta, Cartagena or Bogotá
END OF THE TOUR
