BIRDS OF COLOMBIA: Central & Western Andes
Bird Photography Tour
From Medellín to Cali
A tour to fall in love with the Birds of Colombia.
Colombia holds nearly a fifth of the world's bird species, and much of that diversity is concentrated in the Andes, three separate mountain ranges where altitude, climate and habitat shift sharply within short distances of each other. This tour follows two of them, the Western and Central Andes, moving from warm lowland forest through cloud forest to open páramo, with the peaks of the Cordillera Central visible for much of the route. That constant change in elevation and habitat is what makes this route so productive for bird photography.
Trip Overview
Colombia is home to more bird species than any other country on Earth and holds one of the richest concentrations of endemic and near-endemic birds in the world. Many of these species are restricted to a single mountain range, valley or forest, making every stage of the route different from the last.
Travelling in a group of no more than 7 participants, led by our two specialist guides: Rafael Armada & Néstor Zapata, allows time to photograph each location properly, adapting to weather, light and bird activity.
From cloud forests to páramos above 4,000 m, the route crosses an extraordinary range of habitats. Each landscape offers its own photographic opportunities and a distinctive selection of Colombia's most iconic bird species.
Where and when?
The tour starts in Medellín and ends in Cali, crossing the Western and Central Andes over thirteen days.
It begins to the east, around San Rafael, in a mix of mid-elevation forest, before moving into the coffee-growing region of Antioquia around Jardín. From there it climbs into the high country of the Central Andes, spending several days around the páramo and cloud forest surrounding Manizales, before dropping down through the forested slopes above Cali, where the tour ends.
February and March are both excellent months for this route. Conditions across the Central Andes are stable, and the cloud forest sites along the way are productive throughout the season.
Highlights
Some key species we may photograph
Key species
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Banded Ground-Cuckoo · Baudo Guan · Choco Toucan · Five-colored Barbet · Tooth-billed Hummingbird · Rose-faced Parrot · Choco Poorwill · Berlepsch's Tinamou · Esmeraldas Antbird · Stub-tailed Antbird · Sapayoa · Pacific Flatbill · Glistening-green Tanager · Blue-whiskered Tanager · Scarlet-and-white Tanager
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Multicolored Tanager · Cauca Guan · Stiles's Tapaculo · Crested Ant-Tanager · Tolima Dove · Tolima Blossomcrown · Indigo-winged Parrot (Fuertes's Parrot) · Yellow-eared Parrot · Chestnut Wood-Quail · Colombian Chachalaca
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Buffy Helmetcrest · Rainbow-bearded Thornbill · Viridian Metaltail · Golden-breasted Puffleg · Black-thighed Puffleg · Buff-winged Starfrontlet · Tourmaline Sunangel · Noble Snipe · Andean Teal · Carunculated Caracara
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Toucan Barbet · Spot-crowned Barbet · Scarlet-rumped Toucanet · Grass-green Tanager · Moustached Antpitta · Hooded Antpitta · Tatamá Tapaculo · Parker's Antbird · Turquoise Dacnis · Black-billed Mountain Toucan
Tour Itinerary
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Early morning transfer from Medellín to San Rafael (3 h), arriving in time for lunch and an afternoon session at one of the birding lodges.
Overnight in San Rafael.
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Two full days visiting several birding lodges around San Rafael, each with specialised feeders set up for bird photography.
Overnight in San Rafael.
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A morning transfer to Jardín, in the coffee-growing region of Antioquia, followed by a late afternoon session at the Cock-of-the-Rock lek just outside town, where males display at close range.
Overnight in Jardín.
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A full day at Mirador El Roble, along the Ventanas road. The site is run by a local family who have been feeding antpittas here for years, drawing in species that are otherwise very hard to see well. We spend the rest of the day working the road itself, one of the richest birding corridors in the area.
Overnight in Jardín.
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A full day that starts at Reserva Los Guácharos, followed by birding along the surrounding road. Depending on what the group still wants, we may finish with a second visit to the Cock-of-the-Rock reserve.
Overnight in Jardín.
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Transfer from Jardín to Manizales, arriving in time for an afternoon session, conditions permitting.
Overnight in Manizales.
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A full day at Río Blanco Nature Reserve, the reserve that pioneered antpitta feeding stations in Colombia. Several species are possible in a single morning, along with hummingbirds at the feeders near the lodge.
Overnight in Manizales.
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A full day at Hacienda El Bosque, a cloud forest lodge on the road to Los Nevados. The reserve is known for its feeding stations, offering close-range views of the Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan and Sword-billed Hummingbird, along with resident antpittas.
Overnight in Manizales.
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A morning drive up to Estación Brisas, in Los Nevados National Park, in search of the endemic Buffy Helmetcrest. On the way down, we stop at Termales del Ruiz, where feeders attract hummingbirds in good light for photography.
Overnight in Manizales.
Optional upgrade: overnight at Termales del Ruiz Hotel — see supplement in the rates section. -
Transfer from Manizales toward Cali, arriving at Km 18 in time for an afternoon session at Bosque La Florida, a private reserve with feeders and photography hides set up for close observation.
Overnight in Cali.
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A full day at Doña Dora, in the Anchicayá River Canyon — a site known for its close-range access to canopy species. In the evening, we return to Cali.
Overnight in Cali.
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A final morning session at La Florida before transferring to Cali airport in the afternoon, where the tour ends.
Prices and options
Included
- Accommodation during the itinerary
- All ground transport during the tour
- Medellín airport/hotel pick-up on Day 1
- Cali airport drop-off on Day 13
- All meals throughout the programme
- 13 days of guiding with Rafael Armada & Néstor Zapata + local guides
- All entrance fees and reserve access included in the itinerary
- On-location photographic guidance throughout the tour
Not included
- International flights to/from Cali
- Domestic flights
- Hotel upgrades when available
- Alcoholic drinks
- Travel and cancellation insurance
- Personal expenses
- Transaction charges
- Anything not specified above
This itinerary is also available as a private departure — Reach us at warblertours@gmail.com or on WhatsApp for availability and rates.
How to book your trip
Three simple steps to get you there.
Booking form
Prefer to write directly?
Reach us at warblertours@gmail.com or on WhatsApp.
FAQs
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This tour is designed for Bird Photographers who want to work seriously in the field. Photographers who understand that the best images come from time, patience and being in the right place with the right conditions.
You do not need to be an expert birder or photographer. But you do need to be comfortable with full days outdoors.
If you have photographed birds before and want to push further, with better light, more complex subjects, wilder places, this is the right trip for you.
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Yes — we offer this itinerary as a private trip for individuals, couples, or small groups. Write to us at warblertours@gmail.com or reach out on WhatsApp to check availability and get a quote.
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Yes. Write to us at warblertours@gmail.com or reach out on WhatsApp and we'll keep you in the loop — you'll be the first to know when new dates are announced.