Sustainable Tourism Bogotá
Experience the best birdwatching and wildlife that the Eastern Andes has to offer with a 7-day itinerary that takes you through the cloud forest, coffee lands, sub-paramo, paramo and Andean foothills.
This itinerary is customizable and can be adapted to fit your needs and interests. Contact us and we will set up a phone call to talk through a plan that works for you!
Lodging
Accommodation is in private reserves and rural hotels, offering small private rooms with private bathrooms (sometimes outside the room) that have warm electric showers. Accommodations are simple, without heating and fitted with the basics needed to spend the night. Upgraded accommodations may be available depending on location.
Weather
Temperatures and weather conditions for this itinerary vary from one location to another. For a more detailed description of what to experience in each ecosystem CLICK HERE.
Location
The first half of this itinerary will take you through the south of the city with altitudes ranging between 1900 and 2700 m.a.s.l. During the second half we travel east, covering altitudes between 850 and
Difficulty
Chingaza is a prime location for wildlife viewing and birdwatching in the Andes mountains and the crown jewel of Colombia's National Park System in terms of ecological restoration. In the past, some of it's mountains served as a sand mine and grazing grounds.
Most trails within the reserve are of easy to medium difficulty and a lot of the birdwatching and wildlife viewing can be done from the comfort of the vehicle or through short nature walks. This tour is designed for landscape viewing and wildlife spotting rather than long trekking. If you are looking for long, technical hikes we recommend a Cloud Forest excursion instead outside of Chingaza.
Target Species
Cloud Forest
Golden-bellied starfrontlet, Rufous-browed conebill, Scrub tanager, Red-billed emerald, Emerald toucanet, Flame-faced tanager, Beryl-spangled tanager, Ash-browed spinetail, Three-striped warbler, Slate-throated whitestart, Collared inca, Glowing puffleg, Andean solitaire, Masked flowerpiercer, Chestnut-crowned antpitta (heard), Summer tanager (migratory), Cinnamon flycatcher, Pale-naped brush-finch, Blue-and-black Tanager, Squirrel Cuckoo, Metallic-green Tanager, Common Chlorospingus, Montane Foliage-gleaner.
Coffee Lands
Velvet-fronted euphonia, Colombian chachalaca, Indigo-capped Hummingbird, Scrub tanager, Bar-crested Antshrike, Crimson-backed tanager, Tropical mockingbird, Blue-necked tanager, Saffron finch, Palm tanager, Blue-gray tanager, Red-crowned woodpecker, Thick-billed euphonia, Bay-headed tanager, Orange-chinned parakeet, Spectacled parrotlet, House wren, Black phoebe, Great kiskadee, Ruddy ground-dove, Smooth-billed ani, White-vented plumeleteer, Yellow-headed caracara, Streaked saltator, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher, Bare-faced Ibis, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Yellow-faced Grassquit.
Piedemonte/Foothills
Cock-of-the-rock, Whistling Heron, Russet-backed Oropendola, Band-tailed Guan, White-booted Racket-tail, Purple Honeycreeper, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Silver-beaked Tanager, Green Jay, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Violaceous Jay.
Páramo/Sub-páramo
Spectacled bear, White-tailed Deer, Andean Condor, Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Pale-naped Brush Finch, Purple-backed Thornbill, Rufous Wren, Streak-throated Bush Tyrant, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Sedge Wren, Black Flowerpiercer, Glossy Flowerpiercer, Buff-breasted Mountain Tanager, Black-crested Warbler, Rufous-browed Conebill, Pearled Treerunner, Brown-backed Chat Tyrant, White-throated Tyrannulet, Andean Guan, Black-chested Buzzard Eagle, Andean Teal, Pale-bellied Tapaculo, Band-tailed Nightjar, Flame-winged Parakeet, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Tyrian Metaltail, White-bellied Woodstar, Great Sapphirewing, Glowing Puffleg, Coppery-bellied Puffleg, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Green-tailed Trainbearer.
Testimonial
"Four of us did a 3 days, 2 nights trip starting and ending at Bogota, organised by Andes EcoTours. It was fantastic! Our English -speaking guides were Andres and Celine, both of whom were knowledgeable, well-organised, and good company. We began with a visit to a hummingbird observatory, which was a lovely peaceful place with a fascinating range of birds. Mainly we spent time walking in the cloud forest and paramo of Chingaza National Park, and the Choachi area too. We learnt a lot about the flora of the area, and did walks with stunning views ( helped by great weather). The first night was spent on a park lodge (dormitory room to ourselves), and the second in the home of a local farmers family involved in community projects, where we were made very welcome and served delicious food. The whole experience was really excellent. We were impressed by the beautiful mountains so near to Bogota, and by the varied trip organised by Andes Eco-Tours. It's well worth spending as long as you can on a trip. Highly recommended." - Sally
Sample Itinerary
Day 1
Pick-up from hotel and drive to Chicaque Cloud Forest. Visit a station with hummingbird feeders and spend the morning birding in the cloud forest with lunch/snacks available for purchase. In the afternoon, drive to a private reserve and spend the night with dinner available for purchase.
Day 2
Full day birding at the nature reserve with nature trails, a small waterfall and feeders with a mix of cloud forest and coffee land species. It's an easy day for close up encounters as well as canopy birdwatching. Breakfast is included with lunch and dinner available for purchase.
Day 3
After breakfast, depart for the Tanager Garden (coffee farm) with a stop along the way for roadside birding, including waterfowl. A short coffee tour can be added to your itinerary at no extra cost. Lunch is available for purchase near the farm. You then will drive back to Bogotá around 2pm with a restful night spent in Bogotá (arrival by 6pm). Dinner on your own.
Day 4
Pick-up from hotel in Bogotá and drive to Hummingbird Observatory for 3 hours of birding at the feeders and around the gardens. Stop in La Calera for lunch (on your own) and drive to hotel in Guateque. Dinner available for purchase.
Day 5
Full day of birding in and around Santa Maria with abundant bird life, views of the reservoir, nature trails and a waterfall. Breakfast is included with lunch and dinner available for purchase.
Day 6
After breakfast drive to Chingaza National Park. Spend a full day of birding and wildlife viewing at the Park, experience the páramo ecosystem and spend the night at a property within the buffer protection area. Lunch and dinner available for purchase.
Day 7
Spend the morning birding at the nature reserve, enjoy sub-páramo and cloud forest vegetation. In the afternoon depart for Bogotá. Drop-off at hotel/airport.
Pricing per person per night
The cost estimate for this itinerary would be $3000 for 2 people with a Spanish speaking guide or $3600 for an English speaking guide.
Includes: 6 breakfasts + transportation + guiding + entrances + 5 nights accommodation.
Includes
The sample itinerary includes: 6 breakfasts + transportation + guiding + entrances + 5 nights accommodation.
It does NOT include: lunch, dinner, drinks, snacks, tips.
Things to bring
-
Rain jacket and a warm sweater
-
Hiking boots or rain boots (or a change of tennis shoes)
-
Long pants recommended.
-
Sun & rain protection like umbrellas, caps or hats.
-
Binoculars or camera with long lens (recommended)