Departing Tuesday 10th March 2026 - Small Group Tour - max 10 people - 13 nights (excluding international flights).
Join us for our incredible small group wildlife and birds tour in Colombia, accompanied by Giacomo from our Naturally Travels team and local specialist naturalist guides in each of the regions visited in Colombia you will have the chance to observe numerous wildlife and bird species in three completely different ecosystems. Visiting Bogota, Los Llanos plains, Minca and cloud forests and the humid tropical forest of the Tayrona National Park.
Starting the trip in Bogota you will have the chance to explore the capital city and visit the hummingbird gardens, before flying to Yopal and heading deep into the Los Llanos region to stay at a remote cattle ranch called Hato La Aurora. The ranch helps preserve the populations of jaguar in the region by letting the jaguars co-exist alongside their cattle, hoping their eco-tourism program will offset any cattle lost to the jaguar. Sightings of the jaguar are frequent but cannot be guaranteed but there is a wealth of other wildlife and bird species that can easily be spotted including the Anaconda, Giant Anteaters, Capybaras, Caiman and Crocodiles. Numerous bird species can be observed on the plains and in lakes including scarlet ibis, jabiru, hoatzin, scarlet macaw, horned screamers, burrowing owls, orinoco geese and many more. Days are long with early starts to cross into the reserve in your safari style vehicle and returning to the lodge at sunset.
From the Llanos region you will take a domestic flight back to Bogota and then on to Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast to explore some different ecosystems. Firstly you will head up into the Santa Marta mountains to stay at a little retreat hotel above the town of Minca and will go in search of some endemic birds. Hiking through pristine nature and past waterfalls.
You then head into the tropical forest ecosystem and stay in the Ecohabs accommodation in the Tayrona National Park. Within the park there are three species of monkey, the red howler monkey, colombian white fronted capuchin and the shy cotton top tamarin, there are also sloths and numerous bird species. You will enjoy guided hikes, a morning bird walk and a night walk in the hot and humid forest, exploring the rocky and wild beach landscapes, as well as visiting a Kogi indigenous community within the forest. You will also take a day trip into La Guajira region in the north to visit the Los Flamencos Sanctuary to observe American flamingoes.
*Extensions could include several nights in the Caribbean city of Cartagena or flying to Medellin and visiting the coffee region.
International flights are not included in the price but there are direct flights from London Heathrow to Bogota with Avianca that are currently £850 per person including checked luggage. Other flight options include via Madrid with Iberia or Air Europa, contact us for a quote.
Day to Day
Below is an example day by day itinerary
Day 1
Met on arrival from the airport and transferred to your hotel in downtown Bogota. *Note. Bogota is at an altitude of 2,640 metres. Overnight Hotel De La Opera.
Day 2
Today you will take a guided tour to The Hummingbird Gardens in Montserrat Hill. This 350m long trail is designed for you to watch and photograph a variety of birds, some of which are endemic to the region. Some of the birds you may see include the Silvery Throated Spinetail, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Masked Flowerpiercer and many more. Lunch will be included on the tour. Overnight Hotel De La Opera (BL).
Day 3
This morning you will catch a domestic flight from Bogota to Yopal (approx. 1 hour). On arrival you will be transferred by 4x4 vehicle to the Juan Solito Ecolodge which is located in the vast Hato La Aurora private nature reserve. The journey takes approximately 4 hours but could take longer if you wish to stop and look at the wildlife along the way. The last hour of the drive is mostly off road. The lodge is remote which means you will see plenty of wildlife and birds, however it is important to note that the accommodation is basic (fans but no air-conditioning). On arrival you will have a canoe tour on the river at the reserve giving you a chance to spot wildlife such as capybaras, caiman, scarlet macaws, the prehistoric Hoatzin, Cocoi herons and Orinoco geese. Overnight Juan Solito Ecolodge (BD).
Day 4
Today you will have an early start for a guided full day safari of the reserve with a local guide. You will cross the river to the reserve and then from your open topped safari vehicle you will search for signs of jaguars through the bush and across the plains. There is a wide variety of species you may see including Giant Anteaters, Anacondas, Caimans and Capybaras and a large number of bird species including Orinoco Geese, Double Striped Thicknee, Scarlet Ibis, Jabiru, Black Skimmer, Yellow Headed Caracara and many more. Return to the lodge approx. 6.30pm. Overnight Juan Solito Ecolodge (BLD).
Day 5
Today will be another early start for a full day safari on the reserve to see many more species of wildlife and birds. Overnight in Juan Solito Ecolodge (BLD).
Day 6
Today you will have an early morning guided walking tour in the forest adjacent to the reserve to search for birds such as the wire tailed manakin, yellow rumped cacique and with luck some Howler monkeys. This will be followed by breakfast then a choice of either horse riding or hiking activity, learning about local culture and looking at the local wildlife. After the the activity you will be transferred back to Yopal in a 4x4 vehicle. The journey is approximately 4 hours. Overnight GHL Style hotel (BL).
Day 7
Today you will be transferred to Yopal airport approximately 10 minutes away, for a flight to Bogota followed by a flight to Santa Marta. From the airport you will transfer up into the mountains of the Sierra de Nevada de Santa Marta, through the town of Minca and onto your hotel Sierra Alta Finca hotel which is a very small hotel with fabulous views of the surrounding countryside. In the afternoon you will have a guided walk to enjoy the nature and birds in the surrounding area. Overnight Sierra Alta Finca (BLD).
Day 8
A full day guided tour to Cuchilla de San Lorenzo which is 2,700 meetres above sea level and offers the chance to observe different bird species and particularly endemic species due to the elevation of the area. The well preserved forest is also a great area to observe butterflies, reptiles and birds and to hike waterfalls and pristine nature in a special and unique biodiverse spot between the snow capped tropical mountains and the ocean. Overnight Sierra Alta Finca (BLD).
Day 9
This morning you will have guided walk in the area to search for endemic birds that inhabit the area. which include the Santa Marta Parakeet and the Santa Marta mountain tanager. After lunch you will transfer to the Tayrona National Park, after entering the park you will continue on to your accommodation in the Ecohabs inside the park. The Ecohabs are rustically comfortable thatched individual cabins that have decks with views towards the ocean. Rooms have ceiling fans, and you can fall asleep to the sound of the ocean. *Note. there are many steps needed to climb to the rooms further from the restaurant, however, these the views are amazing and these cabins are more private. **The cabins have private bathrooms but these are beneath the sleeping area and are reached from the outside. Overnight Ecohabs Tequendama (BLD).
Day 10
A full day guided hike through the Tayrona National Park, starting early to avoid the crowds, you will cross rocky landscapes and beautiful wild beaches. The park is home to over 100 mammals including three types of monkey, the red howler, white fronted capuchin monkeys and the shy cotton top tamarins. Many bird species can be found including the military macaw, the noisy bicoloured wren, lance tailed manakins, rufous tailed jacamars, orange chinned parakeets and yellow headed caracaras. The hike could be as long as 20 kms if hiking to the San Juan El Cabo beach, so it is essential to have plenty of water and comfortable hiking shoes. Return to the Ecohabs for dinner and after dinner you will have a night walk around the park close to the hotel to see a different side of the forest, you may observe lizards, spiders, bats and nocturnal mammals. Overnight Ecohabs (BLD).
Day 11
Early this morning we will have an early morning guided bird walk around the Ecohabs to observe birds. After breakfast, we will visit the Kogi indigenous community that resides in the Tayrona Park. Your guide will lead you along a 3kms hike to reach their village. Along the way you can observe a variety of birds, plants and occasionally monkeys. Upon arriving you will interact with them and learn about how they consider the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta a sacred place that is guarded by the ancestral wisdom of the elder brothers, who maintain a close relationship with Mother Earth through ongoing spiritual work and the care of sacred sites. During this visit we may meet the Mamo, who is the highest elder in the community. Overnight Ecohabs (BLD).
Day 12
Explore north of the park to La Guajira region and enjoy a guided tour of Los Flamencos Sanctuary, a sanctuary set up for the large population of American Flamingos. The shallow lagoons of the sanctuary reduce in the dry season and the concentration of salt facilitates the growth of brine shrimp, which attract the flamingos and give them their pink colour. You will hike the trail with your guide and there is also an opportunity to kayak on the lagoon to get closer to the birds. Overnight Ecohabs (BLD).
Day 13
Today you will be transferred in the afternoon to your hotel in Santa Marta. *Optional tours include visiting the archaeological site of Tayronaka combined with a leisurely tube or kayak float down the scenic Don Diego river. Overnight Casa de Leda (BL).
Day 14
Transferred back to Santa Marta Airport in time for your international flight back to UK. *Alternatively extend your trip to include a few nights in Cartagena further north along the Caribbean coast, or visit the vibrant town of Medellin and the coffee region.