Where The Birds Dance Tour!
3 November 2025 to 14 November 2025
Led by David Lindo with Oswaldo Cortes With Travel the Unknown
You will experience the unique birding experience that is to found in the Eastern Andes, Magdalena Valley and the Central Andes areas – all of which is with relatively close proximity to Bogotá, Colombia’s vibrant capital city. Much of the tour will be conducted at relatively high altitude but we will take it easy when moving around on foot and we will never stray too far from the vehicle.
You will experience the unique birding experience that is to found in the Eastern Andes, Magdalena Valley and the Central Andes areas – all of which is with relatively close proximity to Bogotá, Colombia’s vibrant capital city. Much of the tour will be conducted at relatively high altitude but we will take it easy when moving around on foot and we will never stray too far from the vehicle.
Bogotá Rail, Noble Snipe, Double-striped Thick-knee, Andean Pygmy Owl, Brown-breasted Parakeet, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Coppery-bellied Puffleg, Glowing Puffleg, Purple-backed Thornbill, Longuemare’s Sunangel, Buff-tailed Coronet, Booted Racket-tail, White-collared Inca, Green-bearded Helmetcrest, Mountain Velvetbreast, Lesser Violetear, White-bellied Woodstar, Golden-bellied Starfrontlet, Green-bellied Hummingbird, Silvery-throated Spinetail, Azara’s Spinetail, Ash-browed Spinetail, Rufous Spinetail, Dusky Spinetail, Slaty Spinetail, White-chinned Thistletail, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Mountain Foliage-gleaner, Streaked Xenops, Pale-bellied Tapaculo, Long-tailed Tapaculo, Muisca Antpitta, Cundinamarca Antpitta, Boyaca Antpitta, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, White-bellied Antbird, Golden-headed Quetzal, Apolinar’s Wren, Streak-necked Flycatcher, Flavescent Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Tody-Tyrant, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Black-billed Peppershrike, Black-collared Jay, Golden-fronted Redstart, Grey-throated Warbler, Black-crested Warbler, Rufous-browed Conebill, Masked Flowerpiercer, Rusty Flowerpiercer, Glossy Flowerpiercer, Brown-capped Vireo, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Crimson-backed Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, Palm Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Fawn-breasted Tanager, Golden Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager, White-capped Tanager, Black-capped Hemispingus, Superciliaried Hemispingus, Hooded Mountain Tanager, Black-chested Mountain Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Grey-hooded Bush Tanager, Slaty Brushfinch, Pale-naped Brushfinch, Ochre-breasted Brushfinch, Velvet-fronted Euphonia, Andean Siskin, Russet-backed Oropendola.
Elfin forest: uncommon ecosystem featuring miniature trees located at high elevations. It is under conditions of sufficient air humidity but poor soil. (Paramo habitat).
Cloud Forest: aka tropical montane cloud forest is a generally montane characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. It exhibits an abundance of mosses covering the ground and vegetation. They are also referred to as mossy forests. Cloud forests are among the most biodiversity-rich ecosystems in the world with a large number of species directly or indirectly depending on them.
Eastern plains: The ecosystems of the region are tropical savanna with gallery forests and wetlands along the rivers. This is a hot habitat.
Upon arriving in the city of Bogotá, you will be transferred to Hilton Garden Inn Hotel near to Bogota airport. Here you will be meet with the rest of the group and enjoy a welcome dinner hosted by the world famous Urban Birder, David Lindo, along with your local guide, Oswaldo Cortes. We will talk through some of the exciting adventures to come!
Dinner & overnight stay: Hilton Garden Inn Hotel
Weather: average temperature is 14.5 °C (58 °F), varying from 6 to 19 °C (43 to 66 °F) on sunny days to 10 to 18 °C (50 to 64 °F) on rainy days. Elevation: 2610 metres.
Situated very close to Bogotá, La Florida is a wetland sometimes better known as Parque Metroplitano La Florida across from the Bogotá River. Around this ecosystem we will have chances to see the endemic and critically endangered Bogotá Rail as well as Silvery-throated Spinetail and the almost endemic Rufous-browed Conebill – small numbers of which persists despite the growth of the city. Later, we will travel to the small town of La Vega to spend the afternoon enjoying the birds around the Laguna el Tabacal. We will specifically be searching for the endemic Velvet-fronted Euphonia and other highlights like Grey-throated Warbler, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, White-bellied Antbird, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Slaty Spinetail and many others.
Dinner & overnight stay: Hilton Garden Inn Hotel
Weather: average temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) . Note no wifi nor good cellphone reception. Mosquito repellent and sunscreen necessary. Walking conditions are flat (Florida) and the trail ascends slightly but not more the one kilometre (Laguna Tabacal). Elevation: 2610 metres (Florida) and 1400 metres (Laguna Tabacal).
We will start this day early at 05:00, bringing our breakfast with us, ascending into the high Paramo Chingaza which reaches above 9,000 feet. Don’t worry, we will take our time and will not be walking far during our ascent in order to combat any reactions to the altitude.
Our targets will include the original ‘Paddington Bear’ more usually referred to as the Andean (or Spectacled) Bear. They can be tricky to find but we will do our best. We may encounter the endemic Silvery-throated Spinetail as well as Rufous-browed Conebill, Golden-fronted Redstart and skulkers like the endemic Muisca Antpitta and Pale-bellied Tapaculo. We could also possibly see Brown-breasted Parakeet, but around the gorgeous flowers we would be more likely to see a variety of hummingbirds like the near-endemic Coppery-bellied and Glowing Pufflegs, Purple-backed Thornbill and Longuemare’s Sunangel.
After lunch in the elfin forests, we will wander around on the lookout for Masked, Rusty and Glossy Flowerpiercers and stunning tanager species like Scarlet-bellied Mountain, Black-chested Mountain, Hooded Mountain plus Superciliaried and Black-capped Hemispingus, Pale-naped and Slaty Brushfinches, White-chinned Thistletail and Black-crested Warbler.
Dinner & overnight stay: Hilton Garden Inn Hotel
Weather: temperature ranges from 4 to 21.5 °C (39 to 71 °F). No wifi nor good cellphone reception. Sunscreen is important. Walking terrain is flat and the vehicle will always be nearby. Elevation: 3400 metres.
These incredible locations are only a 90 minute drive from Bogotá. We will depart from the hotel at 5:30am heading to the 300ha Chicaque Nature Reserve. It is a wetland rich in ecology located at an altitude between 2100 – 2700 metres with prime areas of Andean Forest resplendent with ferns, orchids, mosses, palms, oaks and an abundance of bushes. Here we will have the chance to observe the enigmatic Golden-bellied Starfrontlet. We will visit the hummingbird feeders at Campo Tangara to try for target birds including the Tourmaline Sunangel, White-bellied Woodstar, Lesser Violetear, White-collared Inca and Mountain Velvetbreast.
Dinner & overnight stay: Hilton Garden Inn Hotel
Weather: average temperature 20 °C (68 °F). No wifi nor good cellphone reception. Walking terrain will be downhill all the way. Elevation: 2000 to 2400 metres.
It will be an early start today (04:00) for another great day of birding and wildlife watching. Our journey to Refugio del Tororoi will be to try and find the elusive Cundinamarca Antpitta, one of the rarest Colombian endemics. With luck, we may discover this bird coming to the feeders especially for this species.
Thereafter, we will start working the forests of the eastern foothills for stunning targets like Andean Pygmy Owl, Brown-breasted Parakeet, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Green-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-headed Quetzal, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Dusky Spinetail, Flavescent Flycatcher, Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet, Black-collared Jay, Silver-beaked Tanager, White-capped Tanager, Grey-hooded Bush Tanager, Andean Siskin, Slaty Brushfinch, Ochre-breasted Brushfinch, Russet-backed Oropendola and the possibly of Long-tailed Tapaculo.
Dinner & overnight stay: Hilton Garden Inn Hotel
Weather: average temperature 20 °C (68 °F) and sunny days 24°C. Wifi but not good cellphone reception. Some walking uphill. Good opportunities for photography (antpitta and hummingbirds around the garden). Elevation: 1800 to 2200 metres.
This will be another early morning rise to visit Páramo Sumapaza – a drive of 2 hours and 10 minutes from the hotel. Here we will search for the beautiful and endemic Green-bearded Helmetcrest. Our quest will also be to try to find Apolinar’s Wren and Boyaca Antpitta but we should have good chances to find Noble Snipe in the wetlands in the area.
Dinner & overnight stay: Hilton Garden Inn Hotel
Weather: average temperature of 8 °C to 18°C and sunny days 24°C. No wifi nor good cellphone reception. Walking terrain will be flat. Elevation: 3400.
We will leave Bogotá early to catch a domestic flight to Yopal from here we will drive to Juan Solito Lodge to spend three full days in that area. We will explore key habitats in this lowland including riverine gallery forest, patches of tropical dry forest, scrubby vegetation, shrubby areas and wetlands.
Each of these habitats offer distinctive wildlife ranging from Giant Anteater, Capybara, White-tailed Deer and possibly Jaguar to fascinating reptiles, insects and flora. Not forgetting a wide range of birds too including several ibis species, Double-striped Thick-knee and Jabiru.
Dinner & overnight stay: Juan Solito Lodge
Weather: Median temperature: 26 °C or 78.8 °F. Wifi but not good cellphone reception. Walking terrain flat plus there will be a boat trip. Mosquito repellent and sunscreen necessary. Elevation: 500 metres.
After flying back from Yopal we will spend an easy day immersed in the natural splendour of this botanical garden also known as the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Gardens situated within Bogotá city.
Expect to see a wide range of birds in and amongst an aromatic array of exotic plants representative of the Andean Forest.
Dinner & overnight stay: Marriot Courtyard Airport Hotel
Transfer at the appropriate time for your return flight home or onward travel (if you are travelling on elsewhere). Meals would be breakfast only.
Transfer at the appropriate time for your return flight home or onward travel (if you are travelling on elsewhere). Meals would be breakfast only.
The tour will depart from Madrid on Saturday 19 April in the early afternoon from Madrid Airport. Therefore, please aim to get flights that arrive before 13:00 on that day.
Book your return flights to leave at 15:00 onwards from Madrid Airport as we shall aim to arrive there by 12:30 on Saturday 26 April.
The pace of this tour will be gentle. We will let the wildlife come to us.
In Extremadura most of the region’s rain falls during the spring and autumn. The temperatures should be warm but be prepared for chillier weather. We can anticipate a chance of rain, but we should also be able to enjoy some sunshine as well.
If you need any outdoor apparel, you can enjoy a 15% discount from Páramo Directional Clothing whose fabulous products are all ethically manufactured. Please visit this link.
Collins Bird Guide
Click on the booking form above to reserve your place on this tour. You will be re-directed to the Travel The Unknown – Booking Form.
