Colombia | Birding the Cauca Valley

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met and taken to your hotel. This evening, meet your guide for a program orientation in the hotel conference room at 6 pm followed by a welcome dinner at 7 pm. Check-in starts at 3 pm.

This morning, depart Cali and head about an hour and a half north to Laguna de Sonso Nature Reserve, near the heritage town of Guadalajara de Buga. The Sonso Lagoon is an ancient oxbow of the Cauca River and serves as an important bird reserve in the Cauca Valley region. While industrial expansion, agriculture, and livestock have changed the landscape and contributed to wetland loss, the reserve functions as an oasis of biodiversity and offers protected habitat for many birds of the lowlands and dry valley forests. More than 390 species have been recorded here to date. Some key birds include the Horned Screamer, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Masked Duck, Dwarf Cuckoo, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, Buff-necked Ibis, Snail Kite, Grayish Piculet, Great Antshrike, Jet Antbird, and Apical Flycatcher. (Elevation: 3,280 feet / Accessibility: Unpaved rural road, trails at the edge of the wetland / Temperature: 80-93 °F.) Next, visit Eco Hotel Hacienda El Diamante, a new birding hotspot whose feeders attract more than a dozen species of hummingbirds, as well as tanagers and other visitors. The hotel property also has forested areas and lakes with roosting egrets, herons, and other wading birds. Some of the target species to look out for here are the Little Cuckoo, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, Andean Emerald, Buff-tailed Coronet, Grayish Piculet, Bar-crested Antshrike, Apical Flycatcher, and Blue-necked, Black-capped, and Fawn-breasted Tanagers. Later, continue on to your accommodations near picturesque Lake Calima. Check in an meet your guide for bird checklist review followed by dinner. (Elevation: 3,937 feet / Accessibility: Easy / Temperature: 66-86 °F.)

Spend today exploring the Río Bravo Nature Reserve, renowned by national and international experts for its great biodiversity and endemism. The Río Bravo area is prioritized worldwide as a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) within the Tropical Andes Biodiversity Hotspot, as well as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) due to its remarkable presence of birds, which encompasses 64% of the birds in the department of Valle del Cauca and 27.2% of the birds in all of Colombia. With an immense wealth of birds, mammals, and orchids, Río Bravo is not only notable for its biodiversity, but also for its magnificent landscapes, with rivers, gorges, and waterfalls. On the road that leads to the sector of Río Azul and Chancos, there are majestic views of the Calima River and beautiful blue streams. Some of the birds that are possible to spot here are the Toucan Barbet, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Parker's Antbird, Tatama Tapaculo, Golden-winged and Golden-collared Manakins, Glossy-black Thrush, Choco Brushfinch, Sooty-headed Wren, and Multicolored, Purplish-mantled, Rufous-throated, and Golden-naped Tanagers. Meet your guide this evening for a bird checklist review before dinner. (Elevation: 6,561 feet / Accessibility: Unpaved road, rural roads / Temperature: 68-78 °F.)

This morning, visit the Atuncela protected area, 5,700 acres of dry shrubland transitioning to humid tropical forest in the municipality of Dagua. This biodiverse haven provides a vital sanctuary for an impressive array of flora and fauna specially adapted to thrive in this distinctive ecosystem. Here, the vibrant Blue-headed Sapphire and the dazzling Ruby-topaz Hummingbird flit among the trees, while a host of migratory birds pause in these verdant woodlands during their seasonal journeys. The significance of the Dagua dry forests extends beyond their breathtaking beauty; they are crucial to the preservation of the Cauca Valley's dwindling dry forest relics and play a key role in regional biodiversity. Protecting this unique habitat is essential for maintaining the ecological balance and ensuring the survival of numerous bird species that rely on these forests for nourishment, breeding, and shelter. Watch for Colombian Chachalaca, Chestnut Wood-Quail, Plain-breasted Ground Dove, Dwarf and Dark-billed Cuckoos, White-chested Swift, Ruby-topaz and Sapphire-headed Hummingbirds, Green Thorntail, Bronze-winged Parrot, and Apical Flycatcher. Have lunch at Aquí Me Quedo, a restaurant that has beautiful views and is surrounded by feeders, then return to the lodge in the afternoon. Meet your guide this evening for a bird checklist review before dinner. (Elevation: 1,640 - 2,296 feet / Accessibility: Hiking trails inside the forest, flat trails / Temperature: 75-82 °F.)

Spend today at Doña Dora's, a family-run observatory and restaurant. With multiple observation areas, it's an incredible place to sit and enjoy the drinking troughs and feeders for different hummingbirds and tanagers. Located on the old road that leads to the Pacific Ocean, at an elevation of approximately 5,200 feet, the site sees a confluence of both Andean species and species from the humid forests of the biogeographical Chocó region. The food is great, and the photo opportunities are spectacular; Doña Dora's is a must-see place in the Anchicayá River Canyon. Look for birds such as the Empress and Fawn-breasted Brilliants, Violet-tailed Sylph, Velvet-purple Coronet, White-booted Racket-tail, Green Thorntail, Red-headed and Toucan Barbets, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, and Silvery-throated, Rufous-throated, Glistening-green, and Golden-naped Tanagers. Meet your guide this evening for a bird checklist review before dinner. (Elevation: 5,249 feet / Accessibility: Asphalt road / Temperature: 68-78 °F.)

In the lowlands of Valle del Cauca sits the little village of San Cipriano. Drive northwest from your hotel about two hours, and then continue another 20 minutes aboard "brujitas" - an inventive form of local transportation that uses motorcycle-powered wooden platforms to carry passengers on an out-of-use railroad track. Once at the village, some good birds can be spotted, but the best area is the community reserve, which protects primary and secondary forest. Go birding on a flattish gravel road alongside the crystal waters of the San Cipriano River and watch for the Berlepsch's Tinamou, Baudo Guan, Purple-chested and Blue-chested Hummingbirds, Choco Screech-Owl, Five-colored Barbet, Choco Toucan, Little Woodpecker, Rose-faced and Saffron-headed Parrots, Sapayoa, Esmeraldas Antbird, and Choco and Velvety Manakins. Meet your guide this evening for a bird checklist review before dinner. (Elevation: 656 feet / Accessibility: Unpaved road, rural paths / Temperature: 78-89 °F.)

La Florida - El Bosque de las Aves is a premier birding haven and designated IBA located on a scenic ridge in the area known as Kilómetro 18 (or KM 18), on the road from Cali to Buenaventura. Managed with dedication by Javier Rubio, this sanctuary is a showcase of avian diversity, featuring prime spots for vibrant tanagers, majestic toucans, and elusive woodpeckers. Enjoy the chance to marvel at the rare Chestnut Wood-Quail and capture stunning photos of the dazzling Multicolored Tanager amidst the reserve's finest feeders. La Florida is also known for its exceptional coffee. Some of the key bird species to keep an eye out for are the Nariño Tapaculo, Multicolored Tanager, Scaled Fruiteater, Golden-headed and Crested Quetzals, Masked Trogon, and Red-headed Barbet. Later, make your way back to Cali and check in at your hotel. Meet your guide for a final briefing and checklist review followed by a farewell dinner. (Elevation: 8,202 feet / Accessibility: Rural, unpaved road. / Temperature: 60-75 °F.)

Return to the airport for your flight home. Hotel check-out is at 1 pm.