Click here for a digital copy of our new brochure!
Despite its relatively small size, occupying 1% of the world's landmass, Colombia boasts 19% of the world's species of birds (more than North America and Europe combined). Colombia is the second most biologically diverse country on Earth, home to about 1,900 species of birds, 3,000 species of orchids, and 3,500 species of butterflies. Much of this diversity is due to Colombia’s topography, which includes three Andean ranges and the valleys between them, a large portion of the Amazon Basin, and extensive coastal habitat (Colombia is the only South American country with borders on both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans). The result is an incredible variety of ecosystems—from rich tropical rainforests, to dry tropical forests, to the cloud forests of the Andean cordilleras, to the high-altitude paramos, to the open savannas of the east and the coastal deserts of the Caribbean.
Come enjoy Colombia and its avian diversity with Christopher Calonje, founder of Colombia Birdwatch. Born and raised in Colombia, Chris knows the ins and outs of Colombia, its people, food and culture. Chris also has a deep-rooted love for Colombia, evidenced by his work with environmental and social non-profit organizations. He finds extreme joy in showing off his country to birders from around the globe. As such, our tours are designed to give you the birding experience of a lifetime while enjoying the fine foods, accommodations and culture of local communities.
In recent years, tourism has taken a priority place in the economic development of the country, making birding localities extremely safe. Rightly so, the new slogan for Colombia is “COLOMBIA, THE ONLY RISK IS WANTING TO STAY”.
Colombia Birdwatch provides exceptional, unique tours that are sure to satisfy every ornithological craving. Here are the reasons why:
- Custom trips to fit your needs, ranging from easy-going, fun-filled birding and eco-adventures to hardcore expeditions to the most remote areas of Colombia. With Colombia Birdwatch, you can experience birding in Colombia at your desired pace and level of comfort.
- Local, expert and friendly leaders and guides help ensure the most unique, pleasurable, and successful birding experience available. We strive to support local communities by hiring local ornithological experts as guides and support conservation and education initiatives at the localities we visit.
- Very low group size for fixed-date tours. We have the lowest group size in the industry, with no more than eight birders per group. For custom tours, a group of four birders or more is all it takes to book a tour. Our hope is that you will come experience Colombia with close friends, family members or your best birding buddies.
- Our inclusive tour prices offer the highest standard of bird tours at an incredible value. Colombia Birdwatch is able to offer better values because we are a local, Colombian tour provider. Our prices include all meals and delectible snacks, bottled water throughout the trip, accomodations, transportation, entrance fees and all tips for drivers, porters, and restaurant and hotel staff. We also offer complimentary beer and wine at many of our destinations :).
- Superior tour logistics emphasize comfort and maximizing the ecosystems we visit. Colombia Birdwatch is based in Cali, one of Colombia's most strategically situated cities for access to the most fascinating and diverse birding locales on the planet.
- Our tours feature extremely comfortable, unique, and “deluxe” accommodations. Comfort is the norm during our trips, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that you have a relaxing, enjoyable, and memorable experience.
"Folks are very friendly in Colombia, the food is great and the scenery spectacular. The birding was wonderful, thanks to our knowledgeable guides. We birded in a variety of interesting areas, ate local specialties and experienced the best of Colombian culture. Chris has a dedication to his clients, and is creative in his choice of tour destinations."
Virginia Barry, January 2010
"Chris has great people skills, is intuitive and has a great sense of humor. His optimism and enthusiasm are contagious, especially when enjoying amazing birds and the delicious food the country has to offer." Jim and Linda Thomas, January 2011 Tour
"Overall, I give this trip a 9.5 out of 10 rating! The local guides were great, and Chris, as a tour leader and planner, couldn't have been more helpful and accommodating.The best thing about the trip was how personal it was. Colombians treated us like royalty, but also like good friends. Safety was absolutely not an issue in the parts of Colombia we visited." Sherry Perry, January 2010 Tour
"Besides Colombia’s fantastic birds and beautiful landscapes we were further enriched by our uniquely bilingual and bicultural tour leader introducing us to local foods, customs and history." Stan and Sue Shepardson, January 2011 Tour