Colombia

This is the peak of neotropical birding. From palm-lined beaches that fringe the skirts of snow-capped summits, to lush cloud forests, to tundra-like paramo in the high Andes, Colombia is open for business. And we’re so excited to offer you new Colombian birding and nature tours into this country, rich with culture and wildlife.

A Colombian birding tour with Naturalist Journeys is the best way to navigate the incredible number of birds you will encounter in Colombia — 1900+! We recommend a guided Colombian tour to make the most of your time in this special country; our guides are well-traveled in Colombia and help you interpret this country's abundant natural history and biodiversity.

If one of our Colombia birding tours or other South American birding tours interest you, please contact one of our travel planners.

Guided Group Tours

Group travel is rewarding and fun! With more eyes you see more species. Travel Planners of Naturalist Journeys and Caligo Ventures have been creating memorable journeys for 40+ years. We offer you small-group birding and nature tours, limited to just 8-10 persons led by expert guides. Learn and explore with like-minded people, enjoy local food and culture, and immerse yourself in birding and nature.

• World-class Birding in Colombia's Coffee Triangle
  January 27 - February 9, 2025, w/Montezuma extension
• Colombia: Santa Marta & the Atlantic Coast
  March 2 - 11, 2025

Conservation Corner

We value conservation – it is at the heart of our work. All Naturalist Journeys’ tours support local conservation projects. Browse the links below to learn more about positive local work to save and conserve the wildlife and landscapes we visit.

The Choco-Darién Forest Conservation Project
More species of birds have been recorded in Colombia than in any other country — over 1900 and counting! With significant improvements in security and growing numbers of birdwatching visitors, the count is sure to grow. However, of concern is that forest clearing is accelerating, with a concurrent increased potential for negative impacts on birds. Ethanol production for biofuel, developing African palm oil plantations, and clearing for agriculture are affecting lowland and Andean forests. The Choco-Darien Forest Conservation Project helps Afro-Colombian communities protect their uncut ancestral forest lands and pursue sustainable livelihoods.

ProAves
ProAves works to protect wild birds and their habitats in Colombia through a broad range of strategies and partnerships. The organization manages protected areas and reserves, formulates conservation policies, provides information on birds of Colombia, trains eco-guides, and much, much more.

Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta Preservation
Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta is the largest and most productive coastal wetland in Colombia. Yet it is threatened by illegal activities that include forest fires, deforestation, mangrove logging and burning, and illegal diking. AIDA and partners are fighting for greater recognition and protection of this critically important national park.

Tayrona National Park
Tayrona National Park is one of Colombia’s most beloved, internationally-recognized parks with an extensive system of forest, bays, creeks, and beaches. Development efforts in the late 60s and early 70s to increase tourism by building large coastal hotels led to the first environmental debate in the Colombian Congress, and were defeated by INDERENA, a now retired governmental agency that successfully moved environmental protection into the national agenda.

The Santa Marta Parakeet
Found only in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, the Santa Marta Parakeet qualifies as endangered due to habitat loss, primarily due to expansion of non-native tree plantations of pine and eucalyptus, as well as clearing for livestock ranching. Fundación ProAves’ pine eradication project started in 2006 and has since removed thousands of pine trees and planted natives in their place.