Buga upper portion Hacienda San José

Hacienda San Jose is a complex of more than ten properties in the highlands to the central Andes that were released of agriculture or cattle activities and leave it as a conservation land, the primary goal here is the preservation and regeneration of the Andean forest. Today nature has reclaimed its place, resulting in an extraordinary birding experience. Among the remarkable creatures awaiting observation in this area are the nomadic White-capped Tanager, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, the uncommon Dusky Piha, Rufous-chested Tanager, Golden-fronted Restart, White-bellied Woodstar, Striped Treehunter, Slaty-backed Chat-tyrant, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Golden-headed Quetzal, Blue-and-black, Blue-capped, and Fawn-breasted Tanagers, other species in the area include Black-billed Mountain Toucan, Spillman’s Tapaculo, Streak-headed Antbird, Yellow-bellied Chat-tyrant plus many others. By the end of the day we will head back to our lodge with stops in the way looking for the endemics Crested Ant-tanager and Turquoise Dacnis.

Buga upper portion Hacienda San Jose

We will do a different location to the Hacienda San Jose and the lower portion, going up to the highland and birding all the way to the lowlands, during this day we will see the comparison of the highland and low Andean species.

Sonso Lagoon Reserve and drive to Buenaventura.

Sonso Lagoon Reserve and drive to Buenaventura. After breakfast tons of birds await for us to the dry forest, Cauca river and some of the wetland of the Sonso Lagoon Reserve this is one of the few wetlands that reminds in the whole Cauca Valley region, to this place we can look for endemic s such as Grayish Piculet, Apical Flycatcher and lots of tropical dry forest species such as Yellow Oriole, Oriole Blackbird, Little Cuckoo, Dwarf Cuckoo, Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Jet Antbird, Great Antshrike, Cinereus Becard, Blackish Rail, Purple Gallinule, Black-bellied, Fulvous and White-faced Whistling-ducks, Pale-breasted Spinetail, and more; this is the only place west to the Andes to look for Horned Screamer a species usually in to the Amazon region that can be seen in open areas or top on the trees by the marsh or the dry forest. Right after lunch we will drive to Buenaventura. 5 San Cipriano Natural Rese

San Cipriano Natural Reserve

San Cipriano Natural Reserve. Early start to get to San Cipriano a remote village to the Choco Lowlands, Getting to there will required a ride in a weird and picturesque type of transportation which is known as the ¨Brujita¨ this is basically a wooden cart with iron wheels that goes on the old train track push by a motorcycle, San Cipriano is an afro-Colombian community that lives by the reserve that at the time is a forest that protects Buenaventura watershed, the is the nearest city that at the time is the main port of Colombia and the only one to the Pacific Ocean the targets for San Cipriano are Choco Toucan, White-tailed Trogon, Stub-tailed Antbird, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Bicolored Antbird, Dot-winged Antwren, White-whiskered Puffbird, Black-breasted Puffbird, Spot-crowned Barbet, Five-colored Barbet, Blue-whiskered Tanager, Tawny-crested Tanager, and many others from the Choco lowlands. After lots of good birds in San Cipriano, we leave the town and move to our following destination.

The Km 18 Cloud Forest

The Km 18 Cloud Forest. This is a famous spot for birdwatching in Colombia, we will have the chance to visit this forest and some well recognized photography and Birding feeder places the targets are the endemic Multicolored Tanager and Chestnut Wood-quail, Scrub Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Golden-naped Tanager, Black-capped Tanager, Chestnut-capped Brush-finch, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Little Tinamou, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Green-and-black Fruiteater and White-throated Quail-Dove, Booted Racket-tail, Blue-headed Sapphire, Bronzy Inca, Tawny-bellied Hermit, Long-tailed Sylph, White-throated Daggerbill, by the end of the day we can enjoy Araucana Lodge gardens and feeders where we can see birds as Dull-colored Grassquit, Yellow-backed Oriole, Lineated Woodpecker, Parker’s Antbird, Green Jay, hummingbirds such as Long-billed Starthroat, Black-throated Mango, Andean Emerald, Purple-throated Woodstar and Western Emerald.

Queremal and Doña Dora at Km55 to the Old road to Buenaventura

Doña Dora Birding. Queremal and Doña Dora at Km55, this is a short stop by the old Buenaventura Road doing the Upper part, we will do stops on the road looking for birds as Crested Ant-tanager, Uniform Treehunter, Bar-crested Antshrike, Black-billed Peppershrike, Glistening-green Tanager, Brown-billed Scythebill, Lyre-tailed Nightjar; to end up at Km 55 Doña Dora’s place a famous birding spot where we can enjoy great views of Toucan Barbets, Black-headed Brushfinch, Rufous-throated Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, White-lined Tanager, Gray-and-gold Tanager, White-whiskered Hermit, Rufous-gaped Hillstar, Purple-bibbed White-tipped and Green Thorntail.

Chicoral Cloud Forest

Chicoral Cloud Forest. Another of the great birding locations near Cali, a birding site that can be pretty productive with lots of special birds such as Spotted Barbtail, Barred Becard, Crested Quetzal, Variegated Bristle-tyrant, Southern Emerald Toucanet, the uncommon Rufous-crested Tanager, Plain Antvireo, Oleaginous Hemispingus, Uniform Antshrike as well as more chances to watch Multicolored Tanager and all of the other tanager species from the Andean cloud forest.

Departures

Departures from Cali International Airport Alfonso Bonilla Aragon CLO.