SOLD OUT! Are you interested in future adventure trips? Please email Leigh Altadonna for advance information.
We have shifted this trip to July 2020!
George Armistead, Chief Network Officer for Rockjumper Conservation Tours, had suggested we consider the change, having completed a trip to the region this summer. George wants to return and will join Wyncote Audubon for the trip!
Robin Irizarry serves as our Wyncote Audubon host, helping organize this trip. In the link below you’ll find the full trip itinerary, pricing information, and the Rockjumper booking form. We are looking to be a party of 8-12, so space is limited. Any additional questions can be directed to robin.irizarry@audubon.org
A few notes…
Join George Armistead, Robin Irizarry and Leigh Altadonna on Wyncote Audubon’s first international adventure and see this White-tailed Starfrontlet
Less than a 4-hour flight from Miami, with more bird species than any other country, Colombia owns a staggering total list of 1,900 species. This huge diversity includes a remarkable 74 endemics – and these are a result of the equally diverse range of habitats. The most unique of these is surely the isolated snow-capped Santa Marta Mountains. Here, in Colombia’s fabulous north, the Caribbean coast rises dramatically, from the lower dry forests to towering peaks above 16,000 feet at Pico Bolívar and Pico Cristóbal Colón. Still relatively little-known, it remains debated which peak is higher; but Regardless, these are the nation’s highest points, amid arguably the world’s highest coastal mountain range. Isolated from and older than the Andes, possessing a rich, unique geological history, these forested mountains bristle and burst with no less than 36 showy, endemic birds.
In 2016, the National Audubon Society together with partners in Colombia, such as the Calidris Association (calidris.org.co) and Patrimonio Natural (patrimonionatural.org.co) established the Northern Colombia Birding Trail. Funded in large part by USAID, this brand new trail hosts superb birding and a number of Audubon-trained local guides. Impact Adventures: Explore Perija tour, features in Northern Colombia Birding Trail also, and the two trips can be paired for a magical combination. These spots are great examples of how bird-based tourism leads to a more stable future for the area’s birds, the local guides employed, and local businesses, too.
The Santa Martas are utterly unique and this trip is a prime example of how birders can make a positive impact, as they are thrilled by stunning, special birds. Many experts regard the Santa Martasas the most biodiverse place on the planet, and this Megadiverse Santa Marta Mountains tour provides access to nearly every altitudinal band of habitat in the range, giving us a chance at the lion’s share of unique birds here. From the Caribbean coast – where flamingos gather and strut – to the adjacent dry forest – where Vermillion Cardinals perch prominently – to the endemic-rich heights of the Santa Martas, these 7 days teem with fascinating birds in a world-renowned area for biodiversity.
Watch this wonderful video to “whet your appetite” for birding in Colombia:
- image courtesy Rockjumper Tours, all rights reserved