All of our main outings are at either national parks or family-owned private reserves. We’ll get to meet the folks who conserve these areas, and I can’t wait for you to hear their stories and see their passion for the natural world around them. It’s contagious. 

Each location offers unique opportunities to see a diverse range of bird species in beautiful, varied habitats, making this tour a birdwatcher’s dream.

More details coming soon.

Previous eBird Trip Reports

• 2023 Hillstar trip report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/145586 

• 2024 Valle de Cauca report (doesn’t include Montezuma area): https://ebird.org/tripreport/267072
• 2023 Valle de Cauca report (doesn’t include Montezuma area): ​​https://ebird.org/tripreport/146038

I like to browse trip reports with “Show all details” toggled on to view the many photographs that are among the checklists.

iNaturalist

Curious about other forms of wildlife? You can check out this area on iNaturalist and use the filters to sort through mammals, herps, plants, and more in the area.

Birds are our focus, but you never know what else we’ll come across!

Media

• The Birders: A Melodic Journey through Northern Colombia is a beautiful documentary film on Colombian bird diversity. Watch it on Youtube. 
• Also, the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to The Birders blends music of many cultures within Colombia with localized birdsong. Check it out on Spotify. 

Activity level 

We’ll have light to moderate hikes totaling a couple miles or less each throughout the entire tour. Some areas, like known antpitta locations, may have short stretches of muddy and steep paths. Sturdy shoes will help.

The sun is up from roughly 6-6 daily…ah, to be close to the equator! So, our days won’t start too early or end very late. We don’t have much night birding planned, but may end up doing a few short outings after dark depending on recent reports and how tired we are. 

Elevation of our route

Our accommodations range from nearly sea level in San Cipriano up to about 1350 m (4400 ft) at Montezuma Ecolodge. We’ll go a bit higher on some of our birding outings, but elevation shouldn’t be an issue on this tour.

Weather expectations

The diversity of habitats – and climates – that we’ll experience on this tour is part of what makes it so special. Therefore, we’ll need to be prepared for a range of weather! We’ll be going from highlands to lowlands, meaning temperatures will vary greatly, and there’s always a chance of running into some rain. 

Our first few days will be our chilliest at Montezuma, and our last few days, particularly in the Chocó, will be the hottest. And yes, our day in San Cipriano could be downright hot. Luckily, the birds are utterly amazing and will distract us from being a little sweaty.

Food

We’ll have choices – either a few prepared options or a full menu – for every meal on our tour. If you have any food restrictions you haven’t let us know about, just reply to this email. Expect some great soups, arepas, and a range of meat, fish, and vegetarian options. Beer and wine are included with meals and additional alcoholic drinks are available for purchase in most places. 

Accommodations

Check back soon for details. 

Packing

Most of our outings will be for about half of the day and we won’t ever be too far from our van or accommodations. You may want to bring a daypack or small camera back with you; it’s generally helpful to have something to throw a few snacks and personal items in for daily outings, even if it stays in the van while we’re birding.

Bring your binoculars and camera gear. No need to bring a spotting scope; we’ve got those covered. 

Miscellaneous packing recommendations: bring the bug repellant of your choice; a spill-proof travel mug is always excellent to have; a swimsuit; a headlamp. And don’t forget sunscreen!

Most people pack in a carry-on bag and additional backpack for tours like these, and keeping things compact helps when we’re switching accommodations. 

Mollee

I’m Mollee Brown, and I’m delighted to return to the Coffee Triangle to relish all its incredible biodiversity with you. If we haven’t met yet, you can check out my bio on the Hillstar website: https://www.hillstarnature.com/mollee-brown 

Yesennia
Yesennia Tapasco guides extensively all over Colombia and runs Montezuma Ecolodge with her family. You can read all about Yesennia and her family in a recent cover article for Birding Magazine: https://www.aba.org/pdfviewer/birding-2023-apr/?auto_viewer=true#page=24&zoom=auto&pagemode=none