Country: Colombia

Guadalajara de Buga Hotel

A welcoming colonial-style hotel in Buga’s historic heart, offering easy access to the revered Basilica del Señor de los Milagros and charming cobblestone streets.

Hacienda Venecia Coffee Farm Experience

Discover the traditions behind one of Colombia’s most iconic exports during a guided visit to Hacienda Venecia. Walking through the plantation and processing areas, we learn how coffee is grown, harvested and transformed from ripe cherries into the beans enjoyed around the world. Along the way, our hosts share the history of the region, the daily life of a working coffee farm and the craftsmanship behind every cup. The experience concludes with a tasting, offering the opportunity to appreciate the aromas and flavours that make Colombian coffee so distinctive.

Hacienda Venecia Coffee Farm Experience

A working coffee plantation near Manizales, this Hacienda offers immersive tours from bean to cup amidst stunning Colombian hillscapes. A perfect blend of agricultural heritage and breathtaking mountain views.

Afternoon birdwatching in Rio Blanco

Otún Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary (morning)

Otún Quimbaya protects one of the finest remnants of Andean cloud forest in Colombia and is home to several of the country’s most sought-after endemic species. Accompanied by a local guide, we explore the sanctuary’s forest trails and quiet roads at a relaxed pace, listening for mixed flocks and scanning the canopy for some of its iconic residents. Among the highlights are the endemic Cauca Guan and the striking Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, while the surrounding forest may also reveal the colourful Multicolored Tanager, Torrent Duck along the Otún River, woodcreepers, foliage-gleaners and a variety of Andean flycatchers. With patience and careful observation, this rich cloud forest offers rewarding opportunities for both birdwatching and photography.

Hotel Hacienda San Jose

A serene colonial hacienda just outside Pereira, this hotel offers a coffee farm immersion with lush gardens and a tranquil pool, perfect for exploring Risaralda’s breathtaking landscape.

Feeders & Forest Bird Photography at Tinamu Lodge

During the afternoon, we slow the pace and spend time around Tinamú’s carefully positioned feeders and forest trails. This session is ideal for photography, allowing us to work patiently with changing light, experiment with different compositions and capture intimate portraits as birds visit the feeding stations. As always, our route adapts to recent sightings and bird activity, giving us the flexibility to make the most of the reserve’s remarkable diversity.

Morning Birdwatching at Tinamú Reserve

The early morning is the most rewarding time to explore Tinamú. Accompanied by our local guide, we follow the reserve’s trails through dry forest and woodland, searching for regional specialties and mixed flocks as the forest comes alive. Depending on recent activity, we may encounter species such as the Gray-headed Tanager, Guira Tanager, White-mantled Barbet, Golden-olive Woodpecker, trogons, motmots and a variety of flycatchers and woodcreepers. The reserve’s feeders and fruiting trees also attract a constant flow of birds, providing excellent opportunities for observation and photography throughout the morning.

Birdwatching at Tinamu Lodge (feeders)

If time allows, we begin exploring Tinamú Reserve during the late afternoon, when bird activity gradually increases around the gardens, forest edges and feeders. This relaxed introduction offers excellent opportunities to observe colourful tanagers, euphonias, aracaris and hummingbirds while becoming familiar with the reserve’s diverse habitats.