SIERRA NEVADA DE SANTA MARTA AND CARIBBEAN (6 DAYS)

Day 1: Arrival Into Barranqilla

After our afternoon arrival, we will go to our lodgings. We will have the evening to get to know each other and prepare for our early morning departure eastward.

Day 2: Salamanca

In the morning we'll head out to Cienaga Grande in Salamanca. The Ciénaga Grande (Great Marsh) and Isla Salamanca National Parks lie along the Caribbean coast between Baranquilla and Santa Marta. This marshland is formed by the delta created as the Magdalena River enters the Atlantic. Once there we will take a small boat to bird among the mangrove stands. We can also bird along the main coast road, stopping at intervals to scan the pools, etc. We will look for Chestnut-winged Chachalacas as they stand in full view on cacti. We will also look for Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Bronze-brown Cowbird (endemic), Red-rumped Woodpecker, Northern Scrub Flycatcher, Wood Stork and Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird (endemic). Along the Ciénaga in the various pools we'll look for White-cheeked Pintail and Large-billed Tern as well as countless shorebirds. We will lodge Minca.

Day 3: Minca-Cuchilla de San Lorenzo

We'll rise early and begin birding along the Minca road towards the Cuchilla de san Lorenzo. At the lower elevations we'll look for Rufous-capped Warbler and Swallow Tanager as well as Coppery Emerald, Black-&-white Owl, Royal Flycatcher, Golden-winged Sparrow and of course the Rosy Thrush-Tanager. We'll stop frequently as we climb towards our lodgings at "El Dorado" where we will spend the night. Species to look for include Northern Oriole, Tennessee Warbler and other winter visitors as well as Yellow-legged and Black-hooded Thrush. The first endemics can be seen above 1200m.a.s.l. At this altitude we'll look for Santa Marta Brush-finch and White-lored Warbler and Blossomcrown, Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Mountain-tanager, White-tailed Starfrontlet, Santa Marta Bush-tyrant, Santa Marta Antpitta, Golden-crowned Whitestart, Red-billed Parrot, Band-tailed Guan, and Barred Forest-falcon. We will lodge at "El Dorado" .

Day 4: Cuchilla San Lorenzo-Tayrona

We will rise early and bird all the way up to the top of the Cuchilla de San Lorenzo to search for Santa Marta Seedeater, Three-striped Warbler, Andean Condor, Rufous Antpitta, Santa Marta Wren, and White-tipped Swift . We will continue birding as we descend toward Minca and on our way to Rio de Piedra where our comfortable lodgings await

Day 5: Parque Tayrona

We will rise early and make our way to the Parque Tayrona. Within the Park, we will walk along trails and look for Blue-backed and White-bearded Manakins, Jet and White-bellied Antbirds, White-fringed Antwren, King Vulture, Crested Guan, Military Macaw, Rufous-capped Warbler, Scrub Greenlet, Long-billed Gnatwren, Little Tinamou, Zone-tailed, Grey and Short-tailed Hawk, Blue-crowned Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, One-coloured Becard, Blue Dacnis, and during the season, a selection of North American migrants. We will also look for Red-billed Emerald, Pale-bellied Hermit and Orange-crowned Oriole. With much luck we may even see Blue-billed Currasow. After a full day of birding and taking in the exceptional views and beaches we head back to playa Mandala for the night.

Day 6: Parque Los Flamencos

We will rise early and head out towards Los Flamencos National Park located on the Caribbean coast, in dry tropical forest area to the west of the peninsula of La Guajira. Among the scrub, we'll look for Orinocan Saltator, Caribbean Hornero, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Green-rumped Parrotlet, Scaled Dove and Brown-throated Parakeet. Within cactus-rich scrub we'll look for Chestnut Piculet, White-fringed Antwren, Black-crested Antshrike, Vermilion Cardinal, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Buffy Hummingbird, Red-billed Emerald, Pileated Finch, Crested Bobwhite and Red-crowned Woodpecker. In seasonally flooded plains and lagoons we'll look for Roseate Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo and Scarlet & White Ibis, as well as for terns, cormorants, herons and egrets. We will return to Santa Marta for the night.

Day 7: Bogota

Fly off to other destinations in Colombia or to Bogotá for your connecting international flights.