Bird watching tour in Colombia

At 8:00 AM, participants will start the trip from the Wiwa Tours office in Santa Marta to Minca, a picturesque town in the Sierra Nevada, known for its biodiversity.

Upon arrival in Minca, a tour will focus on bird watching, an ideal experience for nature and biodiversity lovers. This activity will provide the opportunity to see a variety of endemic and migratory species that inhabit the rainforests of the region.

At noon, the group will arrive at the hotel where they will have a typical lunch of the area. Then, you will be accommodated in rooms with individual beds, and you will have some time to rest before continuing with the afternoon activities.

At 4:00 PM, the group will go birding again, walking along a trail specifically designated for this activity, which offers the possibility of observing birds in their natural habitat. This session will last until 6:00 PM, at which time the group will return to the hotel for dinner and rest.

The second day will start early, with a 6:00 AM departure from the hotel to La Tagua. During the trip, several strategic stops will be made for bird watching, taking advantage of the hours of peak bird activity.

As the group advances towards La Tagua, they will have the opportunity to enjoy the mountainous landscape and natural environment of the Sierra Nevada, recognized as a biodiversity hotspot.

Upon arrival at La Tagua around noon, we will visit a lookout point with impressive views of the mountain range, where the group will be able to appreciate the magnitude of the ecosystem that surrounds the area. Afterwards, the group will head to the hostel for lunch and rest before continuing with the afternoon activities.

At 4:00 PM, the group will reconvene for another birding session on the nearby trails, where they will be able to observe a new variety of species that inhabit the higher elevations.

At 6:00 PM, everyone will gather at the indigenous kiosk to participate in a guided talk by members of the local indigenous community, who will share their cosmovision, explaining the fundamental role that birds play in their culture, both as spiritual symbols and as indicators of nature.

The talk will focus on the relationship that the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada maintain with their natural environment and the ancestral wisdom they have inherited. This activity will be followed by dinner and rest at the lodge.

The third day will begin with a 5:00 AM departure to the indigenous village of Katansama, a sacred place for the Arhuacos, located near the coast. This trip will allow the group to see how the landscape changes as it descends towards the coastal zone.

At 9:00 AM, the group will arrive at Katansama, where they will be welcomed by the mamo, the spiritual leader of the Arhuaca community, who will guide a unique indigenous tourism experience. This encounter will not only allow you to get to know the Arhuaca culture in depth, but also to understand their deep connection with nature and their focus on the preservation of the environment.

During the tour, the mamo will share ancestral stories and explain the rituals they perform to maintain the balance between humans and nature. He will also talk about the importance of the sea and birds in their cosmovision.

Through this experience, participants will have the opportunity to better understand the spiritual and cultural life of the Arhuacos, which is deeply rooted in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Caribbean Sea.

At noon, the group will continue their journey to Jerez, where they will have lunch and some rest time at their lodge. At 4:00 PM, the group will leave again for a last bird watching session in the surroundings, before returning to the indigenous kiosk for another talk on the cosmovision of the indigenous peoples.

On this occasion, we will delve more deeply into the stories and legends related to birds, their symbolism in the culture and their role in the cycles of life. Afterwards, dinner will be served and the group will be able to rest in Jerez.

The last day of the tour will begin early with a 5:00 AM departure to Camarón, a nearby community that offers an in-depth cultural experience with the Arhuacos. During this visit, the group will visit Jwisingeka, a special place where the Arhuacos cultivate and produce cocoa.

This tour will allow participants to learn about the cocoa production process, from its cultivation to the production of one of the best chocolates in the world, all while discovering the symbolism and cultural importance that cocoa has for the community.

In Jwisingeka, visitors will not only observe the traditional methods of cocoa cultivation, once the activity is over in the course of the afternoon they will embark back to Santa Marta around 5:30 pm again at the Wiwa Tours office.