Colombia: The Chocó & the Western Andes, February 2025 - $1000 deposit/person

Tour Price/person*: $3432
Deposit: $1000
Single supplement: $445
Final Payment Due: 5 October 2024

*Based on double occupancy at lodgings, with a group size of 6 to 9 registrants. Maximum groups size is 9 registrants, plus guide(s) and driver(s). If less than 6 registrants, trip may be cancelled or re-negotiated. Note that if you want a roommate we can try to find you one, but we cannot guarantee anyone a roommate, and if none is available, you will be charged the single supplement.

The tour price (fee) includes services from upon arrival on Day 1 into Pereira (PEI) until drop off at Cali (CLO) on Day 7, including:

·      All meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on Day 7.

·      All accommodations from Day 1 through until Day 7.

·      All transport from arrival into Pereira (PEI) on Day 1 through to Day 7 until guests are transported to Cali (CLO) near mid-day.

·      All guiding services, access permits and entrance fees to birding areas.

·      Tips for drivers and staff at hotels and restaurants.

Excluded from your tour fee are:

·      Any flights. We can advise you on best times for your flights, but we do not book flights or arrange air travel at this time. On some tours that feature internal flights as part of the tour’s itinerary and represent travel within that country, we may include the flights as part of the tour price and make those arrangements.

·      Alcoholic beverages, laundry services, charges for phone calls, and any other items of a personal nature.

·      Visa fees, airport taxes, airline baggage fees, etc.

·      Tips to local Colombian guide.

ALL GUESTS/REGISTRANTS MUST:

·      Review Travel Documents. For international travel, guests must have a current passport valid for six months beyond the end date of this tour, with at least 1 blank page for stamps.

·      Review COVID-19 and other health requirements required to travel into or around the destination.

·      Review Hillstar Nature’s Code of Conduct.

·      Consider obtaining travel and medical insurance to cover incidents over the duration of this tour.

·      Sign the Hillstar Nature Terms & Conditions, which includes the assumption of risk/liability waiver.

Cancellation Policy

If a guest/participant cancels registration:

●      120 days or more prior to the start of the tour, a refund is issued minus a $250/person processing fee.

●      Between 119 and 90 days prior to the start of the tour, half of the tour fee will be returned to the registrant.

●      89 days or less prior to departure, no refund of payments or deposits are issued.

Pace, Rigor, Climate & Pests

·       Moderate pace. Early mornings and a couple drives of up to 4 hours. Significant time enjoying bird feeding stations. Great photo opps.

·       Two hotels: First is very comfortable ecolodge (4-5 star). 2nd is rather rustic (1.5-2 star). Both have good grounds for birds & photography, and great food.

·       Range in elevation, from foothills below 1000 feet to high areas above 9000 feet. Not much rigorous hiking, but considerable time on foot and walking on a slope, along roads and trails. 

·       Weather varies from pleasantly cool to warm, but is consistently humid to rainy and wet. Few if any biting insects expected.

This is a trip designed for birders interested in sampling and seeing the avifauna of the Western Andes. All birding is done along trails, roadsides, or around grounds of lodgings, and walking is at a slow pace due to elevation, and so as not to startle wildlife and see as much as possible. Our time is mostly on foot, and mostly divided between stationary birding at lodges with feeding stations providing great photo opps, and trail or road birding, with slow walking. There is little if any real hiking anticipated, but guests should be prepared for significant time on foot in potentially rainy weather. We rise pre-dawn to be in position for best birding. Breakfast will be at our lodge or in the field and the same goes for lunch. Dinners are at/near our accommodations. Guests should expect that at times we will not be near comfortable bathroom facilities, and so a field stop/bush break might be the only option for a rest break.

Elevation is a consideration on this tour. Please consult your physician regarding travel to areas of high elevation. Elevations range from ~600 to about over 9000 feet above sea level. Weather is variable throughout the tour, but generally we expect it to be humid to wet, and cool, pleasant or warm. Up high early on we could hit lows in 40s, while down at lower elevation in afternoons we could enter the 90s. A light waterproof (or strongly water-resistant) layer to go over a fleece along with light rain pants are recommended. Biting insects are usually not an issue when in middle and upper elevations, but we could encounter some in lower elevations. We recommend carrying a small supply of insect repellant or to consider pre-treating your clothing with repellant prior to departure. Generally, nature enthusiasts visiting Colombia very rarely encounter diseases like Malaria, Yellow Fever, etc. but it is possible. We strongly urge guests to consult a doctor about vaccinations and medications prior to travel. Elevation sickness is possible, so we urge guests to seek medical advice on spending time at high elevation. 

Packing

Please limit yourself to one mid-size suitcase/duffel and another smaller bag for daily use on outings. Group travel dictates we consider our fellow traveler’s comfort, and this includes not over-packing. Laundry services are available at most hotels we visit but having lightweight clothes that can be hand-cleaned in rooms is an advantage.

Lightweight clothing that is easy to layer is best for this variable climate. Lightweight raingear is recommended. Some guests bring umbrellas but if these are utilized they can obstruct others’ view in some situations. Neutral colors are best for our time in the field to limit our visibility to the birds and wildlife we seek. We could encounter mud along trails and roadsides, so good trail shoes, hiking shoes or hiking boots are recommended for field outings, while a pair of slip-ons, flip flops, or comfortable walking shoes for around the hotels/lodges are good to have as well.

A pair of gloves and warm hat are recommended, and a buff (lightweight neck-warmer) for use as breathing barrier or for warmth can be helpful too. Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses are good for if we encounter bright, clear conditions, especially at elevation. A daypack (small backpack or the like) for your belongings for daily field outings is useful, and some folks find that having a walking stick for balance is nice or having a foldable stool/chair is nice for times when we sit and wait in an area for a bird(s) to show. Power outlets in Colombia are similar to those in the US/Canada (110v/60Hz). Cell service is good in most areas but can be spotty in the Andes or along curvy mountain roads, and Wi-Fi is offered at all hotels but subject to disruption at times. A small supply of insect repellant is advisable.

View Hillstar Nature’s Terms & Conditions of Booking