Wings over Andes Bird Photography in Colombia
- February 10th, 2024 - February 23rd, 2026
- Spaces Left: 7 (Maximum 8 Photographers)
WORKSHOP AT A GLANCE
This bespoke custom-tailored workshop to the Andes region of Colombia is for dedicated and passionate wildlife photographers who want to capture stunning and evocative photographs of Colombia's incredible bird life. We have a small group size and personal, one-on-one tuition for the duration of the workshop. There will be photography from both hides and other locations.
- Dates: 10th February 2026 until 23rd February 2026 (Duration 13 Nights / 14 Days)
- Investment: $11,990 USD (Deposit to secure place $3,000 USD) Single Supplement $1,250 USD
- Participants: Maximum 8 Photographers plus leader
- Start and Finish: Cali, Colombia, and finish Medellin, Colombia
- Trip Leaders: Joshua Holko Master Photog II
- Fitness Level: Moderate
- Temperature: Hot
- Experience Level: Advanced to Professional
ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP
Colombia is renowned as the best country on earth for birds, boasting more than 1,950 species, which accounts for almost 20% of the world's total. This remarkable diversity is due to its tropical climate and varied elevation changes thanks to the Andes and its location between the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.
With a wide range of habitats, it's no wonder Colombia is a haven for bird species, with new discoveries and records frequently announced.
The KM 18 and San Antonio Cloud Forest offer an excellent introduction to bird photography in the Colombian Andes. Within an hour of the Araucana Lodge, you'll find some of Colombia's best bird feeder setups, each with unique perches and various birds. This area of the western Andes boasts well-preserved habitats for those who enjoy photographing in natural environments. At feeder sites, this workshop targets species such as the endemics Multicolored Tanager and Colombian Chachalaca, as well as near-endemics like Scrub, Flame-rumped, Golden-naped, Saffron-crowned, and Rufous-throated Tanagers. In terms of hummingbirds, over 20 species frequent the feeders, including Blue-headed Sapphire, Purple-throated Woodstar, Long-tailed Sylph, Black-throated Mango, Green Hermit, Booted Rackettail, and many more.
This photographic workshop then ascends to the central Andean range, visiting the world-renowned Rio Blanco and Tinamu Reserves near Manizales. Here, there are excellent chances for photographing antpittas, tanagers, and hummingbirds at the feeders, along with many other cloud forest and montane birds.
After further ascending, you can relax in hot springs overlooking the scenic Central Andes and look for species adapted to high elevations in Los Nevados National Park, with the beautiful Nevado del Ruiz as a backdrop. A day is spent at Hacienda EL Bosque, where the stars of the show are Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan and Crescent-faced Antpitta. The workshop also visits El Color de Mi Reves, one of the newer sites in the area. You then head to the quaint village of Jardin to experience the world's best bird photography setup at an Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek, where it is common to have more than 10 individuals posing for the cameras. The workshop then concludes in the city of Medellin for outbound flights.
Photographic Credit: Kike Calvo on behalf of Wild Nature Photo Travel
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