Wildlife photographers of all levels of experience are invited to join David for this fifteen-night Brilliant Birds of Colombia photography holiday in the areas of Cali, Manizales, Pereira & Medellin in . You will spend many days photographing the fabulous species that our local guides will discover for us, including a wide range of hummingbirds, 8 of which are endemic. In total, 168 different types of hummingbirds have been recorded within the country.


More species have been recorded in than in any other country, packed into a slightly larger area than & France combined. Its topography is notably diverse, extending east to west from the Orinoco River to the Pacific Ocean & north to south from the Caribbean to Amazonia. There is a lot to see, from deserts, grasslands & steamy Amazonian rainforests to three stunningly verdant Andean ranges & glacier-capped peaks.

Colombia includes two extremely significant massifs, Santa Marta & Perijá, in the north of the country – in particular, the Santa Marta range is one of the world's most significant endemic hotspots. The Santa Marta mountains are home to over 600 bird varieties, including 23 endemic species & a lengthier list of endemic subspecies. Amongst the endemic species of Colombia's birds, one will find the White-tailed Starfrontlet, Black-backed Thornbill, Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Bush-tyrant & Santa Marta Warbler.

This fifteen-night trip, scheduled for 6th - 21st December 2025, has an itinerary designed for macro & bird photography of the birds & other species of the Cali, Manizalez, Pereira & Medellin areas.

Throughout this trip the locations should provide opportunities for capturing images of Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Empress Brilliant, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Long-tailed Sylph, Multicoloured Tanager, Plate-billed Mountain-toucan, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, Southern Emerald Toucanet & more should be possible.

Throughout this fifteen-night photography holiday, David, one of the co-founders of NaturesLens, will be on hand to guide & lead you; he will be providing assistance & advice as needed & helping you develop your skills. David will help you capture images of the plethora of wildlife we should encounter across Colombia's various eco-zones.

More & more sites are establishing feeding stations favourable to photography, not merely for the sensational hummingbirds but also tanagers, antpittas, toucans, toucanets & more.

 

A Buff winged starfrontlet Hummingbird found in Colombia Ecuador Peru

Brilliant Birds of Colombia Photography Holiday Itinerary

The following is the proposed itinerary for this photography holiday, it should be considered provisional & subject to change.
  • Day 1 - Assemble Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport - overnight Hotel Hampton By Hilton
  • Day 2 - Photography At Conchita - overnight Araucana Lodge
  • Day 3 - Photography At La Florida Feeders - overnight Araucana Lodge
  • Day 4 - Macro Photography - overnight Araucana Lodge
  • Day 5 - Macro Photography - overnight Guadalajara Hotel.
  • Day 6 - Photography At Laguna El Sonso - overnight in Tinamú
  • Day 7 - Photography At Tinamu Feeders, Nighttime Macro Session - overnight in Tinamú
  • Day 8 - Photography At Tinamu Feeders, Multiflash Hummingbird Photography Session - overnight in Tinamú
  • Day 9 - Antpitta Photography, Multiflash Hummingbird Photography Session - overnight Carretero Hotel
  • Day 10 - Photography At Hacienda El Bosque - overnight in Termales
  • Day 11 - Photography At Termales Del Ruiz - overnight in Termales
  • Day 12 - Photography At El Color De Mis Revês - overnight Carretero Hotel
  • Day 13 - Photography At Cock Of The Rock Lek, Photography Of Antpittas - overnight Carretero Hotel
  • Day 14 - Photography At Cock Of The Rock Lek, Photography Of Antpittas - overnight Carretero Hotel
  • Day 15 - Photography At Cock Of The Rock Lek - transfer to Medellin - overnight Hotel Movich
  • Day 16 - Transfer to José María Córdova International Airport
An Andean Emerald Hummingbird photographed in Colombia

Brilliant Birds of Colombia Photography Holiday Highlights

We have taken care to refine the itinerary for this wildlife photography holiday; as such, we consider the following to be amongst the highlights of this tour.
  • Photography of Toucanets in natural surroundings
  • Photography sessions dedicated to hummingbird photography under natural light
  • Sessions dedicated to hummingbird photography using multi-flash
  • Sessions specifically for capturing images of the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
  • Photography of the many tanagers, motmot, trogons & other species
  • Use of feeder stations designed to maximise photographic opportunities
  • Led by David for NatureLens with the assistance of local guides
  • May be combined with our Wildlife of the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica photography holiday for those who want a longer trip
A  White-tailed Starfrontlet Hummingbird photographed in Colombia

Hummingbirds of Many Types

Hummingbirds are thought to be the earth’s second biggest family of birds; it is estimated that approximately 330 species exist worldwide. Colombia has over 200 of the world’s hummingbird species within its perimeters.

Given the assortment of sizes, shapes & colours, it is easy to understand why hummingbirds are known as “flying jewels”. For many photographers, they are amongst the most demanding & captivating photography subjects. For these photographers, capturing their crisp shot – in flight as they consume nectar from a bright flower – is a pinnacle of being a wildlife photographer.

A Hummingbird from Colombia perched on a bloom flower
A Channel billed Toucan photographed within Colombias tropical green jungles

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance – it is a requirement when booking on any wildlife photography holiday scheduled by NaturesLens that you have adequate travel insurance, we suggest a policy from TrailFinders or Campbell Irvine.

Camera Insurance

Insuring your camera equipment before embarking on any wildlife photographic holiday is crucial. Our trips often involve venturing into remote, & sometimes unpredictable environments where accidents & unexpected incidents occur. Insuring your camera gear provides financial protection against theft, loss, or damage, ensuring your investment is safeguarded.

Wildlife photography involves capturing unique & irreplaceable moments, & without proper insurance, any unforeseen mishap could result in significant monetary losses. By insuring your equipment, you can enjoy peace of mind, knowing that you’re covered in case of any unfortunate events, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring world of wildlife & capture stunning photographs without worry.

We recommend PhotoGuard for amateur photographers or Glover Howe, who we use.

You are invited to join us for our 15-day itinerary to take photographic opportunities with some of the amazing wildlife that Colombia has to offer - including, of course, some very special hummingbirds

The Brilliant Birds of Colombia photography holiday is a fifteen-night duration event, that costs £7999 & takes place in Cali in Spain, between the dates of 6th - 21st December 2025. It is ideal for photographing the hummingbirds, toucans, toucanets & plenty of other species our local guides locate within the Cali, Manizalez, Pereira & Medellin areas of Columbia. This photography holiday is led by David Miles for NaturesLens.

The Brilliant Birds of Colombia photography holiday is offered on a full board, single occupancy with no single supplement payable basis.

Group size for this photography holiday is a minimum of 4 participants & a maximum of 6, plus David.

We consider this to be a photography holiday requiring easy effort or exertion, if you have any questions about your suitability for this photography holiday, please contact us before making a booking enquiry.

The Brilliant Birds of Colombia photography holiday starts at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport & ends at José María Córdova International Airport. Transfers are included between Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport & Cali then onwards to Manizalez, Pereira & Medellin.

The Brilliant Birds of Colombia photography holiday requires a deposit of £1600 to secure a place.

The Brilliant Birds of Colombia photography holiday is a fifteen-night duration event, that costs £7999 & takes place in Cali in Spain, between the dates of 6th - 21st December 2025. It is ideal for photographing the hummingbirds, toucans, toucanets & plenty of other species our local guides locate within the Cali, Manizalez, Pereira & Medellin areas of Columbia. This photography holiday is led by David Miles for NaturesLens.

The Brilliant Birds of Colombia photography holiday is offered on a full board, single occupancy with no single supplement payable basis.

Group size for this photography holiday is a minimum of 4 participants & a maximum of 6, plus David.

We consider this to be a photography holiday requiring easy effort or exertion, if you have any questions about your suitability for this photography holiday, please contact us before making a booking enquiry.

The Brilliant Birds of Colombia photography holiday starts at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport & ends at José María Córdova International Airport. Transfers are included between Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport & Cali then onwards to Manizalez, Pereira & Medellin.

The Brilliant Birds of Colombia photography holiday requires a deposit of £1600 to secure a place.

NaturesLens photography holidays do not include flights unless it is explicitly stated on the event page. When it is time to book your flights, we will send you the details in plenty of time to allow for bookings at the best available price.

The photography holiday itinerary is subject to change & is to be considered provisional.

NaturesLens photography holidays require a minimum number of participants in order to be viable. If this minimum number is not met, the photography holiday may not go ahead.

In the event that the minimum number for a photography holiday to go ahead is not reached, NaturesLens reserves the right to cancel any given photography holiday. In that event 100% of monies received will be returned. However, NaturesLens is not responsible for expenses incurred by its customers.

Not all mentioned wildlife can be observed & photographed at all times of the year, thus some activities may be considered seasonal & not available.

Please note the cuisine on many of the NaturesLens photography holidays is authentic & typical of the region in which you are travelling. International or western cuisine is often NOT available. If you have any concerns over the food arrangements or have any special dietary requirements, please contact us prior to making a booking.

All personal luggage are the responsibility of the owner & we request that photography holiday participants limit their luggage to the equivalent of one suitcase, one flight bag, one camera bag & tripod. We do not wish to appear dictatorial in this matter & the request is made to ensure space & comfort for everyone in our vehicles.

NaturesLens & its agents act only as agents for the passenger in all matters relating to travel arrangements, & as such, do not assume responsibility for injury, accident, damage, loss, delay or irregularity which may occur via defect of transportation or any other cause.

NaturesLens reserves the right to substitute hotels, & other previously outlined arrangements as necessary, to either improve or equal the travel experience.

NaturesLens reserves the right to pass on to photography holiday participants any additional & unplanned expenditure incurred during a photography holiday, via events beyond the control of NaturesLens. NaturesLens reserves the right to accept or decline any person as a member of any photography holiday.

Payment of deposit by photography holiday participants or their representative constitutes their acceptance of all conditions contained herein.

All bookings are made subject to our terms & conditions.

Subscribe to our Newsletter for updates

When you subscribe to our newsletter, we will send you an email to let you know when we have an update on our photography holidays, any special offers, or any other news.


We don’t share your details with anyone else.