Colombia offers outstanding opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife viewing. The country has the world's biggest list of birds, with around 1990 species recorded here, including 145 hummingbirds, 141 tanagers, and many trogons, parrots, orioles, and toucans. It is home to 80 endemic birds and 135 near endemics. This tour takes us to some of the richest and most scenic birding locations from rainforest to alpine grasslands in the Colombian Andes, to the tropical wetlands of the Llanos in the Orinoco basin. Target species include eight species of antpitta, strange leaf-eating Hoatzin, spectacular Sunbittern, short-range endemic Buffy Helmetcrest, Plushcap, Andean Motmot, Chestnut Wood-quail, Scarlet Ibis, Crestless Curassow, and Colombian Chachalaca. Among the other species we will look out for are Capybara, Giant Otter, Giant Anteater, Spectacled Caimans, and Green Anaconda. There is also a chance of the elusive Mountain Tapir and Jaguar. This not-to-be-missed tour visits some of Colombia’s best wildlife destinations, offering a huge diversity of birds, scenic landscapes and history.

The Republic of Costa Rica is home to 5% of the world’s plant and animal species, including more than 900 species of birds. Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and at the junction of North and South America, the country boasts diverse habitats and exceptional wildlife with plenty of Central American endemics such as Resplendent Quetzal, Lovely Cotinga, Volcano Hummingbird, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher and Nicaraguan Grackle. Costa Rica is also rich in other wildlife such as monkeys, sloths, caimans, and tree-frogs. Around 25% of the country is protected for conservation. On this tour, we visit a range of habitats to experience the astonishing diversity of the country and to look for a host of sought-after species. From mangrove swamps on the Pacific coast, along meandering rivers, across forested mountains, through tropical dry forest to the wetlands of the north – as well as a visit to the word-renowned La Selva Biological Station – this tour offers the best of Costa Rica. 

Highlights: mangrove cruise, exploring the Talamanca Mountains to look for the Chiriquí Endemics, Costa Rican páramo, a visit to La Selva Tropical Biological Station, wetlands of Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. 

This tour has been designed to adjoin the end of the International Conference for Women Birders (IC4WB) conference in Costa Rica Wednesday 24 – Friday 26 September 2025). 

South America was one of the last parts of the supercontinent Gondwanaland to break away from the Antarctic plate around 65 million years ago; Australia was the last (separating from the Antarctic plate around 45 million years ago). Consequently, the Australian fauna and flora are quite closely related to that of South America. This 16-day itinerary focuses on the central part of Chile and showcases these Gondwanan connections with particular reference to Tasmania and the southern cone of South America.

Northern Chile Lauca National Park pre-tour extension

Patagonia - Tierra del Fuego and Torres del Paine post-tour extension