Colombia - Minca and Tayrona: what to do? (4 Viewers)

[Thibaut]

Thanks Niels. Eventually we need to decide what to prioritise. Maybe missing birds wouldn’t be so bad as long as the one we see are chill and we are too. we like to birdwatch slowly, missing out birds but taking it the landscapes and the peace and quiet. What I really don’t want is to be surrounded by 20 people shouting rushing to photograph a bird and taking a gazillion of pictures clicking in all directions. How to turn a perfectly nice hobby into another chore in my opinion.

 

[simmojunior]

Thanks. It sounds like the right thing to do would be to get dropped up there and walk down the trail back to lodge on foot. Without a guide then? We are terrible birdwatchers.

Could someone drop me the gps location of where the trail for el dorado starts from the ridge? I can’t seem to figure it out comparing the drawn map and google maps.

You can get a map in the lodge. I think you are trying to over plan to be honest - it is all quite simple. They'll explain it to you there.

If Breiner is unavailable you can try Christian Manrique but he speaks no English.

 

[njlarsen]

If Breiner is unavailable you can try Christian Manrique but he speaks no English.

When I contacted Breiner, he first told us he would not be available but that he had another, English-speaking guy he could send instead. Then as time approached, it turned out to be him anyway.

I would probably hire him on the first or the second day of your time there and then do the rest on my own if you prefer doing things on your own generally - my experience is that I get more out of the days on my own after having had the guide introduce me to a lot of the common species and in the case of our first day there, a lot of endemics as well.
Niels

 

[mjh73]

If you want a bit more chill, and English speaking, try Sebastian Ballesteros - he is based in Minca. Have used him on both our Colombia trips.

Colombia Bird Photography Tours | Photonatura Colombia | Magdalena

 

[mjh73]

What I really don’t want is to be surrounded by 20 people shouting rushing to photograph a bird and taking a gazillion of pictures clicking in all directions.

I don't think being on a 'big name co.' tour is like that, and hiring your own local guide is definitely not like that. Not in my experience anyway!

 

[temmie]

You seem to be stressing way too much thibault, as simmo said, most things are easy on the ground and many “problems” you see now are only in your imagination. Once there you can arrange almost everything by just asking. You can ask here but everything here is theory. Once there, you ask and people get things done for you.

With regards to walking up: you simply get up at 3.45, start walking at 4.00 on the road up, take any shortcut you can find that goes up and you”ll be enjoying parakeets and the sunset at 6.00 on the ridge.
That’s at least how I did it.

So the trail is shortcutting the road that is snaking its way up. Go up and it’s simple comme bonjour. You”ll see birds by keeping your eyes open. The trail itself has a lot of parts with ferns higher up (not many birds there). I saw a condor on my way down… even when walking up and down you’ll spend approx half a day so have lunch at the lodge. Make sure you can pack some breakfast / water by arranging it the day before at the lodge.

 

[Thibaut]

You seem to be stressing way too much thibault, as simmo said, most things are easy on the ground and many “problems” you see now are only in your imagination. Once there you can arrange almost everything by just asking. You can ask here but everything here is theory. Once there, you ask and people get things done for you.

With regards to walking up: you simply get up at 3.45, start walking at 4.00 on the road up, take any shortcut you can find that goes up and you”ll be enjoying parakeets and the sunset at 6.00 on the ridge.
That’s at least how I did it.

So the trail is shortcutting the road that is snaking its way up. Go up and it’s simple comme bonjour. You”ll see birds by keeping your eyes open. The trail itself has a lot of parts with ferns higher up (not many birds there). I saw a condor on my way down… even when walking up and down you’ll spend approx half a day so have lunch at the lodge. Make sure you can pack some breakfast / water by arranging it the day before at the lodge.

Yes agreed on the fact that I had become a tad too focused on details, things that will become obvious on location.

Thanks for the extra info, it’s helpful. I didn’t realise the trail and the road were meeting before the laguna.