The Colombian Andes Wildlife Expedition: Inside Faunaris' Newest Wildlife Journey

A gap in the portfolio, closed with intention

Every expedition Faunaris designs starts with a question: what does the Colombian Andes reveal to a traveler willing to give it real time? The Andes Life List Expedition is our answer for travelers who want a full arc through the country's cloud forest ecosystems — not a single stop, but a sustained ten-day immersion.

It joins Hummingbird Paradise and Cundinamarca Endemics as our third active expedition, and the one built specifically around depth: multiple cloud forest zones, extended time at each site, and a pace built for serious observation rather than checklist tourism.

Internally and with Spanish-speaking travelers, we also refer to it by its original name: Expedición Joyas de los Andes — Jewels of the Andes.

Ten days, nine nights, one continuous story

The Andes Life List Expedition runs 10 days and 9 nights through Colombia's Andean cloud forest ecosystems. It's a small-group expedition with moderate physical demand — accessible to a fit traveler without requiring technical mountaineering experience — led throughout by expert field guidance.

The itinerary is structured around three recurring elements that define the experience:

• Flower Corridor Sessions — extended observation at hummingbird feeding corridors, where species diversity concentrates around specific flowering plants

• Cloud Forest Species — dedicated time in Andean cloud forest habitat, tracking resident and range-restricted species

• Natural Perch Opportunities — sites selected specifically for photographic and observational access to birds on natural, unmanipulated perches

Every stop on the route is chosen to maximize encounter quality, not just species count.

Some of the species awaiting you on the Colombian Andes Wildlife Expedition. Photography by Camilo Camargo P.

What travelers can expect to see

The Andes Life List Expedition moves through habitat that supports an exceptional concentration of range-restricted and high-value target species — the kind that define a serious Andean birding trip.

This Colombian Andes wildlife expedition is structured around a target list that includes:

• Multicolored Tanager (Chlorochrysa nitidissima)

• Chestnut Wood-Quail (Odontophorus hyperythrus)

• Toucan Barbet (Semnornis ramphastinus)

• Andean Cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus)

• Golden-collared Manakin (Manacus vitellinus)

• Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus)

• Rainbow-bearded Thornbill (Chalcostigma herranii)

• Bicolored Antpitta (Grallaria rufocinerea)

• Brown-banded Antpitta (Grallaria milleri)

• Crescent-faced Antpitta (Grallaricula lineifrons)

• Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan (Andigena hypoglauca)

• Barred Fruiteater (Pipreola arcuata)

• Buffy Helmetcrest (Oxypogon stuebelii)

• Red-ruffed Fruitcrow (Pyroderus scutatus)

The presence of three Grallaria and Grallaricula antpittas on this list signals the level of the itinerary: antpittas are notoriously difficult, low-density, skulking birds, and building a route with realistic access to three range-restricted species in this family is a strong indicator of site knowledge and field time invested in the route.

This is not a guarantee of specific sightings — as we've said before, no responsible operator can promise that. It's a description of habitat, timing, and access built with these species' real ecology in mind.

The Andes reward patience: antpittas, manakins, and fruitcrows rarely seen outside dedicated expeditions. Photography by Camilo Camargo P.

How it differs from Hummingbird Paradise and Cundinamarca Endemics

Faunaris now runs three active expeditions, each with a distinct purpose.

Hummingbird Paradise concentrates on hummingbird diversity in a more compact format. Cundinamarca Endemics focuses specifically on range-restricted species within a single department. The Andes Life List Expedition is broader in scope and longer in duration — designed for travelers who want a comprehensive Andean cloud forest experience across multiple sites and ecosystems, not a single specialized focus.

It's the right choice for a traveler who has ten days to give to Colombia's Andes and wants the fullest picture the region can offer in that time.

Who this expedition is built for

The Andes Life List Expedition suits travelers who:

• Have serious species targets and want extended field time to pursue them

• Are comfortable with moderate physical demand — walking trails at altitude, variable weather, early starts

• Value depth and continuity over a fast-paced, multi-region itinerary

• Travel solo or in small groups and prefer an intimate group size over large tour buses

It is not designed as a first introduction to birdwatching — travelers new to the practice are often better served starting with a Bio-Escape before committing to a ten-day expedition.

Reserve your place

The Andes Life List Expedition is now open for booking. Small group sizes mean availability is limited per departure — we recommend requesting the full expedition brief early if you're planning around specific travel dates.

👉 Explore the Andes Life List Expedition