Minca is undoubtedly one of the best spots for birding in Colombia. So when I was chalking out my rough Colombia itinerary, I knew I simply HAD to check out this wonderful mountain town surrounded by lush green forests of Sierra Nevada.
After visiting the northernmost tip of South America – Punta Gallinas, which simply took my breath away, I was raring to add more jewels to my Colombian escapade. I lucked out again with this Minca bird watching trip as it turned out to be an absolutely amazing addition to my 3 weeks Colombia tour.
Quick Plan Your Trip to Minca Colombia
Are you planning at the very last minute or have only a couple of days before your trip? Here are some tours and hotels that will help plan your Minca itinerary in a jiffy. I have selected them based on personal experiences and traveler ratings.
Best tours in Minca – For Birding and other Adventures
Birdwatching Minca tour 3 hours
2 Day Minca Tour + Birding from Santa Marta (All logistics included)
Other must try tours in Minca (non birding) – Minca Coffee and Cocoa tour, Minca Quadbike adventure tour and Minca extreme adventure (highly recommended for adrenaline junkies).
Best Hotels in Minca
Finca Carpe Diem EcoLodge – Where I personally stayed and enjoyed the nature, infinity pool and serenity.
Costeno River Minca
Rio Elemento
Bird Watching Minca – What to Expect
Colombia is the number one country in the world based on bird diversity with over 1900 species. In Sierra Nevada region itself, there are over 345 species, out of which over 190 can be spotted in Minca! The region also boasts of cute birding and jungle lodges.Â
I heard excellent things about Jungle Joe’s birding tours throughout my travels across Colombia so I knew beforehand that I would be using his services for my only chance at spotting birds of Colombia. This was told to me to be one of the best bird watching tours Colombia and rightly so, as I soon found out.
30 mins into the tour we saw 4 Aracari’s and a Keel-billed Toucan – I was convinced I made the right decision.
I felt bad for leaving my zoom canon powershot camera back home in India – such a shame else I would’ve got some stunning shots. From my phone, all I could get was a silhouette.
Joe knows the area inside out. He is highly skilled about bird sounds, habitat and knows exactly the best spots and vantage points around for best birding options. You simply cannot go wrong by choosing him.
Birds of Minca Colombia – Checklist from our Tour
As an avid birder, I always jot down and make a checklist of birds spotted in every area/ tour – especially if its a new country where all birds could be lifers.
If you are wondering “Are there Toucans in Colombia” then you must try this birding tour in Colombia to see them yourself and be convinced.Â
Here’s a checklist of birds I spotted in just one birding tour of Minca with Jungle Joe – Pale-breasted thrush, Orange-chinned parakeet, White-headed wren, Blue-gray tanager, Thick-billed euphonia, Palm tanager, Rufous-capped Warbler, Red-crowned woodpecker, Keel-billed toucan, Aracari,Groove-billed ani, Ruddy ground dove, Golden-winged sparrow, Steely-vented Hummingbird, Broad-billed flycatcher, Yellow warbler, Whooping motmot,Crimson-backed tanager, Long-billed starthroat, Southern beardless tyrannulet, Scaled pigeon, Rufous-breasted wren and Barred antshrike.
I am sure I missed a few and we surely saw over 10 different types of hummingbirds which I simply couldn’t keep track of.
What Else to Expect on the Tour?
Apart from a lovely nature walk, you will also see various flora and fauna and Joe will be happy to help you with names if you are keen. You can also spot a few butterflies and if you are lucky, like us, the most venomous snake in South America – eeks!
Our snake story is quite interesting actually. So while looking up at treetops, we obviously didn’t spot a well-camouflaged snake in our path. There were two hikers coming from the other side and one of them spotted it, shrugged it off as dead after gawking for a minute and walked off.
When we reached the spot to see what they were looking at – lo behold, as Joe confirmed, it was a Mapana snake (local name for the lethal snake Bothrops Atrox) whose venom is extremely potent. This Mapana looked tiny and well pretty harmless and as the other hikers gauged, very much dead!
With my years of experience in jungle walks and hikes, I was 100% sure the snake was dead and was ready to move on after one look. However, Joe informed us the snake was just playing dead and can be extremely dangerous.
He had to move the snake from the middle of the path to keep other hikers and birders safe. When he used a stick to move it, the snake suddenly jumped to life and wrigged away in the undergrowth.
All of us stared in complete shock !!! So it was indeed just playing dead. We would’ve never figured it out. Another good reason for taking a guided tour especially in dense South American jungles – it only makes sense to be safe.
Since our adrenaline pumping snake encounter, most of us started looking down at the path instead of for birds perched on treetops – Wise decision, I would say 🙂
By the time our tour ended, I had already made several friends and we ended up chatting for a few hours about birdwatching and wildlife experiences across the world, over a scrumptious coffee and breakfast.
How to Book your Birding Tour in Minca
Jungle Joe Minca is undoubtedly your man for this tour! There are several other cheaper options around but I would recommend spending a few bucks more and going with the best.
I had been hearing great things about Joe throughout my trip from other travellers so I knew I made the right choice and can safely recommend him further.
You can contact him through his website here or simply drop him an email at – joe@junglejoeminca.com. The cost is 40,000 pesos (Approx $12) for this educational 3-hour tour. If you want them to include transportation from Santa Marta, you can add 40,000 pesos per way. I would recommend taking it to reach Minca at least (if you are not staying there already) as the tour starts very early in the morning (0530 hrs) and public transport is not available then.
Various other Colombia birding tours I found were expensive but Jungle Joe tours are cost-effective. Joe himself is a very friendly, fun and knowledgeable guy so I have no hesitation in recommending him.
This tour is apt for beginners as well as advanced birders. They also give out binoculars so you don’t have to carry your own.Â
However, it is advised to pack – Trekking shoes, insect repellent, drinking water and maybe some nuts/snacks.
A hat, good sunscreen and a nice pair of sunglasses can help in the summer sun. Payment is made in cash before the tour so ensure you have enough on you.
Jungle Joe Minca i-center also offers other tours around Minca which you can check out here if interested. I haven’t tried them out personally but I am sure they will be just as great.
Where to stay in Minca
While booking my Minca hotel, I didn’t realize how huge Minca is. With rough terrain and jungles, it makes it harder to use shortcuts and there are no roads tying the ends.
I made a mistake of booking a hostel in “Finca” instead of “Minca” though it turned out to be an amazing adventure. My hostel was Finca carpe diem and it was the perfect choice to unwind in nature.Â
With two different pools overlooking stunning mountain forests, tons of amazing waterfalls and hikes nearby, there was no dearth of outdoorsy things to do here. Just sitting by the pool reading a book or playing drinking games with hostel mates every night was a great experience.
All in all, I simply LOVED it!
However, that meant I had to go back to Santa Marta and revisit Minca for this tour with Jungle Joe.
Totally worth it, but if your prime focus is birding in Minca then I would recommend booking a hotel in the city center of Minca, near the police station so that you can embark on guided birding tours in Minca easily.
Since all birds of South America were new for me and I have never tried birdwatching in Colombia, taking a guided tour was literally the only way to spot and identify new species.
Here are some good options for accommodation in Minca center –
Hostal Rio Elemento – One of the best hostels in Minca, hands down. This one boasts of the giant hammocks overlooking the valley.
Hostal Cocobomgo – Small basic hostel, half km from the city center of Minca – One of the best rated on hostels in Minca.
Finca Hostel Bolivar – Right by the stream for a dip any time of the day amidst lush jungles of Minca is this next top rated stay in Minca.
Minca Birding FAQ’s
Where can I see Toucan Minca?
Either in Tayrona national park or around this Sierra Nevada mountains.
Where can I see Birds in Minca?
The route to Campano - San Lorenzo is sought after by avid birders for excellent birding opportunities. When you go in a guided tour you dont have to worry about finding the best routes or spots.
Which are the Top Birds to Spot in Minca?
Popular among birders are the Caribbean Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus), the beautiful Rufous-tailed Jacamar (Galbula Ruficauda), and several species of hummingbird.
Is Minca Colombia Worth Visiting?
YES! If you love nature and outdoors. It is perfect place for jungle waterfall treks, coffee plantations, birding, and a relaxed backpacker vibe.
All in all, I absolutely loved my time in Minca and my non sponsored tour with Jungle Joe (This post and recommendation comes straight from the heart). If you happen to be birding in Colombia – don’t miss this excellent tour for your Minca birding trip.
This alongside regular visits to Indian jungles in search of the Royal Bengal Tiger, fueled her zest for adventure, nature and wildlife.
Now she is a renowned travel blogger, outreach expert and has worked with over 500 travel brands in the last 15 years.
