We took the 12-day Epic Andes Birding Tour with Icaro Birding in August, 2023. I was very impressed with all aspects of the tour, including general organization, lodging, meals, our guides, drivers, and the number and diversity of species seen. This was my first visit to Colombia and I found the people there to be friendly and helpful. Colombia has some of the best birding in the world, and our visit confirmed that. We visited several great birding facilities where it was easy to see the birds and we saw many species that are difficult to find. Our principal guide Miguel Lopez and the local guides made every effort to assure that everyone in our group saw each bird. Their ability to locate and spot the birds, often in low-light conditions in dense rainforest, was impressive. If you're considering a trip to Colombia, I highly recommend Icaro.

This was an outstanding trip. We received many emails prior to the departure with an itinerary and which birds we could expect to see. Every little detail was taken care of perfectly throughout the entire trip. Everyone including our primary guide, local guides, drivers, cooks, and lodge personnel were top notch. All the lodging was clean, well maintained, and in beautiful settings. It was a pleasure being in each one. Our Primary vehicle and the four-wheel drive ones were spacious enough for us and all our gear. Every meal was not only delicious but healthy. I really appreciated that. The local birding guides were a real asset. Our primary guide, Miguel Lopez, was always extremely knowledgeable, patient, and sincerely cared whether his guests saw the birds. He made an extra effort to ensure that we all did. Our primary driver, Mario, was an expert at maneuvering through traffic and also assisted us in locating birds. I'd give the trip 10 stars if that were possible. I have zero complaints.

From beginning to end, working with Giovani at Icaro Birding was a pleasure. We just finished a custom-designed 8 day birding tour in the Andes with our wonderful driver/guide Johan and we are already talking about another trip to Colombia to bird again! The itinerary was thoughtfully designed without too much driving from day to day, plenty of time to bird, and lots of excellent communication with Giovani throughout. One of our party accidentally left her jacket behind at a hotel and Giovani helpfully located it and sent it on to one of our next locations - just a small example of the attention and care we experienced throughout our trip. The birds were fantastic and being able to see so many of them in a worry-free manner was all due to Icaro Birding. Thank you!

Icaro birding has organized 5 tours over the past 5 years for my husband and me. The guides were excellent and each tour exceeded our expectations. We were well taken care of. They are the only birding company we have used in Colombia. There are a couple of places we have yet to visit and we will be using them again.

ICARO BIRDING has set the standard very high for any other birding tours I take in the future. From the pickup at the airport to the final drop off everything was first class. I was treated like a family member by the drivers, guides and assistant guides and I felt relaxed and happy the whole time. Their birding expertise was obvious, but what surprised me was how they adjusted to the individual needs of each guest. Our group was tough because there was a wide diversity in birding experience, some physical issues, high level photography needs, as well as a non-morning person birder. No problem. Everyone was accommodated and was given every opportunity to make the most out of this fantastic tour itinerary. Epic Andes and Santa Marta Birding extension provided spectacular birding thrills. I will never forget it and I will be back bringing new clients!

The trip Andrea and I took to eastern Colombia with Icaro Biridng Tours was a fantastic trip for people who intensely enjoy birds. The itinerary combined a visit to Mitu, home to some very special Amazonian birds; the Villavicencio area, where the wonderful Rancho Camana reserve/lodge served as our base and allowed us to enjoy Giant Anteater, an endemic titi monkey and many birds of the llanos and also to get a good early start to our only highland site, Sendero Herreria; and, most wonderful of all, Inirida with its fabulous white sand forests and savannahs and a boatride away from the spectacular giant rocks/mountains at Mavecure. Daniel Camilo is a wizard with a scope, quickly detecting birds by voice, locating them and getting them into his scope to enjoy (and to photograph and video). Most of the birding was in indigenous communities, and Daniel's rapport with the leaders of those communities was a big plus.

The two of us had an unforgettable birding experience in Colombia with Icaro starting January 2023. We chose the Epic Andes Tour followed by the Santa Marta Endemics tour. In both tours combined, we saw (well) 576 birds species, along with mammals, frogs, butterflies and other fauna. The secenery was gorgeous, the lodges comfortable, and the food plentiful. Our two main guides, Juan Manuel Cardona and Cristian Manrique were extremely knowledgable and helpful. We enjoyed our conversations with them, along with the drivers, including Mario Cruz, local guides, and others. Highly recommended!

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the 12 day Epic Andes birding tour with one other couple and our guide, Juan Manuel Cardona. The logistics arranged by Giovani at Icaro Birding were flawless and the birding incredible. Juan is extremely knowledgeable and talented in finding the birds and working with the locals at each of the little ecolodges we stayed at. Beautiful scenery and welcoming people. Riding the brujitas ("little witches") on the old railroad tracks to San Cipriano is an event not to be missed! and the birding there was amazing. Even our van driver, Julio, was a ton of fun and filled the drives between locations with laughs if you can banter a little in spanish with him. Would love to do another birding trip with Juan and Icaro in the future.

Our 12-day tour has ended! What an unforgettable experience of a lifetime! I know how much work goes into the logistics of planning such a trip. Every aspect from our guides, drivers, lodging, food, was outstanding. We had so much fun and made friends that we will have for life, not to mention the many birds added to our life list. Juan Manuel is a superior guide in all aspects. Not only is he an expert in spotting birds by sound, sight, and habitat, he tried to the maximum of his ability to find the birds. He also did his best to assist all in the group to see the birds. I felt like he was on constant alert to keep track of each of us and our needs. He is an extremely talented, responsible, and kind individual. Both Juan and our driver Julio, did their best in attending to the needs of the group, not only in birding, but rest stops, providing snacks, and special requests. The local guides were all knowledgeable and attentive to helping the group see birds. Serious birders, I highly recommend this experience.