I want to add my thanks for a marvelous trip.  I much appreciate your hard work in setting up the venues and all of the work put into finding that many great birds.  My final count is in.  I personally saw well exactly 200 species for the trip, which includes a Barn Owl seen at 3:00 AM on Tuesday when I picked up Scott and Ginella to drive them to the Sacramento Airport for our flight to Colombia.  (Scott has a Barn Owl nesting box up on a large tree in his front yard.)  Of that 200, 64 were life birds for me.  As satisfying as was seeing that many life birds were the superb views that I had of most of those birds.  I really appreciate the opportunity to get lengthy and definitive looks at new birds.  I have been telling my birder friends here the stories of the hectoring Black-fronted Wood Quail, the worm-eating Santa Marta Ant Pitta pair, and the Rusty-breasted Ant Pitta as examples of seeing a shy birds exceptionally well.

Again, thank you. 

Peter B. Armstrong, Davis, California

I was so fortunate to be included in the group the Luis Eduardo led in Colombia this past week of Feb 8-15, 2011.  This was my first real focused bird-watching trip. I got to tag along with a group of friends who were rounding out life lists in the thousands. They sought out a good local biologist and guide in Luis and contracted with him for a specific area: the Santa Marta Mountains and environs.

We saw everything they hoped and more. We had a lovely lovely time, relaxed and focused. I learned so much, it was marvelous. We stayed at nice local places in interesting areas. Our transportation logistics was balanced and not over-bearing, no big drives for 8 hours that can happen sometimes with these trips. Everything was so great. It was an area like Costa Rica used to be before the super developed tourist industry moved in. Just perfect.  We will be returning for a longer trip soon and will be hooking up with Luis and Adriana for sure, they are friends now.

 Jenella Loye, University of California, Davis, CA

After a long night and morning of travel, Jenella, Hugh, Don Pedro and I have all arrived home safely in Davis, feeling lucky for the opportunity we had to travel and experience the Santa Marta region with you!

 Scott P Carrol, Davis, California

Santa Marta birding, February 7-14, 2011 

We used Manakin Tours for a quick birding trip to the Santa Marta Mountains and Guajira Peninsula and were extremely pleased with their services. Luis Eduardo, our guide was superb; he knows the birds very well, knows how to find them for his clients, and has good English language skills. Although our time was limited, Luis Eduardo managed to find just about every bird we were after, including difficult ones like sapphire-bellied hummingbird. He and his delightful partner, Andrea, are also lovely people and very service oriented. For example, they met us late at night in Bogata airport and helped us sort out a hotel after the airlines had messed up our travel to Colombia even though it meant changing their own plans. Drivers, lodging, and eating arrangements were good and went off without a hitch, including seafood on the beach. Manakin clearly has excellent connections with the local community. To the question, would you use Manakin again?, the answer is an enthusiastic, Yes! In fact we are planning a tour to the Colombian Andes and Choco with Luis Eduardo as soon as we can organize our group.

 Hugh Dingle, Davis, California

I lived in Colombia in the 1990s when travel in the country was restricted and potentially dangerous, and now that the greater part of the country is safe I set out to find a local organisation which could show me the birds I still needed to see.  The organisation I found is Manakin Nature Tours, run by Eduardo Urueña and Andrea Borras.

 I have just returned from my first tour with Eduardo to the Cauca Valley and the Western Andes and I could not be more satisfied.  Everything from Cauca Guan to Red-bellied Grackle, including such gems as Lanceolated Monklet, Yellow-headed Manakin, Bicoloured Antpitta and both the endemic Bangsias.  Detailed attention to logistics, client comfort and expert guiding are the hallmarks of Manakin Nature Tours, and I hope to be back in Colombia in August to clean up, with Eduardo’s help, the birds of the Santa Marta Massif.

Just now getting my head above water and I wanted to say how much I (we) enjoyed the trip.  From the Yellow-headed Manakin at La Romera to the last bit of Hooded Antpitta tape at Montezuma, it was an adventure the likes of which few will experience.  Thanks to all for making it such a great time.

In the summer of 2010, I went on a private trip with Manakin Nature Tours that focused on specialty birds of Colombias Central Andes, Cauca Valley and Choco regions. From start to finish, our group was in excellent hands. Always professional and courteous, Luis Eduardo and Andrea worked very hard to make sure we were well prepared and taken care of. Luis Eduardo is an excellent guide with in-depth knowledge of the birds and the best places to find them.  As an added advantage, he has up to date knowledge of the political situation in various parts of the country and we felt safe wherever we went.  We couldnt have asked for a better guide to experience the renaissance of Colombian tourism and birding and, of course, spectacular birds!

After an amazing, fun, thoroughly safe month in Colombia I am home with wonderful memories of the sightings we shared, thanks to Luis’ expertise.  His keen eyes and ears and incredible speed with the scope made my first birding trip to his beautiful country an outstanding success.  Logistics went smoothly and key birds were seen extraordinarily well, especially the endemics.  I plan to return for more next year, and would not consider any other guide but Luis, who, in combination with Steve Hilty, makes the best Colombian guiding team possible!

Cheers and thanks again,

Romney Bathurst

Highlands, NC  USA

In May 2010, we utilized the services of Manakin Tours to plan and carry out a birding tour beginning in Bogota, proceeding through the Magdalena Valley, and ending in Santa Marta.  Eduardo and his future wife Andrea did an excellent job of planning all of the logistics of the tour, and then during the tour, of making sure that all of the transportation and other aspects of the tour ran very smoothly.  The day-to-day attention to detail was very impressive, making the tour as comfortable as possible while maximizing our time in quality birding areas.  In the field, Eduardo did a superb job of finding our target birds and helping us see them well, and he has an excellent system for digital recording and playback.  I was amazed at the number of Colombian endemic and almost-endemic birds that we saw, and could not have asked for a more talented guide.  Eduardo has detailed knowledge of the birding sites, and has actually done field research in several of them (as has Andrea).   He has a good rappoire with the local park guides and rangers, which gave us up-to-date information on target birds and on field conditions within each park.   We will certainly be utilizing the services of Manakin Tours again, and highly recommend them for dependable bird tours with detailed logistical planning.

In March 2009, I went on an organized bird trip to Colombia with Manu Expeditions led by Barry Walker. The local guide on this trip was Luis Eduardo Urueña. I was very impressed by the efficient way in which he organized all the necessary factors to make the trip a resounding success logistically, including transport, accommodation, meals, paying of bills etc. In addition, he proved to be an outstanding bird guide in the field with acute hearing and knowledge of the many local bird calls. He also had an amazing ability to spot the birds even when they were perched in the thick rainforest canopy. There is no doubt that his skills contributed greatly to the enjoyment and success of the tour.

I understand that he and his future wife, Andrea, who also accompanied us for part of the tour and his herself an experienced ornithologist, are now planning to set up their own tour company Manakin Nature Tours. Based on my recent experiences, I will be very happy to use the services of this company when I return to Colombia.

Back in September of 2007 I ventured into Colombia when no one else would go with me. I extended an invitation to numerous friends who refused to accompany me out of fear. What an eye-opening tour it was!    It turned out to be one of my most memorable (and SAFE) birding adventures. I always felt safe!  In addition to all the species of birds and butterflies that I added to my life lists, I had the great good fortune of being guided by Luis Eduardo Urueña whom I recommend with unabashed enthusiasm to all would-be travelers to Colombia.  He has years of experience and is extensively knowledgeable not only about the birds but about his country Colombia. He pays attention to detail. He is persistent, efficient, and fun to be with. If you`re interested in aspects of nature other than birds, he will make sure you have an excellent tour, be it butterflies, orchids, or whatever.

And, by the way, he even does a great tour of Bogotá City!

In March 2009 I had the opportunity to travel for almost three weeks with Eduardo (Luis Eduardo Urueña), who was guiding with Barry Walker a Manu Expeditions birdwatching tour in Colombia, as I was learning more about tour opportunities in Colombia.

To start with, Eduardo`s "other job" at the time was as a biologist, and while that was not directly relevant, it is an important aspect because the training and knowledge he has gained as a biologist with ProAves add greatly to his ability to plan and conduct a birdwatching tour.

During our travels, Eduardo had many roles, and in general the trip ran very well because he did them very well.  I would comment specifically on several of those roles:

Finding and Identifying Birds:  Eduardo was expert in the areas we visited in the Magdalena Valley, and thoroughly competent at the reserves we visited in the three cordillera of the Andes.  And he was very proficient at getting what we found in a telescope.

Handling Logistics: Eduardo was extremely good at making the steady stream of minor-but-vital logistical arrangements needed on a daily basis, including 4WD vehicles and even horses to reach remote birding areas.

Improving and Changing the Itinerary:  Based on recent field experience, Eduardo had learned of some better opportunities and he did not stick with the status quo.  Instead he raised the possibilities, and was flexible about making changes to alter the itinerary in useful ways.

Behind the Scenes:  Obviously, given Colombia`s history of internal strife, security is on the minds of visitors.  While birding, one bumps into Colombians who are surprised to encounter foreign birdwatchers; Eduardo interacts easily with the locals to explain our presence.  Further, he stays informed about security issues through his network of local contacts.

The Little Things:  Eduardo understands that a little cooler in the vehicle with a couple of Diet-Cokes helped keep me happy, and he knew who thought 10 a.m. was not too early for a beer, and so forth.  It makes a difference.”
 I look forward to traveling with him again.

I`m writing you to say how much I enjoyed being with you on the May 28, 2009 Colombia Victor Emanuel Nature Tours birding trip. You are likeable person with your engaging smile and personality.  I also observed you having friendly and enjoyable relations with all you came in contact with.  On the tour you were an excellent guide. You were truly a professional.  I benefited greatly from your ability to locate and assist me seeing the bird. You’re clearly spoken and knowledge of the English language enabled me to easily communicate with you. I found you not only knowledgeable of birds but of the flora and wildlife as well.  This birding tour went smoothly getting to places, eating, and lodging. Luis you handled exceptionally well the logistics for our accommodations and travel. Steve Hilty, our Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, leader guide made the comment to me how well you handled the logistics for this tour. Certainly Steve Hilty would know how important this is given his vast experience of leading tours. Luis I appreciated you taking care of those problems regarding our comfort. If a problem occurred you quickly took charge and took care of the matter.  You always seemed to want us to have the best memory of our Colombian birding experience

I spent the month of December 2008, in Columbia this past year and had an absolutely amazing time!  My guide Luis Eduardo and his wife Andrea were both fantastic people to spend a couple of days exploring the jungles and cloud forests of this amazing country.  We saw an incredible diversity of avifauna during our time together and Luis Eduardo was great at identifying each new species that came into view.  We were able to call in some more difficult to see understory species which I certainly never would have been able to see on my own.  I would certainly recommend both Luis Eduardo and Andrea to anyone wishing to visit this beautiful country and get off the beaten track to find some super rare birds and hard to reach places.  I hope to return soon and get out for some more excellent birding and nature trekking!

I visited Colombia in December and January 2007-08 and was lucky enough to have Luis as a guide for most of that period.  I found him to be an extremely skilled guide, finding birds and identifying them on the slightest flicker or squeak, just what is needed from a great guide.  In addition, our party was of mixed ability and he showed a great deal of patience with us all.  The tour went perfectly, with a great deal of credit to Luis.

As a member of VENT tour of the Rio Magdalena Valley and the Santa Marta Mountains I had the pleasure of getting to know Luis Eduardo Urueña.  I found Luis to have excellent eyes and ears.  He was swiftly able to locate calling birds with an amazing accuracy.  Besides his skills in birding he was also able to make the group members feel comfortable at all times.  He was always there exactly when you need help and sometimes when you did not know that you needed help.  I would recommend Luis to anyone as a guide for any birding in Colombia.  His birding skills and pleasant personality make him an ideal guide for an expert or a beginner.

I led four Victor Emanuel Nature Tour trips to Colombia this year (2009), our first trips since 1986, and Luis Eduardo co-led all of these trips with me. Just having the opportunity to return to Colombia and get into the field again was terrific, but having Luis Eduardo along as a co-leader was absolutely marvelous. His youthful energy, great eyes and ears and spotting ability, and eagerness to help everyone see the birds, and to look after their comfort, was invaluable.  Equally impressive was his ability to handle an array of complicated logistics flawlessly, including  meal and picnic arrangements, hotels, rounding up 4-wheel drive vehicles, horses, or whatever the situation required.  Furthermore, Luis and his trusty cell phone (his list of contacts looked like a small phone directory), were able to overcome all the inevitable little emergencies that arise when traveling in remote regions.  And best of all, he seemed never to have met a stranger, mingling perfectly with rural and urban countrymen alike, and always staying up-to-the-minute on issues ranging from security (important in Colombia) and road conditions to the best birding spots.

I certainly plan to have Luis co-lead with me on future VENT trips— and what better recommendation is there than that?