Colombia's tourism industry remains
relatively young and undeveloped, and as such there is not the plethora
of ecotourism projects, jungle lodges and wildlife tours that you might
find in neighbouring Equador
for example. Parts of the country, such as the Llanos region, which is
rich in easily viewable wildlife are not particularly safe for travel.
There are, however, a few excellent wildlife viewing options available
in Colombia.
Colombia's whale watching season is between
June and September, though whales (mainly killer and humpback whales)
can often be seen in the months of may and October in addition. The
best place for whale watching tours is Gorgona
Island, but whales can be spotted throughout Colombia's Pacific Coast. In
addition to whales, there's great scuba diving options in Taganga, San Andres and Providencia Island.
Leticia is gateway to Colombia's Amazon rainforest,
where wildlife tours see numerous rainforest creatures.
Colombia is one of the most biodiverse
countries in the world, and has an array of National Parks, many of
which have wildlife viewing possibilities and are excellent for
birdwatching tours. See the birdwatching
section for further details.
There are few genuine examples of ecotourism
(nature based travel whereby the environment and local community
positively benefit from the presence of tourism), or community
ecotourism, in Colombia. As the country becomes increasingly safe for
travel, and the tourism industry further develops, ecotourism will
become more widespread we hope. For the moment, consider Ecoturs
Colombia, who offer birdwatching and nature tours to various
National Parks throughout Colombia.
