Travel

Birdwatching from the Caribbean to the Pacific coast

Geographic Location

The Caribbean Region is a natural region of Colombia located in the northwest part of the country, contiguous to the Caribbean Sea. This regions is characterized for having a massif plain that extends from the Colombian Andean Mountain range, surrounds the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range and covers the Guajira Peninsula to border the Caribbean sea. This region is crossed by many rivers, being the most important the Magdalena river which is navigable. The region also contains one of the largest marshes in Colombia, the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta marsh among many others.

The Pacific Region is located on Colombia's west coast. This region covers an area of 83,170 km2. This region extends from the Gulf of Urabá in the north to the border with Ecuador in the south, and includes part of the departments of Nariño, Cauca, Valle de Cauca and Antioquia, and the whole of the department of Chocó.

This region is characterized by its high humidity. Its precipitation is among the highest in the world (average of 4,000 mm per year and some areas that receive as much as as 12,000 mm per year). These high levels of precipitation support a number of rivers, including the Atrato River, San Juan River, Patia River, Baudo River and Mira River. The population of the region is mainly Afro-Colombian (it also includes several indigenous settlements). Choco’s economy is based on mining (gold and platinum), timber, fishing, cattle raising and agriculture (particularly the cultivation of borojo, banana and plantain). Buenaventura is Colombia's main Pacific port.

Travel Highlights:

  • Rain forest
  • Altitudinal gradients
  • A UNESCO Historical site
  • Exotic fauna and flora
  • Rivers and waterfalls
  • Mangroves
  • Caves