The National Aviary of Colombia

Colombia has more bird species than any other country, and this park on the Baru peninsula is the easiest place to see a serious cross-section of them without walking into a forest at five in the morning. The site is laid out as three zones, desert, tropical forest and coastal, with large walk-through aviaries where macaws, toucans, flamingos, curassows and birds of prey are kept in something closer to habitat than cages. Paths are shaded and flat, keeper talks and flight demonstrations run through the day, and the whole circuit takes two to three hours at a slow pace. It pairs naturally with a beach afternoon on Baru.

What you actually see

• The walk-through aviaries - macaws, toucans and tanagers at close range.
• The coastal zone - flamingos, herons and shorebirds around shallow pools.
• Birds of prey - eagles, hawks and owls, with flight demonstrations.
• The desert section - dry-country species from the Guajira and Caribbean scrub.

When to go

Open year round; December to April is drier and the paths stay firm. Arrive at opening, both because the birds are active in the cooler hours and because the middle of the day on Baru is brutally hot with little breeze. Weekends and Colombian school holidays fill the place with family groups and slow the walk-through sections.

Honest expectations

The road out from Cartagena takes an hour in each direction and taxis charge accordingly, so transport can cost more than the ticket. Entry is not cheap by Colombian standards. Much of the walk is in the open, and heat and humidity wear people down by late morning. Serious birders will find the experience curated rather than wild.

Nearby

Playa Blanca on Baru and the Rosario Islands are close; Cartagena is an hour back up the road.