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 develop 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.
