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The Balcony Rooms are the best fit for a couple. A private balcony facing the forest gives you a space of your own for morning coffee or for watching birds without leaving your room. If you'd rather wake to the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada, the Koguihabs are the alternative.

The Koguihabs. They sit close to the main restaurant, which is the heart of the reserve, and look out toward the snow-capped peaks at sunrise. For a first visit that proximity helps: the restaurant is where the hummingbird feeders are, where the WiFi is, and where dawn outings set off from.

Los precios corresponden al valor por noche según la capacidad de la habitación. No incluyen servicios no especificados, propinas ni gastos de transporte adicionales, salvo que se indique lo contrario por escrito.

The Family Room, designed for families to share with space for several guests. Children are welcome at the reserve; bear in mind this is a mountain setting with rustic trails and uneven ground, so it's worth planning walks around their ages.

It depends what you're after, because at El Dorado what changes between rooms isn't the level of luxury but your relationship with the landscape. Every room has a private bathroom and the same access to the trails and common areas. What you're choosing is the view: snow-capped peaks at dawn, a balcony over the forest, or full immersion among the trees.

Very nearly. You're inside a nature reserve at 1,950 metres, surrounded by cloud forest, and it shows: the sound of the forest at night, the mist that rolls in from midday, and real mountain cold. There's no WiFi in the rooms, so switching off is quite literal.

It isn't a hotel: it's a reserve owned by Fundación ProAves, and the lodge is how it funds itself. Every night you stay pays the rangers' salaries and maintains the 1,190.5 hectares of forest the reserve has protected since 2006. That forest holds 420 recorded bird species, 22 of them endemic to the Sierra Nevada.

Yes. No previous experience or equipment is needed to enjoy the reserve. The feeders beside the restaurant draw hummingbird activity throughout the day and make a comfortable place to start. If you want to head out on the trails, a local guide makes all the difference — they know the spots and the calls.

No. Seeing a specific species can never be guaranteed: it depends on food availability, breeding season and the weather on the day. Some species are more likely than others, and heading out with a local guide during the peak activity windows improves your chances considerably.

October to February, when migratory species are present and the weather is at its driest. Outside that window birding is still excellent: the Sierra Nevada endemics are residents and are present all year round.

Early morning, between 5:30 and 9:30 a.m., and late afternoon, between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Around midday mist usually settles over the reserve and activity drops noticeably. If you're heading out before dawn, you can order a takeaway breakfast between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m.

Yes. The reserve keeps a directory of local guides that we share so you can arrange directly with whoever you prefer, and guides work in Spanish, English and French. They're people from the area with deep knowledge of the terrain and the species. Each guide sets their own rate depending on the length of the outing, the language and group size.

There are feeder stations at the Ecocentro, the restaurant, the moto-cart trail and the Laguna sector. Peak activity runs from 6:00 to 9:30 a.m. and from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Ask at reception which stations are active during your stay.

At the feeders near the restaurant, where activity is high and the working distance is comfortable. The best light coincides with the activity peaks: first thing in the morning and late afternoon. Bring a tripod and spare batteries, which you can charge in the common area.

Yes, access requires a 4x4 vehicle or a moto-taxi. A high-clearance vehicle without four-wheel drive won't manage it: the road has large rocks and sustained climbs. If you're not travelling by 4x4, message us on WhatsApp at +57 322 209 05 01 and we'll share the directory of local drivers.

No. Pets are not permitted, as a matter of conservation policy. El Dorado protects sensitive wildlife, and domestic animals alter their behaviour and can transmit disease.

Between two hours and two and a half in normal traffic. The final stretch is the slowest, since it runs on the mountain track. Aim to arrive before dark: the access road is unlit.

Daytime temperatures run between 16 °C and 22 °C, dropping to 10–14 °C at night with damp and wind. Mornings usually start clear, but from midday cloud builds fast and dense mist or drizzle is common. Bring quick-drying clothing, a warm jumper, a waterproof jacket and footwear with good grip. Skip jeans — once wet, they take forever to dry.

A torch, ideally a head torch, repellent, sunscreen, a flask or reusable bottle, and Ziploc bags to keep your phone dry. The item guests most often forget is a waterproof layer, and it's the one they most wish they'd brought. Also pack any personal medication you'll need for the whole stay.

There's satellite WiFi in the restaurant and café, though not in the rooms, and mobile signal at certain points, most likely on Claro and Movistar. There is no ATM in the area — the nearest is in Santa Marta, about two hours away. Withdraw the Colombian pesos you'll need before heading up.

Yes. The El Camino bus leaves Santa Marta's terminal at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m. and drops you at the junction known as La Y. From there it's 5 kilometres to the reserve, which you can walk or cover in a 4x4 picked up at the same spot.

Yes, as long as we're told in advance. The kitchen can adapt meals for allergies, health conditions and other requirements, and the menu contains no red meat. Since every ingredient is brought up from Santa Marta, telling us when you book is what makes it possible.

Walk the reserve's five trails and head up to the lagoon for sunrise. Beyond organised activities, El Dorado is built for switching off: plenty of guests come simply to read, rest or sit in silence in the middle of the cloud forest.

Five trails, all setting off from the main area: El Búho (0.8 km, low-medium), El Quetzal (0.5 km, low), Las Terrazas (0.6 km, low), La Cumbre (3.2 km, low) and Laguna Sagrada (1.2 km, high). Walking times range from 15 minutes to around two hours; if you're stopping to bird, allow considerably longer.

Yes, the trails can be walked independently. That said, for birding a local guide makes an enormous difference: they know the spots and the calls, and pick up species you'd otherwise walk straight past. Check trail conditions at reception before setting out, especially after rain.

Yes. To catch sunrise there you'll need to leave between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m. with 4x4 transport. You can also reach it on foot via the La Cumbre trail and return along the main road. Arrange transport and your takeaway breakfast at reception the night before.

Takeaway breakfast 4:00–4:30 a.m., breakfast on site 7:00–8:30 a.m., lunch 12:30–1:30 p.m. and dinner 7:00–8:00 p.m. Meals are not included in the rate and must be arranged in advance.

Alcohol may not be brought into the reserve. El Dorado is a conservation and wildlife-watching site where quiet and early nights are part of the experience — many activities start before dawn.

Your stay is a direct financial contribution: it pays the rangers' salaries and maintains El Dorado and the other reserves of Fundación ProAves. The lodge isn't a business running alongside the conservation work — it's what sustains it.

1,190.5 hectares of cloud forest in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, under continuous protection since 2006. 420 bird species have been recorded there, 22 of them endemic and 13 near-endemic — found nowhere else on earth. The Sierra Nevada is the world's highest coastal mountain range and functions as an ecological island, isolated from the rest of the Andes.

The active project is nest monitoring for the Santa Marta Parakeet, a species endemic to the Sierra and listed as endangered by the IUCN. You can visit the project accompanied by the foundation's rangers — request it at reception when you check in, subject to the team's availability.

The reserve runs on solar panels supplying power to several buildings and three hot showers, and uses an electric vehicle to cut emissions. There's also waste separation, tree nurseries to enrich the ecosystem, and water filters where you can refill your own bottle instead of using single-use plastic.

Don't touch or feed the animals, don't collect any flora or fauna, and stay on the marked trails. Feeding wildlife changes natural behaviour and creates dependence, and many of El Dorado's species exist nowhere else in the world.

Yes, you can donate directly to Fundación ProAves. Donations go toward sustaining the network of reserves and the research and monitoring projects underway. Email visit@conservation.co to learn about the options available.

In the booking engine on our website, which always shows current information for your dates. Rates vary with the dates, the room type and the number of guests, so we don't quote a fixed figure through other channels.

No. The rate covers your room, access to the common areas and free use of the trails. Meals, guiding and transport carry an additional cost and are arranged in advance — message us on WhatsApp at +57 322 209 05 01.

Check-in is from 3:00 p.m. and check-out is at 10:00 a.m. After checking out you can still use the trails, the facilities and the restaurant until 2:00 p.m., so there's no need to rush off.

Two to three. There's no mandatory minimum, but three nights let you walk the different trails, catch two separate dawns and reach the higher sectors of the reserve without rushing.

Cancellations are not refunded, but the amount you paid is credited toward a future stay, to be used within one year of your original booking date. Reaching El Dorado is logistically demanding: staffing, supplies and food are arranged far in advance, which is why we ask for at least 15 days' notice for any change.

Yes, subject to availability and with at least 15 days' notice. Email visit@conservation.co with your booking number and your new dates.

Debit and credit cards through a payment link sent to your email by our reservations team, and cash in Colombian pesos at the reserve. Bear in mind there's no ATM in the area, so withdraw what you'll need in Santa Marta.

October to February, when migratory birds are present and the weather is at its driest. December to March is the busiest period, so book well ahead if you're travelling then.

Message us on WhatsApp at +57 322 209 05 01 or email visit@conservation.co. WhatsApp is usually faster; email is the right channel for formal booking matters such as changes and cancellations.