Last week we hiked Valle de Cocora. It was hard and we got lost, but it was so incredibly beautiful and so worth the trouble that we’d absolutely do it again. During the hike, you have the option to option to take a 20 minute detour to Acaime to see the hummingbirds.
You. Should. Do. It.
I might be a little bias because I’m head-over-heals in love with birds, but even if you’re not, it’s still a great stop. It costs an extra 5,000 COP for entrance (<$2 USD) and it includes a beverage and a piece of cheese. The money also supports maintaining the hiking trails which are otherwise free, so it’s definitely worth the money.
When you get there, you’ll find several hummingbird feeders that are swarming with all sorts of hummingbird species. They’re so fun to watch and you can actually get pretty close to them because they’re used to being around people. If you had a good camera and some patience (I have neither), you could get some incredible photos.
I also had the amazing experience of standing a little too close to the feeders with my cup of hot cocoa. I had three different humming birds hovering within a foot of my face as they tried to decide if my beverage could double as a bird feeder. It was so cool! (But don’t do that if you’re afraid of birds.)
Anyway, here’s a two-minute video I compiled with all the videos I took at Acaime. If you love birds or are slightly interested in hummingbirds moving in slow-motion, it’s worth a watch!