ATV Tour near Cartagena · Patrol the Reserve
Adventure with a mission: monitoring and protecting tropical dry forest · 35 km from Cartagena
Free hotel & Airbnb pickup in Cartagena
Verified credentials
- Peer-reviewed scienceBird Conservation International · Cambridge
- Legally authorizedCARDIQUE · Res. 1972/2022
- Registered tour operatorRNT 236330 · Colombia
Book direct: 10% off the price on TripAdvisor, Airbnb, and GetYourGuide.
At a glance
Pickup & return
From your hotel or Airbnb in Cartagena
Private door-to-door transport, round-trip included
Duration
6 hours
Morning shift 7 AM – 1 PM · Afternoon shift 12 PM – 6 PM
Price
USD $150 per person
Children up to 16 years old pay 50%. All inclusive.
Group
Max. 5 people per guide
Small groups, bilingual guide Spanish/English.
Minimum age
16 years
Due to the physical demands of handling the quad
What's included
Everything, no extras
Private door-to-door transport + breakfast + lunch + bilingual guide + activity + native tree planting.
Tree planting included
A native tree
Each visitor plants their own tree in the tropical dry forest restoration zone.
Location
Near Cartagena
35 km from Cartagena · view on Google Maps →
Languages
Spanish and English
ATV near Cartagena, with a mission: patrol the Los Loros Reserve.
This is not just another ATV tour. It is a real patrol through a 500-hectare nature reserve of tropical dry forest in Villanueva, Bolívar, 35 km from Cartagena de Indias. For one day you live what it means to be a ranger of the Los Loros Reserve: you ride the territory the Foundation protects and carry out the tasks that keep it alive.
Your mission as a ranger for a day
- Patrol the reserve by ATV along dry-forest trails, stream crossings and lookouts over the mountain range.
- Carry food and water to animals in the reintegration process.
- Monitor the behavior of released animals: the patrol records where they are and how they behave.
- Deter poachers and opportunists: patrol presence keeps them from entering to steal animals or timber.
- In the dry season, watch the reserve to prevent fires, the forest's biggest threat in those months.
The day starts with a traditional breakfast by the lake and a patrol briefing on the Foundation's work. At the end, you plant a native tree in the restoration zone: the same forest that will sustain tomorrow's reintegrated flocks.
Patrolling means protecting one of Colombia's most endangered ecosystems.
Tropical dry forest has nearly vanished from Colombia, and what survives is fragmented into isolated patches. Every patrol that rides the reserve is active presence: wildlife protection and monitoring across the territory the Foundation's rehabilitated parrots and macaws return to. The value of your experience funds that work.
The species your patrol protects
The reserve is home to the 8 parrot and macaw species of the Foundation's program:
- Yellow-crowned amazon (Amazona ochrocephala)
- Scarlet macaw (Ara macao)
- Blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna)
- Chestnut-fronted macaw (Ara severa)
- Orange-winged amazon (Amazona amazonica)
- Blue-headed parrot (Pionus menstruus)
- Orange-chinned parakeet (Brotogeris jugularis)
- Brown-throated parakeet (Eupsittula pertinax)
And beyond them: 200+ bird species and the wildlife of the dry forest. Meet the reserve's wildlife →
A glimpse of the reserve
Itinerary
What your day looks like
Choose the shift that works best for you. Both cover all Stations of El Sendero hacia la Libertad — only the start time changes.
7:00
12:00
60 min
Pickup at your hotel
We pick you up in Cartagena with private door-to-door transport. Approximately 1 hour to Villanueva, Bolívar.
8:00
13:00
30 min
Arrival and breakfast by the lake
Welcome breakfast made with ingredients from our farm.
8:30
13:30
30 min
Conservation talk
How the foundation works: rehabilitation, reintegration, and restoration of the tropical dry forest.
9:00
14:00
150 min
ATV Tour
Tropical dry forest trails on a solo quad with a guide. Stream crossings, lookout points, reforestation zones.
11:30
16:30
30 min
Farm lunch
Lunch with local ingredients from our own production.
12:00
17:00
30 min
Plant your native tree
You plant your own native tree in the tropical dry forest restoration zone. It's your physical legacy — the same tree that tomorrow will give food and shelter to the released parrots.
12:30
17:30
30 min
Farewell and return
We return to Cartagena by private transport. Estimated arrival at 13:00 (morning shift) or 18:00 (afternoon shift).
From the patrol
The views you earn on patrol
Pause the engine at the top of the trail and this is what you see: tropical dry forest stretching toward the mountain range — the 500 hectares your patrol helps protect. Filmed on a real patrol through the reserve.
The Trail to Freedom
Your place on the trail
Each experience covers some of the 11 stations in the real rehabilitation and reintegration process. The ones you'll go through are highlighted.
Breakfast at the Lake
Fruit Kitchen
Feeding the birds
Flight exercises
Trail of the tití monkeys
Nursery · tree selection
Horseback ride along the trail
Release point
Agroecological point
Commemorative tree planting
Toast and certificate
Station 4 · Flight exercises
Flying strong is surviving. Every flight exercise prepares a return to the forest.
Sanctuary team · Fundación Loros
The impact behind your visit
Real numbers from the Foundation's work
Every experience you book finances this measurable, verifiable work. These are the numbers behind Colombia's only specialized center for psittacines.
100+
Birds released and site-faithful
Parrots and macaws that flew back to the forest
150+
Birds in active rehabilitation
Rescued from illegal trade and in the process of reintegration
500 ha
Protected tropical dry forest
One of the most threatened ecosystems in the Caribbean
20.000+
Trees planted in the reserve
Nursery on-site · native and fruit-bearing species
1.000+
Parrots seized per year in Colombia
The reason the Foundation exists
Our commitment
Regenerative tourism
Pioneers in Colombia
Net positive impact — we leave every place better than we found it.
It goes beyond reducing environmental harm: on every experience you become an active agent who restores ecosystems — returning rescued animals to the wild and bringing back the tropical dry forest, Colombia's most threatened ecosystem.
- Real work
- Tree planting
- Reserve patrol
- Flight exercises
- Food preparation
- Fruit & seeds
- Water refills
- Habitat enrichment
It even pairs with citizen science — parrot-sighting contests and eBird checklists that turn your visit into real conservation data.
Gallery
They already patrolled the reserve
Visitors on real patrols along the dry-forest trails.
Voices from the expedition
What they found along the way
It is fantastic what they are doing here to support wildlife! We learnt a lot and saw beautiful birds. Everything was well organised. We recommend it to anyone who wants a different experience that supports wildlife and the local community.
Kari· Australia
GetYourGuide · Noviembre 2025
This is one of THE best experiences I've ever had anywhere in the world! You arrive at a nature reserve where they rescue, rehabilitate and 'rewild' parrots and macaws. It's truly fascinating to learn about them. We came across monkeys, horses and more. We ended this incredible day by planting a native tree.
Olga· Estados Unidos
GetYourGuide · Julio 2025
Wspaniały dzień w otoczeniu przyrody. Nasza przewodniczka Corina to cudowny człowiek, czuliśmy się bardzo zaopiekowani. Mamy ogromny szacunek do tego co robią dla ratowania zwierząt i roślin.
Monika· Polonia
GetYourGuide · Enero 2026
I cannot recommend this activity enough! The guides were absolutely incredible, we learned so much about how they rehabilitate the birds. The dogs that live there are wonderful too. We were given delicious fresh food, and we even got to choose a tree which we then got to plant atop the mountain.
Grace· Reino Unido
GetYourGuide · Diciembre 2025
This experience changed how I think about conservation. The team's passion for their animals is evident.
Maggie DiMatteo
Viator · Mayo 2025
These testimonials are real customer reviews. They can be verified on:
Frequently asked questions
What's included in the price?+
Round-trip transport from Cartagena, breakfast and lunch made with ingredients from our farm, bilingual guide Spanish/English, all program activities, and the conservation contribution.
Do you offer discounts for children or groups?+
Children up to 16 years old pay 50%. For groups of more than 6 people or special inquiries, write to us using the inquiry button and we'll send you a personalized quote.
What is the minimum and maximum age?+
The minimum age is 7. There is no maximum age — the experience is suitable for people in good general physical condition. If you have questions about the difficulty level for your group, contact us.
What size are the groups?+
We work with small groups: maximum 5 people per bilingual guide. This lets us offer a personalized experience, respect the wildlife, and keep a comfortable pace for everyone.
What should I bring?+
Comfortable, breathable clothing, closed-toe shoes with good grip (no sandals), cap or hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, camera, and water (we provide reusable bottles). For birdwatching and hiking, long trousers are better.
Where do we get picked up, and what time?+
We pick you up at your hotel, accommodation, or an agreed meeting point in Cartagena, in private door-to-door transport. There are two shifts: morning (pickup 7:00 AM, return ~1:00 PM) and afternoon (pickup 12:00 PM, return ~6:00 PM). The exact location and time are confirmed 24 hours before by WhatsApp.
What is the cancellation policy?+
Cancellations more than 72 hours in advance: full refund. Between 72 and 24 hours: 50% refund. Less than 24 hours or no-show: no refund. If we cancel due to weather or safety reasons: full refund or rescheduling.
Is it suitable for people with reduced mobility?+
Some experiences involve walking on uneven terrain. For guests with limited mobility, we have adapted options (UTV tours, observation from the farm). Tell us your situation through the inquiry option and we'll put something together for you.
What languages is the experience offered in?+
All our guides are bilingual in Spanish and English. If your group needs another language, write to us in advance and we'll see what we can arrange.
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