La Posada de Las Aves

I'd had the chance to visit San Rafael once before, about two years ago, and I'd fallen in love with its rivers, the weather, and the sheer abundance of birds. On that trip, I came across the San Rafael Bird Guide for the first time, and while skimming through the contributors, I stumbled upon Winston's name — though at the time, I filed him away as just another seasoned birder who'd given back to bird conservation in Antioquia. I didn't yet connect him to La Posada.

As my visit got closer, I started digging into the place — watching interviews, reading reviews — and that's when the guide came back to me. The idea of spending time with someone so experienced, who also offered guided birding, really appealed to me.

We stayed two nights, and honestly, it exceeded every expectation. The variety of species coming to the feeders and perches is remarkable — you can feel that the environment and the respect shown to the birds have built something truly special here. For a rural area, the food and delivery options are surprisingly good, and there are restaurants nearby. Claudia recommended an amazing pizza, and breakfast was included with the stay — a beautiful cup of coffee made in a French press, with single-origin beans.

There's a swimming hole just a short walk from the posada, with cool, clear water and a peaceful atmosphere. The birding trail itself is easy — accessible to just about anyone — and it normally leads to some lovely spots along the river with food nearby. But Winston took us a little further, to La Isleta waterfall. Absolutely stunning.

Talking with Winston — the guide and one of the hosts — he shared parts of his life story: the journey that brought him here, and how he made his dream happen. What he and Claudia have built together, and the way they open it up to others through the posada and the guided walks, genuinely moved me. I felt a real connection to his story. I've always held onto the idea of spending years in the countryside — reforesting, documenting birds, building my own sanctuary — and something keeps happening to me whenever I meet people who've actually done it: my heart fills up. Not just because they made it, but because they still show up for others. They share what they know, they care about the land, they give back. That, to me, is one of the most beautiful things about the birding world — the people in it, their stories, and how those stories somehow become part of your own.