Binoculars to Binomials
Retreats 2026 - Santa Marta
Cohort One: September 4th - 9th, 2026
Cohort Two: September 11th - 15th, 2026
Spend five days in the lush and bird-filled jungle of Santa Marta, Colombia with Jer Thorp and a small group of curious bird + data + art enthusiasts. We'll wander the forest with local guides, learn new skills and approaches, visit indigenous communities, and collaboratively author projects deeply connected to this remarkable place.
Join me in September in Colombia.
We'll spend five days fully immersed in the gorgeous and spectacularly diverse jungle of northwestern Colombia. Based out of the remarkable Frana Lodge, we'll balance our time immersing ourselves in the forest and working on collaborative projects that are grounded in the place and in our shared experience.
We'll make day trips to nearby Kogi villages and to Tayrona Park. Cohort two will range a bit farther afield to the the Santa Marta mountains and to other nearby ecosystems. Evenings will be spent enjoying local food, engaging in conversation, and listening to the calls of nocturnal birds and animals. We'll have knowledgeable local guides on hand to make sure we get the most out of the birdlife.
BtB Retreat 2025
$1,800
only 12 spots available!
Includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner, transport to and from SMR airport, and all retreat programming. 50% deposit to secure your space, 50% due June 30th, 2025. Guests will be assigned accommodation based on registration order and accessibility needs. See accommodation details below.
Cohort One is designed for people who are new to the Santa Marta area and to Frana Lodge and its surroundings.
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Cohort Two will venture a bit farther afield and is a great choice for repeat retreaters!
A most remarkable place.
Colombia is home to more bird species – 1,969 – than any other country on earth. Santa Marta province, in the northwest of the country, is renowned in particular for its astounding diversity of hummingbirds and for a large number of high-altitude endemics.
Our retreat will happen just a few miles from the entrance to Tayrona National Park, and only an hour's drive away form the Santa Marta Mountains. The forest here is dense and full of life. The trails are extensive and the whole area is very nearly car-free. Short hikes will take you to cascading waterfalls; longer ones will bring you up into the foothills of the mountains. Leaf-cutter ants, rainbow lizards, poison dart frogs, howler monkeys and a myriad of brightly-colored butterflies will are good bets on any excursion into the forest.
Frana Lodge was opened in 2023 by Franz Freidhager and Ani Salas. A marvel of site-specific architecture, the lodge is almost completely constructed with local materials. Surrounded by all sides by forest, it's a perfect place for us to feel fully immersed.
Facilitators
The details.
Accommodations
Retreat programming will happen at Frana Lodge. This year all accomodation will be on the lodge property!
Getting there
The closest airport to Frana Lodge is Santa Marta (SMR). Registration includes transport to and from this airport. Transit from Barranquilla (BAQ) is also possible at an extra cost. Transit time from SMR is approximately 60 minutes, 2.5 hours from BAQ. Participants should plan on arriving before dinner on September 11th and leaving any time on September 16th.
We will meet you when you arrive for the hike into the lodge, which takes approximately 25 minutes. Assistance will be available for luggage. Please wear clothes that are compatible with wading across a shallow river, and shoes that are easy to remove. The hike is not challenging but does involve two short uphill sections. If you have mobility concerns, please reach out and we can do our best to accomodate.
Food and drink
Breakfast and dinner are included for participants. There are several affordable and delicious options for lunch near the lodge.
If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies we can most likely accommodate. Please make a note when registering or reach out with questions.
Filtered water, coffee, tea and fresh juices are available throughout the day for all participants. Wine & beer is included with dinner, additional alcoholic beverages are available for purchase at the Frana Lodge bar.
Connectivity
Frana Lodge has wifi. It is reasonably fast but perhaps not well-suited to very bandwidth-heavy applications. Cellular service is reliable in the area but may vary with provider.
Safety
The area near Frana Lodge is considered to be quite safe. That said we will follow procedures to ensure safety and well-being of all participants.
Participants in the retreat will be required to agree to a code of conduct which prioritizes a safe, respectful, and productive environment for all participants