Our Story

Over two decades ago, Dennis — an American working in Washington D.C. — met Adriana, a Colombian from Manizales. They married, built a life in the States, raised two kids. In 2016, the family moved to Colombia.

Dennis joined a local hiking group, and a guide showed him a back trail into the Río Blanco Reserve — a vast protected reserve near Manizales, home to hundreds of bird species and some of the richest biodiversity in the Andes.

It woke something up — the kid who'd spent every free hour in the woods behind his house climbing trees and playing in creeks, and the adult who'd spent years in sterile corporate environments and was quietly searching for something more.

For several years he couldn't stay away — hiking the back trails, studying every ridge and stream. Then he had a chance to buy some land.

Dennis and Adriana never planned to run an ecolodge. But the universe kept nudging, and they went with it. Owl's Watch was born.

Thoughtfully and over time, Dennis and his team transformed the land — planting over 20,000 native trees in partnership with local NGOs through The Nature Conservancy, gently grooming trails through the forest, designing architecture that blends into the mountain, and building platforms and facilities for birders. The land was coming back to life, and ready to welcome guests.

The name Owl's Watch came from a night on the mountain before any of this existed. Dennis and his son Blake camped under the stars, and an owl landed in the tree overhead and watched them through the night. Owls keeping guard over the mountain — that became the story of the place.

Every stay feels private — as if the mountain, the trails, the kitchen, and the team all exist just for you. Dennis and Adriana are still very much part of the experience. This isn't a hotel with a front desk. It's a home on a mountain, and you're an invited guest.