Birdwatching tours Ecuador

Birding in the East and West slopes of the Andes

During this tour we can expect to see around 400 bird species visiting the Cloud Forest of the east and west ranges of the Andes including the Choco region, the Amazon basin and the central Andean Paramo of Ecuador.

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival in Quito and transfer to Hotel Café Cultura.

Day 2
Very early in the morning we travel northwest from Quito crossing the western slopes of the Andes range and arrive at Tandayapa. En route we will visit the Yanacocha Reserve, home to the black-breasted puffleg (Eriocnemis nigrivestis), while we continue our trip we will see other species such as the black-collared jay, barred fruiteater, hooded and scarlet-bellied and the Choco endemic black-chested mountain-tanagers.  Box lunch en route surrounded by colorful hummingbirds. Late afternoon departure to Maquipucuna Reserve with dinner and overnight.

Day 3
At 5am hike along a trail close to the lodge to observe some of the amazing birds of this place, where we can find species like the golden-headed quetzal, crimson-rumped toucanet, violet-tailed sylph, and broad-billed motmot. After lunch we can witness and be part of the different conservation projects that this Foundation manages within their 1400 hectares of forest located in the Andean Choco bioregion. Dinner and overnight.

Day 4
After breakfast we will enjoy a hike along one of the trails to learn about the Cloud Forest and its avifauna. Departure to Mindo, a region that has an impressive bird list of 360 species, highlights include the maroon-tailed parakeet, toucan barbet, nariño tapaculo, golden-headed quetzal and golden and flame-faced tanager. Lunch in Sachatamia Lodge and in the afternoon a short hike around this area to see some species such as the giant and scaled antpitta, choco toucan, scaled fruiteater, tanager-finch and club-winged manakin. Target birds here include wattled and sickle-winged guan, bronze-winged parrot, sparkling violet-ear, Andean emerald, booted racket-tail and the long-tailed sylph. Dinner and overnight.

Day 5
Early in the morning, we will travel to the Angel Paz Reserve for a unique and amazing experience, visiting the cock of the rock lek, where, in the breeding season, the males produce a special sound and fly like real acrobats waiting for the female to choose one of them to mate. After this once in a life time experience we can also observe the giant antpitta and the yellow-breasted antpitta. Lunch in Sachatamia Lodge and in the afternoon take time out to watch the hummingbirds in the feeders of this lodge where it is possible to see the rare Choco endemics the empress brilliant and velvet-purple coronet. Dinner and overnight.

Day 6
Early in the morning we will walk in the area looking for more bird species such as plate-billed mountain-toucan, crested quetzal, masked trogon, Choco toucan, and powerful woodpecker. Other colorful birds we may see here include blue-winged mountain-tanager, green and black fruiteater, and moss-backed tanager. After lunch we will return to Quito. Dinner and overnight in Hotel Café Cultura.

Day 7
After breakfast we will travel to the Antisana Ecological Reserve, where we will visit the Mica Lake in order to see silvery grebe, Andean teal, Andean duck, yellow-billed pintail, Andean coot, and as well as many land birds such as the aplomado falcon, Andean gull, Andean lapwing and carunculated caracara. Here we have a high probability of spotting the majestic Andean Condor and other species like the black-chested buzzard-eagle and variable hawk, bar-winged and stout-billed cinclodes, black-faced ibis, shining sunbeam, red-rumped bush-tyrant, paramo pipit, giant conebill, and spectacled whitestart. Lunch in Hacienda Antisana then continue on to the Guango Lodge through the Papallacta region. This area has well conserved patches of Polylepis forest and is an excellent place to observe high mountain bird species. The 4000-meter high páramo holds a fascinating group of high-altitude species like the variable hawk, many-striped canastero, tawny antpitta and the Andean condor.  Other species expected in this area are the sword-billed hummingbird, great sapphire-wing, scarlet-bellied mountain-tanager, torrent duck, torrent tyrannulet and the superb white-capped dipper.  Dinner and overnight in Guango Lodge.

Early in the morning we will hike trough the trails of this lodge looking for more bird species. After breakfast we will continue our trip to San Isidro Lodge where we will seek out specialties such as the black-chested fruiteater, long-tailed antbird, barred antthrush and the little-known Peruvian antpitta. Lunch and in the afternoon we will walk close to the lodge discovering more bird species. After dinner we will have a nocturnal walk looking for nightjars and owls. Overnight.

Day 9
After breakfast we will travel to the Cordillera de Los Huacamayos where we walk one of the specialized birdwatching trails. Here it is possible to see many different species and we’ll look for the black-billed mountain-toucan, white-bellied antpitta, bicolored antvireo and the very local white-rimmed brush-finch among others. Box lunch en route then return to Quito with dinner and overnight in Café Cultura Hotel.

Day 10
After we have gotten a long list of birds in this unforgettable expedition in Ecuador we will be transferred to the airport to catch our flight home.

Price per person 2010

Single Supplement under request

Price per person 2011

Single Supplement under request

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Trip Extension
We also offer fantastic bird watching trips to the Galapagos Islands and Ecuadorian Rainforests which provides the opportunity to check many more species off your list. Please contact us for more information.