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NORTHERN ECUADOR
The Ultimate South American Bird Tour
Birdquest's Northern Ecuador birding tour is surely the ultimate South American birdwatching trip. Our classic Northern Ecuador tour regularly records over 800 species (more than any other 3 week birding tour), while also recording numerous specialities!
Wednesday 1st August -
Saturday 18th August 2012
(18 days)
Amazonian Lowlands Post-Tour Extension to Saturday 25th August (7 days)
Leader:
Juan Carlos Calvachi
Group Size Limit: 9
Tour Category: Easy to Moderate (and two optional fairly short but fairly Demanding trails)
How remarkable that the sought-after Giant Antpitta can now be seen relatively easily in the Mindo area, where they are tempted from the forest interior by a gift of worms! (János Oláh)
Ecuador, bisected from north to south by the mighty Andes mountains and from east to west by the equator (after which the country is named), offers wonderful birding amidst magnificent scenery in one of the smallest countries in South America.
Once part of the Inca empire that stretched from Chile to Colombia and later a Spanish colony before it gained its independence during the 19th century, this small country possesses an extraordinary range of environments. Here in a comparatively limited area one can travel from towering snow-capped volcanoes to oxbow lakes deep in the Amazonian rainforests and from windswept grasslands to temperate cloud forests. It is thus not surprising that Ecuador has the highest bird species diversity for an area its size in South America. Over 1600 bird species have already been recorded from this beautiful country, twice as many as from the whole of Europe, and yet many areas still remain ornithologically unexplored! In addition to having many species that are widely distributed in South America, Ecuador has a fine selection of endemics and other species only shared with neighbouring areas in Colombia or northern Peru.
This wonderful country offers not only the ultimate in Neotropical birding but also one of the richest birding experiences on earth! Ours is the most comprehensive tour to the northern regions of Ecuador available, regularly recording over 800 species in about three weeks in the country, including a huge number of very special birds! This tour is also specially designed to see as many as 75 or more hummingbirds, something which is not possible anywhere else in the world within such a short time frame!
During our travels we shall visit almost all of the main habitats found in the northern half of the country. We will look for seedsnipe high on the Andean slopes, gorgeously-plumaged quetzals and gaudy tanagers amongst the moss and bromeliad-encrusted trees of the cloud forests, toucans and manakins along a tributary of the Amazon, skulking antbirds deep in the rainforest, scintillating hummingbirds breaking all the laws of aerodynamics as they search out blossoms, raucous chachalacas at dawn, confusing woodcreepers and ovenbirds, retiring doves and exotic trogons. Ecuador’s astonishing diversity of birdlife, welcoming people, short travel distances and good accommodations make birding here a real delight.
Starting in Quito, a pleasant colonial city nestled in the central valley of the Andes below the Pichincha volcano, we will investigate some splendid patches of temperate cloudforest at Yanacocha, high on the slopes of this still active volcano, where hummingbird feeders attract such iridescent jewels as Sword-billed Hummingbird, Golden-breasted Puffleg and Rainbow-bearded Thornbill. Subsequently we shall explore verdant cloud forests and paramo grasslands in the surrounding highlands and on the western slope of the Andes around Mindo. This is one of the most exciting areas for birds in Ecuador and amongst a plethora of new birds we will be wanting to see Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Empress and Fawn-breasted Brilliants, Buff-tailed and Velvet-purple Coronets, the gorgeous Golden-headed Quetzal, the splendid Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, the impressive Toucan Barbet, Streak-capped and Uniform Treehunters, Nariño and Spillmann’s Tapaculos, Club-winged Manakin, Orange-breasted and Scaled Fruiteaters, Olivaceous Piha, Beautiful Jay and the rare Tanager Finch. A star attraction in the Mindo region are the Giant, Yellow-breasted, Moustached and Ochre-breasted Antpittas that have been habituated to eat provided earthworms by the extraordinary Angel Paz!
Farther west, we will explore some remnant lowland forest for such Chocó specialities as Green Thorntail, the handsome Purple-chested Hummingbird, Chocó Trogon, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Lanceolated Monklet, Rufous-winged Tyrannulet, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher, Stripe-throated Wren, Chocó Warbler (split from Golden-bellied), and the near-endemic Scarlet-breasted Dacnis, and Rufous-winged, Blue-whiskered, Gray-and-gold and Scarlet-browed Tanagers.
After returning to Quito we will sample the rich birdlife of the high Andean paramo at Antisana National Park and at the Papallacta Pass, looking for such great birds as Andean Condor, Carunculated Caracara, Noble Snipe, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, the endemic Ecuadorian Hillstar, Giant Hummingbird, Paramo Tapaculo and Black-backed Bush-Tanager.
After spending some time on the western slope of the Andes and in the western lowlands, our spectacular descent into the upper tropical zone at the base of the eastern slope of the Andes will come as a total ornithological contrast. Here we will visit the superb Wild Sumaco and Gareno Lodges. Birdlife is extraordinarily rich here at the edge of Amazonia, and amongst many special birds are Rufous Potoo, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Black-mandibled Toucan, the wonderful Pavonine Quetzal, Fiery Topaz, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Yellow-browed and Hairy-crested Antbirds, Reddish-winged Bare-eye, Chestnut-crowned Gnateater, Purple-throated Cotinga, Grey-tailed Piha, Foothill Elaenia, Olive-chested Flycatcher, Buff-throated and Black-and-white Tody-Tyrants, the pretty White-crowned and Blue-rumped Manakins, Olivaceous and Rufous-naped Greenlets, Blue-browed Tanager, Golden-collared Honeycreeper and Olivaceous Siskin.
As we make our way back to Quito we will explore progressively higher areas as we ascend the verdant eastern slope of the Andes all the way to the Guacamayos Ridge. There are so many specialities in this fantastic area that it is hard to know which to pick out, but amongst the many good birds here are Rufous-banded Owl, Swallow-tailed Nightjar, Crested Quetzal, Yellow-vented Woodpecker, White-bellied and Slate-crowned Antpittas, Ocellated Tapaculo, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Black-billed Peppershrike, Dusky Piha, Yellow-whiskered Bush-Tanager and White-capped Tanager.
Finally we descend the western slope of the Andes once more. Here, in the lush foothills around Tinalandia and in the lowland rainforest at Rio Palenque, we shall be looking for yet more specialities restricted to this side of the Andes, such as Rufous-headed Chachalaca, Chocó Screech-Owl, Band-tailed Barbthroat, White-whiskered Puffbird, Spot-crowned Antvireo, Checker-throated Antwren, Esmeraldas Antbird, Black-headed Antthrush, Snowy-throated Kingbird, Speckle-breasted Wren and Gray-and-gold Warbler.
During the optional extension we shall spend some time at La Selva and in the Napo Wildlife Center, the best lodges in Amazonian Ecuador from a birding standpoint. La Selva is a remote jungle lodge on the north side of the majestic Napo River which has earned a reputation as one of the finest places for birding in the whole of Amazonia. The Napo Wildlife Center is virtually opposite La Selva, but on the south side of the Napo River in the Yasúni National Park. On foot and by canoe we will explore the superb rainforests and oxbow lakes of this extraordinarily rich area, enjoying such impressive species as Hoatzin and Blue-and-yellow Macaw, a parrot spectacular at a salt lick, and such specialities as the secretive Zigzag Heron, Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, Purplish Jacamar, Scarlet-crowned Barbet, Orange-fronted Plushcrown, Short-billed Leaftosser, the little-known Cocha Antshrike, Dot-backed and Spot-backed Antbirds, Wire-tailed and Orange-crested Manakins, Ash-throated and Chestnut-belted Gnateaters and the amazing Black-necked Red-Cotinga. We should also find such river island specialists as Olive-spotted Hummingbird, Lesser Hornero, White-bellied Spinetail, Parker’s Spinetail (split from Rusty-backed), Castelnau’s Antshrike, Black-and-white Antbird and River Tyrannulet.
Birdquest has operated tours to Ecuador since 1989.
(Note: The above is a summary of the tour. For more information please download the detailed, day-by-day itinerary. The button is at the top right of the page.)
Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels/lodges are moistly of normal Birdquest standard. At Gareno Lodge and at La Selva the rooms are rather simple and there is no electricity, but all rooms have private bathrooms. Road transport is by small coach and roads are variable in quality.
Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy to moderate, but there are two optional, fairly short, more strenuous muddy trails.
Climate: Rather variable. At low and middle altitudes many days are warm or hot, dry and sunny, but it is sometimes cool and overcast. At high altitudes conditions range from cool to decidedly cold. It often rains (and it may even snow at high altitudes) and it can be rather humid in the lowlands.
Bird Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile.
Part-Tour Option: Subject to space being available, it is possible to take the East slope of the Andes and Tinalandia/Rio Palenque section of this tour only, or this section combined with the Amazonian Lowlands extension. Please contact us for further information.
Tour Price: $5280 Quito/Quito. Post-Tour Extension: $1940. Price includes all transportation (including Quito-Coca-Quito flights), all accommodations, all meals, bottled water, some drinks, all excursions, all entrance fees, all tips for local drivers/guides and for accommodations/restaurants, leader services.
Single Room Supplement: $551. Post-Tour Extension: $397.
Deposit: 10% of the tour price (excluding any single supplement).
Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency can arrange your air travel in connection with the tour from a departure point anywhere in the world, or you may arrange your own air travel if you prefer. We can tailor-make your itinerary to your personal requirements, so if you would like to travel in advance of the tour (and spend a night in an hotel so you will feel fresh when the tour starts), or return later than the end of the tour, or make a side trip to some other destination, or travel business class rather than economy, we will be happy to assist. Please contact us about your air travel requirements.
Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe haunt the paramo grasslands of the high Andes (János Oláh)
51 photos
View Gallery Photos From NORTHERN ECUADOR
The highly-sought Rufous Potoo is now a regular feature on our Ecuador tours (János Oláh)
The improbable Sword-billed Hummingbird is one of many extraordinary creatures on this amazing tour (János Oláh)
Yellow-breasted Antpitta is another species that worms are tempting out of hiding in the Mindo forests (János Oláh)
Whereas Chestnut-crowned Antpittas need no such 'encouragement' (János Oláh)
Sand-coloured Nighthawks roost right out in the open along the Rio Napo in Amazonian Ecuador (János Oláh)
Blue-headed Parrots and Dusky-headed Parakeets gather at the clay-lick at La Selva (János Oláh)
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