Eastern Andes and Amazon (11-days from £1,445 per person)

Overview

The Eastern slopes of Ecuador’s Andes and Amazon hold some of the richest avifaunas in the world. A wonderful mix of high Andes birds, cloud forest species, foothill specialities and the Amazonian birds, this 11-day journey takes you across a range of elevations and habitats, staying in the best lodges and ending in the award winning Napo Wildlife Centre...

• Average number of birds expected to be seen & heard: 300 - 350 species.
• Climatic zones visited: 4 out of six
• Altitude Range: 220 to 4000 meters (660 to 12,000 feet)
• Vegetation types: 5 Lower and upper montane rainforest ( cloud forest ), North Ecuadorian Grassland & quebrada vegetation, Grass Paramos, shrub and cushion paramos Amazon Lowland rainforest.

Details

• Fixed departures leaving every month (ask us for dates)
• 11-day trip begins and ends in Quito
• 2 nights Quito, 1 night Guango, 2 nights San Isidro, 2 nights Wildsumaco, 3 nights Napo Wildlife Centre
• Tour Cost from £1,445 per person, based on two people sharing a double room, excluding international flights. Includes all accommodation, guide services, meals, transport, internal flight Coca-Quito.

Outline Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrive in Quito
Day 2 – Guango
Day 3 – Guango – San Isidro
Day 4 – San Isidro
Day 5 – San Isidro – Wildsumaco
Day 6 – Wildsumaco
Day 7 – Wildsumaco - NWC
Day 8 – Napo Wildlife Centre
Day 9 – Napo Wildlife Centre
Day 10 – NWC – Coca-Quito
Day 11 – Transfer to airport for flight home (or extension)

NOTE:

Land cost includes:

• All accommodation, guide services, transport
• All meals, except lunch and dinner in Quito.
• The price is based on 2 people sharing a double room.
• Entrances to any reserves or national parks.

Land Cost Does Not Include:

• International airfare
• Departure Tax from Ecuador ($43 per person)
• Alcoholic beverages or bottled drinks.
• Gratuities

Single Supplement:

If you are a single traveller, but are happy to share with a fellow traveller of the same sex, we will try and organise for you to pair up. However if this isn’t possible, or you would prefer your own room, there is a single supplement cost of £210 per person.

 

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.

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Itinerary

Day 1 – Quito Arrive in Quito. You will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel, with the rest of the day to relax and recover from your flight. Overnight Quito.

Day 2 – Papallacta Pass – Guango Under 2 hours drive from Quito, the Papallacta Pass provides a great experience of high Andean birding –the high pass brings you above the tree line at 4150m – here we will search for high-elevation species such as Ecuadorian Hillstar, Blue-mantled Thornbill, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Bar-winged and Stout-billed Cinclodes and Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant. On the eastern side of the pass there are some intact areas of of Polylepis woodland. Here the chance to see Giant Conebill and Black-backed Bush-Tanager while scanning the skies for Andean Condor.

From here we travel down to Guango lodge which lies at around 2,700 meters surrounded by temperate forest and very birdy flocks – birding all the way! This area is characterised by its thicker canopy. Known for the stunning variety of hummingbirds including Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Tourmaline Sunangel, Golden-breasted and Glowing Pufflegs, along with other birds which are seen regularly including Andean Guan, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan and Turquoise Jay.

Day 3 – Guango – San Isidro After early morning birding around the lodge, we head east to San Isidro lodge whose immediate surroundings now boast a bird list of about 310 species, many of which are more easily found here than anywhere else in the country. Although the lodge is situated at about 2050 meters above sea level, the trails lead through elevational gradients that pass through habitats from 2,400 meters all the way down to 1,850 meters. What this means to birders is an ideal base to observe Andean birds from the lower reaches of the temperate zone down into the heart of the subtropical zone. Birds such as Highland Tinamou, Greater Scythebill, Bicolored Antvireo, Peruvian and Giant Antpittas, and White-rimmed Brush-Finch are a few of the exciting rarities that make their homes at San Isidro Lodge. The White-faced Nunbird might even put in an appearance as it has been seen at San Isidro more in recent years than at any other single site on the east slope in Ecuador.

Day 4 – Sani Isidro Full day birding around San Isidro

Day 5 – Sani Isidro – Wildsumaco After early morning birding, we will travel even further south to Wildsumaco, a new lodge with an elevation of 1400m and a private forest reserve ranging from 1200 to 1500m. A wonderful mix of cloudforest species, foothill specilties, and typically Amazonian birds inhabit Wildsumaco's lush subtropical rainforest. Many of the birds here are rare, endangered, or very difficult to see elsewhere. The very rare Yellow-throated Spadebill has a territory along the lodge’s Piha Trail, and at any time the endangered Military Macaw or rare Spot-winged Parrotlet might fly by, or Black Hawk-Eagle soar overhead.

Day 6 – Wildsumaco MFull day birding around Wildsumaco

Day 7-10 – Napo Wildlife Centre Today you travel further east to Coca, where you and your guide will be met by the Napo Wildlife Centre team, and your Amazon journey will begin.

The multi-award winning Napo Wildlife Center, is the greatest and ultimate alternative luxury eco-hotel in Amazonian Ecuador. The lodge, which is 100% owned and operated by the local indigenous community, enjoys a stunning location by the side of a secluded lake, with an incredible bird list of 568 species, spectacular parrot lick's and a network of trails. Some obvious highlights include the world's largest and most reliable population of Zigzag Herons, frequent sightings of Agami Herons, virtually guaranteed sightings of all five kingfishers found in the Amazon, and a better population of mixed-species understory flocks and ant-swarm specialists than you will find at any other lodge in the Napo region. And, of course, 51 species of antbirds.

The Canopy Tower installed in November 2004, has produced some amazing sightings including Black-faced Hawk, Crested Eagle, and Harpy Eagle in addition to the cotingas and canopy tanager flocks that pass right through the tree. The Parrot Clay Licks are an experience that one would not want to miss, and the clay licks at the Napo Wildlife Center are most accessible in Ecuador.

Return to Quito on day 10. Overnight Quito

Day 11 – Quito Transfer to the airport for flight home, or extension.

Please note: Itineraries are unlikely to change significantly but are subject to change. Weather, wildlife breeding, instructions from the Galapagos National Park, specific abilities and interests of passengers as well as operational matters may cause your guide or captain to change the times or nature of your visits. Your guide will always endeavour to have the best itinerary for you within these constraints.

 

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.

Accommodation

 

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.