Southern Andes – Tumbesian Specialities (13 days from £1,710)

Overview

This 13-day trip is for those searching for some truly unique birding – literally! The sheer number of bird species found here and the high proportion of endemics is amazing and led Birdlife to designate the area as the ´Tumbesian Endemic Bird Area´. Stretching into north-western Peru, this is one of the most diverse areas on earth, consisting of tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests...

Details

• Regular departures – leaving every month ask us for exact dates
• 13 day trip begins in Guayaquil and ends in Quito
• 1 night Howard Johnson Guayaquil (or similar), 2 nights Buenaventura, 2 nights Jorupe Lodge, 2 nights Loja Grand Victoria Hotel, 2 nights Tapichalaca Lodge, 2 nights Zamora Copalinga lodge, 1 night Quito.
• Tour Cost from £1,710 per person, based on two people sharing a double room, excluding international flights. Includes all accommodation, guide services, most meals, transport.

Outline Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrive Guayaquil
Day 2 – Manglares Churute -Buenaventura
Day 3 – Buenaventura Reserve
Day 4-5 – Utuana and Jorupe Reserves (Macara, Peruvian border)
Day 6 – Loja
Day 7-8 – Podacarpus National Park to Tapichalaca Reserve
Day 9-10 – Río Bombuscaro (Podacarpus National Park)
Day 11 – Zamora to Loja
Day 12 – Quito- Antisana
Day 13 – Transfer to airport for flight home

NOTE:

Land cost includes:

• All accommodation, guide services, transport
• All meals, except lunch and dinner in Guayaquil on day 1, dinner in Loja on days 6 and 11 and dinner in Quito on day 12.
• 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 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 £230 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 – Guayaquil Upon arrival in Ecuador’s largest city, your guide will meet you at Aeropuerto de Guayquil for your transfer to your hotel.

Day 2 – Buenaventura Reserve This morning we will drive to Buenaventura, birding on the way! We’ll pass a number of ponds where we’ll look for a variety of species, and also bird a side road in search of Jet Antbird and pass the Manglares de Churute area. The Buenaventura reserve currently extends over 1600 hectares and the expected size is 5000 hectares. It includes a transition zone between humid bioclimatic regimes and humid subtropical forest, and is influenced by four areas of endemism in Ecuador, namely: lowland Chocó lowlands, Tumbesian, western slopes of the Andes and South West Highlands. We will spend the next few days exploring this reserve and the enchanting range of species it offers, with over 300 species of recorded.. A highlight is surely the large population of Orcés Parakeet (Pyrrhura orcesi) and Tapaculo Gold (Scytalopus robbinsi), which are both endemic to this region and in danger of extinction. Buenaventura has one of the most successful leks for the observation of the exotic Longipéndulo Umbrella (Cephalopterus penduliger). It has also two spectacular gardens of hummingbirds at different heights, with 24 species and over 500 individuals.

Day 3 – Buenaventura Full day guiding at Buenaventura

Day 4-5 – Utuana and Jorupe Reserves (Macara, Peruvian border) This morning we will travel to prime “Tumbesian” habitat, and spend the next two days discovering the delights of the Jocotoco Foundation reserves of Utuana and Jorupe. Jorupe contains high quality deciduous forest and supports many endemic and rare species of plants and animals, including populations of numerous globally threatened birds, such as the Henna-hooded Foliage-Gleaner. The Utuana reserve protects a hilltop evergreen forest at 2500m altitude and lies in the transitional zone between humid montane forest and the dry forest of the Tumbesian endemic region. The trees in the forest are heavily laden with epiphytic plants (see images to left). Numerous endemic birds are present in this location. We will stay at a lodge is located within the Jorupe Reserve.

Day 6 – Loja After some early morning birding we set off and work our way to Loja, birding all the way, spotting more of the species from this area. Overnight in Loja.

Day 7-8 – SPodacarpus National Park to Tapichalaca Reserve We will spend the morning at Podacarpus National Park, one of South America’s great national parks, with protected habitats ranging from Amazonian lowlands to high-elevation páramo. The Cajanuma section, only 20 minutes from your hotel in Loja, has breathtaking vistas of rich temperate forest and is home to many high-elevation Andean species. We’ll also watch for mixed-species flocks of tanagers, which often contain both Hooded and Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanagers. We will then work our way to Tapichalaca, another one of the Jocotoco Foundation’s reserves, were have the whole of the next day to explore. The reserve, which includes Cerro Tapichalaca, encompasses approximately 2,000 ha, ranging from an elevation of 2000 m to 3400 m. This reserve was established to protect the only known range of the newly discovered Jocotoco Antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi). The reserve contains an unusually wet area of temperate-zone forest on the east slope of the Andes. In addition to the Antpitta, the reserve it is also home to other vulnerable restricted range birds. In addition, the hummingbird feeders at the lodge have a great variety of highland species. We will spend both nights at the lodge in the reserve. The Lodge is located at an altitude of 2500m in the reserve, with a variety of walking trails giving access to this Andean forest with many rare and beautiful birds and flowers.

Day 9-10 – Río Bombuscaro (Podacarpus National Park) This morning we set off for Zamora, the gateway to the Rí¬o Bombuscaro section of Podacarpus National Park. Perhaps we will spot some more elusive species such as Plain-backed Antpitta and Northern White-crowned Tapaculo and also make some stops along the lower section of the old highway to look for tanager-rich mixed-species flocks. At the pass, we’ll walk down a small section of the old highway in search of high-elevation species such as Mouse-colored Thistletail, Blue-backed Conebill, and Golden-crowned Tanager. The following day we will visit the Rí¬o Bombuscaro section of Podacarpus National Park which is just five minutes from our lodge. This area, only recently accessible, offers extraordinary birding, including the newly described Foothill Elaenia. Overnight both nights near Zamora

Day 11 – Zamora to Loja This morning we will begin the drive to Loja and cross over a high pass leaving the eastern foothills around the town of Zamora. Outside Zamora, a section of the old highway winds through patches of rich subtropical forest where we hope to find Andean Cock-of-the-Rock as well as a variety of common and rare species. We spend the afternoon birding in a dry valley near Catamayo. Many “Tumbesian” endemics are possible. Overnight in Loja.

Day 12 – Quito – Antisana We’ll take an early flight to Quito, then immediately we visit the Antisana ecological reserve which includes Antisana Volcano (18,709 feet/5,704 meters) in the Eastern Andes. It is situated just east of the main ridge of the Andes -- hence with much snow and often enveloped by clouds. High Paramos around its base are relatively undisturbed and support a good number of Andean Condors. Laguna Micacocha harbors a population of Silvery Grebes. Also look for Black-faced Ibis, Carunculated Caracara, Andean Lapwings, Variable Hawk, the Black-chested Buzzard Eagle, the tiny Ecuadorian Hillstar and Andean Gulls. If we are lucky we may also see Andean Condor here.

Day 13 – Quito Transfer to the airport for flight home.

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.