ECUADOR:
Hummingbird Photo Safari

Most of our birding areas will be in cloud forest or above tree line situations, and will include many stationary feeder sites as well as wildflower feeding sites in each area in order to find the most species and the best photo opportunities.

NOTE: All levels of photography enthusiasts are welcome to join this trip, however, D-SLR cameras are recommneded for photographing hummingbirds.

12 Days/11 Nights - Itinerary

Day 1 Quito / Hotel Quito
Participants arrive throughout the day. Transfer from airport to Hotel Quito a large, high-quality hotel set on the west side of Quito. It offers wi-fi and all the amenities. Note: included meals begin with breakfast on day 2.

Day 2 Quito to Bellavista Lodge via Yanacocha
Transfer from Quito to Bellavista in our private bus. Along the way we will visit the well known Yanacocha Reserve along the Nono-Mindo Road. In this high elevation (11,000 ft.) west slope region of the Andes we’ll seek the rare, endemic Black-breasted Puffleg as well as other hummingbirds.

Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge was designed for birdwatchers. It lies on the west slope of the Ecuadorian Andes at an elevation of about 8000 feet. The buildings are unique in design. The bedrooms are spacious and all have private bathrooms.

Day 3 Bellavista Lodge
After breakfast we will explore the grounds of the lodge which has many hummingbird feeding stations and excellent hiking trails.

After lunch at the lodge we will drive to another hummingbird location where we’ll enjoy over 30 feeding stations. They go through 12 pounds of sugar each week! We’ll return to our lodge for dinner.

Day 4 Drive to Septimo Paraiso Lodge
This morning we will rise very early to visit the Cock-of-the-Rock lek and Antpitta haven of Reserva Angel Paz. Breakfast at the reserve.

Afterward we will continue on to the Mindo Valley. Our birding and photographing will take us through forested and open roads and trails as well as a few feeder locations within the Mindo Valley. Meals at lodge. Septimo Paraiso Lodge lies on a private reserve set at about 5000 feet above sea level. The lodge offers luxury well beyond its rustic setting. Surrounded by rainforest, the birding is spectacular!

Day 5 Septimo Paraiso Lodge
Today will be spent at and around the lodge. Early morning we will drive to the highway junction to a unique birding location where many species congregate each morning. Returning to the lodge we will enjoy the hummingbird garden for the rest of the morning.

For lunch we will visit a local cafe that has hummingbird feeders and fruit platforms for tanagers, including the uncommon Guira Tanager. Color is everywhere as we enjoy the many photographic opportunities!

OR - If conditions are good, we may be able to visit a cave full of the odd Oilbirds that was recently discovered in Northern Ecuador.

We will return to our lodge for dinner.

Day 6 Guango Lodge
After breakfast we will load up and depart for our next location, making some great birding stops along the way. Specifically high in the mountains along Papallacta Pass in search of a few specialties found here.

Guango Lodge is a new, small tourist facility on a family property that is surrounded by temperate forest and very birdy flocks. Guango Lodge, about 1 hour away from San Isidro, lies at a higher elevation (about 9000 feet) on Ecuador’s eastern slope.

This area is centered in a zone classified as humid temperate forest, a habitat distinctly different from San Isidro and characterized by its more stunted trees (and thicker canopy), cooler climate, and different bird and plant composition. All rooms have private bath.

Hummingbird feeders surround the front deck and this is the best place to find many species like Chestnut-breasted Coronet and the amazing Sword-billed Hummingbird.

Day 7 Cabañas San Isidro
Our morning will offer more opportunities to photograph the hummingbirds at Guango before departure to Cabañas San Isidro.

Cabañas San Isidro, surrounded by its own 1,300 acre forest reserve, has built a reputation for being the pioneer in private conservation and birding/nature tourism on the northeast slope of the Ecuadorian Andes. While many popular birding spots lack any type of lodge, at Cabañas San Isidro you will not have to sacrifice comfort for great birds and the chance to see other interesting wildlife.

After a long day of birding or exploring, one can always look forward to a relaxing hot shower and immaculate rooms - the perfect place to unwind. Cabañas San Isidro’s 11 comfortable double rooms all provide private water and electricity, as well as private living rooms.

Forty years ago the Bustamante family (owners of San Isidro Lodge and Reserve) was early enough to save what stands today as Cabañas San Isidro and its surrounding reserve.

Day 8 Cabañas San Isidro
Today we will explore the trails around the lodge as well as enjoy more new species of hummingbirds around the lodge. All meals at the lodge and a very relaxing day overall!

In the evening we will share our photos and have critiques of the trip’s best images from each participant.

Below is a list of just a few hummingbird species we expect to see:

Empress Brilliant
Violet-tailed Sylph
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
Gorgeted Sunangel
Brown Inca
Booted Racket-tail
Collared Inca
Andean Emerald
Velvet-purple Coronet
White-whiskered Hermit
White-necked Jacobin
Green-crowned Woodnymph
Giant Hummingbird
Sparkling Violet-ear
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Ecuadorian Hillstar
Blue-mantled Thornbill
Purple-backed Thornbill
Tourmaline Sunangel
Tyrian Metaltail
Mountain Velvetbreast
Long-tailed Sylph
Bronzy Inca
Speckled Hummingbird
Chestnut-breasted Coronet
Black-breasted Puffleg
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Great Sapphirewing
Shining Sunbeam
Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Sapphire-vented Puffleg
Golden-breasted puffleg
Wire-crested Thorntail