Galapagos Islands and Northwest Ecuador
Custom Tour (This itinerary is provided to show the quality of the custom tours Cheepers! provides. Registration for this tour is limited to members of a private group; contact us to design a tour for your group!)
$3910
$ 460 Single Supplement
Minimum 12, maximum 15 participants
Tour dates: November 1 - 14, 2010
Registrations due by August 31, 2010
ITINERARY
Day 1, Monday, November 1: Arrive Quito
Today you will arrive at the Quito international airport. A driver will be waiting to take you to the Hotel Sebastian.
Overnight Hotel Sebastian, Quito (no meals)
Day 2, Tuesday, November 2: Quito-Galapagos
Early in the morning we will catch our flight to the island of San Cristobal, checking in at our hotel upon arrival. We will have lunch at a farm in the San Cristobal highlands and then visit El Junco Lagoon. The only freshwater spring on the islands, this wetland is located in the crater of an extinct volcano. Here we will find Black-necked Stilt, White-cheeked Pintails, Common Gallinule and both Great and Magnificent Frigatebird. In San Cristobal Highlands we will look for the Galapagos Rail, Galapagos Flycatcher, Paint-billed Crake, Vermilion Flycatcher, Woodpecker Finch and the two species of Frigates. Late in the afternoon we will return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Overnight Pimampiro Hosteria, San Cristobal Island (BLD)
Day 3, Wednesday, November 3: San Cristobal Island - Isla Lobos - Kicker Rock - Punta Pitt
After breakfast we will take a speed boat to Wolf Island to observe and swim with sea lions and sea turtles. Afterwards we will continue to Kicker Rock, a lava formation rising at around 150 meters. Here we will have the opportunity to snorkel with rays and reef sharks and, if we are lucky, maybe Hammerhead Sharks. We will have lunch at Puerto Grande Beach and in the afternoon we will visit Punta Pitt located to the north of San Cristobal Island. (Please take note that it is not possible to disembark here due to the fact that Punta Pitt is a combination of eroded volcanic cones and populated by endemic vegetation on the islands.) This environment provides protection and warmth for species like sea lions, lava lizards, marine iguanas, frigates, pelicans and boobies. Punta Pitt is one of only two places on the Galapagos Islands where you can see three species of boobies (Nazca, Blue-footed, Red-footed) nesting in the same area. We will return to San Cristobal to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Overnight Pimampiro Hosteria, San Cristobal Island (BLD)
Day 4, Thursday, November 4: San Cristobal Island - Floreana Island
After breakfast we will depart for Española Island to search for Galapagos Hawk. Known for its fearlessness towards humans, this Red-tailed Hawk-sized buteo has inhabited the Galapagos Islands for over 300,000 years. (Please take note that it is not possible to disembark in this island.) We will continue on to Floreana Island to visit the highlands, looking for two critically endangered species, the Medium Tree Finch and the Charles Mockingbird. Also known as the Floreana Mockingbird, the Charles Mockingbird is endemic to Floreana Island. The Medium Tree Finch, also endemic to Floreana, is a species in decline primarily due to fly parasitism, probably because its only habitat is adjacent to cleared agricultural land that harbor the flies that infest the finch nests. Other bird species that you are likely to see on Floreana Island are Albatross, Tropicbirds, and Swallow-tailed Gull.
We will also make stops at some old pirates’ caves located here, as well as a tortoise reserve. After lunch we will have time to snorkel in “Luz del Día” (Light of Day), where there is an abundance of penguins and sea lions on the steep, rocky shore and rays and tropical fish beneath the crystal-clear waters.
Overnight Red Mangrove Lodge, Floreana Island (BLD)
Day 5, Friday, November 5: Floreana Island- Isabela Island
After an early breakfast we will have one last opportunity to look for the Medium Tree Finch, and then we will depart for Isabela Island. Upon arrival we will go to our hotel and have lunch. In the afternoon we will visit Tintoreras Islet to snorkel and hike. At Las Tintoreras we will find a colony of white-tip sharks resting in a lava canal. Here you can snorkel or swim in the unique habitat of these animals. This is also a resting ground for hundreds of marine iguanas, and we'll see sea lions playing and relaxing in the sun on the sandy beaches. Later in the afternoon we will snorkel around Galera and Loberia Islets. Some of the target species today are the Galapagos Penguin, Lava Gulls, Gray-Blue Heron, American Oystercatcher, Lava Heron, Small and Large Ground Finches, Yellow Warbler, Storm Petrels and Shearwaters. We will return to our hotel late in the afternoon.
Overnight Wooden House, Isabela Island (BLD)
Day 6, Saturday, November 6: Isabela Island - Sierra Negra Volcano
After breakfast we will visit the Sierra Negra Volcano located at the southern tip of Isabela Island, one of the most impressive volcanoes of the Galapagos Islands. Its elliptical caldera measures 10 km across from north to south, easily the largest in the archipelago. With ten known eruptions since 1813, the last in 1979, it is also one of the most active volcanos in the islands. This area is as beautiful as it is impressive.
After returning to Puerto Villamil to enjoy our lunch in the afternoon we will visit the National Park Breeding Center where wardens collect adult Giant Tottoises to mate in captivity. They also collect the eggs of Giant Tortoises from the two southern volcanoes on Isabela Island, raise the hatchlings for several years, and then reintroduce them into their habitat. After visiting the center we will explore the marshlands of Isabela Island. This pristine ecosystem of tidal lagoons is home to a myriad of avian life. Among the four species of mangroves that can be found here, it is possible to see Galapagos Rail, Paint Billed Crake, Galapagos Flycatcher, Dark Billed Cuckoo, Galapagos Mockingbird, Short-eared Owl, Small and Large Ground Finches, Yellow Warbler, Black-necked Stilt, White-cheeked Pintail, Great Flamingo, and Baird's Sandpiper, to name but a few.
In the evening, we will go to the upper part of Isabela to enjoy an incredible dinner surrounded by panoramic views of the Galapagos.
Overnight Wooden House or Iguana Crossing, Isabela Island (BLD)
Day 7, Sunday, November 7: Isabela - Tunnels - Playa de Los Perros or Puerta Moreno
After an early breakfast our guide will transfer us to the Tunnels, one of the best snorkeling spots on Isabela Island. Then, in a smaller canoe, we will continue on to Playa de los Perros for the opportunity to see one of the most amazing endemic species of the Galapagos Islands, the Flightless Cormorant. Here we will be able to snorkel with this bird and the incredible Galapagos Penguin. We will have a box lunch en route, returning to Puerto Villamil later in the afternoon to rest, or some participants may prefer to walk to the lagoon to look for the Flamingos. Highlights expected today include Galapagos Penguin, Shearwaters, Phalaropes, Flightless Cormorant, Great Flamingo and some of the famous finch species. Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight Wooden House, Isabela Island (BLD)
Day 8, Monday, November 8: Isabela - Santa Cruz
Following an early breakfast, we will go to Puerto Villamil where our speedboat will be waiting to go back to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. En route we will enjoy the great snorkeling on Four Brothers. Once in Puerto Ayora we will travel to the highlands of Santa Cruz, ascending through all seven different vegetation zones. Here we will be able to see the Giant Tortoises in the wild at a private farm where we will have lunch. In the afternoon we will visit a pair of large pit craters called “Los Gemelos" (The Twins), situated on the highest part of Santa Cruz where the trees of the Scalasia forest are covered by many epiphytes. This is one of the best spots for Woodpecker Finch, just one of the many species we could find today, including Galapagos Rail, Paint-billed Crake, and Dark-billed Cuckoo.
Overnight Hotel Mainao, Santa Cruz Island (BLD)
Day 9, Tuesday, November 9: Galapagos-Quito
This morning we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn first-hand about the conservation and research efforts of the islands. After we take advantage of one last chance to look for some of the finches that surround the Charles Darwin Station, we will have our last lunch on the Galapagos Islands. Our afternoon flight to Quito will be met by a driver who will transport us to the Hotel Sebastian, where we will enjoy our evening meal and prepare to begin our tour of northwest Ecuador the following morning.
Overnight Hotel Sebastian, Quito (BLD)
Day 10, Wednesday, November 10: Yanacocha / Old Nono-Mindo Road
We rise early for a 6:00 AM breakfast before leaving Quito for morning birding at Yanacocha Reserve at 3300masl. At this altitude, highland specialties will be the focus for the day. The main attraction of the area is the rare Black-breasted Puffleg, a hummingbird found almost strictly in this reserve. Other conspicuous hummingbirds are Sword-billed Hummingbird, Great Sapphirewing, Golden-breasted Puffleg and 13 more hummers, plus colorful mountain-tanagers, chat-tyrants and even a possibility of the very rare Andean Condor. After a box lunch, we head downhill to the Tandayapa Valley along the famous Old Nono-Mindo Road which will take us to the very heart of the cloud forest. We bird on the way, trying to get specialties like Golden-headed Quetzal and Toucan Barbet.
Overnight Septimo Paraiso (BLD)
Day 11, Thursday, November 11: Milpe Bird Sanctuary
We will spend the morning in this renowned sanctuary at 1100 masl where a lek of the endemic Club-winged Manakin is present. This area is great for the endemic Choco Toucan and Pale-mandibled Aracari. We regularly find rarities like Esmeraldas Antbird, Choco Trogon, plus other conspicuous birds like Guayaquil Woodpecker, Choco Warbler, Golden-winged Manakin, and some Foliage-gleaners. We will have lunch today at Mirador del Rio Blanco, where we will enjoy watching hummingbirds and fruit-eating birds at the well-stocked feeders while we eat. In the afternoon and early evening, we will have some time to bird around the grounds of our lodge.
Overnight Septimo Paraiso (BLD)
Day 12, Friday, November 12: Silanche Reserve
Today we will bird at the lowest altitude for the trip at 250masl. The reserve has a canopy tower that can help us get some rare tanagers like Emerald, Blue-whiskered, Scarlet-and-White and Rufous-winged, plus Scarlet-breasted, Yellow-tufted and Scarlet-tighted Dacnises. On the ground the birding is great and antbirds are well represented by Checker-throated, Pacific and Griscom´s Antwrens, Chestnut-backed and Bicolored Antbirds and Western Slaty Antshrike. On the way to the reserve, the disturbed and secondary forests along the dirt road can yield some interesting birds like Brown Wood-Rail, Scarlet-backed and Cinnamon Woodpeckers, Dusky-faced Tanager and even the spectacular Red-billed Scythebill. During the afternoon we will focus on whatever group of birds we did not observe during the morning.
Overnight Septimo Paraiso (BLD)
Day 13, Saturday, November 13: Refugio de las Paz, Bellavista
We will leave very early this morning, taking a snack to eat on the drive to the world-famous Refugio de las Paz. Arriving before daylight, we will enter a blind to observe one of the cloud forest’s main attractions, an Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek. Once the Cock-of-the-Rock males have performed for the females (and us), we will accompany the owner, Angel Paz, to his feeders where we should get excellent close-up views of Crimson-rumped Toucanets, Gray-headed Chachalacas, and an assortment of Tanagers, Honeyeaters, and other fruit-eating birds. Finally, we'll see the birds that made this refuge famous. Giant, Moustached, Ochre-breasted and Yellow-breasted Antpittas, normally very elusive species, respond relatively easily to the voice of Angel, who calls them by names he has given to particular individuals. You will never forget the sight of a Giant Antpitta emerging from the forest as Angel calls, "Maria! Maria!" After a hearty mid-morning Ecuadorian breakfast served by Angel and his assistants, we will spend some time birding the Bellavista Research Station Road before enjoying a late box lunch and heading back to Quito.
Overnight Hotel Sebastian, Quito (BLD)
Day 14, Sunday, November 14: Departure
You will be transported to the Quito International Airport for your departure to the United States at whatever time is convenient for your airline schedule.
(B)
The price INCLUDES:
- All meals during tour, Days 2 - 13, Breakfast on Day 14
- Lodging
- Expert bilingual naturalist guide specialized in birding (Galapagos)
- Two expert bilingual birding guides (NW Ecuador)
- All air, land, and water transportation during tour
- Snorkeling gear
- All excursions described in the itinerary
- Transfers to and from airport
- Guide's expenses
- Farewell dinner in Quito
- Customized checklist
- Photo disk containing hundreds of photos of your trip!
The price does NOT include:
- International Airfare
- Galapagos Island Entrance fee ($100) and Migration Card ($10)
- Isabela Airport Tax ($15)
- International Airport departure tax ($42)
- Tips
- Items of a personal nature, such as extra drinks, snacks, alcoholic
beverages, laundry, souvenirs, etc.
PRICES REFLECT A MINIMUM GROUP OF 12. IF FEWER THAN 12 PEOPLE HAVE REGISTERED FOR THE TRIP BY AUGUST 31, THOSE WHO HAVE REGISTERED MUST DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE THE TRIP FOR A HIGHER FEE, OR IF THEY WOULD RATHER CANCEL THE TRIP. ALL MONEY WILL BE REFUNDED IF THE TRIP IS CANCELLED DUE TO LOW NUMBERS.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Full payment with registration (link for registration form is at the bottom of this page). Registration and full payment is due on or before August 31, 2010.
Please note: Given the short lead time between trip approvel (August 16) and trip departure (November 1), registration with final payment of $3910 is required by Cheepers! by August 31, 2010, to ensure availability of local guides, lodges, and transportation.
Checks should be made payable to Cheepers! Birding on a Budget and mailed with the registration form to:
Cheepers! Birding on a Budget
Post Office Box 385
Spring Valley, OH 45370
Cancellation policy:
Cancellation should be made in writing (email or snail mail).
Our normal cancellation policy, generous by industry standards, calls for full refund of deposit if cancellation notice is received at least 6 months prior to departure, 50% refund of deposit if cancellation notice is received at least 4 months prior to departure. For this custom tour, we can offer a refund only if the cancelled spot is filled. In this event, the refund will be made after the replacement payment has been received.
Trip insurance is recommended.
You can compare prices offered by various trip insurance companies at this website:
http://www.quotewright.com/?sub_id=6056
Cheepers! Birding on a Budget LLC reserves the right to make changes in the itinerary if the need should arise due to unforeseeable circumstances such as weather, landslides, and other natural phenomena, as well as suggestions by local guides in order to take advantage of an unusual birding opportunity. Lodging is subject to change based on availability.