ECUADOR for Photographers
Birders who like a slower pace are welcome!
Custom Tour - Dates to be arranged at your convenience
10 days/9 nights
Price varies with group size
2013 Rates:
$2265 - group of 8 - 10
$2465 - group of 5 - 7
$2565 - group of 4
$2665 - group of 3*
$2865 - group of 2*
*Group of 2 or 3 travels without Cheepers! tour leader
$250 single supplement
Minimum group size is 2, maximum 10
We expect a 10% increase in these prices for 2014.
Join us as we visit some of the best sites for bird photography in Ecuador. We'll put you in places where you can get "up close and personal" to tropical birds, and then give you time to enjoy the opportunity!
Our itinerary is designed to offer opportunities to visit some of the best birding sites in northern Ecuador with an element that's rarely found in birding tours: TIME. Time to get great photographs, time to observe bird behavior, time to wait for birds to be in the right lighting with interesting background, time to savor the moment. And, while we won't see anything near the 400 species typically seen on our 15-day northern Ecuador tour, you should come home with hundreds of photos of some of the most spectacular birds in the tropics.
Chat and "Chimp"
There will be no formal photography classes, no photoshop workshops in the evenings. Instead, you will be able to spend your evenings reviewing the photos you took that day and discussing techniques and sharing ideas with fellow photographers - informal chatting and "*chimping" for photographers who want to practice their art rather than participate in formal instruction. (*Chimping is what photographers do when they view their photos, sometimes uttering the sounds "ooh ooh aah aah")
Chat and "Chimp"
There will be no formal photography classes, no photoshop workshops in the evenings. Instead, you will be able to spend your evenings reviewing the photos you took that day and discussing techniques and sharing ideas with fellow photographers - informal chatting and "*chimping" for photographers who want to practice their art rather than participate in formal instruction. (*Chimping is what photographers do when they view their photos, sometimes uttering the sounds "ooh ooh aah aah")
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive in Quito. Your driver will meet you at the Quito Airport, help with your luggage and transfer you to the Hotel Sebastian.
Overnight Hotel Sebastian (No meals)
Day 2: We leave Quito early (6:15 AM) for morning birding at Yanacocha Reserve. Located at 3300masl, Yanacocha offers opportunities to see and photograph highland species without strenuous hiking. One of the main attractions 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 hummingbirds, 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 will bird on the way, trying to get specialties like Golden-headed Quetzal and Toucan Barbet. Depending on the time of year (and the amount of luck we have), we might even see an Andean Cock-of-the-Rock along the way. In the afternoon, we will visit the feeders with the distinction of holding the record for the most hummingbird species seen - 43 in all, as many as 20 in a single day (this last site is a tentative stop).
Overnight Bellavista Lodge (BLD)
Day 3: This morning, we will enjoy the photographic and birding opportunities around Bellavista, spending most of our time observing and photographing birds at and near the feeders. In addition to numerous hummingbirds (Violet-tailed Sylph, Booted Racket-tail, Buff-tailed Coronet, Collared Inca, Green-crowned Brilliant, among others), we hope to find Masked Trogon, Toucan Barbet, and Turquoise Jay. Chestnut-crowned Antpitta and White-throated Quail-Dove might be found near the compost pile just a few steps from the parking lot. After lunch, we will ascend to a different elevation within the Tandayapa Valley where we will find different species of birds. Septimo Paraiso Lodge.
Overnight Septimo Paraiso Lodge (BLD)
Day 4: We will spend the morning in the renowned Milpe Bird Sanctuary, where a lek of the endemic Club-winged Manakin is present. This area is great for the endemic Choco Toucan and Pale-mandibled Aracari, and 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. Also, the feeders at Milpe provide great views of several hummingbird species. We will have lunch at Mirador de Rio Blanco, where we will enjoy some great fruit feeder action, and return for some more feeder photography at Septimo Paraiso Lodge late in the afternoon.
Overnight Septimo Paraiso Lodge (BLD)
Day 5: Today we will leave very early in the morning so we can station ourselves in a bird blind before dawn to witness the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock on its lek when it begins to perform for females. After observing and/or photographing (no flash here) these amazing birds, we will visit feeders where birds such as Crimson-rumped Toucanets, Gray-headed Chachalacas, and an assortment of tanagers and other species come in as fruit is offered. Next we will witness the event that this reserve is famous for: the unusual behavior of normally secretive antpittas. Giant, Moustached, Ochre-breasted and Yellow-breasted Antpittas emerge from the undergrowth, where they are normally very difficult to observe, in response to the voice of the reserve's owner, Angel Paz. Calling the birds by name, Angel offers worms to the normally elusive antpittas, most of whom have grown so accustomed to visitors that they remain in the open for several minutes, allowing photographers to get great shots that would otherwise be nearly impossible. After a morning at the reserve, we will enjoy a traditional Ecuadorian breakfast prepared by Angel and his assistants - a real treat! In the afternoon, we will spend more time photographing birds at our lodge.
Overnight Septimo Paraiso Lodge (BLD)
Day 6: This morning, we will have one last chance to watch and photograph the birds at the feeders and on the grounds of Septimo Paraiso Lodge before we return to the area near Bellavista Lodge. There, we will walk along the Bellavista Research Station Road, where our primary target species will be Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, the bird that adorns the cover of the field guide to the Birds of Ecuador. This road and other trails around Bellavista could yield beauties such as Beryl-spangled Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Powerful Woodpecker, and a host of other passerines. Late in the afternoon, we will drive back to Quito to position ourselves for the adventure that awaits us on Day 7.
Overnight Hotel Sebastian, Quito (BLD)
Day 7: Today we will climb to an elevation of 14,000+ feet. Here, we will find birds that cannot be seen at lower elevations: Andean Condor, Carunculated Caracara, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Giant Hummingbird, Andean Teal, Andean Gull, Bar-winged and Stout-billed Cinclodes, Many-striped and Streak-backed Canasteros, Black-faced Ibis, and Plumbeous Sierra Finch, among others. In addition to bird photography, this day offers opportunities to photograph stunning mountain scenery and the distinctive vegetation of the Paramo. After an authentic Ecuadorian lunch in a mountain farmhouse (for groups of 6 or more only), we will drive to Guango Lodge, where we will enjoy the birds around the lodge and feeders. We will encounter some new hummingbird species here, including the Tourmaline Sunangel and the Chestnut-breasted Coronet. Other species that might offer themselves as photographic subjects include both Violet-tailed and Long-tailed Sylphs and the improbable Sword-billed Hummingbird, all of which are regularly seen at Guango Lodge.
Overnight Guango Lodge (BLD)
Day 8: We will spend the day birding and photographing around Guango. In addition to observing and photographing the feeder birds, we will walk to the river where we might find Torrent Duck and Torrent Tyrannulet, and perhaps a White-capped Dipper. Short trails around the lodge can provide great looks at Spectacled Red(White)start, Pearled Treerunner, several species of Woodcreeper, and other birds of this elevation such as Flowerpiercers, Conebills, Bush-Tanagers, and Chat-Tyrants. With some luck, we might find Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan or Buff-breasted and Hooded Mountain-Tanagers on one of the trails or along the road.
Overnight Guango Lodge (BLD)
Day 9: We'll spend the morning searching for any species we might have missed, or taking advantage of one last opportunity to get that shot that has eluded us at Guango. In the afternoon we will drive back to Quito to check in at the Hotel Sebastian to prepare for our departure. Birding stops along the way are always possible.
Overnight Hotel Sebastian (BLD)
Day 10: Transfer to the airport for international departure.
(Breakfast if time permits, dependent on airline schedules)
Please Note: Itinerary may vary due to availability at lodges on the dates you request.
The price INCLUDES:
- All meals during tour - Day 2 through breakfast on Day 10
- All entry fees to reserves in itinerary
- Lodging (first class hotel in Quito and most reserves)
- Expert Ecuadorian bird guide during the entire trip
- Private transportation during tour
- Transfers to and from airport
The price does NOT include:
- International airfare
- Airport (departure) tax (approximately $42)
- Tips
- Items of a personal nature, such as extra drinks, snacks, alcoholic beverages, laundry, souvenirs, etc.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Deposit of $500 with registration (CONTACT US for registration information).
Balance is due 4 months prior to departure.
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)
More than 6 months prior to departure – full refund of deposit
Between 3 and 6 months prior to departure – 50% refund of deposit
Less than 3 months prior to departure – No refund of deposit
If cancellation occurs after full payment is made, a refund will be given only if the vacant spot is filled.
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.
Overnight Hotel Sebastian (No meals)
Day 2: We leave Quito early (6:15 AM) for morning birding at Yanacocha Reserve. Located at 3300masl, Yanacocha offers opportunities to see and photograph highland species without strenuous hiking. One of the main attractions 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 hummingbirds, 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 will bird on the way, trying to get specialties like Golden-headed Quetzal and Toucan Barbet. Depending on the time of year (and the amount of luck we have), we might even see an Andean Cock-of-the-Rock along the way. In the afternoon, we will visit the feeders with the distinction of holding the record for the most hummingbird species seen - 43 in all, as many as 20 in a single day (this last site is a tentative stop).
Overnight Bellavista Lodge (BLD)
Day 3: This morning, we will enjoy the photographic and birding opportunities around Bellavista, spending most of our time observing and photographing birds at and near the feeders. In addition to numerous hummingbirds (Violet-tailed Sylph, Booted Racket-tail, Buff-tailed Coronet, Collared Inca, Green-crowned Brilliant, among others), we hope to find Masked Trogon, Toucan Barbet, and Turquoise Jay. Chestnut-crowned Antpitta and White-throated Quail-Dove might be found near the compost pile just a few steps from the parking lot. After lunch, we will ascend to a different elevation within the Tandayapa Valley where we will find different species of birds. Septimo Paraiso Lodge.
Overnight Septimo Paraiso Lodge (BLD)
Day 4: We will spend the morning in the renowned Milpe Bird Sanctuary, where a lek of the endemic Club-winged Manakin is present. This area is great for the endemic Choco Toucan and Pale-mandibled Aracari, and 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. Also, the feeders at Milpe provide great views of several hummingbird species. We will have lunch at Mirador de Rio Blanco, where we will enjoy some great fruit feeder action, and return for some more feeder photography at Septimo Paraiso Lodge late in the afternoon.
Overnight Septimo Paraiso Lodge (BLD)
Day 5: Today we will leave very early in the morning so we can station ourselves in a bird blind before dawn to witness the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock on its lek when it begins to perform for females. After observing and/or photographing (no flash here) these amazing birds, we will visit feeders where birds such as Crimson-rumped Toucanets, Gray-headed Chachalacas, and an assortment of tanagers and other species come in as fruit is offered. Next we will witness the event that this reserve is famous for: the unusual behavior of normally secretive antpittas. Giant, Moustached, Ochre-breasted and Yellow-breasted Antpittas emerge from the undergrowth, where they are normally very difficult to observe, in response to the voice of the reserve's owner, Angel Paz. Calling the birds by name, Angel offers worms to the normally elusive antpittas, most of whom have grown so accustomed to visitors that they remain in the open for several minutes, allowing photographers to get great shots that would otherwise be nearly impossible. After a morning at the reserve, we will enjoy a traditional Ecuadorian breakfast prepared by Angel and his assistants - a real treat! In the afternoon, we will spend more time photographing birds at our lodge.
Overnight Septimo Paraiso Lodge (BLD)
Day 6: This morning, we will have one last chance to watch and photograph the birds at the feeders and on the grounds of Septimo Paraiso Lodge before we return to the area near Bellavista Lodge. There, we will walk along the Bellavista Research Station Road, where our primary target species will be Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, the bird that adorns the cover of the field guide to the Birds of Ecuador. This road and other trails around Bellavista could yield beauties such as Beryl-spangled Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Powerful Woodpecker, and a host of other passerines. Late in the afternoon, we will drive back to Quito to position ourselves for the adventure that awaits us on Day 7.
Overnight Hotel Sebastian, Quito (BLD)
Day 7: Today we will climb to an elevation of 14,000+ feet. Here, we will find birds that cannot be seen at lower elevations: Andean Condor, Carunculated Caracara, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Giant Hummingbird, Andean Teal, Andean Gull, Bar-winged and Stout-billed Cinclodes, Many-striped and Streak-backed Canasteros, Black-faced Ibis, and Plumbeous Sierra Finch, among others. In addition to bird photography, this day offers opportunities to photograph stunning mountain scenery and the distinctive vegetation of the Paramo. After an authentic Ecuadorian lunch in a mountain farmhouse (for groups of 6 or more only), we will drive to Guango Lodge, where we will enjoy the birds around the lodge and feeders. We will encounter some new hummingbird species here, including the Tourmaline Sunangel and the Chestnut-breasted Coronet. Other species that might offer themselves as photographic subjects include both Violet-tailed and Long-tailed Sylphs and the improbable Sword-billed Hummingbird, all of which are regularly seen at Guango Lodge.
Overnight Guango Lodge (BLD)
Day 8: We will spend the day birding and photographing around Guango. In addition to observing and photographing the feeder birds, we will walk to the river where we might find Torrent Duck and Torrent Tyrannulet, and perhaps a White-capped Dipper. Short trails around the lodge can provide great looks at Spectacled Red(White)start, Pearled Treerunner, several species of Woodcreeper, and other birds of this elevation such as Flowerpiercers, Conebills, Bush-Tanagers, and Chat-Tyrants. With some luck, we might find Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan or Buff-breasted and Hooded Mountain-Tanagers on one of the trails or along the road.
Overnight Guango Lodge (BLD)
Day 9: We'll spend the morning searching for any species we might have missed, or taking advantage of one last opportunity to get that shot that has eluded us at Guango. In the afternoon we will drive back to Quito to check in at the Hotel Sebastian to prepare for our departure. Birding stops along the way are always possible.
Overnight Hotel Sebastian (BLD)
Day 10: Transfer to the airport for international departure.
(Breakfast if time permits, dependent on airline schedules)
Please Note: Itinerary may vary due to availability at lodges on the dates you request.
The price INCLUDES:
- All meals during tour - Day 2 through breakfast on Day 10
- All entry fees to reserves in itinerary
- Lodging (first class hotel in Quito and most reserves)
- Expert Ecuadorian bird guide during the entire trip
- Private transportation during tour
- Transfers to and from airport
The price does NOT include:
- International airfare
- Airport (departure) tax (approximately $42)
- Tips
- Items of a personal nature, such as extra drinks, snacks, alcoholic beverages, laundry, souvenirs, etc.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Deposit of $500 with registration (CONTACT US for registration information).
Balance is due 4 months prior to departure.
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)
More than 6 months prior to departure – full refund of deposit
Between 3 and 6 months prior to departure – 50% refund of deposit
Less than 3 months prior to departure – No refund of deposit
If cancellation occurs after full payment is made, a refund will be given only if the vacant spot is filled.
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.