* Daily schedule is approximate and may change at the leader's discretion.
Papallacta Pass
Guango Lodge
San Isidro
Bellavista Reserve
Mindo Valley
Finca Angel Paz
Napo Wildlife Center
November 15-30, 2008
(16 days, 15 nights)
Price $4050
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|
Sat
Nov 15 |
Quito
Hotel Sebastian
Included Meals: BLD |
Evening get-together for orientation and meeting other participants. |
Sun
Nov 16 |
Papallacta Pass
Guango Lodge
Included Meals: BLD |
Early breakfast and departure for Papallacta Pass. All day photography along the road up the pass at various sites and above Papallacta Pass in Cayumbe Reserve. Arrive at Guango Lodge mid to late afternoon. |
Mon
Nov 17 |
Lodge Grounds
Guango Lodge
Included Meals: BLD |
Pre-breakfast walk around the grounds looking at and photographing birds in the gardens and along the nearby river. Morning photography of hummingbirds around feeders. Afternoon photography of birds around the lodge grounds. |
Tues
Nov 18 |
Guango Lodge
San Isidro
Cabanas San Isidro
Included Meals: BLD |
Morning photography of hummingbirds and other birds around the grounds. After lunch transfer to Cabanas San Isidro. Afternoon photography at hummingbird feeders at San Isidro. |
Wed
Nov 19 |
Lodge Grounds
Private Forest Reserve
Cabanas San Isidro
Included Meals: BLD |
Early morning photography of antpittas. Remainder of day photographing birds around the lodge grounds. Possibilities include hummingbirds, trogons, woodpeckers, tanagers, jays, and other species. |
Thurs
Nov 20 |
Lodge Grounds
Quito
Hotel Sebastian
Included Meals: BLD |
Morning walk along forest trails looking to photograph Crested Quetzal and other birds in the forest. After lunch departure for Quito, arriving before dinner. |
Fri
Nov 21 |
Bellavista Reserve
Bellavista Lodge
Included Meals: BLD |
Early breakfast and departure for Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, arriving for lunch. Remainder of day making photographs of hummingbirds and other birds such as Toucan Barbet and Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan around the lodge. |
Sat
Nov 22 |
Bellavista Reserve
Bellavista Lodge
Included Meals: BLD |
All day making photographs at the lodge with possible morning excursion into Tandayapa Valley to photograph birds in the forests along the road. |
Sun
Nov 23 |
Ballavista Reserve
Septimo Paraiso
Septimo Paraiso Lodge
Included Meals: BLD |
Morning photography at Bellavista. Mid-day transfer to Septimo Paraiso Lodge in the Mindo Valley. Afternoon making photographs of hummingbirds and other birds around Septimo Paraiso Lodge. |
Mon
Nov 24 |
Cock-of-the-Rock Lek
Finca Angel Paz
Los Banos
Septimo Paraiso Lodge
Included Meals: BLD |
Very early visit to Finca Angel Paz to photograph Andean Cock-of-the-Rocks displaying on their mating lek. Observe and photograph up to 4 species of endangered and very locally distributed antpittas lured from the forest by Angel Paz. Walk along trails making photographs of birds that present themselves. Mid-morning return to Septimo Paraiso Lodge to rest. Lunch at lodge or in Los Banos. Afternoon at mirador restaurant in Los Banos photographing hummingbirds and tanagers coming in to feeders. |
Tues
Nov 25 |
Septimo Paraiso Reserve
Quito
Hotel Sebastian
Included Meals: BLD |
Early morning visit to an area across the road from the lodge where moths attracted by street lighting attract numerous tropical birds including trogons, toucanets, and tanagers. After breakfast photography at hummingbird feeders, in gardens around lodge, and/or along forest trails in the private reserve owned by the lodge. Late afternoon transfer back to Quito. |
Wed
Nov 26 |
Quito
Coca
Napo Wildlife Center
Included Meals: BLD |
After breakfast transfer to airport for flight to Coca. Mid-day 2-hr powerboat trip down Napo River followed by 2-3 hour dugout canoe trip to lodge, photographing Hoatzins, potoos, and other birds and wildlife en route. Arrive at lodge before dark. |
Thurs
Nov 27 |
Yasuni National Park
Napo Wildlife Center
Included Meals: BLD |
Two full days making photographs in private reserve and adjoining Yasuni National Park. Highlights include photography from observation tower at lodge, visit to legendary parrot clay licks in Yasuni National Park, photography trips by boat along waterways surrounded by varzea forest, and optional exploration of terra firme forest trails seeking antbirds, manakins, and other birds that lend themselves to photography. |
Fri
Nov 28 |
Yasuni National Park
Napo Wildlife Center
Included Meals: BLD |
See previous day description. |
Sat
Nov 29 |
Napo Wildlife Center
Coca
Quito
Hotel Sebastian
Included Meals: BLD |
Morning departure by boat back to Coca for flight back to Quito, arriving mid-afternoon. Remainder of day free to explore Quito. |
Sun
Nov 30 |
Quito
Included Meals: None |
End of tour. Morning international flights home. |
