WESTERN ANDES BIRDING TOUR
Tour Overview
ECUADOR
BIRDING TOUR
ANY TIME*
| Duration: | 12 days, 11 nights |
| Group Size: | 2-4 |
| 2-3 Price: | $4350 |
| 4+ Price: | $4150 |
| Single Suppl: | $300 |
| Est #Species: | 300-325 |
| Pace: | Easy/Moderate |
| Difficulty: | Easy/Moderate |
| Best Time: | All but Mar-Apr |
| * This tour is available for any dates of your choosing provided guide services and accommodations are available. | |
The geographical barrier that is the Andes Mountains creates extraordinary species diversity in Ecuador, with nearly 1700 species recorded in the country. Species composition is substantially different on the western and eastern slopes of the Andes and between northern and southern Ecuador. Our tour of the western Andes of northern Ecuador focuses on a fine composition consisting of species not found in the eastern Andes plus Choco endemics shared with southern Colombia. Our itinerary features a loop route encompassing both highlands and lowlands including the traditional birding route through the Tandayapa and Mindo Valleys, the lowlands of Esmeraldas, and a return through far northern Ecuador where the ranges of several birds are at their southern-most extents.
Our tour begins with a visit to Yanacocha Reserve where we'll focus on several higher altitude hummingbirds and other specialties followed by a stop at Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, situated on a ridge separating the Tandayapa and Mindo Valleys. After an overnight stay and morning birding there, we'll continue on to Mindo where we'll visit famed Refugio Paz to view rare antpittas conditioned to come out on a forest trail, a Cock-of-the-Rock Lek, a gorge where Oilbirds roost, and several nearby mid-elevation forest reserves. From there we continue to the lowlands for a 3-night stay at Playa de Oro Lodge before circling back into the highlands farther north along the Chical Road toward Ambuqui. Our tour ends with a final overnight stop near the Pululahua Volcano before returning to Quito. This tour can be combined with our tour of the eastern Andes to form a longer, more comprehensive tour of northern Ecuador.
Tour Considerations
PACE - The itinerary for this tour is generally at an easy pace. Longer drives are transits with numerous stops for birding.
DIFFICULTY - Most birding is along roadsides or relatively easy trails or tracks. However, the trail at Refugio Paz is quite steep and sometimes muddy. This trail must be navigated in the dark to reach the blind for Andean Cock-of-the-Rock at first light.We'll be birding at a couple higher elevation sites up to 3500 m (11,500 ft) during the tour.
CLIMATE - Dry season in the western Andes is June-November. Rainly season is from December to May, and especially during March and April can be quite miserable. Birding earlier or later in the rainy season than those two months when rain is more sporadic can be very productive. Most of the tour is at middle elevation where temperatures are comfortable during the day and cool at night. However, the lowlands can be quite warm, while Yanacocha can be near freezing in the early morning.
BIRD ACTIVITY - Peak breeding for most birds in northwestern Ecuador is during rainly season from February-June. Bird activity tends to be much reduced from June-September but picks up during October-November.
PHOTOGRAPHY- Opportunities for photography on this tour are excellent, especially at hummingbird and antpitta feeding stations. Photography along forest trails can also be very good.