Your Itinerary:

 

Day 1: Arrive

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• Arrive at Quito, Ecuador and meet our representative

• Transfer to the first lodge of this trip located in the Puembo Area

• Dinner is not included on this day

• Overnight at Puembo area lodge

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Day 2: Antisana Volcano

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• A spectacular morning awaits us as we visit the high-altitude volcanic area of Antisana. We will target Paramo species like Carunculated Caracaras, a striking pied raptor that occurs here in impressive numbers. Black-faced Ibis patrol these high plains as do Andean Lapwings and large flocks of Andean Gulls. It is a site that will leave a lasting impression and provide ample shots for processing at the end of the tour.

• After lunch at a hacienda on-site, we shall drive to Guango Lodge, where we will spend two nights

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner included today

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Day 3: North Ecuador

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• Our lodge has a varied set of feeders that attract dozens of hummingbirds, including species as the Sword-billed Hummingbird, the black-and-white Collared Inca, aggressive Chestnut-breasted Coronet, White-bellied Woodstar, and Tourmaline Sunangel

• Another species we target is the Indigo Blue Masked Flowerpiercer

• Return to Guango lodge and review images

• A multi-flash session will be conducted today

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner included today

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Day 4: North Ecuador

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• Today we continue to focus on species that occur in this habitat like Sword-billed hummingbirds but also look for new species like Torrent Duck, Masked Trogon, Grass Green Tanager and a few others

• Return to Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge and review images

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner included today

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Day 5: Mindo

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• Today we drive to our most awaited spot in Mindo, one of the most biodiverse regions on the world

• A local family has set up fruit feeders in their yard that have become a sensation among bird photographers. Some of our recent trips have spent hours here shooting the constant stream of tanagers and other species that visit. Some of the possibilities include Black-capped Tanager, Blue-gray Tanager, Dusky Bush-Tanager, Ecuadorian Thrush, Black-striped Sparrow, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Golden-naped Tanager, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Red-headed Barbet, Toucan Barbet, and Lemon-rumped Tanager 

• We will also spend time shooting more birds at the feeders at multiple locations

• Return to Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner included today

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Day 6: Mindo​

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• Today we will make several day visits to feeders and use playback to photograph some very interesting species like Masked Trogon, some Flycatchers, Fruiteaters, Mountain Toucans and several other difficult to photograph species

• We will also work on a macro session and shoot rainforest frogs like the Glass Frog and the critically endangered Pinocchio anole lizard 

• Retire to 

• Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner included today

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Day 7: Amagusa Reserve

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• There are two special categories that we see here: those that can only be reliably photographed here, and those that are just downright beautiful.

• Birds like Glistening-green Tanager, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager, Golden-naped Tanager, Moss-backed Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Golden Tanager, and Crimson-rumped Toucanet are all possible among other more common species 

• Hummingbird feeders offer chances at two of the best hummers around, the glowing Velvet-purple Coronet and the impressive Empress Brilliant 

• In the afternoon, we’ll visit a spot where an odd nocturnal bird, the Oilbird, can be photographed on its daytime roost. This is one of the best sites to shoot this species in the world – there are caves with greater numbers, but the location of the birds at this site makes them photo-friendly 

• Head back to Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge and retire for the day

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner included today

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Day 8: Pas de las Aves

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• We’ll depart very early and head to one of the most important bird sites in the area, the wonderful Paz de las Aves Refuge 

• This beautiful reserve is set within a subtropical forest where the moist, moss-covered trees are burdened with bright red bromeliads 

• Our early arrival will let us visit an area deep within the forest where a short time after dawn the bright scarlet forms of several displaying Andean Cock-of-the-rocks will start the day off with a spectacular forest performance 

• What has made this place such a joy for photographers and birders is the habituating of several rare and shy species of the forest floor, especially the antpittas, Giant, Moustached, Yellow-breasted Antpittas, Ochre-breasted, and Chestnut-crowned Antpittasare 

• Other birds we will be trying to photograph include Dark-backed Wood-Quail, Rufous-breasted Antthrush, and White-capped Dipper

• Head back to Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge and retire for the day

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner included today

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Day 9: Quito

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• You will be dropped at the airport as per your flight time

• The latest time for departure is the lodge check-out time

• Only breakfast included today 

• Say goodbye to all your newfound feathered friends

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