From Chocó to Yasuni

On arrival at Quito International Airport (2800 meters asl), your guide will welcome you and give you a short briefing about the upcoming trip.

Immediate transfer to your hotel close to the airport and check in. Depending on the time of arrival, it will be possible to stroll around the hotel and make our first observations of typical species of the inter-Andean valley.

Early departure from our hotel to the Chocó mountain region. The descent by jeep along the western foothills of the Andes will immerse us in the Andean forest ecosystem. Arrival at the entrance of the Tandayapa valley where we will visit the small bird reserve of the Alambi river (1550 meters). This first stop will allow us not only easy observations and shots around a large quantity of hummingbird feeders, but also of floral vegetation rich in texture and colours. Lunch in front of the hummingbird feeders. In the afternoon, we head towards our lodge located a little higher up in the Tandayapa valley (2200 meters), in an area of cloud forest. After settling into our rooms, we will have the opportunity to see new species of hummingbirds around the feeders.

This primary forest in the middle of the Chocó mountain range will allow us to explore the biogeographic altitudinal stage of the subtropical rainforest, otherwise known as the "cloud forest". Here, at an altitude of 2100 metres asl, we are in the midst of one of the richest ecosystems on the planet. We will spend the day walking on the reserve's trails for understorey species. The wider track edges will also allow us to observe more easily and try to understand the phenomenon of mixed flocks. Finally, the hummingbird feeders will give us a time to relax while continuing our observations in this comfortable lodge. If we are lucky, we will have the opportunity to observe some of the endemic birds of the mythical Chocó mountain area. We descend to the lower Tandayapa valley to our next accommodation.

Early breakfast, then descent to the Paz de las Aves reserve. We walk down to the Cock-of-the-Rock  (Rupicola peruviana sanguinolenta) arena, where we can photograph the courtship of this unusual Continga. Angel, the owner of the reserve, will accompany us along the trails to look for three species of antpitta; the Giant, the Yellow-breasted and the Whiskered. These extremely shy undergrowth birds can be approached here without difficulty. Lunch and departure to Milpe, our new reserve. Here we will take advantage of the various trails that criss-cross this magnificent forest where you can visit several leks of different species of Manakins and you will witness the abundant mixed flocks near the various hummingbird feeders and fruit feeders at around midday.

Today we will reach one of the latest trendy sites in Ecuadorian birding. The Mashpi Mixed Protection Area (MPA) is a collection of conservation initiatives isolated from the main roads and still covered with original vegetation. This site is therefore simply incredible for ornithology as it has surprising climatic characteristics for the region with a humidity level reminiscent of the lowland forests of Chocó, while the area is located at around 1400 meters above sea level. Located on the crossroads of the biogeographical influences of the lowland Chocó and the mountainous Chocó, the reserve is home to several species of different altitudes. During the day we will follow the owner of the small reserve of Amagusa, to try to find the majority of the key species of the area.

In the early morning we will head to the two Hides built near the lodge to wait patiently for the arrival of some of the undergrowth species. After breakfast, we leave mid-morning for Santa Rosa. Located at 1850 meters above sea level, this small reserve, run by a bird photographer, offers great opportunities to photograph a large number of normally rare species in complete tranquillity. There is no shortage of activity here, from hummingbird feeders to tanagers and toucans. In the late afternoon we continue our journey to the inter-Andean valley, which we will cross to reach the Antisana reserve where we will spend the night.

After an early breakfast, we will take the short road to the Antisana Ecological Reserve. From a platform, we will scan the nesting walls of the Condor, one of the most important populations in the country, with a telescope. We will then explore the grasslands and scrub vegetation of the highlands, looking for hummingbirds and alto-andine passerines, and then climb to the expanses of the Andean steppe called the páramo. Diversity at this altitude (almost 4000 metres asl) is low, but the species visible here are all adapted to this particular ecosystem. Then, a short walk along the lagoon of La Mica will allow us to observe some aquatic birds. In the early afternoon, we'll return to the lower areas to have lunch around hummingbird feeders and to try to observe one of the rarest mammals of this ecosystem: the Spectacled Bear. Arrival in Papallacta before evening, where you will have the opportunity to relax in the hot thermal spa.

This morning we will have the choice between enjoying the Papallacta thermal spa or exploring the super humid Páramo areas of the Cayambe Coca reserve. From the Papallacta Pass at an altitude of over 4000 metres, we will search for Ecuador's main highland species in a mosaic of ecosystems: temperate forest, super humid páramo, lagoons, elfin scrub and Polylepis woodland. If the weather is good, we will climb up to the antennas, at an altitude of more than 4300 meters, in search of the most specialized species. We descend to the small reserve of Guango for lunch. In the late afternoon we continue our descent along the eastern foothills. We will cross a wide altitudinal gradient, between elfin, alto-andine and cloud forests to reach our next lodge where we will spend two nights.

These high altitude tropical forests are also called Cloud Forest because of the magical fog that covers them for part of the day. This almost constant humidity allows the development of a vegetation rich in epiphytes, mosses, orchids, bromeliads, cacti, etc.... But also frogs, birds and small mammals. In the afternoon we will visit the scientific station of Yanayacu where scientists have developed several research projects on the reproductive biology of Ecuadorian birds, as well as a project to study the parasites of several particularly attractive species of caterpillars. One of the scientists of the station will present all these projects in more detail. After dinner we will try to observe an owl (Choliba sp.) which might be a new species for science.

At first light we will go to the lowland lodge to try to observe and photograph some additional species. We will stay there for most of the morning before taking a moment around the hummingbird feeders. Then it is time to take our long drive to the eastern foothills of the Cordillera to the eastern part of the Antisana Reserve, along the Ara Cordillera, where we make a short stop. The trail that runs along the heights of the Guacamayo mountain range takes advantage of the ridge effect, winding its way between subtropical and foothill forest on the eastern side of the Andes. We will explore its dense and humid vegetation for a while, before descending to the upper Amazon foothills to our next lodge located in the buffer zone of the Sumaco National Park, in the middle of the subtropical Amazonian forest (1500 meters).

WildSumaco is one of those isolated reserves, which, although little known to the general public, is extremely rich in terms of birdlife. The conservation and research projects carried out there have documented the presence of a large number of species that are normally rare and difficult to observe. Its accommodation infrastructure and numerous trails let us access an ecosystem that has long been isolated, as it is wedged between the Amazon foothills and the high Andes. It is therefore at the confluence of these two very different habitats that we will evolve over the next two days. We will explore roadsides, subtropical rainforest trails and forest creeks. We will also spend some time around the feeder areas and on the viewing platforms in front of the Lodge.

It will be time to continue our descent into the lower parts of the Ecuadorian Amazon basin, to the town of Coca (Francisco de Orellana) located on the Napo River (350 metres asl)  in the province of Napo. From the docks on the Napo River, Ecuador's largest tributary of the Amazon, we will board our motorized dugout canoe for a descent of about three hours, our first immersion into this green world. After arriving at the edge of the Yasuni National Park in the territory of the Sani community, we will transfer to smaller dugout canoes and then row along the black water canals to the lagoon on the edge of which the lodge is located (250 metres asl). After settling into our spacious cabins, our guide will give us a presentation of the site and a briefing on the upcoming trip. This day is essentially a travel day, but along the Napo River (riparian and "white water" ecosystem) and then along the narrow "black water" channels and around the lagoon we will have the opportunity to observe our first Amazonian species.

After an early and hearty breakfast, we will go by rowing boat and then by motorboat to the banks of the Napo River. From there we will visit two "clay licks": these are clay cliffs covered with minerals that several species of Psittacidae come to ingest to facilitate their digestion (diet composed almost exclusively of acidic fruits and vegetables). The first clay lick is located directly on an open bank of the Napo river, the second is inside the forest and is more like a cave. It attracts very different species from the first. After this incredible sight, we will take a trail in Terra Firme close to the second clay lick in search of the characteristic species of this flooded ecosystem. After lunch, we will take a motorboat ride along the Napo River to look for some interesting "white water" riparian species (named after the light brown colour of the great Amazonian rivers that carry silt and material from the high Andes where they originate). At the end of the day, we will return to our lodge via the "black water" canals, so called because of their dark tea colour (due to the tannins in the decomposing leaves washed by the Amazonian rains and accumulating in the rivers and lagoons).

Note: The activities of these two days will vary according to the climate.

After crossing the lagoon, a 20 minute walk will take us to the observation tower. Built on the sides of a Kapokier tree, this 35 meter high observation tower will allow us to have an unobstructed view of the Amazonian forest canopy. The canopy birds, which are often much higher than 30 meters, are among the most difficult to observe in the Amazon. The construction of such towers makes our task much easier. In the middle of the morning we descend to ground level for a long observational walk in the forest in a seasonally flooded ecosystem: the Varzea. This is home to a significantly different avifauna than the Terra Firme and promises us some new species. After a well-deserved rest at the lodge, we set off again at the end of the afternoon on another trail. This one winds between Varzea and Terra Firme and will offer us the possibility to observe a great variety of species. After dinner, we will go on a torchlight trip in a rowing boat in search of many nocturnal species as well as the black caiman.

Note: The activities on these two days will vary according to the weather.

This morning we will visit one of the most specialised and interesting ecosystems in the Amazon. The islands located on the large Amazonian rivers represent small independent ecosystems that have evolved in a completely autonomous way. Depending on their age, height and stage of vegetation, these islands are home to a contingent of very different and specialised species. This morning we will travel along the Napo River to several islands of different ages, structures and vegetation cover in search of all these specialist species. After that we will return to the lodge during the heat of the day. In the afternoon, we will coordinate our final outing with our guide  depending on what we want to rediscover: observations at the end of the day from the canopy tower, the trail in Terra Firme, the trail in Varzea, a canoe ride along the lagoon's shores and the "black water" channels. After dinner, we will take a final walk along one of the trails in search of nocturnal birdlife.

Early in the morning we take our rowing boats back to the canals leading us to the Napo River. At the border of the National Park, our motorized dugout will be waiting for us to go up the Napo river where we will be able to enjoy our last observations. Arrival at Coca city around noon for our flight to Quito airport.

End of our services.