ECUADOR

tropical birding in a temperate climate

The Golden-headed Quetzal brightens up the darkest forest. Paul Willoughby.

For Galapagos tour extension photos & details click HERE

We have chosen four excellent lodges and hotels to make your stay as comfortable as possible. On the coast at Machalilla (four nights) we will watch Blue-footed Boobies, and search for the Elegant Crescentchest. At Tinalandia (two nights) there are Torrent Ducks and nesting Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. Cotapaxi (three nights), the world's highest active volcano, is a great place to see one of Ecuador's most sought-after birds, the Ecuadorian Hillstar. Nearby Papallacta pass is the domain of the Andean Condor.

Finally, the Mindo area (five nights) needs little introduction. It is the world capital of the hummingbirds and one of the best birding areas in the New World. If this is not enough for you, we are happy to arrange an extension to one of Ecuador's famous Amazonian lodges with their excellent local guides, or a cruise around Galapagos in the company of expert crew.

ITINERARY

MACHALILLA

Our flight from Amsterdam will arrive at Guayaquil on the west coast, and we will drive to Machalilla, arriving in time for lunch. Our home for four nights is the excellent Manta Raya Lodge. Machalilla National Park was formed in the 1970s to protect dry lowland forest and arid scrub at the northern tip of the Atacama Desert, as well as the seabird island of La Plata. In the forest along the Rio Ayampe, we will look for endemic Grey-backed Hawk and Saffron Siskin, as well as Baron's Hermit, Amazilia Hummingbird, Ecuadorian Piculet and Grey-and-gold Warbler.

Many species in the arid cactus scrub are endemic to northern Peru and south-west Ecuador, a region known as Tumbesia. These include Anthony's Nightjar, Peruvian Pygmy-owl, Necklaced Spinetail, Collared Antshrike, Short-tailed Field-tyrant and White-edged Oriole. On salt-pans a little further down the coast we can watch Chilean Flamingos, alongside Grey Gull, Elegant Tern and up to twenty species of wader.

Blue-footed Boobies & Waved Albatross chick La Plata. Paul Willoughby

The highlight of our time at Machalilla will be the visit to La Plata island. During the two hour boat trip we can expect several sightings of Humpback Whale. On arrival, we will be greeted by a few tame Collared Warbling-finches, a very difficult bird to see anywhere else in the world. As we walk along marked trails we will be surrounded by nesting Blue-footed Boobies, their foot-raising display being the source of much amusement. We can watch Nazka Boobies (a recent split from Masked Booby) at their colony. Red-billed Tropicbirds and Magnificent Frigatebirds distract us as they play in updrafts above the cliffs. But our greatest prize is the Waved Albatross.

This bird breeds only on Isla Espanola in the Galapagos archipelago and Isla La Plata. As we are visiting early in their breeding cycle, we have a good chance of watching them display. On day six we will head inland, stopping at Chone Lake en route to Tinalandia. Birding at Chone is quite different to anywhere else we will visit. Thousands of wetland birds here include Least Grebe, up to nine species of heron, Wood Stork, White-cheeked Pintail, Snail Kite, Limpkin, Wattled Jacana, Black-necked Stilt and Glossy Ibis.

TINALANDIA One of the original eco-tourist lodges in the country, Tinalandia is ideally situated to break our journey from the coast to the highlands. Furthermore, it offers fantastic birding in extensive grounds and surrounding foothills. Over 300 bird species have been recorded in the grounds alone. We can expect highlights such as Swallow-tailed Kite, White-whiskered Hermit, Green Thorntail, Orange-fronted Barbet, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Yellow-tufted Dacnis and Swallow-tanager. From a nearby bridge we should see Torrent Duck, White-capped Dipper (right, Paul Willougby) and Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. We will spend a full day and a morning here before driving into the Andes and our hotel near Cotapaxi.

COTAPAXI

At 19,347 feet, Cotapaxi (right, Paul Willoughby)is the world's highest active volcano. We can ascend to about 14,000 feet on graded roads in search of various high altitude specialists. Our home for three nights is the Hosteria La Cienega, a magnificent hacienda, now a hotel, it was once the family home of naturalist explorer, Alexander von Humboldt. In the grounds of the hotel we will look for Black-tailed Trainbearer, a spectacular hummingbird, as well as Streak-throated Bush-tyrant and Blue-and-yellow Tanager.

Our first full day in the area will be visiting Papallacta, a mountain pass surrounded by spectacular Andean peaks. This is the home of Andean Condor. Other birds include Rufous-bellied Seed-snipe in the paramo and Giant Conebill in the stunted polylepis woodland.

On the second day we will drive into Cotapaxi National Park, a short distance from our hotel. On the lower slopes we will look for Tawny Antpitta, one of the few antpittas to regularly show itself in the open. Andean Tit-spinetail (left, Paul Willoughby) and White-chinned Thistletail should also be found. On a high altitude lake there are breeding Andean Teal, Andean Coot, Andean Lapwing and Andean Gull. The greatest prize here is the Ecuadorian Hillstar, a remarkable hummingbird which feeds almost exclusively on the flowers of the chuquiragua shrub. In the paramo here we will look for Carunculated Caracara, Bar-winged and Stout-billed Cinclodes and Paramo Ground-tyrant. On day 11 we will leave La Cienga and drive to Mindo, visiting temperate woodland at Yanacocha on the north slope of Pichincha volcano, en route. Colourful birds here include Scarlet-bellied Mountain-tanager, whilst hummingbirds are a speciality. Sword-billed Hummingbird is regular, and we have a chance of the critically endangered Black-breasted Puffleg.

MINDO

Our final five nights will be based at the excellent Sachatamia Lodge, a recently built lodge with excellent grounds and ideally located for visits to the various sites around Mindo. Foremost is a lek of the incredible Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. In the grounds of the lodge itself there is a lek of Long-wattled Umbrellabird. Both of these require a fairly strenuous but optional hike early in the morning, but either could be chanced upon at other times of the day.

Mindo is the world capital of hummingbirds. Feeders at our lodge attract Tawny-bellied Hermit, Green-crowned Woodnymph, Western Emerald, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Velvet-purple Coronet and Booted Rackettail. Every change in elevation reveals different species. High in the hills there are Purple-throated Woodstar, Violet-tailed Sylph, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Andean Emerald, Collared Inca and the fantastic Empress Brilliant. During the whole trip we can expect about 40 species of hummingbirds!

When we can drag ourselves away from the feeders we will search for Toucan Barbet, Sunbittern, Cloud-forest Pygmy-owl, Plate-billed Mountain-toucan, Masked Trogon, Crested and Golden-headed Quetzal, Rufous Motmot, Choco Toucan, Powerful Woodpecker, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Moss-backed Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain-tanager, Slate-throated Whitestart, and a myriad other birds which make Mindo one of the world's top birding locations. On day 16 we will take the short drive to Quito, in good time for our flight home.

PACE On most days breakfast will be at 7am, giving us plenty of time in the productive morning period. The climate is mostly temperate, making the birding much easier. Afternoons tend to be rather quiet; we can spend time relaxing and watching the hummingbird feeders. The high altitude in the Andes affects some people and not others. It will always be possible to descend if necessary. In high altitude areas the pace will be very slow. During the rest of the trip, the birding will be fairly relaxed; there are so many birds there is no need to rush around. To see the leks at Mindo requires an optional strenuous walk early in the morning.

ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD Full board accommodation is provided, with four nights at the Manta Raya Lodge, Machalilla, two nights at Tinalandia, three nights at the Hosteria La Cienega, Cotapaxi and five nights at the Sachatamia Lodge, Mindo. All are of a high standard, with en suite bathrooms. Packed lunches will be taken when we are away in the middle of the day.

PRICE INCLUDES ….. All birdwatching excursions with expert leaders, full-board accommodation, soft drinks, local transport by mini-bus, boat trip, reserve & park entrance fees, international flights and taxes.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED Cost of travel insurance, payable at the time of booking. Items of a personal nature, alcoholic drinks, laundry, etc.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS Return flights from most UK airports (via Amsterdam) to Guayaquil and returning from Quito using the scheduled services of KLM. Outbound flight departs early evening, return flight arrives back mid-morning.

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