PRIVATE BIRDING TOUR - All Year Round Great for Birding
Day 1
ARRIVAL
- Transfer in to our Birding Lodge, Hacienda Jimenita, located 15 minutes from the airport.
- Meals: No Meals Included.
- Overnight Hacienda Jimenita, King Suite with chimney
Day 2
PENAS BLANCAS BIRDING ROAD, SPECTACLED BEAR AND JIMENITA RESERVE
- Morning Birding in Penas Blancas Road for possible Thornbill Hummingbirds, Cotingas, Hawks, Antpittas, and Seedsnipe. Along the way possible Spectacled Bear and Andean Fox. Return to tour lodge and continue birding in Jimenita Reserve.
- Target Species: Western Emerald, Yellow Grossbeak, Vermillion Flycatcher, Giant Hummingbird, Azaras Spinetail, Black and White Seedeater, White-winged Brush Finch, Shiny Cowbird, Rufous-breasted Brush Finch, Sparkling Violetear, White-bellied Woodstar, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Blue-mantled Thornbill, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe and others.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Welcome Dinner
- Overnight Hacienda Jimenita, King Suite with chimney
Day 3
ANTISANA CHAKANA CONDOR HIDE AND WILDLIFE RESERVE
- The Antisana Reserve is the most impressive Andean Mount near Quito and Sanctuary of Wild Andean Condor. After breakfast visit the Upper Andean Valley near Antisana Volcano. Upon arrival to the reserve we will make strategic stops to observe different bird species and Natural Birding Treasures that Antisana offers, including the Ecuadorian Hillstar, Andean Condor and the rare Andean Ibis. We will have a delicious Box Lunch along the way and observation of several Aquatic Species. Afternoon return to our lodge.
- Target Birds: Andean Condor, Shining Sunbeam, Red-Crested Cotinga, Spectacled Redstart, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Caranculate Cara-Cara, Black-chested Buzzard Eagle, Variable Hawk, Black Flowerpiercer, Andean Ibis, Paramo Ground Tyrant, Andean Gull, Andean Lapwing, Many-striped Canastero, Tawny Antpitta and others.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight Hacienda Jimenita, King Suite with Chimney
Day 4
ZURO LOMA ANTPITTAS, OLD-NONO MINDO ROAD AND ALAMBI HUMMINGBIRD PARADISE
- Early pick up at 5:30am from our lodge. Drive towards Zuro Loma Reserve located in the Pichincha Foothills. We will visit the Antpitta and possible ocellated Tapaculo Hides in Zuro Loma Feeders. Lunch with a splendid view to the West Slope Cloud Forest. Continue birding in Old-Nono Mindo Road located in Tandayapa Valley. Late afternoon arrival to our lodge in Mindo.
- Target Species: Sword-billed Hummingbird, Undulated Antpitta, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Palm Tanager, White-lined tanager, Masked Flowerpiercer, Burrowing Owl, White-throated Screech Owl, Golden-breasted Puffleg, Great Sapphirewing, Thick-billed Euphonia, White-necked Jacobin, Black-chested Mountain Tanager, Golden-headed Quetzal, Crested-headed Quetzal,Tawny-bellied Hermit and others.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight Sachatamia Lodge, Double Room Cabin
Day 5
ANGEL PAZ ADEAN COCK OF THE ROCK RESERVE, TANAGERS, ANTPITTAS HIDES, AND MILPE BIRDING TOUCAN SANCTUARY
- Early morning pick up around 5:30am to visit the Andean Cock of the Rock Lek and Photography Hides of Antpittas, Tanagers, New World Barbets, Toucan-Barbets, Quails, Hawks, and other exotic choco endemic bird species. Lunch at the reserve overviewing the tanager and trogon feeders. Afternoon continue birding in San Tadeo Feeders for endemic Hummingbird species like the Violet-tailed Sylph. Late afternoon birding in Milpe Birding Sanctuary for spectacular opportunities to observe Toucans, Aracaris, Manakins and Parrots.
- Target Birds: Andean Cock of the Rock, Masked Trogon, Dark-backed Wood-Quails, Violet-tailed Sylph, Velvet-Purple Coronet, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Red-billed Parrot, Bronze-winged Parrot, Moustached Antpitta, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Ochre breasted Antpitta, Scaled Antpitta, Golden Tanager, Golden-naped Tanager, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Flame-faced Tanager, Toucan Barbet, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Choco Toucan, Yellow-breasted Toucan and others.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight Sachatamia Lodge, Double Room Cabin
Day 6
SACHATAMIA HIDE AND AMAGUSA ENDEMICS MASHPI FEEDERS
- Pick up around 530am to visit Amagusa Mashpi Reserve, one of the best spots in the world for biodiversity and birding. Its one of the last foothill-forest that directly connects to the Lower Subtropical Western Forest of Ecuador. Its unique location makes it particularly attractive for birders looking for the highest biodiversity regions with choco endemic birds. Afternoon return visit Alambi Hummingbird Paradise for at least 12 new hummingbird species. Optional visit Oilbirds Cave instead of Alambi. Lunch along the way and return to our lodge in Quito.
- Target Species: Moss-backed Tanager, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Glistening-green tanager, Black-chinned Mountain Tanager, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Choco Vireo, Empress Brilliant, Green Thorntail, Rose-faced Parrot, Spinetails, Chlorophonias, Rufous- throated Tanager, Broad-billed Motmot, Indigo Flowerpiercer and others choco endemic bird species.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight Hacienda Jimenita, King Suite with Chimney
Day 7
EAST SLOPE CLOUD FOREST, ANDEAN MOTMOT LEK RIO QUIJOS RESERVE AND SAN ISIDRO NIGHT OWL
- Pick up at 7am from our lodge. Our drive to the East Slope Cloud Forest will initially lead us through the drier central valley where we will pass through a mix of agricultural zones and native chaparral forests before rising up steeply to the high and windswept paramo. Along the way possible to observe the Spectacled Bear in our strategic points. Continue to Rio Quijos Andean Motmot Reserve near El Chaco Valley, where we frequently run into some of the best temperate forest flocks; best photography in our Hummingbird feeders. After lunch continue to San Isidro Reserve. At night Nocturnal Birding around the lodge for possible Owls.
- Target Species: Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, White-banded Tyrannulet, Black-capped and Black-eared Hemispingus, Slaty and Pale-naped Brush-Finch, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Buff-tailed Coronet, Collared Inca, Hooded Mountain Tanager, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Mountain Cacique, Inca Jay and Turquoise Jay.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight San Isidro Lodge, Double Room
Day 8
WHITE-BELLIED ANTPITTA FEEDER, INSECT TANAGER FEEERS, GUANGO FEEDERS.
- We plan to start the morning with some birding right around the lodge and main trails before breakfast. Continue to the famous Guacamayos Ridge at the border of the Upper Amazon Basin for possible Guans, Tanagers and Black-billed MountainToucan. Explore the White-bellied Antpitta Feeder and continue birding in near the Deck for possible Tanagers, Wrens, Jays, and Mountain Tapir. Continue to Guango Torrent Duck Reserve for possible Sword-billed Hummingbird and Torrent Duck.
- Target Species: Montane and Olive-backed Woodcreepers, Golden-crowned Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Cliff Flycatcher, Black-billed Peppershrike, Subtropical Cacique, White-bellied Antpitta, Long-tailed Antbirds, Plain-tailed Wrens and Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonias, Fruiteaters, Andean Potoo, San Isidro Owl, Rufous-banded Owl, Green Grass Tanager and others.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Farewell Dinner
- Overnight Hacienda Jimenita, King Suite with chimney.
DAY 9
TRANSFER OUT TO THE AIRPORT or TRIP EXTENSIONS
After breakfast transfer out to Quito Airport.
Optional EXTENSION to 4 Days Amazon Lodges or Galapagos Islands.
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