Day 1 - Arrival to Marisca Sucre International Airport in Quito. Transfer to hotel 20 minutes away from airport.
Day 2 - Today we start early in order to visit Zuroloma where Chestnut-naped, Rufous and Chestnut-crowned antpittas can be photographed at very close range, later on we focus in photographing hummingbirds, the species here are Sword-billed Hummingbird, Sapphire-vented Puffleg, Collared Inca, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Tyrian Metaltail and Mountain Velvetbreast.
At around 11:00 we move to Yanacocha Reserve where we will focus in taking pictures of Scarlet-bellied and Black-chested Mountain-Tanagers, Yellow-breasted and Gray-browed Brush-Finches, Shining Sunbeam, Great Sapphirewing and Andean Guan. Night in the Tandayapa Valley at Bellavista Lodge.
Day 3 - Today we spend a full day at Bellavista searching for Tanager Finch, Turquoise Jay, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, White-faced Nunbird, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Plushcap, White-throated Quail-Dove, Russet-crowned Warbler, Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant, Buff-tailed Coronet, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Toucan Barbet, Black-and-chestnut Eagle, White-rumped Hawk and many other birds.
At night we’ll search for Swallow-tailed Nightjar, Rufous-banded Owl and Mottled Owl. Night at Bellavista Lodge.
Day 4 - Today we’ll explore the Tandayapa Valley, making some stops on the way searching for Beautiful Jay, Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, White-throated Quail-Dove, Russet-crowned Warbler, Zeledon’s Antbird, Streak-capped Treehunter, White-winged and Tricolored Brush-Finches, Scaled Fruiteater, Olivaceous Piha, Tyranine Woodcreeper, Ashy-headed Tyrannulet, Spot-fronted Swift, Rufous-gaped Hillstar, White-winged Tanager and Metallic-green Tanager.
After lunch we’ll stop at Punto Ornitológico in Mindo for Sunbittern and White-throated Crake. Night in Mindo.
Day 5 - Refugio Paz de las Aves is a famous place for Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Giant, Moustached, Yellow-breasted, Ochre-breasted, and Chestnut-crowned antpittas other birds in this area are Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl, Golden-headed Quetzal, Powerful Woodpecker, Dark-backed Wood-Quail and Rufous-breasted Antthrush.
After lunch we drive to the Valley of Río Blanco where we´ll be looking for Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Masked Water-Tyrant, Choco Tyrannulet, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Guira Tanager, Streak-headed Woodcreeper and many other birds.
At night we’ll search for Black-and-white Owl and Rufescent Screech-Owl. Night in Mindo.
Day 6 - An easy dirt road passes through verdant cloudforest loaded with some superb Chocó endemics not easily see elsewhere, including Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Moss-backed Tanager, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager, Glistening-green Tanager, and Buffy Tuftedcheek. Other species we will be looking are Uniform Treehunter, Black Solitaire, Esmeralda's Antbird, Ochre-breasted and Rufous-throated tanagers, Red-faced Spinetail, Scaly-throated, Buff-fronted and Lineated foliage-gleaners, Choco Vireo, Slaty Antwren, Tawny-breasted Flycatcher, and Cinnamon Becard.
In the afternoon we drive the Guayabillas road making some stops looking for Scarlet-and-white Tanager, Yellow-green Bush-Tanager, Pacific Flatbill, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo, Russet Antshrike, Striped Woodhaunter and Baudo Guan. Night in Mindo.
Day 7 - Today we start early in order to see the Long-wattled Umbrellabird lek, in this area we have great chances of finding some great birds like Ornate Hawk-Eagle and other like Masked Water-Tyrant, Rose-face Parrot, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Choco Toucan, Bright-rumped Attila and more. In the afternoon we drive to Milpe Bird Sanctuary to see Pale-mandibled Aracari, Ochre-breasted Tanager, Zeledon’s Antbird, Club-winged Manakin, Spotted Woodcreeper, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Ruddy Pigeon, Bronze-winged Parrot, Green Thorntail, Slate-colored Grosbeak, Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager, Plain Xenops and other birds from the foothill forest. Night in Mindo.
Day 8 - Today we have a full day birding in the lowlands looking for Blue-tailed and White-tailed trogons, Olivaceous Piculet, Red-rumped, Cinnamon and Black-cheeked woodpeckers, Tawny-crested, Rufous-winged and Blue-whiskered tanagers, Scarlet-thighed and Scarlet-breasted dacnis, Squirrel and Little cuckoos, Plumbeous Hawk, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Checker-throated Antwren, White-bearded Manakin, Masked Tityra, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher, Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Barred Puffbird and many other lowland species.
Then we drive to Canande Reserve and spend night at Choco Lodge.
Days 9 & 10 - The Rio Canande Reserve is owned and managed by the Jocotoco Fundation. The reserve is 2500 hectares in size, and there are plans to increase this protected area to 10000 hectares. The reserve lands are located at elevations between 300m to 620 m at the sea level.
In this two full days we are going to look for Rufous-fronted Wood-Quail, Ruddy Pigeon, Maroon-tailed Parakeet, Orange-fronted Barbet Dot-winged Antwren, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Cinnamon Becard, One-colored Becard, Rufous Piha, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Red-capped Manakin, Bay Wren, Dagua Thrush, Southern Nightingale-Wren, Tawny-faced Gnatwren, Green Honeycreeper, Purple Honeycreeper, Double-toothed Kite, Semiplumbeous Hawk, Choco Screech Owl, Choco Poorwill, Barred Puffbird, Banded Ground-Cuckoo, Brown-billed Scythebill, Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Blue-whiskered Tanager, Golden-chested Tanager and others. Nights at Choco Lodge.
Day 11 - After breakfast we drive back to the highlands making some stops along the way.
At night we’ll search for White-throated Screech-Owl, Stygian Owl and the rare Buff-fronted Owl. Night at Pululahua.
Day 12 - After breakfast we drive along the Pululahua road back to Quito in search of Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Flammulated Treehunter, Andean Pygmy-Owl, Slaty Finch, and possible the rare Maroon-chested Ground-Dove.
Then we stop at the dry inter Andean Valley by the Equator to look for White-tailed Shrike Tyrant, Rusty Flowerpiercer, Band-tailed Seedeater, Streak-backed Canastero, Golden-rumped Euphonia and Tropical Mockingbird.
Day 13 - Today we visit the highlands of the Antisana National Park where we´ll look for Andean Condors, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Cinereous Harrier, Andean Ibis, Carunculated Caracara, Andean Gull, Giant Hummingbird, Andean Lapwing, Tawny Antpitta, Many-striped Canastero, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Paramo Pipit, Black-winged Ground-Dove and many other species from the Paramo ecosystem. Night at Guango Lodge.
Day 14 - After having breakfast, we drive to the Papallacta Pass area where we will search for White-chinned Thistletail, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Purple-backed Thornbill, Red-crested Cotinga, Giant Conebill, Variable Hawk and others.
In this area we will search for Spectacled Bear which is reliable because this ecosystem is above the tree line and much easier to spot them than in the dense cloud forest.
After lunch we continue birding and more spectacled bear hunting in the Papallacta area, we will search for Andean Pygmy-Owl, Crowned Chat-Tyrant, Crescent-faced Antpitta, Purple-backed Thornbill and Yellow-billed Pintails at the Papallacta Lake. Night at Guango Lodge.
Day 15 - Today we spend the day exploring the Guango Lodge trails and feeders looking for Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, Mountain Cacique, Grass-green Tanager, Barred Fruiteater, Mountain Avocetbill, Plain-tailed Wren, Cinnamon Flycatcher, White-banded Tyrannulet, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Capped Conebill, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Speckled Hummingbird, White-capped Dipper, Powerful and Crimson-mantled woodpeckers, Flammulated Treehunter, Montane Woodcreeper, Turquoise Jay, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Pale-naped and Slaty Brush-Finches, Dusky Piha, Black-crested Warbler, Black-capped Hemispingus and others.
At around 3pm we drive to the airport for your flight back home.
