BIRDING SOUTHERN ECUADOR

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03 April 2021

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Price: From £4545/person

Discover the Lake and Mangroves of Manglares Churute

Look for El Oro Parakeets in Buenaventura Reserve

Explore the Avifauna of the Dry Forest of Jorupe

Explore the Cloud Forests of Copalinga & Tapichalaca Reserve

Enjoy a Hiking Adventure in Cajas National Park

Day 1: Arrive at Guayaquil

 

Arrive at Guayaquil, transfer to the hotel. Free time for leisure for the rest of the day.

Overnight in Guayaquil.

Meals included: None 

Santa Ana Hill in Guayaquil

Day 2: Visit Manglares Churute with its lake El Canclon

 

Depart from Guayaquil and transfer to Manglares Churute Reserve home to some interesting aquatic birds like herons and cormorants and migratory birds like curlews and plovers.

Overnight in Machala.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Churute Mangrales mangrove forest

Day 3: Transfer to Buenaventura Reserve

 

Today you will be transferred to the unique Buenaventura Reserve. You will have the option to spot the Pacific Tuftedcheek, El Oro Parakeet and the Club-winged Manakin.

Overnight at Buenaventura Reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Long-wattled Umbrellabird in Buenaventura Reserve

Day 4: Full day birdwatching at Buenaventura Reserve

 

Enjoy the trails around the lodge and discover the rich flora and fauna of this Reserve.

Overnight at Buenaventura Reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

El Oro Parakeet in Buenaventura Reserve

Day 5: Transfer to Jorupe Reserve

 

Today you will travel to another birding hotspot, to Jorupe Reserve. This area offers an open dry and disappearing forest where you will encounter the White-tailed Jay, Ecuadorian Trogon, White-winged Brush-Finch, and the difficult to spot Watkins Antpitta.

Overnight at Jorupe Reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

The Dry Forest of Jorupe Reserve

Day 6: Birding in the Dry Forest

 

Discover the bird fauna of the Dry Forest at 500 m elevation. Enjoy the view of giant Ceibo trees while you walk through the trails. You will also have the opportunity to visit the higher Utuana region at 2500m elevation.

Overnight at Jorupe Reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Swaison's Thrush in Jorupe Reserve

Day 7: Transfer to Tapichalaca Reserve

 

You will leave the lowlands, and after a long transfer, you will arrive at the higher and cooler region, to Tapichalaca Reserve on the eastern slopes of the Andes. It is located South of Podocarpus National Park. Stop at the Catamayo Valley and hope to spot a Band-tailed Sierra Finch, maybe the Loja Hummingbird and long-tailed mockingbird.

Overnight at Tapichalaca Reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Jocotoco Antpitta in Tapichalaca Reserve

Day 8: Birding at Tapichalaca Reserve – 1800m-3400m altitude

 

In this Reserve, you may encounter some very unique birds like the Jocotoco Antpitta, Glowing Puffleg, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, White-throated Quail-Dove, Golden-plumed Parakeet, Golden-headed Quetzal, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Ecuadorian Piculet, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Orange-banded Flycatcher, Blue-capped Tanager, Rufous-naped Brush-Finch, Rufous Antpitta, Slate-crowned Antpitta.

Overnight at Tapichalaca Reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Long-tailed Sylph in Tapichalaca Reserve

Day 9: Transfer to Copalinga Reserve

 

After leaving Tapichalaca Reserve, you will be taken to the Copalinga Reserve. This 4-hour transfer will take you via Loja near Zamora. Your lodge is located in a highly diverse environment between the lowlands of Zamora and the Podocarpus National Park. It is a perfect place to spot Hummingbirds,  Tanagers, Coppery-chested Jacamars and White-breasted Parakeets.

Overnight at Copalinga Reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Speckled-Chachalaca in Copalinga Ecuador

Day 10: Visit Podocarpus National Park

 

Today enjoy a tour to Podocarpus National Park where you can discover its incredible bird diversity.

Overnight at Copalinga Reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Podocarpus National Park in Ecuador

Day 11: Copalinga Reserve

 

Today you will explore the old Zamora road and continue looing for endemic and migratory bireds in the forest.

Overnight at Copalinga Reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Gray TInamou in Copaliga, Ecuador

Day 12: Transfer to Cuenca via Loja-Saraguro

 

You will leave Copalinga today towards Cuenca. It is a log transfer there will be opportunities to stop at various places to spot some birds.

Overnight near Cajas National Park.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Red-headed Barbet in Ecuador

Day 13: Visit Cajas National Park

 

Cajas is located at approx. 3000m above sea level. It offers a great variety of habitats like polylepis forest, cloud forest, high grassland and paramo. Birds to be spotted today are Mouse-colored Thistletail, Tit-like Dacnis, Black Vulture. Tawny Antpitta and many more. After the excursion, your driver will take you to Guayaquil.

Overnight in Guayaquil.  

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Cajas National Park in Ecuador

Day 14: Departure Day

 

After breakfast, free time in the city and then we will transfer you to the airport.

Meals included: Breakfast

A house in the historic centre of Guayaquil

Guayaquil

Hotel Wyndham Guayaquil (Premium)

This is a nice, modern 4-star hotel right next to the River Babahayo. It is located near the historic Santa Ana Hill and provides a comfortable stay after a tiring day. It has 175 spacious rooms, and guests can enjoy its own restaurant and indoor swimming pool.

Machala

Hotel Oro Verde (Premium)

Oro Verde is the only 5-star hotel in Machala. It is located near one of the most exclusive residential areas of the city. It has 69 modern, comfortable rooms and offers a great place to rest after discovering the area.

Buenaventure Reserve

Umbrellabird Lodge (Classic)

This lodge is located at a lower elevation (500m) at the Buenaventura Reserve. It offers a rustic, comfortable stay for nature lovers. It has 5 comfortable cabins with en-suite bathrooms. It offers an extensive network of trails.

Jorupe Reserve

Urraca Lodge (Standard)

Urraca Lodge is situated near the Ecuador-Peru border, near the town called Macara. The lodge is located at 500m elevation at the Jorupe Reserve. It is a perfect place to discover the wonders of the dry forest of Ecuador. It has 6 comfortable cabins and a number of trails to discover the forest.

Tapichalaca Reserve

Casa Simpson (Standard)

This rustic lodge is located in the Tapichacala Reserve at 2500m above the sea level. The lodge is based at one of the best birding sites of Southern Ecuador. This is the only lodge where the Jocotoco Antpitta can be seen. Enjoy the views of Andean forest, discover the diversity of hummingbirds and orchids of the forest.

Copalinga Reserve

Copalinga Lodge (Standard)

Copalinga Lodge is located in the Bombuscaro Valley, near Zamora and the beautiful Podocarpus National Park. The lodge offers privacy, peace and comfort for bird and nature lovers. It has 8 cabins, all made of local timber.

Cajas National Park

Hoteria Dos Chorreras (Standard)

Hosteria dos Chorreras is a nice hotel near Cajas National Park. The hotel offers breathtaking views to the surrounding mountains. The hotels has spacious, en-suite rooms. It is a perfect place to relax or discover the nearby National Park.

Prices & Inclusions

Travel Period

Holiday Price

Single Supplement

15th January 2023 – 31st December 2023

Based on 2 people £4545/person £525/person
Based on 4 people £2865/person £525/person

Inclusions

  • Shuttle transfers on day 1 and day 14
  • Private transportation throughout the holiday from day 2 to day 13
  • English speaking guide with good birding knowledge from day 2 to day 13
  • Meals as per itinerary
  • 13 night accommodation in mentioned hotels and (birding) lodges
  • Entrance fees
  • Full financial protection by Protected Trust Services

Exclusions

  • International Flights
  • Meals that are not listed
  • Beverages
  • Tips
  • Travel Insurance
Your
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Ecuador is located on the southwestern part of South- America. It lays on the Equator; this is where its name comes from. One of the smallest countries on the continent holds a fantastic variety of landscapes; from the lowland rainforests of the West to the high Andean peaks to the Amazon on the East.

 

Ecuador has 11 National Parks, 9 Ecological Reserves and 4 Biological Reserves.

 

The country is a wildlife hotspot; there are more than 1600 species of birds living in this area, 300 of them are endemic to the region.

 

The cloud forests are full of hummingbirds; the rainforests give shelter to parrots, caimans, and the elusive jaguar; the paramos of the Andes are home to the Andean fox the endangered Blue-throated Hillstar. Ecuador is an excellent travel destination which combines the options to visit these unique ecosystems and some beautiful colonial towns like Quito ad Cuenca.

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