January 17: Arrive in Quito, where you will be met at the airport and brought to the beautiful Hotel Jose de Puembo, with beautiful views of the snow-capped Andes and large gardens, the perfect spot to begin your Ecuadorian nature exploration!

February 18: We will drive east over the continental divide to spend a full day in Antisana National Park, home to the majestic national bird of Ecuador, the Andean Condor. One of the largest flying birds, with an incredible 11-foot wingspan! We will also look for the endangered Andean or Spectacled Bear. Lunch at the delightful Tambocondor restaurant, whose hummingbird feeders attract the Northern Giant Hummingbird, the largest hummingbird in the world! Dinner and overnight at Guango Lodge.

February 19: We will awake at dawn to bird the grounds of Guango Lodge, known for Sword-billed Hummingbirds and Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucans. We will then go birding in the high elfin cloud forest of Cayambe Coca National Park to look for Masked Mountain Tanager and other hard-to-find endemic species. Time and weather conditions permitting, we will search for Rufous-bellied Seed Snipe in the high paramo climbing to over 14,000 feet. After lunch at a more moderate elevation, we will drive to Zuroloma Reserve, an Andean gem where the hummingbird feeders attract the Sword-billed Hummingbird, the bird with the longest bill relative to body length. Several other hummingbirds and rare and hard-to-see Antpitta species are found here, as well as other high-altitude specialties of the west slopes of the Andes. We will then drive to Mashpi Amaguza reserve, an amazing spot with bird feeders, water, and native plantings that attract over 450 species of birds (!).

A couple of years ago, Sergio & Doris, the local couple who are caretakers of Mashpi Amagusa, had the opportunity to purchase the property they’d been caring for before it was sold to logging and mining interests. I’m proud to say that my friends & followers helped raise over $8,000 towards this effort, and now we will be one of the first groups to stay in the new eco-lodge they’ve built on the property! It’s wonderful to see their vision become a reality, and their stewardship is reflected in the incredible diversity of birds and other wildlife found here.

February 27: Drive to Antisana, a Fundacion Jocotoco reserve high in the Andes, home to Andean Condor, Andean Ibis, Andean Gull, and other high-elevation paramo specialties. Lunch at Tambo Condor Restaurant, the best spot to see Giant Hummingbird. Stop in the 15,000ft Papallacta Pass on the way back to look for Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe and other local & hard-to-find high elevation species. Dinner and overnight at Papallacta Hot Springs.

February 28: Breakfast at Papallacta Hot Springs. Check out and drive to nearby Guango Lodge to experience their amazing hummingbird feeders, where we may encounter Tourmaline Sunangel, Sword-billed Hummingbird, and many other species as well as Turquoise Jay, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, and more. The river nearby has families of Torrent Ducks. Lunch at Guango, drive to Cabañas San Isidro Lodge for dinner and overnight at San Isidro. The unique & mysterious San Isidro Owl may be heard that night.

February 29: Morning at San Isidro Lodge, home to over 500 species of birds! We can enjoy their stunning verandah and many hummingbird species. The woodlands nearby are home to both Golden-headed and Crested Quetzals, as well as numerous tanager, warbler, and hummingbird species. Late morning we will drive to WildSumaco Lodge, lunch birding, dinner and overnight at WildSumaco Lodge.

March 01: Morning at WildSumaco Lodge, the site with the most birds in all of Ecuador - nearly 650 species recorded, nearly as many as in the entire state of Texas! After lunch, drive to Coca, where we will take a motor canoe up the Napo River to the Yarina Ecolodge. Dinner and overnight at Yarina Ecolodge.

March 02: Yarina Ecolodge - we will spend the entire day exploring the Amazon Basin lowland jungle around the Yarina Ecolodge, with blackwater rivers, terra firme forest and more. Home to numerous monkeys, caimans, Amazon River Dolphins, and of course scores of fascinating birds such as the unique and bizarre Hoatzin, Cocoi Heron, Zigzag Heron, Mealy Parrot, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Paradise Tanager, and numerous Antbird species. Dinner and night at Yarina Amazon EcoLodge.

March 03: Breakfast and birding at Yarina Ecolodge, after which we take a motor canoe back to Coca where we will catch a short flight to Quito around noon. Return home that afternoon/evening from Quito, or you may choose to spend an additional night(s) in Quito or a nearby ecolodge (not included).