Northern Ecuador Photo Tour

This itinerary is sometimes run in a different order than listed here due to availability in the lodges and other factors, but all sites will be visited.

​Day 1: Quito
The tour starts this evening in Quito, and you will be transferred to an excellent hotel for the night. If the extension is run before the main tour, this will be the last day of the extension.

Day 2: Antisana and Chakana Reserve to Guango Lodge
Our first morning of the tour will be truly spectacular and for good reason, as we visit the open grasslands surrounding the enormous Antisana volcano. This is often voted as the favorite site of the tour by many, for the wonderful surroundings in which we will be shooting. The towering peak of the Antisana Volcano itself is impressive, with a large snow-covered top, and dramatic rocky sides. The páramo (grassland) is interspersed with rocky outcrops and scenic high Andean lakes dotted with high altitude waterfowl. Indeed the scenery itself may be our biggest photo asset. Aside from these breathtaking Andean scenes, the upper páramo is carpeted with Carunculated Caracaras, a striking pied raptor that occurs here in impressive numbers. Black-faced Ibis patrol these high plains as do Andean Lapwings and large flocks of Andean Gulls. It is a site that will leave a lasting impression and provide ample shots for processing at the end of the tour. We will also visit nearby Chakana Reserve, where from atop the ridgeline, we will have the chance to photograph condors in flight at eye level, or perched on the rocks below. After lunch at a hacienda on site with some great hummingbird feeders (Shining Sunbeam and Sparkling Violetear being the most dominant species), we shall drive to Guango Lodge, where we will spend two nights.

Day 3: Guango Lodge, La Brisa and Concierto de Aves
We will start our day at Guango Lodge, by visiting their blind, where birds like Turquoise and Green Jays, Mountain Caciques are regular visitors, while sometimes Masked Trogon and various brushfinches visit too. Guango and the other sites on this day will complement our later visit to Tandayapa very well in terms of hummingbirds. Guango has a varied set of feeders that attract some different, east slope hummingbirds, like the aggressive Chestnut-breasted Coronet, tiny White-bellied Woodstar, and sublime Tourmaline Sunangel. We will also visit feeders at two other sites on this day (and take lunch at a local restaurant), La Brisa and Concierto de Aves, which will offer up yet more amazing hummingbirds, such as Long-tailed Sylph, Gorgeted Woodstar, Peruvian Racket-tail, Green-backed Hillstar and Violet-fronted Brilliant, among others. At the end of a busy day, filled with a variety of hummingbirds, we will return to Guango for a final night.

​Day 4: Papallacta and Guango to Quito
Weather permitting, we will venture into the páramo grasslands of the high Andes around Papallacta Pass; on clear days we can enjoy spectacular views of several snow-capped volcanoes. The high altitude birds that reside there can be remarkably confiding. Comical cinclodes bound around on the páramo, Tawny Antpittas hop along the roads, and with the use of playback, shier birds like canasteros and tit-spinetails can often be brought in close. At lunch time we will return to Guango, where will have the most of the afternoon to shoot hummingbirds, walk the forest trails behind the lodge, or scan the river alongside for Torrent Ducks. In mid-afternoon, we shall pack up and head to Quito for a night.

Day 5: Zuroloma and Yanacocha to Tandayapa Bird Lodge
After leaving Quito, we’ll first visit the Zuroloma reserve. The feeders at this site are just fantastic, regularly attracting Sword-billed Hummingbird, Mountain Velvetbreast, Collared Inca, and Sapphire-vented Puffleg on the hummingbird front, but also Andean Guan, Masked and Glossy Flowerpiercers, Yellow-breasted Brushfinch, and Blue-capped Tanager too at the other feeders on site. The reserve landowners are also famous for their successful efforts to tame several shy antpitta species, and we will be hoping to connect with an Equatorial or Chestnut-naped Antpitta during our visit too. Away from the feeders, we may see Red-crested Cotinga, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, or Black-crested Warbler. By late morning, we will switch over to nearby Yanacocha reserve, where will take lunch after checking out Shining Sunbeams and Great Sapphirewings at their own feeders. In the afternoon, we’ll make our way downslope to Tandayapa Bird Lodge, our base for five nights. The lodge is nestled within lush subtropical forest on the west slope of the Andes, an area renowned for its high bird species diversity.

​Days 6-9: Northwest Ecuador based out of Tandayapa Bird Lodge
Tandayapa makes a great base to explore the surrounding region, and the lodge itself is one of the best spots for photography in Ecuador. This is especially evident in the impressive hummingbird community found right around the lodge that will occupy much of our photographic energies. The lodge feeders attract thousands of individual hummingbirds, with around a dozen species visiting on most days. The most common is usually the outrageous White-booted Racket-tail, the male of which has a strange long tail, with two paddles at the end. Other regular drop-ins are a number of glistening species like the audacious Violet-tailed Sylph, the standout Purple-bibbed Whitetip, and the dinky Purple-throated Woodstar that regularly buzz around the Tandayapa balcony. If hummingbird photography is your goal, you are likely to come away with plenty of shots of over ten species of hummingbird, some of which are hard to photograph like this elsewhere. Fruit feeders at the lodge can also attract “technicolor” birds like Red-headed Barbet, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, or Toucan Barbet. Other species often come in to eat insects attracted to lights, such as flycatchers, woodcreepers, and more. We will also make day trips to other areas within 2 hours or less of the lodge. Some of these include Birdwatchers House for Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Milpe and Frutti Tour for some different hummingbird species, Sacha Guatusa for its  well-placed and lit feeders, and Mashpi-Amagusa reserve, which has superb fruit feeders attracting a rainbow of species like Glistening-green Tanager, Moss-backed Tanager, and Velvet-purple Coronet. On one afternoon, we will visit the best display site in Ecuador for photographing the dramatic Andean Cock-of-the-rock.

Day 10: Paz de las Aves to Quito
We’ll depart early and head to one of the most important bird sites in the area, the wonderful Paz de las Aves Refuge. This beautiful reserve is set within subtropical forest where the moist, moss-covered trees are burdened with bright red bromeliads. In the early morning, shortly after dawn, we will have a second chance to witness the displays of the amazing Andean Cock-of-the-rock, one of the most unique and iconic birds of the Andes. What has made this place such a joy for photographers and birders alike is the habituating of several rare and shy species of the forest floor, especially the antpittas. Giant, Yellow-breasted Antpittas, and Ochre-breasted Antpittas are all possible, with usually at least two of them cooperating on any given visit. Later in the morning, we may visit one of the other sites in the area, or we may return to Tandayapa for a few hours, before returning to Quito for the final night of the tour.

​Day 11: Departure
The tour ends this morning with transfers to the airport. If the extension is running after the main tour, this will be the first day of the extension.

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Amazon Extension

Wildlife photography in the Amazon is as tough as it gets. We had hesitated to offer a trip until we went to Sani Lodge, and that totally changed our minds. After a few days there, we came back with chips loaded with great photos and were convinced that this was THE place to do it. This extension can also be done at any time as a custom tour, and both longer and shorter packages are possible.

Day 1: Quito to Sani Lodge
After a short flight to the lowland city of Coca, staff from Sani Lodge will meet us and take us to a dock, where we’ll board a large, covered motorized canoe for the 2.5 hour journey down the Napo River. There won’t be much in the way of photo opportunities during this trip, so just sit back and relax. Upon arrival at Sani’s dock, you’ll have a chance to unpack your camera and get ready. Here in the virgin Amazon rainforest, you never know when something amazing will pop into view and it pays to be prepared! The path to Sani goes along a boardwalk through seasonally flooded forest to another dock at the edge of the Challuayacu River, a small channel that winds through beautiful swamp forest to an oxbow lake. Five species of kingfishers occur along here along with herons and other water-loving species. Shy species like Cocha Antshrike can sometimes be lured into view, and while the dark rainforest makes the photography challenging, with persistence, the right gear, and a little luck, great shots are still possible. We’ll have lunch at Sani and spend the afternoon either on the lake or river, or spend time around the lodge depending on activity. We’ll have four nights based in Sani Lodge. Note: If the extension runs before the main tour, today will be the second day, since you will need to arrive the previous day in Quito.

​Days 2-4: Full days based out of Sani Lodge
The day-to-day activities here are highly subject to change based on current conditions. Local guides are keeping up with the current hotspots, and their knowledge will be vital in deciding where best to spend our days at Sani Lodge. Here are some of the most likely areas we will visit during our time at Sani Lodge:

The lodge clearing. The Sani clearing can be a great place to photograph numerous colorful species, especially if any trees are fruiting. White-chinned Jacamar, Scarlet-crowned Barbet, various toucans and aracaris, Gray-fronted Dove, Masked Crimson and Silver-beaked Tanagers, Purple Honeycreeper, Golden-bellied Euphonia, are some of the possibilities. This is a great area to spend time in during the heat of the day, which can be slow in other locations.

Oxbow lake and Challuayacu River. Using canoes, we’ll work the edge of the oxbow lake, which is great for getting photos of Hoatzin, Black-capped Donacobius, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Capped Heron, Pale-vented Pigeon, White-winged Swallow, Lesser Kiskadee, and more. There is usually plenty of light to work with and the photography is easier than inside the forest. The previously mentioned Challuayacu River is darker but offers the chance for perched hummingbirds, manakins, various antbirds, and even monkeys too.

Canopy tower. Sani’s large canopy tower is built within an enormous kapok tree, allowing for lots of space to set up a tripod or to move around for the perfect angle. Activity can vary, but if a mixed flock comes through, this can be one of the best places in Sani to get great shots, and there is plenty of light. Some birds we have photographed there include Many-banded Aracari, Paradise and Opal-crowned Tanagers, Great Jacamar, Yellow-billed and White-fronted Nunbirds, Gilded and Lemon-throated Barbets, Cinnamon-throated and Buff-throated Woodcreepers, Black-tailed and Green-backed Trogons, Black-tailed Tityra, Cinnamon Attila, though many more are possible, depending on the day and also if there are fruiting trees in the area. Near the tower, there is an area that sometimes offers chances to photograph the dapper Wire-tailed Manakin.

Yasuní parrot licks. Not far from Sani Lodge are the famous clay licks that on dry days bring in hundreds and hundreds of parrots. One of them has a blind, while the other involves shooting from a canoe. Flash is not allowed here, so a very fast lens and a tripod are recommended. The first clay lick is active early, and is great for Yellow-crowned, Mealy, and Blue-headed Parrots, and Dusky-headed Parakeet. Another lick is about a 20-minute walk into the forest and offers a chance at some rare species like Orange-cheeked Parrot and Scarlet Macaw among the hordes of Cobalt-winged Parakeets.

Napo River islands. River islands hold a totally different set of birds, and the scrub and young forest makes the lighting easier than inside the rainforest. It can be good to spend a few hours looking for the specialties including Oriole Blackbird, Black-and-white Antbird, Castlenau’s Antshrike, and Lesser Wagtail-Tyrant.

Night photography. Numerous bizarre insects, colorful frogs and reptiles, and other macro targets can be found on a night walk behind the lodge. If you are into macro photography or want to try it out for the first time, it’s a lot of fun. Of course there is also a chance for a nightbird or even a night monkey as well if we get lucky.

Night photography. Numerous bizarre insects, colorful frogs and reptiles, and other macro targets can be found on a night walk behind the lodge. If you are into macro photography, or want to try it out for the first time, it’s a lot of fun. Of course there is also a chance for a nightbird or even a night monkey as well.

Day 5: Sani to Quito
Depending on flight schedules, there may be time for some early morning shooting before we have to travel back up the Napo River to Coca and fly back to Quito, where we spend a final night. Flight schedules are variable – sometimes you are back in Quito by lunch, giving you the afternoon to relax, whereas other times flights don’t arrive until late afternoon or evening. If the extension runs before the main tour, this will be day 6, and it will be the same day as Day 1 of the main tour.

Day 6: Departure
If the extension runs after the main tour, this is the departure day, and transport to the Quito airport will be provided.

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Trip Considerations

PACE: Relaxed to moderate. Breakfast times are typically 5:30-6:30am, with an earlier breakfast required on one day of the main tour and one or two days of the extension. Most days will have several hours of downtime to relax or download photos – this is often in the late afternoon when the light may be poor and when it is more likely to rain, or in the middle of the day on the extension when it is hot and slow. There are no especially long drives on this tour, with drives of around 2 hours on two days of the main tour. On the Amazon Extension there is one boat ride of around 2.5 hours from Coca to the Sani Lodge dock. There will be 2 packed lunches on this tour.

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: Easy to moderate. Much of the main tour will be spent near feeders which are accessed by only a short walk. At Refugio Paz we will need to walk roughly half a mile (about 1 km) on moderately steep and often slippery trails in order to photograph some of the special birds. There will also be short walks on trails to target a few things at Milpe and Guango. Parts of at least four days will be spent at high elevations above 11,500 ft. (3500 m.), however little walking is done at these altitudes, and those nights are spent much lower at 8500 ft. (2600 m). On the extension, much more walking is required, up to 3 miles (4.8 km) a day, and sometimes on trails that are very muddy (the lodge provides rubber boots), and accessing the canopy tower requires climbing up 120 ft. (37 m.) via a sturdy and well-made staircase.

CLIMATE: Usually very pleasant (mostly 55°-75°F, 13°-24°C), but cold at Papallacta and Antisana (possibly down to near freezing) and hot on the one day at Frutti Tour. Hot and humid for the entire extension (ranging from 72-92°F (22-33°C). Some rain can be expected, especially in the afternoons and evenings, and intense downpours could occur on the extension (good rain protection for your gear is essential for the main tour and extension).

ACCOMMODATION: Good to very good throughout. All have private, en-suite bathrooms, full-time hot water and 24hr electricity and Internet, including on the extension at Sani Lodge.

WHEN TO GO:  This tour can be run year-round. The climate on the main tour and the Amazon Extension are different. While climate has become rather unpredictable in recent years, the driest months on the main tour on average are June-August, the wettest months are March-April, and the other months are intermediate. Bird activity is slower when it is very dry, but even in the dry season, some rain can be expected. Rainy season tours are usually very productive, since on most days the mornings are dry, and the increased cloud cover means there is usually less harsh sunlight to deal with in the middle of the day. So, some rain is a good thing! On the extension, rain can be expected year-round, but it usually falls in short, intense bursts; December-February are usually the driest months on average in the Ecuadorian Amazon, but even then, you will likely get some rain. We usually time the scheduled tour for the drier, early part of the wet season on the main tour, and when it is drier in the Amazon on the extension.

PHOTO PHILOSOPHY: On the main tour, at least half the time will be spent on birds coming to feeders (with the option for some multi-flash hummingbird photography) or photographing birds that come in to eat insects that were attracted by lights over the night. The rest of the time will be spent targeting things along roads or short tracks/trails. On the extension our time will be divided between boats, the canopy tower, the boardwalk, trails, the parrot lick, and other sites depending on current conditions.

GEAR: A good 300mm lens (or high end zoom that covers 300mm) and a full-frame camera are ideal for hummingbirds, but a longer lens is better for most other birds. A 500mm with a 1.4x or 600mm are the best options, but a 300mm with 1.4x and 2x teleconverters also usually do a great job. A smaller lens can be nice for scenery shots in the high Andes. A flash (where permitted) is also useful since light can be quite low early in the morning and inside forest. Weather permitting, there will be some opportunities for optional nocturnal macro photography, especially on the extension, where a good macro lens and flash (a ring flash or off-camera flash is best) would be useful. Flash is not permitted at some of the sites, and the guide will advise you of the latest situation with this.

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Other Information

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: A valid passport is required; the passport must be valid for at least six months past your intended stay and have at least one blank page. Tourist visas are currently not required for citizens of the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and all European countries unless you intend to stay more than 90 days in any consecutive 365-day period. Visas are currently only required for citizens of a few countries in West Africa, East Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.  By law you are required to carry your passport with you at all times, though in the Quito hotel and in the other lodges that provide room safes, we recommend you leave it in the safe and only carry a photocopy. You may need to show your return ticket to show proof of onward travel.

Travel requirements are subject to change; if you are unsure, please check with the nearest embassy or consulate, or ask our office staff for help.

WHAT’S INCLUDED? Tips to drivers, local guides, and lodge staff; accommodation from the night of day 1 to the night of day 9 if taking only the main tour, and through the night of day 5 of the extension if also taking the extension; meals from dinner on day 1 (unless you arrive too late for dinner service) to breakfast on day 10 if taking only the main tour, and to breakfast on day 6 of the extension if also taking the extension (if you have a very early departing flight, you may miss the included breakfast on the last days); safe drinking water throughout and/or juice during meals; safe drinking water as well as tea and coffee are available at Tandayapa Bird Lodge, Guango Lodge, and Sani Lodge at any time; Extra drinking water will always be available in the vehicle whenever we are outside the lodges; one of our photo guides with camera and audio playback gear from the morning of day 2 to the afternoon of day 9 if taking only the main tour, and to the afternoon of day 5 of the extension if also taking the extension; one arrival and one departure airport transfer per person (transfers may be shared with other participants of the same tour if they arrive at the same time); ground transport for the group to all sites in the itinerary of the main tour from day 2 to day 9 in a suitable vehicle with a local driver; if taking the extension, airport transfers to and from the Quito airport, roundtrip airfare from Quito to Coca, roundtrip boat transport from Coca to Sani Lodge (may be shared with other lodge guests), private boat transport while at Sani Lodge, and private Sani local guide are also included; entrance fees to sites mentioned in the itinerary; a printed and bound checklist to help keep track of what you have photographed (given to you at the start of the tour – only electronic copies can be provided in advance).

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?: Optional tips to the tour leader; tips for luggage porters in the Quito hotel (if you require their services); flights (except for the included roundtrip flight from Quito to Coca on the extension); snacks; additional drinks apart from those included; alcoholic beverages; travel insurance; excursions not included in the tour itinerary; extras in hotels such as laundry service, minibar, room service, telephone calls, and personal items; medical fees; excess luggage charges; expenses that could arise due to circumstances beyond Tropical Birding’s control (e.g. weather, flight delays/cancellations, lost luggage, road closures, pandemics, etc.); other items or services not specifically mentioned as being included.