Day 1    

 

Ecoroute El Paseo del Quinde

 

This ecology tour starts in the morning with the journey to the Ecoroute El Paseo del Quinde. The 75km-long Ecoroute Quito-Nono-Tandayapa-San Tadeo/Mindo is a famous worldwide destination among birders. Here you can observe many different species of birds such as Black-breasted Puffleg or Sapphire-vented Puffleg, Black-tailed Trainbearer Scarlet-bellied, Buff-breasted Tanager and the rare Black-chested Tanager, Imperial Snipe, Giant Conebill, Bar Winged Cinclodes, Curve Billed Tinamou, Variable Hawk, Stygian Owl, Giant Hummingdbird, Sapphire- vented Puffleg, Trainbearer, Tawny Antpitta, Black Crested Warbier, Rufous-chested Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, etc.

 

Day 2 - 3

 

Birdwatching in Reserva Ecologica Pachijal and Mindo

 

Pachijal has implemented about 40 km of trails to make visiting the forest very comfortable. They have done it taking in account the requirements of the visitors and of the forest and believe they have reached a good compromise. Here we'll walk the trails of the Reserve inside the Cloudforest observing species like: Velvet-Purple Coronet, Giant Antpitta, Rufous-breasted Antthrush, Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Club-winged Manakin, Scaled Fruiteater e Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, Toucan Barbet, Choco Toucan, Golden-headed Quetzal, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Tangars like Flame-faced, Golden-naped, Golden, Black-capped and Beryll-spangled, andl “Gallito de la Peña” Cock-of-the-Rock. We’ll be to the Lek of the Cock-of-the-Rock in Mindo and walk along the Mindo River, a great place to birdwatching.

 

Day 4

 

Birding in the Sanctuary of Birds of Milpe

 

Opened in March 2004, this 62 hectare (155 acre) sanctuary covers an altitudinal range from 1020-1150 m (3350-3770 ft) and includes two small rivers that converge in a steep, forested valley. It is located 700m off the main highway on an all-weather road. Many birders consider this one of the finest sites in all of Ecuador. Many of the most spectacular Chocó Endemics occur here: Plumbeous Forest-Falcon, Moss-backed Tanager, Glistening-green Tanager, Chocó Trogon, Club-winged Manakin, and Long-wattled Umbrellabird

 

Day 5

 

Birdwatching in the Sanctuary of Birds of Rio Silanche

 

The Mindo Cloudforest reserve of Rio Silanche is a good place for watching busy feeding flocks, and some of these held the near-endemic Orange-fronted Barbet; Slate-throated Gnatcatcher; the beautiful Blue-whiskered Tanager - another of our target Choco specialties for this site; Checker-throated and Pacific Antwrens; Black-striped Woodcreeper; Gray-and-Gold Tanager; and Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant (that competes with the Amazonian Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant for the title of the World's smallest passerine). Outside the feeding flocks were some colorful, special birds to the area including Choco Toucan, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Western White-tailed Trogon, and Tiny Hawk. The absence of hummingbird feeders in this area makes getting some of the hummingbirds far from guaranteed, so it was pleasing to get Purple-chested Hummingbird - another of the target Choco species for the site.

 

Day 6

 

In the morning we return to hotel in Quito.

 

Included:

* Round Trip Transportation

* Bilingual Guide

* Accommodation

 

Not included:

* Gratuities (Optional)