Day 01.- Arrival in Quito
Arrival in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, which lies at 2.800m above sea level. We pick you up from the airport and take you into the Swissotel in the modern centre of the city. After a short break you get to explore this big city and learn something about its turbulent history. You will get to experience the new section of the city in the North with its many parks and tall modern buildings, the Avenida Rio Amazonas, the Plazas Santo Domingo, Independencia and San Francisco which are in the colonial section in the South of the city. Due to its many historical architectural monuments the UNESCO declared the old part of town a world heritage site in 1978. From the Panecillo hill in the South of the old part of town, where the high monument of the Virgen of Quito stands at with 43m, you have an impressing prospect. From here you have wonderful views over the red clay tile roves of the old part of town, the skyline of Quito in the North, as well as the surrounding Andean cordilleras range with its outstanding snow-covered mountain giants. While we will enjoy a cocktail in the hotel bar in the evening, we will go over the plans for the journey. -/-/-

Day 02.- Quito - Yanacocha - Mindo
After breakfast, around 6am, and with a packed lunch we head toward the Yanacocha Ecological Reserve located on the North side of Volcano Guagua Pichincha at 3600m. This area is globally known for being home to a great diversity of tanagers and hummingbirds as well as many other species. For this reason we are sure to see a wide variety of species over the next few days of the tour. Some of which are: Back-Breasted Puffleg, Rainbow-Bearded Thornbill, Sword-Billed Hummingbird, Buff-Winged Star frontlet, Shining Sunbeam, Golden-Crowned Tanager, Black-Chested Mountain-Tanager, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Buff-Breasted Mountain-Tanager, Scarlet-Bellied Mountain Tanager, Giant Conebill etc. In the afternoon we descend following the famous Nono route, passing Tanadyapa to arrive in Mindo to the Mindo gardens Lodge for dinner and the overnight. B /L/D

Day 03.- Birdwatching in Mindo Cloudforest
Breakfast at 5am leave at 5:45am to bird watch in the Mindo valley at 1200m. In this area we can observe many mixed flocks of tanagers, wood creepers, fly catchers, different species of toucan and as it is a forest of such lush fauna, many hummingbirds.

Lunch will be at 1pm. After this short recess we continue to bird watch right up until returning to the Lodge in Mindo where after dinner we will record the list of birds seen in the day. B/L /D

Day 04.- Mindo - Pedro Vicente maldonado - Mindo
Breakfast at 5am leave at 5:30am with a packed lunch to bird watch in the famous area of Pedro Vicente Maldonado which is located in a tropical forest zone in the North West at 400 and 450m.As home to many endemic species of the tropical forest, this region is incredibly rich in bird species that can only be found in south Colombia, North West Ecuador, and some parts of Panama. Within these species we will observe some of our specialities such as:. Banded Ground-Cuckoo, Rose-Faced parrot, Choco Screech-Owl, Five-Colored Barbet, Orange-Fronted Barbet, Black-Tipped Cotinga, Choco Toucan, Stripe-Billed Aracari, Choco Woodpecker, Double-Banded Graytail, Long-Wattled Umbrella bird, As well as many tanagers and hummingbirds. In the late afternoon we return to the Mindo Gardens Lodge for dinner, Overnight and to record the birds list of the day.B/L/D

Day 05.- Mindo - Bellavista - Tandayapa - Mindo
Breakfast at 5:30am after which we leave with a packed lunch to bird watch in the Bellavista and Tandayapa region at 220m. The area is abundant with birds especially tanagers and hummingbirds of which you can see at least 20 species of hummingbird and 12 of tanagers in the day. Equally you will see many other species such as: Plate-Billed Mountain-Toucan, Oscillated Tapaculo, Green-And-Black Fruit eater, Golden-Winged Mannequin, Blue-Winged Mountain-Tanager, Grass-Green Tanager, Tanager Finch etc.

In the late afternoon return to the Mindo Gardens Lodge, register the species and eat.B/L/D

Day 06.- Mindo - Los Bancos - Mindo
After breakfast, with a packed lunch, we leave to bird watch in the San Miguel de Los Bancos areas at 850m.Here we can find many endemic species such as: Moss-Backed Tanager, Glistening-Green Tanager, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, Choco Warbler, Club-Winged Manakin, Pacific Tuftedcheek, Stripe-Billed Aracari, Orange-Fronted Barbet, Slate-Tailed Trogon, Tooth-Billed Hummingbird, Rose-Faced Parrot. Etc.After a fulfilling day of birding we return to the Lodge, record the bird list and eat. B/L/D

Day 07.- Mindo - Pedro Vicente Maldonado - Mindo
Breakfast at 5am, leave with packed lunch at 5:30am descending towards Pedro Vicente Maldonado. Today we will be birding in the only zone that has a primary tropical forest at 750m.We will spend the entire day bird watching in the forest where we will sight many endemic species seen only in these primary tropical forests.Some of them include:

Rufous-Fronted Wood-Quail, Indigo-Croqned Quail-Dove, Rose-Faced Parrot, Bronze-Winged Parrot, Choco Trogon, Black-Throated Trogon, Collared Trogon, Crimson-Billed Woodpecker, White-Whiskered Puffbird, Choco Toucan, Pale-Mandibled Aracari, Esmeraldas Antbird, Rufous-Crowned Antpitta, Tanagers etc. After a fulfilling day of birding we return to the Lodge, record the bird list and eat. B/L/D

Day 08.- Mindo - Puerto Quito - Tinalandia
After breakfast, 5am, with a packed lunch we leave for Puerto Quito at 350m. Here we will bird watch throughout the day viewing such birds as: Brown Wood Rail, Orange Fronted Barbet, Blue Whiskered Tanager, Rufous Winged Tanager, Tawny Faced Quail, Scarlet Breasted Dacnis, Chestnut Fronted Macaw, Litta Woodpecker, Crimson Bellied Woodpecker, Choco Woodpecker, Red Rumped Woodpecker etc. After birding in this area, we will continue to Tinalandia Birding Lodge. Arriving for dinner and Overnight. B/L/D

Day 09.- Tinalandia - Palenque River - Tinalandia
Breakfast at 5:30am. Shortly after we leave for the protected area around Palenque River. Fortunately this reserve is well protected and is one of the few forests you come across around the Santo Domingo de los Colorados areas. Here we can find many species of the tropical forests of the Ecuadorian coast, including: Rufous-Tailed Jacamar , Red-Headed Barbet, Lanceolated Monklet, Chestnut-Mandiblet Toucan, Choco Toucan, Scarlet-Backed Woodpecker, Bay-Headed Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Blue-Necked Tanager, Guira Tanager, etc. You have the option to bird in this area the entire day or return to the Tinalandia Bird Lodge for lunch and spend the afternoon bird watching there. Dinner in the evening followed by recording of the day's sightings. B/L/D

Day 10.- Tinalandia - Chiriboga Road - Quito
Breakfast at 6am. We leave with a packed lunch towards Quito on the famous Chirriboga Road along which we can sight tropical forest species such as: toucans, tanagers, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, water birds and many more. As we ascend to 3000m en route, from tropical forest to Paramo, we will start to encounter a completely different specie of birds including: Toucan Barbet, Golden-Headed Quetzal, Powerful Woodpecker, Violaceous Jay, Plate-Billed Mountain-toucan, etc. In the evening we arrive at the Swissotel in Quito, record the bird list and eat. B/L/-

Day 11.-Quito - Papallacta Thermal Springs
In the morning after breakfast, with a packed lunch, we continue our trip towards Papallacta East Ecuador in the highest paramos of Ecuador to bird watch. In this area we can find the most exotic bird species: Andean Cóndor, Caranculated Caracara, Black-Chested Buzzard-Eagle, Andean Tinamou, Yellow-Billed Pintall, Andean teal, Peregrine Falcon, Rofous-Bellied seedsnipe, Ecuadorian Rail, Andean Snipe, Noble snipe, Imperial Snipe,Andean Gull, Black-Winged Ground-Dove, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Many-Striped canastero, and the most sought hummingbird the Ecuadorian Hill star. In the evening we return to the Termas de Papallacta Resort or Guango Lodge for dinner, Overnight and to record our bird list.B/L/D

Day 12.- Papallacta - San Isidro Lodge
Breakfast at 6am with a packed lunch, we start to descend towards the Amazon arriving at San Isidro Cabins. Along the way we will encounter many species of mid-elevations and also of temperate climates zones of the Amazons. Some of the species that we will see of exotic coloration are: Botad Racket-Tahalí, Blue-Fronted Lancebill, Rofous-Venced Whitetip, Sword-Billed Hummingbird, Bronzy Inca, Long-Tailed Sylph, Shining sunbeam,Collared Inca,Buff-Winged Starfrontled, White-Tailed Hillstar,Glowing Puffleg, Mountain Avocetbill, Golden-Breasted Puffleg, Golden-Headed Quetzal, Powerful Woodpecker, Inca Jay Black-Billed Mountain-toucan, Grey-Breasted Mountain-Toucan, Bicolored Antvireo,etc. In the afternoon we arrive at the hotel for dinner and to register the days bird list. B/L/D

Day 13.- Birdwatching Tour in San Isidro
Breakfast at 5:30am. With a packed lunch we leave to bird watch in an area known as the Parrot Range, an old path between the rainforest and temperate climate of the Amazon which is rich in species such as: tanagers, toucans, hummingbirds etc. More specifically they are: Orange-Eared Tanager, Rufous-Crested Tanager, Black-Capped Tanager, Chestnut-Breasted Chlorophonia, Grass-Green Tanager, White-capped Tanager, Black-Chested Fruiteater, Crested Eagle. In the afternoon we return at the Lodge for dinner and to register the days bird list. B/L/D

Day 14.- San Isidro - Archidona - Orchids paradise Lodge
Breakfast at 5:30am. With a packed lunch we leave towards the Interoceanica road to Tena until we reach the Orchid Paradise Hotel near Archidona. Along the route we will look for the bird species of the Amazon. At the beginning of the day we may encounter some of the same species we saw on Day 12 however in the afternoon we will be in a tropical zone where we can observe the following species: Orange-Breasted Falcon, Many-Banded Aracari, Yellow-Eared Toucanet, White-Throated toucan, Paradise Tanager, Yellow-Bellied, Spotted tanager, Turquoise Tanager, Golden-Eared Tanager, Magpie Tanager. In the evening we arrive at the Orchides Paradise Lodge for dinner, Overnigth and to register the days bird list. B/L/D

Day 15.- Archidona - Via Loreto - Cabanas Orchids Paradise
Breakfast at 5:30am. With a packed lunch we leave to start birdwatching along the Loreto Road. IN this area we can encounter some species that are considered very rare and endangered: Scarlet-Breasted Fruiteater, Fiery-throathed Fruiteater, Chesnut-Crested Cotinga, Striped Manakin, Plain-Backed Antpitta, Thrush-Like Antpitta,etc. In the evening we arrive at the Lodge for dinner and to register the days bird list. B/L/D

Day 16.- Cabañas Orchids Paradise - Butterfly Lodge
Breakfast at 6am. With a packed lunch we depart to the Butterfly Lodge. Now truely in the amazon the climate is very hot and humid. Here we can see many: Tanagers Semilleros, Woodpeckers, Caciques, Oropéndolas, Manakins, Hawks, toucans and hummingbirds. In the evening we arrive at the Butterfly Lodge for dinner and to register the days bird list.B/L/D

Day 17.- Birding arround the Butterfly Lodge
Breakfast at 6am. With a packed lunch we leave to around the Cabins where we will encounter once again many of the species we saw on day 15 which is also a good area to see many antbirds such as: toucans, tanagers, Manakins, woodpeckers, fly-catchers, Cotingas,etc. In the evening we arrive at the Lodge for dinner and to register the days bird list. B/L/D

Day 18.- Butterfly Lodge - Via Loreto - Coca
Breakfast at 5am. Leaving with a packed lunch, we drive towards Coca birdwatching the whole day along this route, right up to arriving at the Mision hotel in the small city of Coca. On this journey we will look for whatever specie we can find with the possibility of seeing up to 80 species. Including: tanagers, woodpeckers, toucans, king fishers, aracaris, cotingas and more. In the evening we arrive in Coca where we spend the night at the hotel la Mision for dinner, overnight and to register the days bird list. B/L/D

Day 19.- Coca - Quito
Breakfast at 8am. This day will terminate the tour returning to Quito either by car or by plane. in Quito transfer to the Swissotel and free afternoon for souvenir shopping. However continuing to The Selva Lodge or Sacha Lodge to do more bird watching is also an option. B/-/-

Day 20.- Transfer Out.
After the last day in Ecuador we will bring you to the airport and say good-bye hoping to welcome you another time here in the Middle of the World. B/-/-