Northern ecuador – Choco Cloud

forest TOUR

Chocó Andino de Pichincha Biosphere Reserve is located in northern Ecuador, in the Pichincha
Province, north-west of the capital city of Quito. The altitude of the area ranges from 360m to 4,480m
above sea level. Its biodiversity and endemism, along with that of the Amazon and Galapagos, have
made Ecuador worthy of the status of a biodiversity hotspot. The Chocó Andino region extends over
two critical ecoregions: the humid forest lowlands of the Chocó - Darien, which extend from Panama to
the Ecuadorian West, and the Northern Andean Mountain Forests.
The region, as a biodiversity hotspot, gathers some 270 species of mammals (including the
Spectacled Bear [Tremarctos ornatus]), 210 reptiles, 350 birds species, and 130 amphibians.
The Northern Ecuador - Choco Cloud Forest Tour covers all the important birding sites found north-
west of the capital city of Quito. This area is part of the Chocó bioregion that hosts a great number of
endemics and specialities that are only shared with neighbouring areas of Colombia to the north. We
will be based in comfortable and well-located lodges, including the Piripe Lodge, Cielo Verde, Kapari
Lodge, and Sacha Tamia. These lodges are near first class birding locations like Tandayapa and Mindo
valleys, Mashpi Amaguza and Mashpi Wuasi reserves, Manduriacu River, and the lower Silanche area,
affording us a wide spectrum of habitats to be birded. Birding in these reserves also gives us the
opportunity to support local conservation projects for long-term habitat protection.
Starting with the mystical elfin forest of the temperate zone, followed by bird-rich subtropical
cloud forests, we will also venture deeper into tropical foothill forests to reach the mega-diverse
lowlands. Iconic species that we will be searching for include Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Giant Antpitta,
Plate-billed Mountain and Chocó Toucans, Toucan Barbet, Club-winged Manakin, Glistening-green
Tanager, Orange-breasted and Scaled Fruiteaters, Velvet-purple Coronet, Umbrella Bird, and many
more. We’ll search for rarities like Black Solitaire,
Choco Vireo, and Indigo Flowerpiercer.
A great network of birding reserves,
together with excellent lodges, mind-blowing
scenery, and friendly people, make the
Northwest Ecuador one of the planet’s most
delightful birding destinations.

Sword-billed Hummingbird
 Quito

Day 1
❖ Arrival to Quito (UIO) airport.
❖ Meet your driver holding a Neblina Forest sign in
the arrivals hall. Transfer to the hotel.
❖ Meet the rest of the group for trip orientation.
Hotel: Mercure Hotel
www.mercurequito.com.ec

Day 2
❖ Early start to visit Zuroloma, a small-scale
independent reserve which offers great
Chestnut-naped Antpitta
opportunities to watch three antpitta species
like Chestnut-naped Antpitta, and other
bird species, such as Barred Fruiteater,
many colorful hummingbirds, and tanagers.
❖ Birding in the famous Tandayapa Valley
❖ Lunch in Guaycapi or a boxed lunch
❖ Drive through Alambi to the Pacto Piripe
Lodge with birding stops along the way.
Hotel: Piripe Lodge
www.piripelodge.com
(B, L, D) Green Basilisk

Day 3
❖ Full day of birding around the Piripe area.
❖ Visit the Cock-of-the-Rock lek at Santa Elena Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
❖ Lunch in Piripe or a boxed lunch
❖ Visit a traditional sugar cane family project
and birding in the area
❖ Birding in surrounding areas
Hotel: Piripe Lodge
www.piripelodge.com
(B, L, D)

Day 4
❖ Explore the upper part of the Mashpi Road
❖ Visit Amagusa to look for birds like the rare
Indigo Flowerpiercer, Glistening Green
Tanager, Moss-backed Tanager, and a
range of hummingbirds like Empress
Brilliant, Velvet-purple Coronet, Violet-
tailed Sylph, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, and
others.
❖ Box lunch at Mashpi Wuasi while watching
hummingbirds at the feeders
❖ Birding drive to the lodge
Hotel: Cielo Verde Lodge
www.cieloverde.ec
(B, L, D)
Glistening Green Tanager Moss-backed Tanager

Day 5
❖ Early departure from the lodge to continue birding from the middle part of the Mashpi
Road down to the lower elevations, seeking birds like Black-tipped Cotinga, Ornate
Hawk-Eagle, Baudo Guan, Yellow-green Bush Tanager, and White-capped Dipper.
❖ Boxed lunch
❖ Afternoon birding
❖ Stop at a reservoir to look for waterbirds
Hotel: Cielo Verde Lodge
www.cieloverde.ec
(B, L, D)

Day 6
❖ Full day of exploring around Mashpi Road and the vicinity looking for Choco birds, such
as Rose-faced Parrot, Choco Toucan, Choco Warbler, Scarlet-browed Tanager,
Indigo-crowned Quail-Dove, Orange-fronted Barbet, Blue-whiskered Tanager,
Purple chested Hummingbird, and many more endemics.
❖ Lunch locally
❖ Transfer to Kapari Lodge
Hotel: Kapari Lodge
www.kaparilodge.com.ec
(B, L, D)

Day 7
❖ Early start to visit one of the best
locations in the area to see the male
Long-wattled Umbrellabird in full
display
❖ Look for other birds in the area like
Choco Trogon and Club-winged
Manakin
❖ Birding on the lodge grounds and
lower area of the reserve
❖ Drive to Sacha Tamia
Hotel: Sacha Tamia Lodge
www.sachatamia.com
(B, L, D) Long-wattled Umbrellabird
 Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan

Golden-collared Honeycreeper

Day 8
❖ Full day of birding in the lower elevations of the Choco area, Silanche Road, and forest
reserve
❖ Birding from a canopy tower, allowing good viewing opportunities of Scarlet-breasted
and Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, and Blue-
whiskered, Rufous-winged, Golden- Toucan Barbet
hooded, Gray-and-Gold, and Scarlet-
browed Tanagers. Dusky Pigeon is also a
regular here, and so are mixed flocks of
Pale-mandible Araçari, Chocó and
Chestnut-mandible Toucans, Scarlet-
rumped Cacique, Western Slaty-
Antshrike, and White-tailed and Chocó
Trogons.
❖ Lunch in the field
Hotel: Sacha Tamia Lodge
www.sachatamia.com
(B, L, D)

Day 9
❖ Visit the famous Antpitta Farm for specialties like Yellow-
breasted, Giant, Moustached, Ochre-breasted, and
Chestnut-crowned Antpittas
❖ Spend the morning looking for Toucan Barbet, Golden
headed Quetzal, Scaled Fruiteater, and many colorful
tanagers and hummingbirds
❖ Lunch at the lodge
❖ Return to Quito for the flight home
(B, L)

Visit us at: Giant Antpitta

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