"This well planned trip could reach over 350 species, and includes some of the most
famous birding sites in Ecuador!"
Day 1:  Arrival and fly to Quito
Day 2:  Birding to, and in, Mindo
Day 3:  Birding Refugio Paz de Las Aves
Day 4:  Birding AM at Rio Silanche and additional birding
Milpe Area and transfer.
Day 5:  AM birding Milpe Reserve and additional birding
til late afternoon transfer to Tandayapa Valley
Day 6:  Bellavista Reserve and Tandayapa Valley
(great hummingbird feeders in the Valley)
Day 7:  Yanacocha Reserve (or optional rest day in
Quito) and ending at Guango Reserve and Lodge.
Day 8:  Birding high mountain termperate forest areas
(near Guango), and afternoon birding at San Isidro
(includes outstanding nocturnal biridng).
Day 9:  Birding in and near San Isidro, and then birding
high mountain grasslands and lakes on both sides of
Pappallacta Pass.  
Day 10:   International Flights Home from Quito (or
consider extension trip)

Extensions to Consider:  
  • Any trip participant can add 4 to 5 days at Sani
    Lodge in the Amazonian Rainforest.  Why not add
    150 to 200 species to your trip list?
  • Depending upon group interest, we will likely add
    several days at Guacamayos Trail, the Antisana
    National Park and Wild Sumaco
  • Galapagos Islands for 5 to 8 days for the classic
    naturalist journey of a life-time.
Brief Itinerary
Trip Description
Mindo, Milpe, Rio Silanche, Paz de Las Aves, Bellavista, Tandayapa Valley, Yanacocha, Guango Reserve,
Papallacta Pass, San Isidro and More
Extensions to Galapagos Islands, Sani Lodge and Amazonian Basin
Photo by John Drummond.
Note:  Banner Photo by Murray Cooper.
Photo by John Drummond
Northwest Ecuador & East Slope Birding
Northwest Ecuador &        
          East Slope
Northwest Ecuador is a great location for persons new to
South American birding.  I know of a number of various
experienced world birders who love to return to Ecuador
as the lodges are a great value and the birding is always
productive with many species seen each day and new life
birds found.  This trip is a slight modification to our classic
northwest Ecuador route, adding a few days on the east
slope of the Andes to maximize excellent birding in a short
and inexpensive trip.
  • For the first time Ecuadorian birder, each day
    brings 30 to 80 life birds.  
  • Trips to these locations starts at just over $2,000,
    and provide a great value to those who want to see
    a lot of beautiful and fascinating species within a
    reasonable budget.
  • Birding with a great local guide usually means 10 to
    15 minute drives results in new birding adventures
    with new life birds and terrific (and longer) looks
    and beautiful birds or fantastic behavior.
  • This route is filled with beautiful tanagers (60
    beautiful tanagers and as many as 80 species in
    one week).
  • Hummingbirds and feeders can provide up to
    twelve species at a single set of feeders and up to
    40 species in one week.
  • Birding in Ecuador is productive and fun.  Many of
    these sites are world famous birding sites.  The trip
    includes the best of northwest Ecuador and
    includes a good start of east slope sites (including
    Guango and San Isidro).
  • The lodges provide excellent meals and a base for
    a number of birding routes each day.
  • Ecuador is the home of our main South American
    partner, Neblina Forest Tours.  Our guides include  
    Lelis Navarrete (widely regarded as the best bird
    guide in South America), Alejandro Solano, Willy
    Perez,  Gustavo Canas-Valle, Manuel Sanchez,
    Xavier Munoz and numerous other reliable and
    excellent guides throughout the country.
  • These trips are well planned to focus on bird
    watching.  With excellent guides, we anticipate trip
    participants will see 350 species plus species.  The
    longer trip with an Amazon-basin/Sani Lodge
    extension, can result in seeing nearly 600 species
    in two weeks!  

Trip extension include Sani Lodge (with up to 200 species
additional in the Amazonian basin), Galapagos Islands (5
to 8 days for the classic naturalist excursion).  

We offer this trip several times during the parts of the
year when the east slope is less rainy, September and
into March.  A brief itinerary is presented below with more
detail on the next web page.

Please contact us to get trip reports to get a good idea of
the bird species you will see based upon our past
experiences.
Photo by Drummond
Photo by John
Drummond
Photo by John Drummond
Photo by John Drummond
Photo by John Drummond
Photo by Murray Cooper
Photo by Murray Cooper
More Details on This Trip
Current Schedule
for this Route
2011 - Though all our scheduled trips are sold out, we do
have two viable alternatives for 2011.  
  • If anyone shows additional interest, we may
    schedule another trip with Alejandro Solano or
    Xavier Munoz this year (likely September or
    October).
  • We would also glady develop a custom trip for any
    couple or small group showing interest.

February 4 to 13, 2012 - Northwest Ecuador and East
Slope with Alejandro Solano  

April 7 to 16, 2012 - Northwest Ecuador and East Slope
with Alejandro Solano  

October 5 to 14, 2012 - Northwest Ecuador and East
Slope with Lelis Navarrete.   Sponsored by Minneapolis
Audubon (all birders welcome).

October 13 to 22, 2012 - Northwest Ecuador and East
Slope with Lelis Navarrete.  Sponsored by Minneapolis
Audubon (all birders welcome).

Note:  We can always expand our Northwest Ecuador trip
to accommodate most of this trip, by adding 1 or 2 days
on the eastern slope.  Please check our Northwest
Ecuador route schedules as well.  Best yet, just call.  We
will find you a date meeting your birding travel needs.
John Drummond
Photo by Murray Cooper
For more information or to register for any of our
birding trips, call Charles at 888-203-7464 or Charles
directly at 720-320-1974 or by email at
info@PIBird.com.
Photo by John Drummond