The Magic Birding Circuit Pre-Scheduled Photo Tours are all-inclusive, including airport transfers or pick up from downtown Quito, comfortable lodging accommodations, meals, guided photo tour with native bird guide and inter-lodge private transportation. Added features while at San Jorge’s Reserves include delicious Ecuadorian and International cuisine and quality service. This tour is for photographers without physical limitation who can also trail walk steadily.
Includes: Airport transfers, inter-lodge transportation, lodging, 3 meals per day, specialized English speaking bird guide & entrance fees to all reserves
DAY 1 - Evening Airport Transfer to San Jorge Eco-Lodge & Botanical Reserve/Quito located in the Pichincha foothills – Upper Andean Forest Reserve. Overnight: San Jorge Eco-Lodge Quito, no meals included
DAY 2 - Bird photography at San Jorge Eco-Lodge & Botanical Reserve/Quito Birding Center (Andes Highlands) up to 90 possible Highland species birds. Hummingbird species including the Green-tailed Trainbearer, Sparkling Violetear, Tyrian Metaltail, Shining Sunbeam, White-bellied Woodstar, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Sword-billed Hummingbird, and with some luck, the Purple-backed Thornbill. Feeders, gardens and trails. Overnight San Jorge Eco-Lodge Quito. Includes: 3 meals
DAY 3 - San Jorge de Tandayapa Hummingbird Sanctuary (Cloud Forest) Hummingbird, Tanager & Toucan feeders.. Pristine trails, bird huts, gardens, ponds, steams, wild orchids, butterflies, rare insects, and the Canopy Islands 4 Bird & Wildlife Observation Decks. Set up your tripod while dining with the Hummingbirds at our open-air restaurant. Up to 20 species Hummingbirds; 450 species birds. Possible Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Toucan Barbet, Red-headed Barbet, Golden-headed Quetzal, Crested Quetzal, Streak-capped Treehunter, Scaled Fruiteater, Metallic-green Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Masked Trogon, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Golden-naped Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, White-winged Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Rufous-winged Tyrannulet. Additionally, the hummingbird feeders in front of the breakfast room are visited by abounding hummingbird species, including, the Tawny-bellied Hermit, Western Emerald, Gorgeted Sunangel, White-throated Daggerbill, Purple-throated Woodstar, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Empress Brilliant, Velvet-purple Coronet, and the iconic Booted Racket-tail and Violet-tailed Sylph. Overnight San Jorge Tandayapa Eco-Lodge, includes 3 meals
DAY 4 - San Jorge de Tandayapa Hummingbird Sanctuary (Cloud Forest) 6:00 am – 8:00 am moth feeders - rare species from Hide. Today we will photograph the most dazzling bird species in Ecuador's mystical could forests. Be prepared to delve into Ecuador's most biologically-diverse bird photo reserves and lodges looking for endemic hummingbirds, vivid tanagers, splendid toucans, skulking antbirds, agile warblers, and more. Overnight San Jorge Tandayapa Eco-Lodge. Includes: 3 meals
DAY 5 - Photography at Amaguza Reserve for rare species not found at Tandayapa or Milpe - feeders, trail walking. Overnight San Jorge Tandayapa Eco-Lodge. Includes 3 meals
DAY 6 - Mindo hills & Western Cock of the Rock Lek; continue on to San Jorge de Milpe Orchid & Bird Reserve (Upper Tropical Rainforest)San Jorge Milpe Orchid and Bird Reserve is part of the globally important Tumbez-Chocó endemic region and borders the protected forest reserve of Masphi. It is located inside the Hummingbird Route (Ruta del Colibrí), is one of the world´s most famous birding areas, and is a major birdwatching destination in South America.Possible White-whiskered Hermit, Green-crowned Woodnyph, Green Thorntail, Thick billed Euphonia, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Choco Toucan, Crimson-rumped, Ornate Flycatcher, Golden-winged Manakin, Orange-billed Sparrow, Rufous Motmot, Broad-billed Motmot, Rufous-fronted Wood-Quail, Immaculate Antbird, Black-throated Trogon, Collared Trogon. Overnight San Jorge Milpe Forest Eco-Lodge, includes 3 meals.
DAYS 7 & 8 - San Jorge de Milpe Orchid & Bird Reserve (Upper Tropical Rainforest) over 500 possible bird species. Hummingbird, Tanager & Toucan feeders, Observation decks, Towers, trail walking, waterfalls, wild orchids, seasonal butterflies Overnight San Jorge Milpe Forest Eco-Lodge, includes 3 meals per day
DAY 9 - Photography Masphi, after lunch continue on to Rio Blanco, return drive to Quito. Overnight San Jorge Quito Eco-Lodge, includes 3 meals
DAY 10 - Antisana National Park - Andean Condor Reservation by vehicle (Paramo)Possible Andean Condor, Black-faced Ibis, Carunculated Caracara, Andean Lapwing, Giant Hummingbird, Great Sapphirewing, Ecuadorian Hillstar
Photography in the ecological national park; hummingbird feeders, gorgeous vistas.Overnight San Jorge Lodge Quito Eco-Lodge. Includes: 3 meals
DAY 11 - Bird photography at Papallacta Pass, Cuyuja, Vilmas House (Paramo). Possible Tourmaline Sunangel, Long-tailed Sylph, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Collared Inca, Many-stripped Canastero, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Black-backed Bush-Tanager, Pearled Treerunner, Pale-naped Brush-Finch, Torrent Tyrannulet, Citrine Warbler, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Agile Tit-Tyrant, Torrent Duck, White-chinned Thistletail.Overnight at NEW San Jorge de Guacamayos Eco-Lodge. Includes: 3 meals
DAY 12 - Bird photography at San Jorge de Guacamayos Bird Paradise (Eastern Subtropical Cloud Forest). Moth feeder, Balcony decks, trail walking, private Cock of the Rock Lek – hundreds of bird species. Overnight at our NEW San Jorge de Guacamayos Eco-Lodge. Includes: 3 meals
DAY 13 - AM photography at San Jorge de Guacamayos Bird Paradise, continue on to Edison feeders.Overnight at NEW San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Aquatic Eco-Lodge, includes 3 meals
DAY 14 - Photography at San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Bird Sanctuary (Tropical Amazonian Rainforest)Macaws Boulevard – up to 12 species; 60-foot-high observation Tower overlooking the canopy. Possible Blue-capped Manakin, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Golden-collared Toucanet, Ivory billed Aracari, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Spot-winged Antbird, Collared Puffbird, Channel billed Toucan, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Spix’s Guan, Amazonian White-tailed Trogon, Black faced Dacnis, Golden-headed Manakin, White-shouldered Antbird. Overnight at NEW San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Aquatic Eco-Lodge, includes 3 meals
DAY 15 - San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Bird Sanctuary (Tropical Amazonian Rainforest) Forest trail photography at the reserve; rivers, streams (optional afternoon river swim). 8 species Manakin Leks – jungle trail walk.
Overnight at NEW San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Aquatic Eco-Lodge, includes 3 meals
DAY 16 - Photography at Limoncocha Ecological Reserve (Amazon Jungle) AM shore birds; then Photography by boat. Continue on to port, aquatic river transfer to Amazon. Night Walk. Possible Hoatzin, Black-capped Donacobius, Magpie Tanager, Purple Gallinule, Azure Gallinulle, Yellow-headed Caracara, Orange-backed Troupial, Wattled Jacana, Grater Ani, Long-tailed Poto0, Horned Screamer, Red-capped Cardinal, Snail Kite, Wood Stork, Bare-faced Ibis, Great-billed Hermit, Black banded Crake Zigzag Heron. Overnight Amazon Lodge, includes 3 meals
DAY 17 - Napo River, Islands & Parrot Clay-Lick (Amazon Jungle) Photography by boat (with covered roof), trail walking Possible Castelnau’s Antbird, Black-banded Crake, Mottled-backed Elania, Black-breasted Spinetail, Orange-headed Tanager, Oriole Blackbird, Yellow-billed Jacamar, Lesser Wagtail-tyrant, Ladder-tailed Nightjar, Tropical Screech Owl, White-plummed Antbird Dusky-headed Parakeet, Scarlet Macaw, Blue and-yellow Macaw, Cobalt-winged Parakeet, Orange-eared Parrot. Overnight at NEW San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Aquatic Eco-Lodge, includes 3 meals
DAY 18 - AM photography San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Bird Sanctuary then return to Quito.Overnight San Jorge Quito Eco-Lodge, includes 3 meals
DAY 19 – am airport transfer