18-Day West Andes Birdwatching Tour | San Jorge Eco-Lodges Ecuador

Day One - Airport transfer to San Jorge Eco-Lodge & Botanical Reserve/Quito Lodge. Day of leisure on own.
Overnight San Jorge Quito Lodge(optional meals)

Day Two – Birding San Jorge Reserve/Quito Birding Center, Upper San Jorge Farm Road, Yanacocha old road, Alambi Road & Nono Tandayapa Road (ANDES HIGHLANDS/UPPER CLOUD FOREST), feeders, gardens, road walking. The Black-tailed Trainbearer, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Sparkling Violetear, Tyrian Metaltail, Shining Sunbeam, and the tiny White-bellied Woodstar visit feeders at the lodge. The Trail around the lodge offers possible Tufted Tit-tyrant, Rufous-naped Brush-Finch, Azara's Spinetail, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Southern Yellow Grosbeak, Red-crested Cotinga, and the Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant.
Overnight San Jorge Tandayapa Lodge includes 3 meals.

Days Three & Four– Birding San Jorge de Tandayapa Hummingbird Sanctuary (CLOUD FOREST) Active Hummingbird & Tanager feeders, bird walks on pristine trails, Canopy Islands Observation decks, ponds, streams. Multi-colored bird species - Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Red-headed Barbet, Three-striped Warbler, White-winged Becard, Metallic-green Tanager, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Pale-mandible Aracari, Golden-naped Tanager, Golden Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Orange-bellied Euphonia, along with the Masked Trogon, Squirrel Cuckoo, Slate-throated Whitestar, Streak-capped Treehunter, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Buff-fronted Foliage-Gleaner, Black-chested Tanager, and, with a bit of luck, the Ochre-breasted Antpitta. Additionally, abounding hummingbird species visit our feeders, including the iconic Booted Racket-tail and the Violet-tailed Sylph. Seasonal visits by the iconic Toucan Barbet, the Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, the Crested Quetzal, and the Golden-headed Quetzal.

Overnight San Jorge Tandayapa Lodge includes 3 meals per day.

Day Five – Birding Upper San Jorge Tandayapa, Bellavista & San Tadeo road (CLOUD FOREST/UPPER TROPICAL RAINFOREST) A second chance at the Plate-billed Mountain Toucan and Toucan Barbet.
Overnight San Jorge Milpe Forest Lodge, includes 3 meals.

Day Six – Birding San Jorge Milpe Reserve (UPPER TROPICAL RAINFOREST) BIRDING feeders, trails. Active Hummingbird, Tanager and Toucan feeders, Canyon waterfall feeders. Endemic Choco Toucan, Esmeraldas Antbird, Bicolored Antbird, Choco Warbler, Streaked Xenops, Glistening-green Tanager, Blue-tailed Trogon, Black-throated Trogon, Gartered Trogon, Collared Trogon, White-tailed Trogon, Striped Woodhaunter, Black-headed Antthrush, Scaly-throated Foliage-Gleaner, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher, Crismon-bellied Woodpecker, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Red-Rumped Woodpecker, Emerald Tanager, Choco Toucan, White-bearded Manakin, Club-winged Manakin, Northern Schiffornis, Golden-winged Manakin, Purple-throated Fruitcrow and with some luck the Lanceolated Monklet, Berlepsch's Tinamou.
Overnight San Jorge Milpe Cliff Lodge includes 3 meals (picnic lunch at waterfalls)

Day Seven: Birding Rio Chaguaryacu feeders and trails; exploring Rio Blanco or Masphi area, depending on the climate.
Overnight at San Jorge Milpe Forest Lodge includes 3 meals.

Day Eight – Birding Rio Tatal trails, Milpe Road, Forest Lodge observatory & tower. After lunch, return to Quito.
Overnight San Jorge Quito Lodge includes 3 meals

Day Nine - Old Colonial Quito City Tour with lunch at a traditional restaurant.
Overnight San Jorge Quito Lodge includes 3 meals

Day Ten - Birding Antisana National Park by vehicle - Andes Condor Reserve (PARAMO/HIGH BARREN PLAINS) feeders, scenic views. Ecuadorian Hillstar, Andean Teal, Andean Lapwing, Black-faced Ibis, Giant Hummingbird, Andes Condor.
Overnight San Jorge Quito Lodge includes 3 meals.

Day Eleven - Birding Papallacta Pass, Cayambe Coca (PARAMO/EAST ANDES) Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, White-chinned Thistletail, White-browed Spinetail, Many-stripped Canastero, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Blue-mantled Thornbill, Viridian Metaltail, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, Giant Conebill, Paramo Seedeater, Paramo Tapaculo, and many more.
Overnight at the new San Jorge/Guacamayos Lodge, includes 3 meals

Days Twelve & Thirteen - Birding at San Jorge de Guacamayos Bird Paradise (EASTERN SUB-TROPICAL CLOUD FOREST). Observation decks, trails, visit our Cock of the Rock LEK. Possible Blue-headed Hummingbird, Golden-headed Quetzal, Bat Falcon, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Cliff Flycatcher, Bronze Inca, Flame-faced Tanager, Andean Cock of the Rock (m) Rupicola Peruviana, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Fork-tailed Honeycreeper, Northern-mountain Cacique, Sunbittern, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, White-tailed Hillstar, Slate-crowned Antpitta, Emerald Toucanet, Berryl-spangled Tanager, Black and Chestnut Eagle, Streaked Tuffedcheck, White-capped Tanager, Yellow-throated Tanager, Wire-crested Thorntail, Violet-fronted Brilliant, White-tailed Hillstar, Mountain Velvetbreast, Bronzy Inca, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Tourmaline Sunangel, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Long-tailed Sylph and Wedge-billed Hummingbird.

Day Thirteen – after lunch, birding San Jorge Guacamayos low area for different species - possible Deep blue-flower Piecer, Golden eared Tanager, Paradise Tanager, Amazon Umbrella Bird, Mani-banded Acari.
Overnight at the new San Jorge Guacamayos Lodge includes 3 meals per day.

Day Fourteen: Hollin Hummingbird station, High Sumaco Road. Feeders and road walking.
Overnight at the new San Jorge Sumaco Bajo Aquatic Lodge, includes three meals

Day Fifteen – San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Bird Sanctuary (TROPICAL AMAZONIAN RAINFOREST) Observation Decks over the canopy on the lagoon. Birding at the reserve – trails. Visit the Macaws Boulevard (12 species of Parrots & 4 Macaw species) Blue-headed Parrot, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Tawny bellied Owl, Dusky headed Parakeet, plus numerous more.
Overnight at the new San Jorge Sumaco Bajo Aquatic Lodge includes 3 meals

Day Sixteen – San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Bird Sanctuary. Birding at our 65’ high Observation Tower overlooking the canopy. Long range vistas watching flocks come thru. Trail walking the reserve (optional afternoon river swim).
Overnight at the new San Jorge Sumaco Bajo Aquatic Lodge includes 3 meals.

Day Seventeen – AM birding San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Bird Sanctuary, return drive to Quito.
Overnight San Jorge/Quito Lodge includes 3 meals

Day Eighteen - am airport transfer

We own and operate 7 private birding reserves and 6 EcoLodges in Ecuador with up to 1600 possible bird species and 100 Hummingbirds, wild orchids, butterflies, mammals, and exotic flora and fauna. Our lodges are comfortable with quality services and delicious Ecuadorian cuisine. The reserves offer miles of pristine trails, Hummingbird, Tanager, and toucan feeders, 25 waterfalls throughout the properties, rivers, ponds, a spacious covered 65-foot high tower, observation decks overlooking the canopy, and bird hides. Our tours are guided by native English-speaking bird guides, and birding is fabulous! The diversification of our expeditions offers new birds in each new ecosystem visited. Explore up to 12 different ecosystems with The Magic Birding Circuit. Visit our brand new lodges on the East Andes Slope: San Jorge de Guacamayos Bird Lodge located in the Subtropical Cloud Forest and the brand new state-of-the-art San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo Aquatic Lodge in the Tropical Amazonian Rainforest.

The Magic Birding Circuit Tours are all-inclusive and include round-trip airport transfers, comfortable lodging accommodations, daily bird walks, inter-lodge private transportation, and reserve entrance fees. Added features while at San Jorge Lodges include delicious Ecuadorian and International cuisine with top-quality service. Our West Andes Lodges & Reserves visited on this tour are located in the Coco Corridor, which has the most concentrated number of birds in Ecuador, as this area was never hit by the ice age. This tour is for active birders without physical limitations who can walk and bird steadily for approximately 3 hours in the morning and afternoon.

18-Day West Andes Birdwatching Tour in Ecuador

Magic Birding Circuit 17 NIGHTS/18 DAYS