Ecuador Photo Tour

Ecuador, the country of the Hummingbirds, Tanagers and more, the perfect photographer’s paradise

Destination

Ecuador Photo Tour

Price

Quote

Duration

10 Days

Difficulty

Medium

Group Size

6 Guest

Height

3.726 mdpl

Ecuador Photo Tour

Ecuador is famed for its extraordinary diversity. With a superb selection of lodges and reserves, many of them with excellent feeders, it is one of the premier bird photography destinations in South America. The jewels of the Andes, the hummingbirds, will feature heavily; fantastic feeder set-ups allow excellent photographic opportunities of these “winged gems”. While hummingbirds are undoubtedly a front and center feature of this tour, they will also be accompanied by other colorful tropical birds, including an assortment of tanagers, toucans, trogons, woodpeckers, and even the incredible, vivid scarlet Andean Cock-of-the-rock. An optional extension to Sani Lodge in the Amazon is also available.

Note: On some departures, the tour is run in reverse order.

The tour leader may modify the plan on any particular day based on weather, feeder activity, recent sighting information, newly opened sites, and other factors. As most of the tour is based in just a few lodges, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary.

TRIP CONSIDERATIONS

Physical difficulty:

Easy to moderate. Much of the main tour will be spent near feeders which are accessed by only a short walk. At Refugio Paz, we will need to walk roughly half a mile (about 1 km) on moderately steep and often slippery trails in order to photograph some of the special birds. There will also be short walks on trails to target a few things at Milpe and Guango. Parts of at least three days will be spent at high elevations above 11,500 ft. (3500 m.), however little walking is done at these altitudes, and those nights are spent much lower at 8500 ft. (2600 m). On the extension, much more walking is required, up to 3 miles (4.8 km) a day, and sometimes on trails that are very muddy (the lodge provides rubber boots), and accessing the canopy tower requires climbing up 120 ft. (37 m.) via a sturdy and well-made staircase.

Accommodation:

Good, all have private, en-suite bathrooms, and full-time hot water. All lodges on the main tour have 24hr electricity. On the extension, electricity is provided by a generator that is turned on for limited hours, but it provides sufficient time to charge camera batteries and devices.

Climate:

Usually very pleasant (mostly 55°-75°F, 13°-24°C), but cold at Papallacta and Antisana (possibly down to near freezing) and hot on the one day at Suamox and for the entire extension (up to c. 90°F/32°C). Some rain can be expected, especially in the afternoons and evenings, and intense downpours are not unexpected on the extension (good rain protection for your gear is essential).

PHOTO PHILOSOPHY

To provide our clients with unique moments of enjoying and having fun with this hobby, through Photography we can capture unique moments in contact with wildlife, birds, mammals, and landscapes our photos will help us to understand biodiversity, Bird behavior and capture moments not available on the binoculars, you can capture your own pictures and memories and take them with you to home, but mainly develop your skills and your personal relationship with your camera and gear.

Gear:

A good 300mm lens (or high-end zoom that covers 300mm) and a full-frame camera are ideal for hummingbirds, but a longer lens is better for most other birds. A 500mm with a 1.4x or 600mm are the best options, but a 300mm with 1.4x and 2x teleconverters also usually does a great job. A smaller lens can be nice for scenery shots in the high Andes. A flash (where permitted) is also useful since light can be quite low early in the morning and inside the forest. 100- 400 lenses with an independent body are also important if possible. Weather permitting, there will be some opportunities for optional nocturnal macro photography, especially on the extension, where a good macro lens and flash (a ring flash or off-camera flash is best) would be useful. Flash is not permitted at Paz de las Aves or Mashpi Amaguza.

Tour Map

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Itinerary

DAY 1: QUITO

DAY 2: ANTISANA TO GUANGO LODGE

DAY 3: GUANGO LODGE

DAY 4: PAPALLACTA AND GUANGO TO QUITO

DAYS 5-8: NORTHWEST ECUADOR BASED OUT OF SACHA TAMIA LODGE (MINDO AREA).

After leaving Quito, we’ll have four nights based in this very nice and comfortable loge, nestled within lush subtropical forest on the west slope of the Andes, an area renowned for its high bird species diversity. This is especially evident in the impressive hummingbird community found right around the lodge that will occupy much of our photographic energies. The lodge feeders attract thousands of individual hummingbirds, with 10-20 species visiting on most days. The most common is usually is the outrageous Booted Racket-tail, the male of which has a strange long tail, with two paddles at the end. Other regular drop-ins are a number of glistening species like the audacious Violet-tailed Sylph, the standout Purple-bibbed Whitetip, and the gem-like Western Emerald., dinky Purple-throated Woodstar and Vevet – purple coronet that normally visit the flowers and feeders around. If hummingbird photography is your goal, you are likely to come away with plenty of shots of over ten species of hummingbird, many of which are hard to photograph elsewhere. Fruit feeders at the lodge can also attract technicolor” birds like Red-headed Barbet, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, or Toucan Barbet. Other species often come in to eat insects attracted to lights, such as flycatchers, woodcreepers, and more. On its own Sacha Tamia lodge is a unique spot for bird photography, and we will spend a good amount of time shooting around the lodge (with chances for multiflash hummingbird photography); however it also serves as an excellent base to explore numerous other private reserves in the region. The exact places that we visit on the tour, and the order, will depend on various factors like weather, feeder activity, and most importantly, up-to-date local knowledge on which places have the best activity at the moment, and which places are best avoided.
Listed below are some of the options we have available, though we will also not hesitate to do something different if we obtain info on a new site or hot sighting.

DAY 9: PAZ DE LAS AVES TO QUITO

DAY 10 DEPARTURE

Wildlife photography in the Amazon is as tough as it gets. We had hesitated to offer a trip until we went to Sani Lodge in early June 2015, and that totally changed our minds. After a few days there, we came back with chips loaded with great photos, and were convinced that this was THE place to do it. This extension can also be done at any time as a custom tour, and longer and shorter packages are possible.
*Please note: For the Amazon Extension, a Tropical Birding guide will only accompany the group if there are three or more people. For groups of only one or two people, a local, bird guide from the lodge will be used.

AMAZON EXTENSION TO SANI OR MANDI LODGE

Itinerary

DAY 1: QUITO TO SANI LODGE

DAYS 2-4: FULL DAYS BASED OUT OF SANI LODGE

The day-to-day activities here are highly subject to change based on current conditions. Local guides are keeping up with the current hotspots, and their knowledge will be vital in deciding where best to spend our days at Sani Lodge. Here are some of the most likely areas we will visit during our time at Sani Lodge: The lodge clearing. The Sani clearing can be a great place to photography numerous colorful species, especially if any trees are fruiting. White-chinned Jacamar, Scarletcrowned Barbet, various toucans and aracaris, Orange-crested Manakin, Gray-fronted Dove, Masked Crimson, and Silver-beaked Tanagers, Purple Honeycreeper, Golden-bellied Euphonia, are some of the possibilities. This is a great area to spend time in during the heat of the day, which can be slow in other locations.

Oxbow lake and Challuayacu River. Using canoes or a floating platform/blind suitable for tripods, we’ll work the edge of the oxbow lake, which is great for getting photos of Hoatzin, Black-capped Donacobius, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Capped Heron, Pale-vented Pigeon, White-winged Swallow, Lesser Kiskadee, and more. There is usually plenty of light to work with and the photography is easier than in the forest. The previously-mentioned Challuayacu River is darker but offers the chance for perched hummingbirds, manakins, various antbirds, and even monkeys and sloths. Canopy tower. Sani’s canopy tower is built into an enormous kapok tree, and the platform is the largest we’ve ever seen, allowing for lots of space to set up a tripod or to move around for the perfect angle. Activity can vary, but if a mixed flock comes through, this can be one of the best places in Sani to get great shots, and there is plenty of light. Some birds we have photographed there include Many-banded Aracari, Paradise and Opal-crowned Tanagers, Great Jacamar, Yellow-billed and White-fronted Nunbirds, Gilded and Lemon-throated Barbets, Cinnamon throated and Buff-throated Woodcreepers, Black-tailed, and Green-backed Trogons, Black-tailed Tityra, Cinnamon Attila, though many more are possible. Near the tower, there is a blind that allows good chances to photograph the dapper Wire-tailed Manakin. More blinds may be installed in the future as well.

Yasuní parrot licks. Not far from Sani Lodge are the famous clay licks that on dry days bring in hundreds and hundreds of parrots. Both have blinds and are well worth visiting. Flash is not allowed here, so a very fast lens and a tripod are recommended. The first clay lick is an active earl and is great for Yellow-crowned, Mealy, Blue-headed Parrots, and Dusky-headed Parakeets. Another lick is about a 20-minute walk into the forest and offers a chance at some rare species like Orange-cheeked Parrot, Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, and Scarlet Macaw among the hordes of Cobalt-winged Parakeets. Napo River islands. River islands hold a totally different set of birds, and the scrub and young forest make the lighting easier than inside the rainforest. It can be good to spend a few hours looking for the specialties including Oriole Blackbird, Black-and-white Antbird, Castlenau’s Antshrike, and Lesser Wagtail-Tyrant. Occasionally a roosting Striped Owl is also found here. Roosting nightbird stakeouts. Local guides usually know where at least some nightbirds are sleeping during the day, such as Common and Great Potoo, Tropical and Tawny-bellied Screech-owl, and Crested and Mottled Owls. Sometimes they are partly obscured by our badly backlit, but other times they show very well allowing for nice shots. It’s always worth checking them out. Night photography. Numerous bizarre insects, colorful frogs and reptiles, and other macro targets can be found on a night’s walk behind the lodge. If you are into macro photography or want to try it out for the first time, it’s a lot of fun. Of course, there is also a chance for a nightbird or even a night monkey as well.

DAY 5: SANI TO QUITO

DAY 6: DEPARTURE

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MAXIMUM TIME IN NATURE

Our goal is to maximize the time spent in nature, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the environment and appreciate its beauty. This often means long days filled with exploration, adventure, and unique experiences that provide a deeper connection to the natural world. While it can be physically demanding at times, these extended days offer the opportunity to observe wildlife, discover hidden landscapes, and truly engage with the surroundings in a meaningful way.

ITINERARY ROUTE

Our itinerary is subject to change due to factors beyond our control, such as adverse weather, road conditions, safety concerns or other circumstances. While we aim to follow the planned route and excursions, adjustments may be necessary to ensure the best experience. The itinerary is prepared months in advance, but unforeseen circumstances may arise. In such cases, the tour leader will determine suitable alternatives. No refunds will be issued due to changes in the itinerary.

USE OF DRONES / UAVs ON TRIPS

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, are not suitable for use on NEBLINA FOREST’s trips due to logistical constraints and in many cases, local and national laws or regulations. When visiting National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, Biosphere Reserves, etc. we operate under environmental regulations that ban the use of recreational drones. Do not bring a drone on a trip without contacting us first.

DEPOSIT & PAYMENTS

Once you have booked any trip with NEBLINA FOREST Ltd., a 15% non-refundable deposit is needed for us to confirm any reservation. Full Payment is needed 60 days prior to the date our services are due to begin.

Please note that in some cases in order to visit special natural reserves and parks a higher pre-deposit per person might be required.

If a booking is requested less than 60 days prior to the departure date, full payment will be required upon confirmation.

PAYMENT METHODS

NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. accepts the following payment options:

Wire transfers

In US Dollars to: Bank: BRADESCO BAC Florida Bank

Address:

3011 Ponce de Leon Blvd. PH-1, Coral Gables, FL 33134

ABA: 067009044

SWIFT: BFLBUS3M

Beneficiary: NEBLINA FOREST

Account Number: 37022911

All wire transfers must have the NEBLINA FOREST (NF) tour number (s), on their reference code field. Additionally, we need a copy of the payment confirmation issued by the bank, via e -mail, with the following information added to it:

Passenger’s last name and NF tour number.
The amount of money that you are paying for each tour.

This information is key to assuring our accurate and fast processing of payments.

Credit card payments

A WeTravel payment link will be provided for the processing of your payment. You will be required to complete all requested information through the secure payment platform. By proceeding with the transaction, you authorize WeTravel, acting as the payment processor on behalf of NEBLINA FOREST Ltd., to charge the applicable tour services to your corporate Visa, MasterCard, or American Express credit card.

All payments made by credit card are subject to service fees imposed by WeTravel and/or additional charges assessed by the card issuer according to its own policies and regulations. Neblina Forest has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, such fees or charges.

These fees may apply to all credit card transactions, including deposits, final payments, special arrangements, and any other tour-related payments.

CANCELLING YOUR BOOKING

You may cancel your booking at any stage, provided you do so in writing.

• If cancellation is received between the date of booking until 61 days prior the date our services are due to begin, we will charge 15% as a cancellation fee. This deposit cannot be transferred to another booking.

• If cancellation is received between 60 and 0 days prior the date our services are due to begin, we will charge 100% as a cancellation fee.

All services will be subject to the policies and conditions established by each operator and/or supplier (airline, hotels, sightseeing locations or other).

Third Party Products (Galápagos, Amazon rainforest, etc.)

In this case, all services will be subject to the policies and conditions established by each operator.

PRICING

Pricing, itineraries and availability may change without notice. NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. reserves the right to charge you for any increase in trip costs. You agree that NEBLINA FOREST is not responsible for any errors or omissions in any quotes, advertisements, including on our website, or information from third parties.

PAYMENTS

Failure to make payments on time will automatically put your booking at risk of cancellation. Please contact us in advance of your payment due date if you will be unable to meet this obligation. You agree to hold NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. harmless for any booking cancellation for late payments or declination of a credit card.

REFUNDS

No refunds will be made if you leave a trip for any reason whatsoever. No refunds will be made either for any accommodations, transport, sightseeing locations, meals or services not utilized.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

TAXES, FEES, EXCHANGE RATES AND FUEL SUPPLEMENTS

Fees

• NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. reserves the right to pass on to its guests (including fully paid and deposited guests) any taxes and fees imposed by government or quasi-government agencies that relate specifically to a guest's itinerary. "Taxes and fees" include any and all fees, charges, surcharges, tolls and taxes imposed by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities including, but not limited to, customs fees, per person berth taxes or fees, embarkation and/or disembarkation fees at ports, airline transportation fees, dockage fees, and wharfage fees. This condition also applies if exchange rates and other local costs vary substantially after you receive your quote.

Prior to your departure, if we have to make such changes we will advise you as soon as is reasonably possible. We also reserve the right to change any of the services or other particulars contained in the confirmed itinerary at any time.

Fuel supplements or surcharges

• NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. reserves the right to charge a per person fuel supplement if the price of fuel increases any time prior to the travel date.

• NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. may collect any taxes, government fees/quasi government fees and fuel supplement (the "Surcharges") at the time of booking or prior to travelling, even if the trip fare has been paid in full. Surcharges will be invoiced accordingly.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

You assume sole responsibility to confirm all requirements for passport, visa, vaccination, or other entry and/ or travel requirements of all locations along your route and final destination. You release NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. from responsibility for any and all damages incurred as a result of your failure to comply with applicable requirements.

INSURANCE

To safeguard against losses due to illness, accident, or other unforeseen circumstances, we strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance, that covers trip cancellation/interruption, as soon as possible after making a deposit.

GENERAL ITINERARY OR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

° Itinerary arrival and departure times are always subject to change without notice.

° Airfare NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. may book for you: Review your trip itinerary for flights NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. may book on your behalf. NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. acts simply as an intermediary between you and the airline, and airline tickets are highly restrictive, non-refundable, and non-transferable. Modification of names, dates, times, routings, or departure/ arrival airports is at the sole discretion of the airline and, if permitted, will likely be subject to a change fee, and you are responsible for any such fees. Credit will not be given for any unused airline ticket unless the airline’s terms and conditions allow it.

° Accommodations are defined as lodgings in living quarters afforded to travelers including, but not limited to, hotels, resorts, lodges, ship cabins, and campgrounds. If the accommodation sought are unavailable, NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. will do its best to reserve comparable accommodations. Note that the accommodation options described in our itineraries are for reference only and are subject to change based on availability. NEBLINA FOREST has no special knowledge regarding the suitability for disable persons of any portion of any trip. For information concerning the suitability for disable persons for any portion of our trips, contact NEBLINA FOREST Ltd.

° Due to the circumstances of operating inside National Parks and/or protected natural reserves, whose rules and regulations can be changed by the park or reserves

authorities and/or land owners, and due to any operational constraints, NEBLINA FOREST Ltd., reserves the right to cancel, alter, advance, postpone or substitute any scheduled itinerary, or substitute or cancel scheduled visiting sites, which, in its sole judgment and discretion, is justified for any reason, and to do so without liability for any loss whatsoever to guests as a result of said change(s).

DATA PROTECTION

NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. may ask for certain personal information, such as dietary requirements, disability /medical information, etc. NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. will keep this information confidential except to provide necessary information to authorized persons to carry out NEBLINA FOREST’s obligations to you.

LIABILITY CLAUSE

NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. and its agents act only as agents for passengers in all matters pertaining to transportation, accommodations or services not provided directly by NEBLINA FOREST Ltd., which are not subject to its control and therefore assume no liability. As agents, all tickets, exchange orders or vouchers issued by independent suppliers are subject to any and all terms and conditions under which such means of transportation, accommodations or other services are offered or provided. NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. and its agents will not be liable for injury, death, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle furnished by any such other party, firm or corporation or through the acts of default, whether negligent or willful, of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out or failing to carry out the arrangements previously agreed upon, nor for the negligent misconduct of any such other party, firm or corporation.

In the same way NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. is not responsible for the loss, theft, or robbery of luggage while it is in charge of the airline or hotel, as is outside the control, surveillance and direct supervision of the company. The passenger contract in use by the airlines concerned, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the airline and the purchaser of these and/ or passengers.

NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. will not be held responsible and will assume no liability for injuries, losses or additional expenses due to delays or interruption of travel, changes in schedules, lost/ damage/ delayed luggage and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which neither we nor our suppliers could avoid, examples of which are acts of God, sickness, war or threat of war, riots, strikes, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural or nuclear disaster, fire or adverse weather conditions, level of water in rivers, technical problems of any aircraft, vehicle, vessel or other means of conveyance, illness and/or death of a co-traveler including members of the trip group, or any cause or other similar events beyond the control of NEBLINA FOREST Ltd.. We suggest that you book an insurance policy with your Travel Agency.

Visiting remote destinations can be thrilling, but it is essential to understand and accept both medical and logistical risks. While minor health issues can often be managed during the journey, access to medical care may be delayed due to the remoteness of the locations. In the event of an emergency, immediate treatment or evacuation may not be possible. Therefore, anyone who require close medical supervision should not consider going on our trips.

NEBLINA FOREST reserves the right to withdraw or refuse service to a customer at its own discretion, prior to or during the trip, if in NEBLINA FOREST’s opinion that they could endanger the health, safety, and enjoyment of other on the trip. Under such circumstances, no refund will be given for any unused portion of the trip.

MODIFICATION OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The Terms and Conditions may be amended by NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. at any time without notice, so it is essential that you review these each time you book a trip with NEBLINA FOREST Ltd. in case they have changed. The Terms and Conditions you sign now are the Terms and Conditions that will apply to you and your trip regardless of amendments made after you’ve signed.

Ecuador Photo Tour

Ecuador Photo Tour​

Duration

Difficulty

Group Size

Height

Ecuador Photo Tour​​

Tour Map

Itinerary

AMAZON EXTENSION TO SANI OR MANDI LODGE

Itinerary

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Ecuador Photo Tour

Ecuador Photo Tour