ECO-ARTS
Ecuador
June 27 - July 9, 2010
Hummingbirds and the Amazon
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Ecuador: Hummingbirds and the Amazon
13 Days
June 27-July 9, 2010
Leaders: Colleen Rooney has a Ph.D. in Environmental
Studies and extensive travel and birding experience. She
has taught bird identification and conservation at the university level and
is committed to introducing people to the adventure of ecotravel and tropical
birding in an ecologically sensitive and socially responsible manner.
Eloise Klein Healy has an MFA in creative writing and was the founding chair of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program at Antioch University Los Angeles. She is the author of six books of poetry and is widely anthologized.
Local Guide: Juan Carlos Calvachi is one of the premier professional guides in Ecuador.
Activity Level: Daily hiking on trails with moderate elevation gains. Quito is situated in the Andes at almost 9000 feet and may require reduced exertion for some participants but the lodges are at much lower elevations and should not be a problem.
Limited to 14 participants
Hummingbirds and the Amazon:
June 27 Arrival and transfer to our hotel in Quito
June 28 Quito
We will take a tour of Quito to get our bearings, visit a museum housing Pre-Inca artifacts, and then take a drive to the Equator Monument north of town. We'll end the day with a cable car ride that will give us a view of the capitol and the 14 surrounding Andean peaks called Volcano Avenue.
June 29 - July 2 Sacha Lodge
Our Ecuadorean Amazon adventure begins with a thirty minute flight to the town of Coca on the Napo river. We then board covered motorized boats for the 50 mile trip down river during which we may observe herons, kingfishers, spoonbills, and ospreys. As we travel along, scattered villages also dot the banks. Arrival at the reserve edge gives us a chance to stretch our legs. We'll walk on a boardwalk through the palm forest keeping our eyes out for monkeys. Our luggage will be carried for us. When we reach the edge of Pilchicocha Lake, we will board paddle canoes and be transported to the lodge.
For the next few days we will explore this remote and wildlife rich region. The lodge features an observation tower where up to 80 species of birds have been spotted in one morning - not surprising, since there are 587 species on the bird list for the area. But birds are only one of the attractions. In the reserve there are eight species of monkeys, sloths, puma, ocelot, tree frogs and more. There is also a canopy walk for more treetop views, a butterfly house and the surrounding reserve to explore.
In your down time you may wish to paddle a dugout canoe, swim, or just relax at the lodge.
July 3 Wildsumaco Lodge
An early boat ride takes us back to Coca where we board our bus for the drive to Wildsumaco Lodge in the eastern foothills at about 4500 feet. This new lodge is in an area where important habitat is being lost to logging. You can read about their efforts to preserve habitat on their web site. Our support of the lodge helps them with this recovery project and at the same time allows us to enjoy the lush subtropical rainforest with its wonderful mix of cloudforest species and foothill specilties. Due to its location, the Sumaco area holds one of the richest avifaunas in the world.
July 4 Wildsumaco Lodge
We spend the full day exploring the reserve learning about the local environmental issues and efforts to preserve old growth forest. We will look for wildlife, hoping to see birds like the Paradise Tanager, Glittering-throated Emerald, Andean Cock-of-the-rock, and Blue-rumped Manakin. If we're lucky, we may see agouti, common opossum, tamandua, collared peccary, paca, red brocket deer, or possibly glimpse a puma or a margay.
In the evening we'll toast our independence from the ordinary!
July 5 Guango Lodge
We take an early morning drive to Guango lodge, stopping along the way to do a little birding. We slowly ascend to 8500 feet to Guango Lodge (sister lodge to Cabañas San Isidro) which opened in 2000. This area is centered in a zone classified as humid temperate forest, a habitat characterized by its stunted trees (and thicker canopy), cooler climate, and a unique bird and plant populations.
The hummingbirds here are amazing. Without leaving the lodge we may see Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Tourmaline Sunangel, Golden-breasted and Glowing Pufflegs, Mountain Avocetbill, and White-bellied and Gorgeted Woodstars! Also seen regularly are Andean Guan, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Turquoise Jay, Scarlet-bellied, Lacrimose, Buff-breasted and Hooded Mountain-Tanagers, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Black-headed, Black-capped and Black-eared Hemispingus and Slaty Brush-Finch.
July 6 Otavalo
After a little morning birding around the area, we'll stop for lunch and then drive to Otavalo (at 8100 feet) in the central valley. We'll stay in an old Spanish hacienda, Las Palmeras Inn, for the night. There may be time to explore the inn's gardens where you'll see hibiscus, bougainvillea and a variety of other flowering plants and fruit trees which attract hummingbirds, vermilion fly-catchers and a profusion of other native birds.
July 7 Otavalo
No trip to Ecuador is complete without a visit to the famous Otavalo market. Otavalo is a predominantly indigenous town in the Imbabura Province and is surrounded by volcanic peaks. The indigenous Otavalo people are famous for their weaving of woolen textiles which are available locally. But nearby villages and towns are also famous for their own particular crafts (leather, wood carving, furniture, etc.) and all are brought to market in Otavalo.
We will also visit a nearby volcanic lake and other indigenous community villages on our way back to the hacienda.
July 8 Quito
We will have a chance to do some birding or last minute shopping in the morning and then take a late afternoon drive to Quito for our last night together.
Cost: $2950 (based on double occupancy and
at least 12 participants).
Cost will include double occupancy w/ private bath, all meals at the lodges, in-country transportation, entrance fees at scheduled
stops, and guides.
Airfare and guide tips are not included.
Day |
Date |
Itinerary |
| Day 1 | June 27 |
Transfer in to a 3 star hotel in Quito (9300 feet). |
| Day 2 | June 28 |
Tour Quito, the Equator Monument, Central bank Museum (Pre-Inca artifacts), ride the Cable car, and stay overnight at hotel in Quito. |
| Day 3 | June 29 |
Our Sacha Lodge adventure begins with a 30 minute flight to the town of Coca at edge of the Napo river, then a 2 hours motorized boat ride ( 60 miles) downstream. An easy 1 mile walk on a boardwalk is followed by a 20 minute paddle canoe ride to reach the magnificent lodge. Stay alert for abundant wildlife. |
| Day 4 | June 30 |
Full day and overnight at Sacha lodge at the 1000 foot level with its tree towers, butterfly house, mammals, reptiles, plants, birding and getting to know the inhabitants of the area, a true Amazon nature experience . |
| Day 5 | July 1 |
Full day and overnight at Sacha lodge - more exploration of the pristine forest looking for birds (the Hoatzin?) and mammals. |
| Day 6 | July 2 |
Full day and overnight at Sacha lodge. Guided walks with the local naturalist highlight our stay. |
| Day 7 | July 3 |
Early boat ride back to Coca watching for wildlife along the river. Then drive to Wild Sumaco Lodge on the eastern foothills (4500 feet) where we'll stay the night. |
| Day 8 | July 4 |
Full day and overnight at Wildsumaco Lodge - a private reserve created to save rapidly disappearing forest habitat. Great birding in this reserve in the Andean foothills. |
| Day 9 | July 5 |
Early drive towards Guango lodge at 8500 feet, stopping to view birds and animals along the way. |
| Day 10 | July 6 |
Morning birding in the local forest; then after lunch we drive to Otavalo (8100 feet) in the central valley for an overnight stay at the Spanish hacienda, Las Palmeras Inn.. |
| Day 11 | July 7 |
We'll spend the whole day in the Otavalo area visiting Indian communities, markets, and volcanic lakes. We will leave lots of time for shopping ( handicrafts like weavings, leather goods, woodcarvings). Overnight stay at a 150 year old hacienda (modernized), Las Palmeras Inn. |
| Day 12 | July 8 |
Full day around Otavalo sightseeing and shopping. Late afternoon drive to Quito and our hotel. |
| Day 13 | July 9 |
Transfer out for international flight home. |
Contact us at: eco-arts@pacbell.net