Day One – Evening Airport transfer to San Jorge Eco-Lodge & Botanical Reserve/Quito; overnight San Jorge/Quito Lodge, no meals included
Day Two – Birding San Jorge Reserve/Quito Birding Center - Upper Farm Road & Yanacocha old road, Alambi Road & Nono Tandayapa Road (ANDES HIGHLANDS/UPPER CLOUD FOREST) feeders, gardens, road walking. Feeders at the lodge are visited by the Black-tailed Trainbearer, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Sparkling Violetear, Tyrian Metaltail, Shining Sunbeam, and, the tiny White-bellied Woodstar. 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 (boxed lunch)
Day Three - Birding San Jorge de Tandayapa Hummingbird Sanctuary (CLOUD FOREST) Hummingbird & Tanager feeders, bird walks on pristine trails, Canopy Islands Observation decks, ponds, streams. Multi-colored bird species like the Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Red-headed Barbet, Three-striped Warbler, White-winged Becard, Metallic-green Tanager, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Golden-naped Tanager, Golden Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Orange-bellied Euphonia, along with the Masked Trogon, Squirell 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, our feeders are visited by abounding hummingbird species including the iconic Booted Racket-tail and the Violet-tailed Sylph. Seasonal visits by the iconic Toucan Barbet, and, the Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan along with the Crested Quetzal, and, the Golden-headed Quetzal. Overnight San Jorge Tandayapa Lodge, includes 3 meals
Day Four - 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 along the road of San Tadeo. Overnight San Jorge/Milpe Forest Lodge, includes 3 meals (boxed lunch)
Day Five - Birding San Jorge Milpe Reserve (UPPER TROPICAL RAINFOREST) home of the Banded-ground Cuckoo! (One of the 50 rarest birds in the world). feeders, trails. 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 Forest Lodge, includes 3 meals
Day Six – Birding Rio Chaguaryacu feeder and trails; exploring Mashi area. Overnight San Jorge/Milpe Cliff Lodge, includes 3 meals
Day Seven – Birding Rio Tatal trails, Milpe road, Forest Lodge observatory Return to Quito. Overnight San Jorge/Quito Lodge, includes 3 meals
Day Eight – 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 brand new San Jorge/Guacamayos Lodge, includes 3 meals
Days Nine & Ten - Birding at San Jorge de Guacamayos Bird Paradise (EASTERN SUB-TROPICAL CLOUD FOREST). Visit our private Cock of the Rock Lek. Possible Blue-headed Hummingbird, 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, after lunch birding San Jorge Guacamayos Low area offers different species possible Deep blue-flower Piecer, Golden eared Tanager, Paradise Tanager, Amazon Umbrella Bird, Mani-banded Acari.
Day Nine Overnight brand new San Jorge/Guacamayos Lodge. Day Ten afternoon drive back to Quito, overnight San Jorge/Quito Lodge , includes 3 meals per day
Day Eleven - Birding Antisana National Park by vehicle - Andes Condor Reserve (PARAMO), feeders, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Andean Teal, Andean Lapwing, Black-faced Ibis, Giant Hummingbird, overnight San Jorge/Quito Lodge, includes 3 meals
Day Twelve – am airport transfer
Magic Birding & Photography Circuit MAP
We own and operate 7 private birding reserves and 6 birding Eco-Lodges in Ecuador with up to 1600 possible bird species + 100 Hummingbirds, wild orchids, butterflies, mammals and beautiful flora and fauna. Our lodges are comfortable with quality services and delicious Ecuadorian cuisine. The reserves offer miles of pristine bird trails, Hummingbird/Tanager/Toucan feeders, 25 waterfalls, rivers, ponds, spacious covered observation decks and covered towers overlooking the canopy + bird hides. Our tours are guided by native bird guides and birding is fabulous! The diversification of our expeditions offer new birds in each new eco-system visited. Our brand new San Jorge de Guacamayos Bird Lodge located in the Subtropical Cloud Forest on the East Andes Slope is now open! It even has its own Cock of the Rock Lek! Our 2nd new bird lodge, San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo in the Tropical Amazonian Rainforest on the East Andes Slope is projected to open Spring, 2023.
The Magic Birding Circuit Tours are all-inclusive, including round trip airport transfers, comfortable lodging accommodations, daily guided bird walks with specialized native bird guides to the region, 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 amount of birds in Ecuador as this area was never hit by the ice age. This tour is for active birders without physical limitation who can walk and bird steadily for approximately 3 hours in the morning and also the afternoon.