🦅 Birding Ecuador's Rainforest & Highlands
Discover Ecuador’s Unparalleled Biodiversity
Join us on a fully guided 10-day birding and wildlife adventure through Ecuador’s most stunning ecosystems—cloud forests, highlands, and the Amazon. Led by expert naturalists, this tour offers encounters with Andean condors, vibrant tanagers, and rare rainforest species, all while staying in top eco-lodges. Immerse yourself in local culture with visits to indigenous communities and conservation projects. Extend your adventure with a 4-day Galápagos land-stay, featuring daily island excursions and intimate wildlife experiences.
Sample Daily Itinerary
DAY 1: Arrive in Quito, Ecuador
Evening birding at Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve or Parque Metropolitano.
San Jorge Eco-Lodge & Botanical Reserve (great for hummingbirds and Andean species).
DAY 2: Quito & Antisana Highlands
Morning: Quito City Tour (Plaza Grande, La Ronda, and Museo Mindalae for indigenous culture).
Afternoon: Antisana Ecological Reserve (Andean condors, carunculated caracaras, spectacled bears).
Overnight: Hacienda Guaytara or Tambo Condor Lodge (Andes scenery and birdwatching.
DAY 3-4: Mindo Cloud Forest
Visit Bellavista Reserve, Milpe, and Refugio Paz de las Aves (cock-of-the-rock lek, toucans, antpittas).
Cultural Experience: Visit a local chocolate farm and learn about sustainable cacao farming.
Overnight: Sachatamia Lodge or Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge (birding from the balcony!).
DAY 5-6: Papallacta & Guango Lodge (Highlands & Páramo)
Birding at Guango Lodge (sword-billed hummingbird, torrent duck).
Visit Termas de Papallacta Hot Springs (relax and spot highland tanagers).
Overnight: Guango Lodge (cozy, right in the heart of highland birding).DAY 6:
DAY 7-9: Amazon Rainforest (Yasuni or Cuyabeno)
Stay at an eco-lodge deep in the rainforest: Sacha Lodge, Napo Wildlife Center, or Sani Lodge.
Birding: Macaw clay licks, canopy towers for tanagers and toucans, hoatzins near riverbanks.
Cultural Experience: Visit an indigenous Kichwa community to learn about traditional ways of life and medicinal plants.
DAY 10: Return to Quito
Final birding stop at San Isidro Lodge (great for night birding – San Isidro Owl!).
Return to Quito for evening flights or optional extension.
Cost:
From $3,599 per person (double occupancy).
$500 single supplement.
Included in Your tour:
Expert birding guide throughout the program.
Airport transfers.
Comfortable lodging at bed & breakfasts.
All breakfasts, welcome dinner, and select lunches.
Air-conditioned transportation and full-time driver.
Not Included in your Tour
International Airfares (Mariah Travel will assist with the best flights)
Meals not described in the itinerary.
Personal expenses.
Drinks during meals, hotel extras and personal spending.
Tips to guides and hotel staff
Travel Insurance (Highly Recommended USI Travel Insurance Services)
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Galápagos Land-Stay Extension (Santa Cruz – 4 Days)
Cost:
From $2,999 per person (double occupancy).
$500 single supplement.
Day 1: Arrival in Santa Cruz
Fly to Baltra, transfer to Puerto Ayora.
Visit Charles Darwin Research Station (giant tortoises, conservation projects).
Stay: Finch Bay Eco Hotel or Galápagos Habitat Eco-Lodge.
Day 2: North Seymour & Bachas Beach Excursion
Birding: Blue-footed boobies, magnificent frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls.
Wildlife: Marine iguanas, sea lions, nesting seabirds.
Day 3: Highlands & Tortuga Bay
Santa Cruz Highlands: Giant tortoises in the wild, short-eared owls.
Tortuga Bay: Mangroves, lava herons, Galápagos mockingbirds.
Day 4: Morning Birding & Departure
Early birdwatching near El Chato Reserve (vermilion flycatchers, Galápagos doves).
Transfer to Baltra for flight back to mainland Ecuador.
**Contact our office for additional details
Additional Notes
The itinerary is subject to change based on weather conditions, dive site availability, and other factors.
COVID-19: All crew and staff follow strict safety and sanitation protocols to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
For more information or to book your trip, contact Mariah Travel today!
Book Your Adventure
For more information or to reserve your spot, contact us at:
📞 1-406-222-5660
📧 info@mariahtravel.com
🌐 www.mariahtravel.com
Dates available Year-round. All itineraries are subject to change based on weather, bird locations, and local conditions.
Experience the magic of Ecuador with Mariah Travel—where culture, nature, and birding come together for an unforgettable journey!