Ecuador Amazon and East slope: dates to be announced Jan/Feb 2011

The incmparable Napo Wildlife Center at sunset

Lanceolated Monklet - one of many rarities found here

The 36 meter (120 foot) high Canopy Tower provides great views Paddling on the lake by the lodge - a wonderful experience

Napo has three parrot 'licks' which attract thousands of parrots - we recorded 18 parrots species here in 2010

An Indigo Quail-dove perched co-operatively by the trail! The incredibly rare Black-necked Red Cotinga on a lek!!!

Part of our 2010 group on top of the Canopy Tower enjoying a fine morning A White-necked Puffbird in the tree beside us for over an hour!

Focus and highlights:

This trip features an outstanding Amazon rainforest experience with five nights and six days at the incomparable Napo Wildlife Center (one of the premier rainforest lodges in the world), plus two nights at the recently opened Wild Sumaco ecolodge, and two nights at the famous San Isidro lodge. This combination gives a relatively easy birding vacation with great diversity and good coverage of the Amazon basin and east slope of the Andes. Because it begins and ends in Quito, participants could easily extend or add to their visit (perhaps including a visit to either the Galapagos or the western slope of the Andes).

Itinerary:

Day 1 -     Arrive in Quito. Transfer to Sheraton. Dinner and night at Sheraton.
Day 2 -     Breakfast at Sheraton. Morning flight to Coca. Transfer via boat to Napo Wildlife Center. Meals and night at Napo Wildlife Center.
Day 3 -     Napo Wildlife Center. All meals and night NWC.
Day 4 -     Napo Wildlife Center. All meals and night NWC.
Day 5 -     Napo Wildlife Center. All meals and night NWC.
Day 6 -     Napo Wildlife Center. All meals and night NWC.
Day 7 -     Depart NWC. Arrive Coca dock in mid morning. Driveto Wild Sumaco. Box lunch. Dinner and night at Wild Sumaco.
Day 8 -     Wild Sumaco. All meals and night at Wild Sumaco. Feb 4 - Breakfast and morning birding at Wild Sumaco. Box lunch. Dinner and night at San Isidro.
Day 9 -     All meals and night at San Isidro.
Day 10 -   Breakfast at San Isidro. Box lunch. Arrive Quito in afternoon. Dinner and night at Sheraton.
Day 11 -   Breakfast at Sheraton. Check out and transfer to airport.

Physical Conditions:

The majority of the itinerary is at low elevation. Only the arrival day in Quito and the last day where we return from San Isidro to Quito via Papallacta, are at higher altitude. Napo Wildlife center is below 500 meters and in humid lowland rainforest. Expect warm/hot humid conditions at NWC. Wild Sumaco is at around 1100 meters and temperatures should be warm and
comfortable there. San Isidro is at around 2400 meters with cool evenings and cool to warm days. Jan to March is the 'dry season' on the east slope although rain is not unusual even at this season. Although there is not a great deal of high elevation birding on this trip, the itinerary is full and the days are long. The lowlands are hot and humid and the trails can be muddy. For this reason this trip is best described as moderate in terms of difficulty.

What is included: (based upon 2010 itinerary - to be revised)

Accommodations: eleven nights in double occupancy: (two nights at Quito Sheraton, five nights at Napo Wildlife Center, two nights at San Isidro, two nights at Wild Sumaco ecolodge)
Meals: all meals from dinner on Jan 27, 2010 to breakfast on Feb 07, 2010 (11 dinners; 11 breakfasts; 10 lunches). snacks in the field. water and some soft drinks and juices while in the field.
Transportation: Includes transfers from airport to Sheraton; flight from Quito to Coca (one way, economy); boat transfers to and from Napo Wildlife center; ground transport from Coca to Quito including services of driver (depending upon group size likely a bus).
Guiding: Tom Hince throughout the trip. At Napo Wildlife Center local expert birding guides daily. From Coca to Quito portion (Feb 2-6) local bilingual guide. At Sumaco on full day a dedicated local birding guide.
Entrance fees: included for all birding sites, including Guacamayos trail, NWC, Guango, and the Papallacta microwave antennas.
Tips: tips for porters, hotel staff, drivers and birding guides are included. However for birding guides or drivers who provide you with a special service or who you develop a special relationship with, you may wish to tip them additionally.

What is not included:
Flights to and from Ecuador. Alcohol. Departure taxes at airport. Items not specifically identified as included.

Target species (obviously we wont see them all, but this gives you an idea):

At San Isidro and en route to Quito, we will focus on specialties of the east slope of the Andes. Among these are Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Andean Potoo, White-throated Screech Owl, Wattled Guan, White-capped Tanager, Black-billed Mountain Toucan, Blue-mantled Thornbill, and Masked Mountain Tanager. This area includes many other outstanding species such as Sword-billed Hummingbird, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Capped Conebill, Giant Conebill, Black-backed Bush Tanager, Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, San Isidro 'mystery' Owl, Cock of the Rock, Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, Andean Condor and Giant Hummingbird.

At Wild Sumaco we will be at an altitude where good habitat is virtually impossible to access. Here on the slopes of Volcan Sumaco great habitat is still present and thankfully now accessible with a new lodge. Here we may encounter targets such as Barred Forest Falcon, Rufous-breasted Wood Quail, Gray-breasted Crake, White-eyed Parakeet, Dusky-billed Parrotlet,
Rufescent Screech-Owl, Band-bellied Owl, Great Potoo, Green Hermit, White-tipped Sicklebill, Napo Sabrewing, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Black-throated Brilliant, Gould's Jewelfront, White-tailed Hillstar, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Black-streaked Puffbird, Striolated Puffbird,
Gilded Barbet, Chestnut-tipped Toucanet, Golden-collared Toucanet, Channel-billed Toucan, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Dusky Spinetail, Dark-breasted Spinetail, Spotted Barbtail, Rufous-tailed Foliage Gleaner, Ruddy Foliage Gleaner, Black-billed Treehunter, White-shouldered Antshrike, Russet Antshrike, Plain Antvireo, Foothill Antwren, Ornate Antwren,
Yellow-breasted Antwren, Blackish Antbird, Spot-backed Antbird, Scale-backed Antbird, White-backed Fire eye, Rufous-breasted Antthrush, Short-tailed Antthrush, Plain-backed Antpitta, Chestnut-crowned Gnateater, White-fronted Tyrannulet, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Red-billed Tyrannulet, White-throated Spadebill, Yellow-throated Spadebill, Tawny-breasted
Flycatcher, Euler's Flycatcher, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Yellow-cheeked Becard, White-winged Becard, Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater, Fiery-throated Fruiteater, Gray-tailed Piha, White-crowned Manakin, Blue-rumped Manakin, Violaceous Jay, Slaty-capped Shrike Vireo, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Spotted Nightingale Thrush, Thrush-like Wren, Coraya Wren, White-breasted Wood Wren, Musician Wren, Wing-banded Wren, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Golden-rumped Euphonia, Bronze-green Euphonia,
Orange-eared Tanager, Blue-browed Tanager, Fulvous Shrike-tanager, Yellow-throated Bush Tanager, and Slate-colored Grosbeak.

The list of potentially new birds at NWC is rather large and includes many fantastic parrots, a huge list of antbirds, and many showy species! During our visit we can expect to pick up in the 200 species range, many of which would likely be new for most participants. A complete list of possibilities can be found at : http://www.napowildlifecenter.com/birdlist.html Be sure to
check out the other parts of the NWC website for photos of parrot licks (a true spectacle!), accommodations, and other highlights.

Price:

The tentative price per person based upon double occupancy is US$ 3795.00 This is the 2010 and may change based upon in country fee changes.
The single supplement for this tour is US $ 750

If you want to sign up: the deposit for the trip is US$ 400 per person payable by check made to "Tom Hince" and mailed to P.O. Box 281, RR1, Wheatley, ON. N0P 2P0.
Final payment of the balance is due 90 days prior to departure: (ie. October 31, 2009)

Cancellations and Insurance:

I strongly recommend that folks purchase trip cancellation insurance from an independent travel insurance provider. I can provide receipts for any payments made.

Up to 90 days prior to the beginning of the trip: If you cancel, the deposit is non refundable.
Between 90 and 45 days prior to the beginning of the trip: Funds paid up to fifty percent of the cost of the trip is forfeit. The balance paid beyond this is fully refundable.
Within 45 days of the beginning of the trip: The entire cost of the trip is forfeit.

Leader: Tom Hince

If you have additional questions, please contact Tom at (519) 981-5994 or peleetom@netcore.ca

TOM'S HOME PAGE ECUADOR Amazon East Jan/Feb 2011 SOUTH AFRICA Aug/Sept 2010

POINT PELEE MAY 2010 CANADIAN PRAIRIES JUNE 2010