A Masked Trogon peers through the forest in the Mindo Valley. Photo: Kim Risen
The Andes of western Ecuador have some of the best and most accessible birding locations in all of South America, and the wonderful Séptimo Paraíso Cloud Forest Reserve is a prime example. While one-stop Ecuador tours will produce fewer species than a multi-week, all-country blitz, even a short tour based at a place like Séptimo Paraíso offers a superb combination of remarkable close-at-hand bird diversity and the inherent convenience of birding on foot from a single comfortable base.
Séptimo Paraíso Lodge is comfortable indeed, with its own restaurant, spring-fed pool, and support services. It is delightfully situated in the Mindo Valley, and an excellent trail system winds through the forested reserve’s almost 800 acres. While there is excellent birding on the grounds, and much of our time will be spent here, on occasion we’ll also drive to such famous yet easy roadside birding localities as the Ecorut, Tandayapa Valley, Mindo, and the cloud forest preserves at Milpe and Silanche—all of them within 15 to 90 minutes of the lodge. During our seven days of birding we should encounter more than 300 species, possibly including some of western Ecuador’s most celebrated: Giant Antpitta, Ocellated Tapaculo, Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Club-winged Manakin, Tanager Finch, and as many as forty species of hummingbird.
The February edition of this tour can be taken in conjunction with our tour Ecuador: The Eastern Foothills of the Andes.
Day 1: The tour begins this evening in Quito. Night in Quito.
Day 2: We’ll leave early this morning for the short drive to Yanacocha Reserve on the Pinchincha Volcano. Located in temperate cloud forest, Yanacocha is home to a number of interesting high-elevation species. We’ll watch the hummingbird feeders particularly for the endemic Black-breasted Puffleg but also for the amazing Sword-billed Hummingbird, Sapphire-vented Puffleg, and Mountain Velvetbreast. Tanagers are abundant at this elevation, and we’ll hope to find such mountain-tanagers as Scarlet-bellied, Buff-breasted, and possibly the rare Black-chested. In mid-morning we’ll descend below the town of Nono through relatively untouched temperate and subtropical forest. Here we’ll look for Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant, Agile Tit-Tyrant, Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet, Rufous-chested Tanager, and both Rufous-naped and White-winged Brush-Finches, to name just a few. Lower still, the diversity increases, and we’ll have our first chance at Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, and Toucan Barbet, as well as a number of gaudy tanagers including Grass-green Tanager and Blue-and-black and Blue-winged Mountain-Tanagers. In the late afternoon we’ll make a stop at a friend’s house above the town of Tandayapa, where we can see as many as 20 species of hummingbirds in an hour. We’ll arrive at Séptimo Paraíso Lodge, our home for the next six nights, before dark. Night at Séptimo Paraíso.
This tour was everything I had hoped for and more. It was my first trip to South America, a great introduction to a vast range of bird species I’d never seen before. As expected, Steve Howell was a fantastic leader, patiently answering all my questions about bird sound sounds; the pace was perfect, and to be in a small group was such a treat! The lodge was clean, with good food and great staff in a beautifully peaceful location. I’d love to go back again!
- Denise Wight
Days 3-7: We’ll have five full days to explore the many birding locations close to Séptimo Paraíso. The lodge is situated in a beautiful forested valley with an extensive trail system right on the grounds. Some of western Ecuador’s rarest and fanciest birds have been found here, including Velvet-purple Coronet, Giant Antpitta, Rufous-breasted Antthrush, Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Club-winged Manakin, Scaled Fruiteater, and Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, to name just a few. We’ll have ample time to stroll out of our lodge directly onto the forest trails without driving anywhere. The birding along the entrance road to the town of Mindo is equally fantastic, and this too can be done without setting foot in a car. Along this road we have seen Toucan Barbet, Choco Toucan, Golden-headed Quetzal, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Pale-mandibled Aracari, and an amazing array of tanagers including Flame-faced, Golden-naped, Golden, Metallic-green, and Beryl-spangled.
On at least one day we’ll drive the short distance up to Tandayapa Ridge and the Tandayapa Valley. We’ll visit hummingbird feeders in search of specialties such as Violet-tailed Sylph, Collared and Brown Incas, Gorgeted Sunangel, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Fawn-breasted and Empress Brilliants, and Buff-tailed Coronet. Birding the flocks along the road can be exhilarating, and we’ll look again for Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan and Toucan Barbet. Other highlights might include Masked Trogon, Turquoise and Beautiful Jays, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Streak-capped and Striped Treehunters, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Plain-tailed Wren, Black-crested and Russet-crowned Warblers, Spectacled Redstart, and possibly the very rare Tanager Finch.
On one morning we’ll depart before dawn to visit a Cock-of-the-rock lek. The number of brilliant males attending the lek varies from day to day but the experience is never less than fascinating. If it can be arranged, here we’ll also witness the reserve’s owner, Angel Paz, feeding antpittas, possibly including Giant, Moustached or Yellow-breasted Antpittas—a truly amazing spectacle! On another we’ll drive west and down to lower elevations to search for such “Choco specialties” as Choco Trogon, Choco Warbler, Double-banded Graytail, Scarlet-and-white Tanager, Scarlet-breasted and Yellow-tufted Dacnises, Moss-backed Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, and Gray-and-gold Tanager. We could also encounter Pallid Dove, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, and Orange-fronted Barbet. Nights at Séptimo Paraíso.
Day 8: We’ll have virtually the entire day to look for anything special we may have missed. After lunch we’ll drive back to Quito, stopping at the pass above the city to search for White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant, one of the rarest flycatchers in the Andes. Other birds at this site will include Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch, Band-tailed Seedeater, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, and Sparkling Violet-ear. We’ll arrive back at our Quito hotel in the late afternoon in time for some last-minute shopping and a delicious farewell dinner. Night in Quito.
Day 9: The trip ends this morning in Quito.
Updated: 18 August 2010
Prices
- 2010 price about $2,650
- Single Occupancy Supplement $140
- 2011 Tour Price $2,750
- Single Occupancy Supplement $120
Notes
Maximum group size eight with one leader.