Trogon Photo Tours

ECUADOR HERPS AND BIRDS

January 15-27, 2022

Amazon Extension

January 27-February 1, 2022

Photo Workshop:  This workshop combines both excellent bird photography and macro photography of reptiles and amphibians.  Most of the locations visited have both bird feeders and a fair number of herps in the area.  This workshop is on the west slope of Ecuador with parts in the cloud forest but other parts in the lowland western forests which are rich in herps.  You will want to bring your longest bird photography lens as well as a close focusing lens such as a macro or telephoto with a short minimum focus distance.  The trip will include multi-flash hummingbird photography, photography of fruit eating birds at feeders, photography of insect eating birds from blinds and macro photography of reptiles and amphibians. Most often the mornings will consist of bird photography with the afternoons concentrating more on macro photography but also with some bird photo opportunities.  You can expect to photograph at least 25 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



About Ecuador - Ecuador is one of the richest countries in the world for birds and bird photography.  Over 1,550 species of birds have been recorded in Ecuador, the fourth highest total of any country in the world.  It has many excellent lodges, good roads, a stable government and is reachable from most of North America in 8 hours travel or less. 

Tour Leaders: Javier Zurita and Ken Archer.  Javier is from Quito, Ecuador, he is an excellent young photographer.  For his thesis, he studied building blinds for bird photography and he is the person who has constructed the blinds at Sachatamia and several other locations in Ecuador.  He also enjoys working with snakes and frogs.  Ken is an award winning photographer who has co-led some of our Ecuador tours in the past. 

Maximum Participants: 10 total, including a maximum of 6 photographers.  

Cost: Photographer:$5,700 includes all lodging, meals, transportation within Ecuador, guiding, instruction, $500 single supplement.  Nonphotographer spouse or companion cost is $5,200.  It does not include airfare to and from Quito, Ecuador which is the beginning and ending point of the tour.  It also does not include personal expenses such as tips or drinks. To reserve your spot a deposit of $1,500 is required. The balance is due 90 days prior to the tour.

Itinerary:

January 15th - Arrival to Quito airport, transfer to Zaysant Ecolodge.  Rest or a bit of bird photography in the garden.

January 16th - Visit to Zuroloma and Yanacocha.  We will photograph Sword-billed Hummingbirds and other hummers on multi-flash, 3 species of Antpittas and beautiful tanagers such as Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, in the late afternoon we will transfer to our next lodge Sachatamia.

January 17th and 18th - Two full days of photography at Sachatamia Lodge.  Mornings will include multi-flash hummingbird photography with Violet-tailed Sylphs and Booted Rackettails among the species, blind photography with Masked Trogons, Woodcreepers and other insectivores and fruit feeders which attract many beautiful tanagers such as Blue-winged Mountain, Golden and Golden-naped.  The afternoons will include more bird photography as well as macro photography of herps including Pinocchio Rainfrog and Emerald Glass Frog.  Accommodation: Sachatamia

January 19th - This morning we visit another location where Plate-billed Mountain Toucan can usually be photographed at reflecting pools along with a number of tanagers.  In the afternoon we visit another reserve to photograph the incredible Pinocchio Lizard, then in the late afternoon we will transfer to our next lodge in the lowlands, Hosteria Remano. 

January 20th - This morning we will visit Rio Silanche which has a tower good for photographing parrots and raptors.  Choco Trogon is oftentimes photographed here, in the afternoon we will do macro photography, Limon Giant Glass Frog and Western Basilisk are two likely subjects.  Hosteria Remanso. 

January 21st - Today we will visit a location with bird feeders which attract a variety of hummingbirds and tanagers, this location also has a beautiful poison dart frog which we will photograph. Hosteria Remanso

January 22nd - Morning bird photography followed by transfer to Kapari Lodge, a beautiful lodge set on a hill above lowland forest.  We will do some multi-flash hummingbird photography this afternoon with Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds, White-necked Jacobins and Tawny-breasted Hermits among the likely species. Kapari Lodge.

January 23rd and 24th -We have two full days of photography at Kapari Lodge, the fruit feeders attract many birds including Rufous Motmot.  We will do multi-flash hummingbird photography and in the afternoons we will photograph a variety of macro subjects including Imbabura Treefrog and Red-eyed Woodlizard.  Kapari Lodge.

January 25th - Morning bird photography at Kapari Lodge, followed by transfer to Mashpi area for both bird and macro photography.  Piripe Lodge

January 26th - We will spend most of the day photographing at Mashpi today.  Some great birds such as Glistening-green and Moss-backed Tanagers as well as Golden-collared Honeycreeper regularly visit the fruit feeders here and we will do some multi-flash hummingbird photography as well.  In the late afternoon we will transfer back to Zaysant Lodge near the Quito Airport.

January 27th - Transfer to the airport for your return home or for the Amazon Extension. 

Amazon Extension

Cost: $2,595 with $300 single supplement

January 27th - Transfer to airport for flight to Coca in the Ecuadorian Amazon then a 3 hour boat ride down the Napo River to Sani Lodge.  Afternoon boat trip to photograph Hoatzin and other birds on the oxbow lake. 

January 28th-30th - 3 full days of photography at Sani Lodge including visit to the Napo Wildlife Center clay licks to photograph macaws and parakeets.  Boat trips and visits to the tower add many bird species as well as monkeys.  The fruit feeders at the lodge attract Scarlet-crowned Barbet, Crimson-masked Tanager and other species and they have a blind for Wire-tailed Manakin.  There are many macro opportunities here including the large Dusky Jungle Frog.  Just being in the Amazonian Rainforest is an amazing experience.

January 31st - Boat ride back to Coca, then flight back to Quito and transfer to Zaysant Ecolodge.  A bit of afternoon bird photography if we have time. 

February 1st - Transfer back to the airport for your return trip home or continue on to our Southern Ecuador tour.