About the Photo Tour
If there is a place that is full of life, that is the Ecuadorian Amazon, considered one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. The more than 500 species of birds that inhabit their forests give us a whole range of shapes, colors and sounds ready to seduce our cameras on this photographic tour of the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest.
Feel the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve while sailing rowing through its waters. Climb the canopy of trees, capture with your camera unimaginable ways of life at every step as you enter the forest. Do not forget to have your camera ready, because every moment in this green paradise is unique to save.
Date
10 -21 Marzo 2020
Activity level
Moderado
Available spaces
Moderado
About the route
Daniel Mideros
Born in Ecuador. Professional photographer graduated in Advertising Communication and Marketing at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. From an early age he showed a fascination with nature, photography and outdoor activities.
In his professional life he has dedicated himself mainly to the field of ecotourism, linked to visual communication and sustainability. This has led him to tour majestic places and feel unique experiences; all this emotional, experiential energy prompted him to undertake his own project with the desire to share these places and adventures with more people.
Javier Zurita
Born in Ecuador, Javier graduated from Tourism and Conservation at the Technical Equinoctial University of Quito (UTE). He is a nature photographer, specialized in birds and high speed.
He currently works as an expert photographer guide, in addition to the adaptation of bird feeders and the development of photographic hiding places, commonly called “hide”.
We will leave early in the morning from Quito in the direction of the city of Coca (option of land transport or plane).
In the city of Coca we will embark on comfortable canoes covered with roof. We will sail around two and a half hours, enjoying a snack, delighting in the beautiful view of the Napo river basin, we will have sporadic sightings of animals. In port, visitors are cordially welcome with a refreshing drink and are then led to the comfort of their cabins.
After a rest, we will go by boat sailing along the beaches of the river in search of birds that are usually hanging around its banks.
With the sun waking up over the horizon we will prepare to go to the first observation tower. The platform is at a height of 36 m and was built to the highest standards of quality and safety, it is regularly inspected by its builders. Once in the heights, we will have the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful Amazonian landscape and observe flocks of colorful tanagers, macaws, toucans, and other species of birds and fauna.
Then we will go to the parrot and macaw clay lick; a place where our cameras will witness one of the most beautiful and colorful natural spectacles in the Amazon. In silence and with patience we will wait for dozens of parrots of different species to come down to eat the mineralized clay.
In these strategic sites you can see around 11 species of parrots and parakeets, and in certain seasons even scarlet macaws. The visit – of course – depends on weather conditions, although it is usually successful.
After breakfast we will go to another observation tower, which is located at a height of 45 m above the canopy of the glass of an imposing Ceibo tree. On this site you can see other types of birds that often perch on branches near the tree.
After this event we will seek to photograph one of the most emblematic birds of the Amazon, the Wire-tailed Manakin (Pipra filicauda), if we are lucky we will be able to see it.
On our return we will paddle through a lagoon in search of Oatzin, herons and other semi-aquatic birds.
If on the second day we did not have much success, or are looking forward to photographing the species that go to the clay lick, we can dedicate our morning to this site. The clay licks are always places that are happy to return. As a second option we can go to another observation tower.
In the afternoon we will take a walk that takes us to embark on a rowing boat and go through a lagoon in search of other bird species.
We will leave the hotel early to navigate the Napo River towards the city of Coca. On the return trip, there is the possibility of bird sightings that are usually perched along the river.
Upon arrival at the port, we will take our transfer / plane to return to Quito.
For our last destination, the Amazon region of hot and humid weather, we recommend bringing long pants, shirts or long-sleeved shirts and a lightweight material that help perspire less and avoid mosquitoes that can be quite annoying, since the region is between 100 and 800 meters above sea level.
For a better experience, it is important to know a couple of factors which will facilitate your stay in Ecuador:
If you’d like to take home a couple of souvenirs, we recommend bringing a little extra cash in order to acquire these at the different locations we will be staying at (Ecuador’s currency is the US dollar). Most places only take cash. We recommend bringing small bills or coins, as most places do not accepts bills larger than $20.
The tropical regions have a lot of mosquitos, so bringing mosquito repellent is very important.
Sunblock.
Hats.
Flashlight (a headlamp is preferable).
Bags to store wet clothes.
Water bottle.
As photographers, we know how difficult it is to decide how much equipment to take on trips, as we always want to take all of our equipment with us so that we can take advantage of our experiences. Here is a list of equipment we recommend bringing:
- Macro lens
- Wide angle lens
- Zoom lens, range 100-600
- Equipment protector for the rain
- Tripod
- Flash
- Batteries
- Battery chargers
- Cleaning equipment
- Plug adaptor
Accommodation.
All tour meals.
Expert photographer guide.
Quito – Coca – Quito air ticket/Transfers (depends on the choice).
Boat.
Reserve fees.
International air tickets and airport taxes.
Additional nights.
Quito Hotel.
Alcoholic beverages, snacks and drinks that are not part of the meals.
Laundry service.
Personal expenses.
Tips.
Any other service not specified in the document.
Featured sightings
Birds
