Refugio de Paz Birdwatching Tour
Start your day bright and early with this colorful nature tour. Observe Ecuador's plants and animals up-close when you enjoy this Refugio de Paz birdwatching tour. You'll work up an appetite on your adventure, and then indulge in a breakfast which has been deemed "exquisite."
- Duration:
- 8 hrs
- Available Days:
- Every day
- Schedule:
- 4:00 AM
- Inquire for Transportation
- Mobile Ticket Included
- Offered in English, Spanish
The early bird gets the adventure! See some of Ecuadors colorful denizens on their home turf when you go on the Refugio de Paz Birdwatching tour in Quito, Ecuador. It's no wonder our feathered friends call this region home — Quito is the highest capital city in the world! So be prepared to hike in an area at 9,350 ft (2,850 m) elevation.
Your tour officially begins at 05:45 a.m. First stop? Lek of the Andean cock-of-the-rock. A lek is a section of land where male birds and mammals stake out their territory amongst the community and put on their best display during mating season. Male Andean cock-of-the-rocks are large birds with brilliant red heads featuring a puffy disk, glossy black bodies, and grey wings.
You'll also see your guide, Angel, hand feed Antpittas — small ground dwelling birds that come in earth tones. From there, you'll make your way to the bird feeding area.
This tour is best enjoyed by taking your time. If you're a novice birdwatcher, understand that birding is more than checking species off of your list. You'll be out in the fresh air — the sweet smell of the Earth emanating after each step; the vibrant colors of nature creating a palette of unparalleled beauty; quietude augmented by the sounds of nature, the sound of life.
Your birding expedition concludes with a delicious breakfast, and officially comes to a close between 09:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
The cloud forest you will be exploring has very few mosquitoes present; malaria, yellow fever, and other tropical diseases cannot be contracted in this area. Bring insect repellent to prevent discomfort.
What to Bring
Camera, insect repellent, rain coat, long and lightweight clothing (no jeans), hiking shoes, sun cream, binoculars, and water bottle.
What's included
Native guide, birdwatching, breakfast, and transport.
Transportation
Many of our tours and activities offer transportation pick up & drop off options from several locations and destinations. Options vary by tour, see “BOOKING REQUEST” for full details.
Similar things to do
During this full-day tour, you'll explore the El Pahuma Orchid Reserve and the Mindo-Nambillo Cloud Forest Reserve. In Mindo, you'll visit waterfalls and a butterfly farm, and take a cable car over the forest.
Our drive to Guango Lodge will initially lead us through the drier central valley before rising up steeply to the high and windswept paramo. Among the many bird possibilities, we will be particularly on the lookout for Andean Condor , Carunculated Caracara, Andean Gull, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Scrub & Blue-and-yellow Tanagers and Southern Yellow-Grosbeak. The Papallacta Pass by birders, is rich in paramo birdlife, and with the proper weather, you can expect to see some of the following: Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Tawny Antpitta, Many-striped Canastero, White-chinned Thistletail, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, some interesting seedeaters, and even Giant Conebill. At at Guango Lodge will be devoted to birding the trails and spectacular hummingbird feeders. In a matter of minutes it isn’t uncommon to see Bar-bellied Woodpecker, White-banded Tyrannulet, Blue-backed Conebill, Black-capped and Black-eared Hemispingus, Slaty and Pale-naped Brush-Finch, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, several species of mountain-tanager and even Plushcap.
The tour starts at 5:30 am, from your hotel in the city of Quito, we go to the reserve of Yanacocha where we develop activities of bird watching and photography, as well as the eco-route Nono-Mindo, for this First part of the tour we took a packed lunch. In the afternoon, we are arriving at Tandayapa Bird Lodge where we visit the famous drinking fountains for hummingbirds, to later return to their Hotel.
