6-Day Amazon Birdwatching and Photography Tour - Capture Ecuador’s Wildlife

DAY 1:

Our excursion begins in Lago Agrio at the D' Mario Hotel restaurant at 7:30 a.m., where we will have our private bus and travel for approximately 4 hours. We'll enjoy a fantastic journey along the road, observing small swamps within the secondary forest, and spotting bird species that are not very common in the primary forest. This route is enriching for birdwatchers.

We will reach the "Tierras Orientales" village, located on the banks of the Aguarico River. Here, we will share a box lunch and prepare to take the canoe downstream to "La Bocana," where the Aguarico and Cuyabeno rivers meet (approximately 3 hours). At this point, we'll have the opportunity to enjoy the landscape, observe freshwater pink dolphins, and appreciate the difference between primary and secondary forests, explained by our guide.

We'll continue our journey for about 30 minutes on the Cuyabeno River upstream to reach our Amazon Lodge located on the shores of Laguna San Francisco within the Cuyabeno Reserve. Along the way, we can appreciate, observe, and photograph a diverse range of flora and fauna visible to the naked eye.

Finally, we arrive at our lodge, where we'll have time to relax and familiarize ourselves with the surroundings.

DAY 2:

An early activity prepared by our guide allows us to enjoy nature in its purest state, as the best hours to appreciate the rainforest and its wildlife are before dawn.

At 5:30 a.m., we start our excursion on the Cuyabeno River in our motorized canoe (approximately 1.5 hours). This is the best time to observe a variety of birds and other animals until we reach "Saladero" (a clay bank full of nutrients exposed on the riverbank). Here, we can enjoy five species of colorful parrots and parakeets feeding on clay to extract toxins from their bodies. After a magnificent morning with the birds, we return to our lodge for breakfast and a rest.

Later, with our guide, we'll take our motorized canoe to navigate the Cuyabeno River, enjoying a thriving activity of the rainforest until we reach "La Bocana," where we can once again see freshwater dolphins and delight in a wonderful landscape. We'll also observe the coloration of the white waters full of sediment from the Aguarico River and the black waters full of tannins from the Cuyabeno River, making it a spectacular experience. Afterward, we return to our lodge, where a delicious lunch awaits.

In the afternoon, at 4:00 p.m., we'll take our canoe to the Bird Observation Tower, built around a "Ceibo" tree, one of the largest in the area, with a height of 28 meters. We'll have a spectacular and wide view of the canopy and the rainforest, providing the opportunity to hear and observe a great diversity of animal life.

As night falls, we return to our lodge, where a delightful dinner awaits.

DAY 3:

Another adventure awaits us on this day. This time, we'll wake up very early at 5:30 a.m. to take our motorized canoe and navigate through small lagoons around the lodge in search of new bird species. The activity will be conducted quietly to avoid disturbing the species, and we can observe and photograph them easily. During this magnificent journey, we can observe several common species. After enjoying an enriching morning, we return to our lodge for a hearty breakfast.

After a short break, our guide will invite us to take a 3-hour walk through the terra firme forest. The adventure is to discover shrubland bird species, such as antbirds, and record species that are not commonly observed. We will proceed calmly, trying to record most of these elusive birds that inhabit from the herbaceous stratum to the forest canopy. After a great experience, we return to our lodge for a nutritious lunch.

In the afternoon, we will engage in a birdwatching activity in our motorized canoe along the Cuyabeno River, searching for species that inhabit and perch in the forest canopy. This time, we will focus on the search for nightjars, birds with perfect camouflage to blend into nature and not be easily caught. As night begins to fall, we navigate back to our lodge in search of nocturnal birds, finally reaching our lodge for another magnificent dinner.

DAY 4:

On this occasion, we will have an early breakfast at 6:00 a.m. to prepare our necessary equipment. We will embark on an activity along the Cuyabeno and Aguarico rivers, visiting a local farm to search for birds that prefer to inhabit the secondary forest due to the ease of finding food. It is also a good place to find raptors and shorebirds. We will walk along the sandy beaches of the Aguarico River and visit a community to record birds that are usually found in its surroundings. After enjoying and learning more about the behavior of the species, we return to our lodge for another amazing lunch.

In the afternoon, after a short break, we will sail on the blackwater river, trying to discover species such as kingfishers and jacamars since they are birds that like to inhabit narrow rivers with shallow water to easily catch their food. We will calmly venture upstream, discovering the countless flora and fauna along these magnificent rivers. When it is almost dark, we return to our lodge, where they will be waiting for us with a delicious dinner.

DAY 5:

Early at 6:00 a.m., after a cup of coffee, we take the motorized canoe to head upstream in search of more bird species along the river. This time, we will put all our energy into searching for macaws and all birds that inhabit the emergent forest. Gradually, we will advance to another clay lick, where we can appreciate more activity of parrots and rainforest parrots. After enjoying this morning, we return to our lodge to recharge and continue with another activity.

After a short break, we embark on a short hike in search of woodpeckers, woodcreepers, manakins, and many more species that inhabit the flooded forest. We will walk very slowly and record as many birds as possible. In this activity, we will test the team's hearing and vision skills as we encounter small, not-so-easy-to-identify birds. After this short but potentially rich trail in birdlife, we return to our lodge for lunch.

In the evening, we take a break, and with the company of a delicious cocktail, we will make the list of birds observed during these days and discuss the recorded species. At night, once again, a delicious dinner will accompany us on our last night in this paradise.

DAY 6:

Being our last day in this wonderful place, we will have an early activity with a brief excursion into the forest or a canoe ride to enjoy the awakening of nature and observe the birds. This activity allows us to take the last memory of this wonderful place.

After breakfast, we need to pack for the return journey. We will sail for 30 minutes on the Cuyabeno River downstream and then take the Aguarico River upstream (a 3-hour journey) until we reach eastern lands. Here, our private transportation will be waiting to take us to the city of Lago Agrio, arriving around 4:00 PM, either to catch the bus or the return flight to Quito.