ITINERARY:

Day 1  – Arrive Quito – Saturday 15th May 
Plan on arriving today to Mariscal Sucre International Airport, Quito, Ecuador. From here we will transfer you just a short distance to our fabulous accommodation from which you can relax and unwind before we all meet up for dinner tonight. Night Quito. D

Day 2  – Quito – San Cristóbal, Galapagos Islands 16th May 
This morning we will have to be at Quito airport to catch our flight to Galapagos. From here we will be met at the airport by our representative who will assist us for entry to the islands. Here we will all have to pay the Galapagos National Park entrance fee of (US$200 cash per person). Once outside, our local guide will be waiting for us in order to make the transfer to our first hotel.  After a delicious lunch in a local restaurant, we will depart to the Highlands of San Cristobal Island in order to visit El Junco lagoon, which is  actually a lake within an extinct volcano, and has the only fresh water spring in the Galapagos Islands. The fresh water attracts both Magnificent and Great Frigatebirds that come to bathe. Watching the frigatebirds shear over the water surface is quite a spectacular sight and offers wonderful photo opportunities. Other birds that we can expect to see here include the endemic subspecies of White-cheeked Pintail, Common Gallinule and possibly some migrant shorebirds. The first “Darwin” finches that we will be looking for include the Small Tree Finch and the Woodpecker Finch. The latter is famous for its ability to use a tool while foraging and is therefore often nicknamed “carpenter finch”. Tools include cactus spines or short twigs that they use to pry grubs out of tree branches.  The endemic and endangered San Cristobal Mockingbird is our next and most important target on this island, but the species is usually not too difficult to find at lower elevations. The rare Galapagos Crake however is like most small crakes around the world, elusive and often difficult to find. But we have been lucky in the past and fingers crossed we will be lucky again.  After our time in the highlands we will return to Puerto Baquerizo in time for dinner and our first checklist and also go over our itinerary for the next few days. Night San Cristobel.  B, L, D

Day 3 – Española Island – Punta Suarez – Gardner Islet 17th May
After an early breakfast we will depart to the pristine island of Española. First of all we will visit Punta Suarez, a rocky point of land that sustains one of the most impressive and varied colonies of sea birds in Galapagos. Along its southern shore, steep cliffs rise up from the sea, offering spectacular views of soaring birds as well as its famous blowhole. A noisy colony of Sea Lions and curious Hood Mockingbirds will be there to greet us as we land on the golden beach. This will be one of those “Wow” places where we will walk among a multitude of tame birds such as Blue-footed Boobies, Masked Boobies and Red-billed Tropicbirds. We will keep a look out for the Galapagos Hawk, which surprising can also be very tame as well as Large Cactus Finch and the wonderful Marine Iguanas snorting salt out from their nostrils as they lounge around and soak up the sun. Our boat crossing will of course give us our first chance of a few seabirds such as Galapagos Shearwater, Elliot’s Storm Petrel, and hopefully our first sightings of the critically endangered Waved Albatross. We will take lunch on board our boat and then in the afternoon, we can visit Gardner Islet on Española, a great place for snorkelling, where it is possible to see fascinating creatures including Rays, Pufferfish, Angelfish, the extraordinary Red-lipped Batfish and occasional even Hammerhead Sharks. In the afternoon we will return back to San Cristobal. Night San Cristobel. B, L, D

Day 4 – San Cristobal Island – Punta Pitt 18th May
After breakfast we will board our speed boat and travel to Punta Pitt located on the eastern end of San Cristobal Island. Punta Pitt is a combination of eroded volcanic cones and we will access it from the beach, where we will then take a trail up through the endemic vegetation to several viewpoints. As we land on the beach we will be greeted by the friendly but noisy colony of Galapagos Sea Lions. Along the rocky shore edges we can look for San Cristobel Lava Lizards, Marine Iguanas, and this is the one of the only two places on the Galapagos Islands where you can see three species of boobies nesting in the same area right beside each other. Red-footed, Blue-footed and Nazca Boobies will vie for countless photos. We can also see frigatebirds, pelicans, and Lava Heron, as well as both Lava Gull and the elegant Swallow-tailed Gull, a nocturnal gull with huge eyes and possibly the most beautiful gull in the world. Among the land birds we will look for Chatham Mockingbird, Small Ground Finch, Dark-billed Cuckoo, Large Ground Finch, Large Cactus Finch, Galapagos Dove and a few others. On our return boat trip we may even get lucky and see the rare Galapagos Petrel or Galapagos Shearwater while at sea, before we get back to San Cristobal and our lovely hotel on terra firma. 
Night San Cristobel. B, L, D

Day 5 – San Cristobal – Floreana Island 19th May
After an early breakfast, we will pack-up and depart to the island of Floreana. As we take our boat across to this small island and if conditions permit, we may circumnavigate Champion Islet to search for the extremely rare Floreana Mockingbird. This species is Critically Endangered, and the surviving population is tiny. It used to inhabit Floreana but after Darwin’s visit it shortly became extinct on that island. Now, it only survives on just two small satellite rocks, and if we can spot one sat up on a cactus top that would be excellent. During our crossing we will of course be looking out for any seabirds or cetaceans. After arriving into Puerto Velasco we will soon make our way to Asilo de la Paz in the highlands of Floreana. Here we will target another rare species, and another Critically Endangered bird, the Medium Tree Finch, which can only found here. We will also pay a visit to the tortoise reserve which is generally a good place to look for Small Tree Finches and Galapagos Flycatcher. In the afternoon it will be time to depart Floreana and head to the island of Isabela, arriving in Puerto Villamil and then transferring to our hotel for dinner and overnight. 
Night Isabela. B, L, D

Day 6 – Isabela Island – Sierra Negra Volcano – Marshlands 20th May
After an early breakfast and depending on Galapagos National Park regulations and established schedule times for our excursion, our local park guide will be waiting for us to depart to Sierra Negra Volcano. This is one of the most impressive volcanoes in the whole archipelago. We will hike up the trail until we reach the caldera, which at 10km wide is the largest of all the Galapagos volcanoes. While we are at the caldera we have our best chance to look for yet another endemic the Galapagos Martin. Other birds possible in and around Sierra Negra include the elusive Galapagos Crake, Woodpecker Finch, Green Warbler-Finch, Small Tree Finch, Galapagos Flycatcher and the smart looking endemic Darwin’s (Brujo) Flycatcher a close relative to the Vermillion Flycatcher which is found throughout North and South America. Today we will stop in Campoduro where a delicious lunch will be waiting for us, and then, on the way back to Puerto Villamil we can stop at the Flamingo Pond, where we can see American Flamingo and possibly a few shorebirds, plus White-cheeked Pintail and Common Gallinule. In the afternoon a visit to the Humedales or Marshlands, will allow us the opportunity to check out this pristine ecosystem of tidal lagoons, which are a great habitat for flamingos and migratory shorebirds. Four species of mangroves can be found here, with Red Mangrove being predominant. Mangrove Warbler are resident and several species of Darwin Finch can also be found. Later we will return to our hotel. 
Night Isabela. B, L, D

Day 7 – Isabela Island – Iguana Cove  21st May
After another early breakfast we will transfer to the pier where a small speedboat will be waiting for us in order to depart to Iguana Cove where we will have the opportunity to see one of the most amazing endemic bird species in Galapagos, the Flightless Cormorant. This amazing endemic is the largest species of cormorant in the world, and is unique because it has lost its ability to fly, hence the name. Its also possible to see other species of birds such as the Galapagos Penguin, frigatebirds, shearwaters, phalaropes, American Flamingo and Common Cactus Finch. Today we will have a box lunch and in the afternoon there will be opportunities for swimming or snorkelling, or simply just relaxing on the beach. Afterwards we will return to Puerto Villamil. Night Isabela.  B, L, D

Day 8 – Isabela – Santa Cruz Island  22nd May 
At 05.30 this morning, we will be transferred to the pier where a speedboat will be waiting for us to take us to Santa Cruz Island. Once in Puerto Ayora we can enjoy of a delicious breakfast before travelling to the highlands of Santa Cruz where we pass through an amazing seven different vegetation zones. Here we can see wild Galapagos Giant Tortoises at a private farm where we will take lunch. These huge reptiles are believed to live up to one hundred years with several thought to be as old as 150 years! This is also a good place to see the Vegetarian Finch and with luck in the wetter areas, the Paint-billed Crake. In the afternoon we will visit a pair of large pit craters called “Los Gemelos”, one of the best places to spot the Woodpecker Finch, alongside Large Tree Finch, Green Warbler-Finch and others. If time permits, and if we haven’t already see the elusive Galapagos Crake, we can make a search at Media Luna. After this wonderful day we will return to Puerto Ayora.  
Night Santa Cruz.  B, L, D

Day 9 – Charles Darwin Station – Flight back to Quito 23rd May
After our final breakfast our guide will be waiting to take us to the Charles Darwin Research Station where we will learn at first hand of the conservation and research efforts being made on the islands, as well as seeing the tortoise hatchlings and breeding programs, which are saving several races of tortoises from extinction. After this visit we will have the last chance to look for some of the finches that surround the Charles Darwin Station, including species like Small, Medium and Large Ground Finches plus the now familiar Galápagos Mockingbird. Depending on our flight time we will then depart for the airport in order to catch our flight back to Quito on the mainland of Ecuador. After our arrival we transfer to our lovely nearby lodge for our final dinner and a round-up of our Galapagos adventure.
Night Quito.  B, L, D

Ecuador Hummingbirds and Bears extension begins:
Day 10 – End of Tour or take our short Extension – Ecuador – Antisana – Papallacta Pass 24th May
If you are not going on the short extension in Ecuador then you will take the airport transfer bus back to Quito airport in time for you international departure. Any meals you take today after breakfast will be at your own expense. For those joining us on the Ecuador extension, we will leave after breakfast and set off and wind our way up to the high altitude reserve of Antisana. This area gives us our best chance of the magnificent Andean Condor a bird that is not always easy to find despite its 10ft wingspan! Several stops along the road will have us check scrub and low bushes for species such as Giant Hummingbird, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Black-tailed Trainbearer and Shining Sunbeam as well as Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant. Great Thrushes will be plentiful and the sound of Tawny Antpittas may betray the presence of this unusually showy member of its family. As we climb into the Paramo, an area of stunted growth, consisting of very few bushes and mostly grasslands, we should start seeing raptors that may include Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Variable Hawk, Aplomado Falcon, Cinereous Harrier and Carrunculated Caracara. On the open plains and low hills we will search for Andean Lapwing, Andean Gull, Black-winged Ground-Dove, Stout-billed and Bar-winged Cinclodes, Paramo Pipit, Grass Wren, Plumbeous and Ash-breasted Sierra-Finches, Paramo Ground-Tyrant, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant and on the large mountain lake we could find Silvery Grebe, Andean Teal, Andean Duck, Andean Coot, Yellow-billed Pintail, Greater Yellowlegs and Spotted Sandpiper. We will then return back down from the mountains and head over to another set of mountains, where if time permits and if weather is favourable we can take our first exploration of the Papallacta Pass. Some of specialties here include Giant Conebill, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Jameson’s Snipe, Tawny Antpitta, Masked Mountain Tanager, Black-backed Bush Tanager, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill and with some luck we could come across Spectacled Bear, which we have seen very well in this area before. We then continue the short distance to our nearby accommodation. 
Night  Papallacta area.  B, L, D

Day 11 – Papallacta Pass and area  25th May
Today we will revisit the Papallacta Pass and nearby areas where we can look for birds we may have missed or not had chance to look for yesterday, such as Giant Conebill, Masked Mountain Tanager, Tawny Antpitta, Caranculated Caracara, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Blue-mantled Thornbill, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Many-striped Canastero, White-chinned Thistletail, Golden-crowned Tanager, the rare Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, Paramo Ground-Tyrant and Grass Wren. At the highest point where it can often be cold and misty we we will try and find Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe. On one of the side roads we will drive slowly keeping a look out for the incredible Spectacled Bear, in an area where it often gets seen! Lets keep our eyes wide open and our fingers crossed. Heading back for lunch we can then go out in the afternoon to check out the flowering bushes for Shining Sunbeams, and visit the nearby valley where we have chances for another very cool mammal, the Mountain Tapir. We have seen both the bear and the tapir on previous visits. 
Night Papallacta area  B, L, D

Day 12 – San Isidro area  26th May 
This morning around Guango Lodge we will look at some of the amazing hummingbirds that visit the feeders here. The most striking is the Sword-billed Hummingbird, backed up by a glistening entourage including Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Buff-tailed Coronet, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Tourmaline Sunangel, Flame-throated Sunangel, Tyrian Metaltail, Long-tailed Sylph, White-bellied Woodstar, and sometimes Gorgeted Woodstar and Mountain Velvetbreast. With luck we could even find the unique Mountain Avocetbill. A quick walk around the trails and on the nearby fast-flowing river could find us Torrent Duck and White-capped Dipper, while Chusquea bamboo can play host to species like Masked Trogon, Turquoise Jay, with luck the rare Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, as well as Red-hooded Tanager, Grass Green Tanager, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, Barred Becard, Plain-tailed Wren, Blue-backed and Capped Conebill, Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager, the beautiful Plushcap and even Mountain Cacique. Hopefully we can even get to see the resident Chestnut-crowned Antpitta which has been trained to come to worms put out in the garden. After our special time here we will have lunch and then depart for Cabanas San Isidro. As we drop in altitude and if it is a sunny day we can keep a look out for several species of raptors like Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Short-tailed and White-rumped Hawk. Continuing on we arrive at Cabanas San Isidro, a privately owned lodge with almost 1200 hectares of protected land and a bird list of over 300 species. Depending on when we arrive we can check out the feeders beside the beautiful restaurant where we can hopefully see close Inca Jays, several hummingbirds and just after dusk the resident Black-banded (San Isidro) Owls. 
Night Cabanas San Isidro.  B, L, D

Day 13 – San Isidro area  27th May
Our stay at this wonderful lodge enables us to seek out some very special birds from the rich eastern Andes, while enjoying the delicious meals and hospitality of our hosts. Today we may take a picnic lunch for our visit to the Guacamayos ridge just east of San Isidro. This has to be one of the most exciting areas for special birds in Ecuador, although some of these a very unpredictable and difficult. Here we will bird the whole morning at a slow pace in the hope of connecting with some scarce and rarely seen birds. We will set our sights on such species as the sought after Peruvian Antpitta, White-fronted Nunbird, Greater Scythebill, Bicolored Antvireo, Ocellated Tapaculo, Barred Antthrush, and Slaty-crowned Antpitta. Of course, there will be plenty of other species to look for such as White-throated Quail-Dove, Andean Guan, White-capped Parrot, Barred Parakeet, Crested and Golden-headed Quetzal, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Bronze-olive Pygmy-Tyrant, Rufous Spinetail, Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia and several gorgeous tanagers. We will return to our wonderful lodge in the afternoon and relax with a hot drink or a beer while watching birds in the garden and at the hummingbird feeders. Later in the afternoon we will then check the gardens and forest trails for species such as White-bellied Antpitta, a bird easily heard but difficult to see. As we slowly make our way through this moss laden paradise we can hope for both Sickle-winged and even Wattled Guan, Highland Tinamou, Powerful and Yellow-vented Woodpecker, Masked Trogon, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Andean Motmot, Streak-capped and Striped Treehunters, Long-tailed Antbird, Blackish, Long-tailed and Ash-coloured Tapaculo, Black-eared Hemispingus and even the tiny Slaty-crowned Antpitta. Its not just birds here as we have great opportunities to see some exciting mammals. Night Monkeys can often be seen at night in the trees above our cabins, and a muddy salt lick below the restaurant has regular Black Agouti’s as well as occasional visits from Mountain Tapir. An optional night excursion just outside of the lodge could find us the very sought after Andean Potoo, plus Rufous-banded Owl and Rufous-bellied Nighthawk.  
Night Cabanas San Isidro.  B, L, D  

Day 14 – San Isidro area – back to Quito  28th May 
As we enjoy breakfast, we can watch the antics of Inca Jays and few species of photogenic hummingbirds, including Bronzy and Collared Incas, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Long-tailed Sylph, and Fawn-breasted Brilliant. Out on the roadside we can look for the scarce Black-chested Fruiteater, plus Black-billed Peppershrike, Spotted Barbtail, White-tailed Tyrannulet, Smoke-coloured Pewee, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet, Mountain Wren, Olive-backed, Tyrannine and Montane Woodcreeper, Masked Flowerpiercer, Pearled Treerunner and Russet-crowned Warbler, plus Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Dusky Piha, Pale-edged Flycatcher, Bronze-winged Parrot, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Slaty Brush-Finch and both Subtropical and Yellow-billed Cacique. Just a short walk can take us to a lek of the fabulous Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, a bird surely everyone wants to see. We may also get chance to visit an area with some other hummingbird feeders where we can hopefully add Green-backed Hillstar as well as more chances for Gorgeted Woodstar. Later today we will make our way back to Quito and our final dinner at our wonderful and very unique lodge. 
Night Quito. B, L, D

Day 15 – Quito – End of Tour  – Thursday 29th May
We will finish our tour with a delicious breakfast today. You will then be transferred to Quito International Airport for your departing flight home. Depending on your departure time you may wish to stay at the lodge and enjoy looking around the extensive grounds and trails before heading to the airport. Any meals such as lunch and dinner would be at your own cost.

Please note any of the above itineraries may be changed around slightly depending on weather conditions and other local factors that may be out of our control.