Our Adventures in Ecuador
Our Ecuadorian adventure actually “began" in 2022 when Andy Rouse first publicised his Tour. We have never spent so much time photographing overseas birds so it was a new opportunity which we immediately signed up for. We were certainly not disappointed...
The actual trip began in reality in 2023 with a very, very early start on April 14th 3.30am. We arrived at Heathrow ready to fly via Madrid to Quito. Good food, lovely alcohol, interesting in flight entertainment and excellent flights.
Our first “landing" in Quito in 2010 was quite literally a thudding drop like a lead balloon onto the runway, something you tend to remember. However, this landing was smooth, controlled and a relief. As we flew over the Andes we could see grey, billowing clouds and later learned the volcano was spewing out ash and gas as we flew in.
We had travelled a day early in order to be on good form after over 13 hours total flying so the chill out at a local airport hotel set us up. It also gave us chance to engage with the locals - we have always found the Ecuadorian people to be some of the best. In fact without exception, they were genuinely pleased we were exploring Ecuador and not the Galapagos as most tourists do.
The day was spent anticipating the arrival of the rest of the group whilst also watching Leicester City on the television in the hotel foyer - quite surreal with adverts across the bottom of the screen detailing South American sporting events and results. Even the hotel staff cast curious glances across at the television.
The weather closed in and torrential rain began to fall. The group arrived and we were off in the minibus along dark, wet, single carriageway roads, through the city over the equator, passing so many people going about their business before heading along more hairpin bends than I could count, through forested areas, often in single file traffic behind cars, trucks, bikes and lorries. After a couple of hours we turned into a deeply rutted track arriving at our first lodge.
It was wonderful - the sounds of the rainforest was everywhere. The vegetation was a paintbox palette of every shade of green then as the birds emerged, the vivid colours of nature stunned the senses still more.
The Lodge had three viewing platforms, each with a unique perspective across the canopy allowing us to watch and hear so many wonderful birds. A muddy, twisty trail down into the valley provided a distant view of an owl but gave us further insight into the environment. Our daily routine settled into photographing different species of birds in various locations at the lodges or on route through Ecuador. We slept soundly with the frogs chorussing through the nights.
The day we left the first lodge was like every morning - we were up well before daylight. We were heading east towards the Ecuadorian cloudforest, past homes where everyone seemed to have free range chickens, tethered cows, a few goats, washing hanging on lines and muddy gardens.
By now we had enjoyed seeing so many birds, too many to name at this point. We’d visited local homesteads to view different species, all of which were lovingly cherished by the locals. Our 4x4 driver taught us Spanish words as we circumnavigated the most beautiful mountain roads, climbing to higher altitudes, crossing mudslides and looking down at deep valleys and gorges on every side.
The second lodge was more remote and surrounded by forest, mountains and valleys. It was here we were able to watch swallowtail kites and vultures as well as toucans, toucanettes and hummingbirds. We even had a fleeting sight of the rare quetzel. As with the first lodge, we ate outside, traditional Ecuadorian food, accompanied by a briefing for the next day before sinking into well needed sleep.
Back in the 4x4 vehicles we travelled up into the mountains again, it was so beautiful.
We photographed hummingbirds where the views across the mountains was phenomenal. By now we were probably at 11,000 feet with clean, pure air and a sky so blue. This was possibly one of the highlights of the trip. On the way our driver gathered fresh eucalyptus leaves for us to inhale should we get any symptoms of altitude sickness!
As we were heading back towards Quito to another unique lodge, it was getting cooler, so much so that the next lodge had an open fire in the bedroom as well as in the communal area.
The following day we continued up to over 12,000 feet and from the high altitude clifftop we watched critically endangered condors flying above and below us - such majestic birds. The area was also home to spangled bears but they were nowhere to be seen that day.
Lodge number 4 was very unexpected. We had driven from Quito for a few hours, most of the group were asleep on the journey but I wasn’t prepared to miss anything so watched every mile pass by as we drove through high mountain passes, down into valleys, hairpin bend upon hairpin bend until the minibus pulled over in the middle of nowhere - no lay-by, just a series of steps leading up a path. Following these steps we walked about 10 minutes along the edge of the bank through the forest before coming to a most wonderful lodge overlooking the mountains across the valley. Unbelievable beauty…
The next morning Ian and I were up well before 6am to watch the sunrise from the main deck area.
We continued on our adventure towards the Ecuadorian Amazon. The sights along the way included many, many people on motorbikes - forget helmets and forget limiting the passengers to two. We saw families squashed together, chainsaws and machetes being carried, heavy duty strimmers stuck out from passengers arms as they beetled their way along the roads. We passed through larger towns as well as small settlements where everyone walked along the roadside. We had the chance to visit a lovely homestead where a very rare hummingbird had been spotted. We spent a very hot morning photographing it as it kept us on our toes while it flitted about.
Lodge number 5 was by a lake inhabited by cayman and snakes. No way was I going anywhere that lake! The lodge itself was like nowhere we’ve ever stayed before - its opulence was very welcome that day. It even had aircon, something we usually refuse to use - not so this time.
It was from here we walked up our first tower to be above the tree canopy. Amazing…Our knowledgeable Guide was wonderful at calling in the wild birds, identifying them and sharing his passion for the birdlife of Ecuador.
The trip then changed as the minibus approached the Napo River, the only route through the Ecuadorian Amazon. All the travel was now by boat down the muddy, wide and fast flowing river. One boat was for the luggage, the other for us for about 2 hours past mangrove swamps, deeply wooded forests, muddy banks and oil installations with their flatbed transportation tugs towing oil tankers back to the road network.
Our Lodge this time was community owned and managed - far more rustic than anywhere else - but with the most wonderful people you could ever meet. Communication was limited because they spoke indigenous Amazonian. It was a very humble experience to be so well looked after by such genuine people.
We walked up a few towers whilst in the Amazon, the highest being 85 metres. The breathtaking views spread far and wide across the tree canopy, over the river to still more and more forest.
The community brought breakfast to us on the top of one of the towers having travelled from the lodge by boat, boardwalk, mud and forest. They also brought lunch to a parrot lick hide later that day where the hot food was plated on individual proper plates in the actual hide! That afternoon the thunder and lightning came in, a very atmospheric experience whilst heading back on the boat or up the tower.
The Amazon chapter holds many memories and included a visit to the local “Hospital” a boat ride across the river and a muddy walk to a breeze block building where we were the object of curiosity by the locals. We suspect we were the first Westerners ever seen by some of the children who peeped at us shyly around the open doorway. I managed to find out their names amid giggles and smiles and cheerful “bye byes” as we returned to the Lodge.
Of course, the Amazon wouldn't be so beautiful without torrential rain...
The final days were long ones, we had a long journey to make back to civilisation. We had done nearly 800 miles in all and our adventure was nearing the end…A final hummingbird homestead and a last Lodge 2 hours from the airport closed the chapter on a wonderful adventure. This Blog barely touches the detail of everything but it was a trip to remember to be sure...
