Ecuador is a beautiful bio diverse heaven. On this trip we explored some familiar favorites on the eastern slope of the Andes. We visited Amarun Pachka near the Sumaco volcano with its excellent team of Kichwa as our hosts, the cock of the rock lek and petroglyphs were among the many highlights. We then ventured down to Coca by car and on to Napo Wildlife Center by motorized boat on the Napo river to a black creek kayak ride to the tranquil lagoon at the base of the guest quarters. Our local guides and Norby were excellent at providing viewing opportunities of an unimaginable array of wildlife and flora. We got to 4 canopy towers and the clay licks where we were treated to visual delights of parrots and macaws. We awaited their noisy descent from the canopy to the clay licks with anticipation of the colorful display. Then, we traveled to Guango Lodge for two nights in their riverside quarters. We were treated to the white capped dippers and torrent duck displays and river navigation. Daniel took us up to see the local beauties , the gray necked mountain toucans. Then we traveled north to Hacienda Cusin where we were served delicious meals and visited their lush gardens and walled kitchen garden from whence our food and drink was grown. Our day trips from there were to the Mirador de Oso Andino to see the spectacled Andean bear. We saw three beauties there looking fat and sleek. Such a treat! Norby guided us to two workshops in nearby Otavalo where producing textiles is a long family tradition. From there we travelled to Guaycapi Lodge in the Mindo Cloud forest where a new set of beautiful birds was on display at the observation deck. The backdrop of the fast moving clouds against the mountains and valleys is breathtaking. Our day trips from Guaycapi included a visit to the butterfly sanctuary and orchid house in Mindo and Alambi birding and coffee shop. As we walked down the rushing river we spied more dippers then headed to a bridge where a female cock of the rock was nesting. We've never seen so many hummingbirds in one place. On our last morning we had an early start to Refugio Paz to see the western Andean Cock of the Rock lek. There were three hens there amongst the 10 males making for many displays both vocal and winged. Then on to see the several varieties of antpittas and antbirds who have been lovingly trained to appear on demand, feasting on delicious worms as their reward. Norby put together a fantastic itinerary and gave us many details of the biology and history of the areas he visited reflecting his 35 years as a guide and leader in the ecotourism industry of Ecuador. We captured as many sights as our iphone cloud storage would allow and we will relive our trip with those images and those professional images shared from Norby. Don't wait! Book today! Ellen Jacobson

It was a delightful excursion with lots of variety of activities. We saw hummingbirds that were new to us in the states, learned about the process of making chocolate and also tasting exquisite chocolate as well as enjoying the beauty of the Mindo area with its lush vegetation. Suzy was delightful as well as knowledgeable. She cares deeply about the environment, and she loves sharing her country with you. Thank you for a memorable day.

We booked our visit to Colombia through Biotropica Expeditions at the advice of our friends Laurel and Haven Barnhill, with Norby Lopez as our guide for the full 12 days. We visited forests outside of Bogota and Cali ranging in elevation from 11000 ft to 500 ft. and stayed in excellent accommodations with excellent local foods (a lot of food!) consisting of lodges in the Andes and the Cloud Forest, with high-end hotels during travel from one place to another. At each location Norby added local guides with excellent knowledge of bird identification and good English translation skills, but Norby's English was excellent so language was not a problem. If you are a photographer or birder wishing to add endemic and rare species to a life list or photo album, then this is a great organization to work with.

Our 14-day trip with Biotropica Expeditions was an incredible journey through some of Ecuador’s most distinct and biodiverse regions: the Amazon, Amazon Foothills, Andean Cloudforest, High Paramo, and Andean Foothills. Traveling as a group of six, we encountered an amazing variety of wildlife, including tayra, coati, several species of monkeys, macaws, parrots, bats, hummingbirds, and tanagers. We also had the privilege of engaging with Kichwa communities and local families involved in tourism and conservation efforts. Norby is an outstanding wildlife guide who collaborates seamlessly with local guides to maximize opportunities for spotting birds and animals. His ability to translate not only language but also culture was invaluable during our visits to Indigenous communities in areas like Yasuní and Sumaco. Norby skillfully balanced the diverse interests of our group, ensuring excellent photography opportunities—not just for birds, but also for flowers, insects, and amphibians. I highly recommend Biotropica Expeditions for anyone passionate about nature and birdwatching.

Well planned and executed trip across two of the three major ecosystems in Ecuador. We saw hundreds of species of birds and animals, from caiman to tooth billed hummingbirds. Owner and national guide Norby Lopez is a consummate professional in both English and Spanish with a near magical ability to spot birds. Highly recommended!