Name: Brian Hutchings x 1 Narupa Dec 23
Start: 2023-12-04T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2023-12-11T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Brian Hutchings x 1 Narupa Dec 23

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7 nights of accommodation plus meals at Refugio Cerulean in sige room
tansfer Narupa reserve to Km 17 way to Puyo on Dec 11th, 2023

Brian Hutchings x 1 Narupa Dec 23

Jocotours

Jocotours is an ecotourism operator that promotes bird tourism in Ecuador. We offer professional services of specialized tours for nature lovers and at the same time we support the projects carried out by the Jocotoco Foundation.

<p>7 nights of accommodation plus meals at Refugio Cerulean in sige room</p>
<p>tansfer Narupa reserve to Km 17 way to Puyo on Dec 11th, 2023</p>

About this trip

An adventure to go watch the endemic Jocotoco Antpitta to the southern Ecuador. Unfortunately we did no get it to the feeder but we saw we our local guide in the trail before getting to the feeding spot, we had fun with the local guide as he was knowledgeable of the birds of the place, we enjoyed the hummingbird feeders and the food was tasted.

Maria Luisa Castillo x2

We really enjoyed our day with Antonio. We saw all the main attractions (except the Andean Bear) and had a relaxed and awesome day. We loved the hot springs and the altiplano areas near the antennae. Antonio was very friendly and a careful driver. We spoke Spanish with him, which was our preference. 

Robin Chazdon transport Papallacta Mar 24

Dear John, always it´s a pleasure to assist you with your travel plans.

Wonderful as always - thank you again to Jocotours

Jhon Rogers Canandé reserve Mar 24

Our day visits went very well, except for a late show by the warden at Yunguilla, but this did not unduly affect our experience (we still saw the rare Brush-Finch). The wardens and staff were great, and the lunches were exceptional. For us birdwatchers it was a dream come true. Very special days. 

George Watola x2 - Yunguilla - Copalinga - Casa Simpson

Cristhian Fretes Yanacocha Dic 2023

An incredible experience, not to be missed! Friendly and knowledgeable staff, great looks at amazing birds and landscapes. Loved every minute! Highly recommended.

Andrew Couturier Yanacocha & Chakana reserves Nov 23

I had a nice walk with the Jocotoco guide, he showed me lots of birds, some had beautiful plumage like the Guayaquil woodpecker. 
Besides birds Rio reserve Ayampe has beautiful flowers and plants. 
I enjoyed the tour.

Renate Mast x 1 Ayampe Aug 23

Luis Pérez was a great driver to/from the reserve as well as bird guide on the Inca Trail. It was a pleasure spending time with him. Of course, the birds were great. The quality of our lunch at Café del Zamarrito was a pleasant surprise - the best trout I've ever eaten! We look forward to returning.

Roy Murray x 2 Yanacocha Aug 23

We had Copalinga entirely to ourselves, which ended up being a special treat.  Downside:  did not get to consult with other guest birders.  However,  Walter was most knowledgeable and he and Maria were perfect hosts.  

Our cabin was very well designed and comfortable for the outdoorsy types like us.  We hiked miles and miles daily, and saw amazing things in the jungle.  I would highly recommend the Los Higoneros trail in the national park.  

Thank you Maria and Walter!

Stephen Svete

After spending time in the Galapagos Islands, we wanted to see the mainland too.  Paola did an amazing job at planning everything.  We told her, in general, where we wanted to go and she took care of all the details, hotels, airlines, transportation to and from everywhere, special tours, and superb guides.  We had a fantastic time visiting Cuenca, Quito, and the Amazon Rainforest.  

The guides we had (Jorge in Cuenca; Juan Carlos in Quito) were incredibly knowledgeable, flexible, friendly, and just plain fun to be with. The boutique hotels we stayed at were great!!!  We really fell in love with Cuenca while there. 

Our time at Sacha Lodge in the Amazon Rainforest was simply amazing.  Highly recommend, if you're outdoorsy.

Ecuador custom trip Liz Bamberger x 2 May 23

Wonderful, all-inclusive, sustainable resort.  We were a party of 4 US birders.  We had a wonderful time at Umbrellabird Lodge and Buenaventura.  Although there were a few language issues, the staff was pleasant, helpful and eager to please and overcame them.  The rooms were very clean and well kept. The food was a delicious way to explore Ecuadorian culture.  Although it's found at the end of a long, winding and bumpy road, this is one of those times it's well worth the inconvenience.  

Gary Hunter x 3 Buenaventura 23-28 March, 2023

The two lodges I stayed in were excellent for birds, comfortable accommodations, and had helpful staffs.

Kent Nelson Jan - Feb 2023 Copalinga Jorupe

I have spent time at both Copalinga Lodge (Copalinga Reserve) and Casa Simpson Lodge (Tapichalaca Reserve) a couple times before, so it was really nice to spend time at the Umbrellabird Lodge while visiting Buenaventura Reserve.  The entrance road was a little dicey for my small rental car (due to the rainy season), but the cabin and main lodge/eating area are very comfortable..  I look forward to visiting the area again in the coming years.  Fundacion Jocotoco is doing a great job and I'm more than happy to visit their reserves / lodges, thereby helping support their cause.

James Thomason

We spent the morning in hopes of seeing the difficult to spot Pacific Royal Flycatcher pictured on this review but despite the local guide seeing it our group was unable to get on it.  We did see a total of 50+ species that morning including several lifers for our group.  Trails here were a bit difficult due to the recent heavy rains, lots of slippery clay and mud and a few places we had to bushwack around tree-falls.  Lots of mosquitoes when we were there, we used plenty of repellent and wore long sleeves.  Mosquitoes weren't as bad on the higher part of the trail.  

Despite the mosquitoes and trail conditions I would still recommend this if you are in the Guayaquil area for the lowland birds you might not get a chance to see up in the Andes.

Manglares Churute Day trip Brian x 4 Feb 23

An Excellent trip with guide Juan Carlos Lopez and driver Antoni.   We visited Buenaventura, Jourpe and Tapilachalaca (Casa Simpson) as well as Cerro Arcos for the Blue-throated Hillstar and Cuenca for the Cajas National Park.  Antoni was an excellent driver and drove us through all the mountain roads, fog and rain with no mishaps.  Juan Carlos knew all his birds and got us to the right spots.  I was also happy to have the service of the local guides at the lodges, Leo, Rodrigo, and Diego.  

The lodges were beautiful with interiors of hardwood and balconies overlooking the forests.  It was easy to access trails at each location.  At Cerro Arcos we had pea-soup fog and difficulty finding the trail but Juan Carlos was persistent and found it for us so we saw the rare Blue-throated Hillstar!  Paola was easy to communicate with for all the logistics of organizing the trip and we were all so happy we traveled with Jocotoco tours and supported their significant conservation efforts.

Brian

Southern Ecuador Brian Allen x 4 Feb 23

Four of us -- 2 couples -- visited on 18th & 19th Feb and stayed in the 3 bedroom house below the main road to Copalinga.  We did enjoy our stay -- especially the daily meals & the guide, Walter, and the cook, Rosa.  All employees were very helpful.  We did enjoy hearing & seeing birds at Copalinga and I went out solo on the Blue & Yellow trails, which was fun. 

However, we encountered a few issues of note. 
      1)  The booking process for individuals (not using tour person) was complex, requiring many emails back and forth to complete, along with a trip to our Ecuador bank.  Perhaps Airbnb and Booking have spoiled me.  I live in Ecuador & speak Spanish.
      2)  As I write today, I am still getting bitten daily, starting during our stay in Copalinga.  Having washed and dried pajamas and bedding I am surprised.  The bugs must have transferred to other clothing in our house.  We are deep cleaning our bedroom here in Cuenca today.  Our best guess is the red bites I have are from fleas. 
     3) The kitchen area in the house we were staying had not been cleaned in some time -- thick with dirt & dead insects.  Before our 2nd night there, a woman did come and clean it.  

John M Porterfield -18 Feb

The accommodation at Wyndham was comfortable.  I was not very impressed with the dinners at the Magnolia, but the breakfast buffet, and a lunch we had there were very good.
Our tours through Jocotours were great!  Wonderful local guide, who showed us some of the historic Guayaquil, and then 2 parks:  Cerro Blanco and Mangalares Chutes.  Our guide, Juan Carlos,  was full of information about the ecosystems we were observing.  He helped us to see a sloth, howler monkeys, a bird building a nest in a termite mound high in a tree.
I recommend booking travel in Ecuador with Jocotours.  They are professional, and the Jocotoco foundation has many ecological reserves in Ecuador, and is active in protecting them, and promoting conservation in Ecuador.  They are helping to preserve rainforest, and engage with/hire local staff.

Day trip & accommodation in Guayaquil Wendy Reimer

This was the absolutely most fantastic trip I have ever taken!  The landscape may be stark, but guided by Maja Homberger, your eyes were opened to the diversity of each island, and to how the plants and animals have evolved to survive there.  Each day you woke early, hiked, snorkeled, hiked again.  It was a full day!  The food was amazing.  Lots of healthy veggies, snacks to spoil us and keep us fueled for our activity.  The rooms were clean and comfortable, the fellow travellers were interesting to have conversations with on hikes, or around the table during meals.
I had been to Galapagos 10 years prior, and I have to say, the Angelita cruise and Maja made this a superior cruise.

Galapagos Angelito cruise Wendy Reimer initial payment

Although there were a few hiccups in the trip organization process, our group was impressed by the entire tour and didn't have a single complaint. The guide and driver were both wonderful and all the places we stayed had exceptional service and took food allergies seriously. I would book through Jocotours again!

Northern Ecuador Alyssia Church final payment Jan 23

I stayed at Umbrellabird Lodge, Casa Simpson and Copalinga.  I had a great time at each location.  I only wish I could have stayed longer at each spot.  The staff was great at each place.  The resident guides were very helpful.  Looking forward to a return.

Tom Pavlik - January 25

I visited alone for a day at Urraca Lodge and Jorupe reserve, and had a great time. Although I was already familiar with most species, Leo was fantastic at finding new ones and teaching me the songs. Transport worked perfectrly too. Many thanks to all.

Byron Swift

Byron Swift Urrca Lodge Jan 23

Amazing tour - the ultimate Ecuador experience.  Thanks so much for Jocotours massive help in organizing this and staying on top of the logistics!

Ecuador tour John Rogers x 7

Quite expensive for what you get. Seeing the Jocotoco Antpitta was great and amazing. Franco did an amazing job and was super friendly! Breakfast was nice as well and Cleo was so nice. The new ranger was a bit awkward, sitting all the time next to us on his phone as if he was checking on us the whole time. 

The hummingbird feeders are not too great. They are set up in a dark patch and not really great for photography. They would have to improve that massively to justify the 45USD p.p.

Jasen x2

We had a good time at Tapichalaca. However, they had no idea we were coming, so your communication system is lacking.  

William x2

Everything went very well, except for my stay at the Refugio Cerulean. The problem was that I didn't realize that the lodge is *not* located at the Reserva Narupa, as I had been led to believe. It instead is located right along the highway quite some distance from the reserve. As a result, I was only able to visit the reserve one morning even though I had booked 4 nights at the lodge. I was very disappointed in this, especially since the accommodations at the lodge, although comfortable, were right next to the highway, and the noise from the highway made it so sleeping was very difficult. In addition, I did not have access to the trails close to the lodge, so the birding was very limited. I would have loved to spend much more time at the actual Reserva Narupa, and if I return, I will stay somewhere else. I will not recommend the Refugio Cerulean to anyone because of this.

Thankfully, the other reserves I visited were great and worth the time and effort.

Jocotoco lodges Eric de Fonso

We certainly had a great time at the hands of Jocotoco and the caring people there. Another one of the excellent nature reserves supporting beautiful wildlife in Ecuador. As has been our good fortune before.. we checked all the wildlife boxes by seeing both the umbrellabird and the el oro parakeet. The parakeet in a group of 8 actually that just kept following us it appeared. That in addition to seeing a howler monkey from afar but nevertheless and a troop of coati at the camp along with a number of other local birds like the gartered trogon, a green honeycreeper and other hummingbirds at the lodge. We also found the lodge to be very comfortable and the meals very good. All round it was again a very enjoyable experience and one to be recommended. 

GORDON PICKERING

We had a great time at Casa SImpson, Tapichilaca Reserve and at the Copalinga Reserve.  Although we didn't see the Jocotoco Antpitta or the Gray Tinamou, we saw lots of other beautiful birds and tropical flowers/plants.  The staff at both Jocotoco lodges were very nice to be around and the food was very good.  I will definitely stay there again when traveling in Southern Ecuador.

What a great trip - amazing birds (652 in 24 days), great mammals, enjoyed the lodges, and most importantly great guides (thank you Jorge, and Macello at Napo)

Northern Ecuador John & Neil Jan 2022

We had a very enjoyable stay for thee days at Canande, and all the staff were extremely helpful in arranging our travel, which took a fair amount of logistics, and at the lodge. Very nice birds, especially active in the mornings, and fun to walk the trails.  

Canandé reserve Byron Swift x 2

We had a great time with our excellent guide Juan Carlos and the other Jocotoco staff at Chakana. Although rustic with the assistance of Jocotoco we we able to find our lodge in the dark the night before and have an overdue meal in the rustic but unforgettable lodge. The next day with Juan Carlos we were successful in seeing all of our target wildlife plus some including the magestic spectacled bear and many condors. All in all a very memorable trip and one we can highly recommend. 

Brian Hutchings x 1 Narupa Dec 23

Brian Hutchings x 1 Narupa Dec 23

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