Ecuador Evolution Tour with Stated Clearly 

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It’s no coincidence that both Charles Darwin, Alexander Humboldt and Alfred Russel Wallace first began to understand evolution while exploring the rich tangle of life found in the tropics.

Explore the rainforest with an intimate and small group of like minded nature and science enthusiasts who just want to learn about Ecuador's ecosystems and peoples. We'll get in the thick of it to be surrounded by incredible wildlife, expansive ecosystems, and enthusiastic locals.

Join Nancy Miorelli (SciBugs) and Jon Perry (Stated Clearly) on this

8 day all inclusive tour that covers three of Ecuador's unique ecosystems.

Summary of Places

THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

The Cuyabeno reserve, the part of the amazon rainforest located near the Colombian border, is home to playful dolphins, chattering macaws, pocket sized monkeys and floating forests! It’s the second largest reserve of the national parks in Ecuador, protecting 5,900 kilometers of pristine Amazon tributaries. 
We'll be visiting Waita Lodge and it is truly in the heart of the Amazon. Located three hours upriver by boat, you’ll be greeted by dolphins, toucans, and dragonflies as you make your way up the narrowing Amazon rivers. The tranquil lodge has a balanced mix of water activities including paddle boating and canoe rides, and land based activities. Learn about medicinal plants, follow leaf cutter ant trails, and learn about the people and cultures that live in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

THE EASTERN CLOUD FOREST 

The Eastern cloud forest sits at 8,000ft above sea level and is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world!  Hummingbirds that can only be found here flit through the trees and glittering insects wander around the elephant sized leaves. This area is protected thanks to community efforts. 
We'll be visiting Guango Lodge which is known for its diversity of hummingbirds and other iconic Ecuadorian birds. Don't just look up as you'll miss the dazzling array of orchids scattered through the landscape and the breathtaking mountains. 

VOLCANIC PARAMO

Quito, Ecuador's capital, is surrounded by nature and shrouded in history. The high altitude Paramo ecosystem is where you land when first arriving in Ecuador. Several towering volcanos rise from the outskirts of the city while cobblestone roads and golden churches litter the central streets.  Above the city skyline is the volcano Pichincha - a beautiful natural refuge housing dozens of unique plants and bird species. Ecuador's history is palpable whether you're climbing up the Pichincha volcano, trekking through the archeological parks, or standing next to the Virgin Mary atop the Panecillo.  

Is the Trip Guaranteed to Run?

If we reach the minimum amount of people (5) that are required to run the trip, we will go. If there are concerns for passenger safety, the trip may be delayed or cancelled.  Force Majeure events in Ecuador may shut  businesses and/or affect the tourism sector and its transportation. If this happens, we will either delay the trip or cancel the trip with refunds. This will be clearly communicated to you.   

Arrival in Quito

Individual pickup from the airport.

As long as you get to Quito  before 5:00am July 18th you're good to go for the main tour.  Most flights direct from the states come in late at night. 

Need Something to do this day? 

Check out our historic district ADD-ON tour! 

For the full itinerary, check here
https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/full-itinerary

For Packing and Travel info check here

https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/info-and-packing

• 8:00 AM - Breakfast
• 8:30 AM - Pickup from Kitu Hotel
• 9:00 PM - Cable Car to Pichincha Volcano
  
• 12:00 PM - Lunch on the mountain
• 1:00 PM - Return from the Teleferico
• 1:30 PM - Rumipamba Archeological Park
• 4:00 PM - Indigenous People of Ecuador talk
• 5:00 PM - Free Time
• 7:00 PM - Dinner

We'll explore the volcanic paramo while overlooking the city of Quito! Enjoy a leisurely stroll while learning about the adaptations plants have to survive at this high altitude! 

In the afternoon we'll visit the Rumipamba Archeological and Ecological park where we'll look into Ecuador's past, visit archeological dig sites, and learn about the plants people past and present use.

 For the full itinerary, check here 

https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/full-itinerary 

For Packing and Travel info check here

https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/info-and-packing

• 6:30 AM - Travel to Airport. (Boxed Breakfast)
• 7:30 AM - Arrival to the Airport
• 9:30 AM - Flight to Coca
  
• 11:00 AM - Coca Food Market (Palm Weevils!)
• 12:00 PM - Travel to Canoe Pickup (Boxed Lunch)
• 2:00 PM - Canoe Ride to Waita Lodge
• 5:00 PM - Arrival to Waita Lodge & Lodge Intro
• 6:30 PM - Natural History Talk
• 7:00 PM - Dinner

 Leaving Quito, we'll fly to the small town of Coca where we'll try some palm weevil larvae as a snack!  Then it's a boxed lunch and we make our way up the Aguarico and Cuyabeno rivers to our home away from home deep in the heart of the Amazon.  

 For the full itinerary, check here

 https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/full-itinerary 

For Packing and Travel info check here

https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/info-and-packing

Activities will be conducted and lectures will be given depending on the current day's weather. 

As it tends to rain in the Amazon at least once a day we will schedule the outdoor activities around the rain and around the times the animals tend to be most active. Classes will be held in the interim. 

SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES:

• Visiting clay licks to look for parrots
• Canoe Rides
  
  • San Francisco River
    
  • Cuyabeno River
  • Floating Lagoons
• Paddle Boarding
  
• Night walks and Light Trapping
• Rainforest Hikes
• Learning about Medicinal Pants
• Turning cacao into chocolate
• Visiting the observation tower 
• Fishing

 WORKSHOP TOPICS:

Novel adaptations and modifications to them

SCHEDULED LECTURES:

• Sacrifices for Flight           (Nancy)
• Feathers to Flight              (Jon)
• Insect Flight                       (Nancy)
• Insect Reproduction         (Nancy)
• Egg Laying to Stingers     (Jon)
• Amazonian people 
  through time  (Diego)

The Cuyabeno Reserve is bursting with flora and bustling with fauna. Dolphins dance around the canoe, monkeys howl from their perches, parrots lick clay from the river, frogs call the rains, caimans watch the lagoons, and insects rule the night. 

 For the full itinerary, check here 

https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/full-itinerary  

For Packing and Travel info check here

https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/info-and-packing

• 6:00 AM - Bird Watching activity
• 8:00 AM - Breakfast
• 9:00 AM - Waita activities
  
• 11:30 PM - Lunch 
• 12:00 PM - Canoe ride to pickup point
• 3:00 PM - Transport to Coca
• 6:00 PM - Dinner at Auca Hotel

 Our last day in the Amazon before we have to say goodbye! We'll start off with one final morning activity before making our way to Coca where we'll spend the night at Auca hotel. Auca has a beautiful garden and frequently rescues wildlife. Look out for the tortoises and agutis hanging out on the grounds.  

 For the full itinerary, check here

 https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/full-itinerary 

For Packing and Travel info check here

https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/info-and-packing

• 7:00 AM - Breakfast
• 8:00 AM - Travel to Coca Airport
  
• 10:30 PM - Flight to Quito
• 12:00 PM - Travel to Guango Lodge
• 1:00 PM - Lunch at Guango
• 2:00 PM - Nature walk
• 4:00 PM - Free Time
• 6:00 PM - Dinner
• 7:00 PM - Travel to Quito International Airport

Once we get into Quito, since many flights depart late at night, we'll spend our time in the cloud forest getting a different perspective of a tropical forest. High in the Andean mountains, cloud forests bespeckle the land and are the best place to see a variety of hummingbirds!  

Don't wanna go home just yet? Let's go to the hot springs! 

Papallacta Hot Springs Tour Addo-ON

 For the full itinerary, check here 

https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/full-itinerary 

For Packing and Travel info check here

https://www.evotour.scibugs.info/info-and-packing