In the heart of Ecuador — one of the 17 most biodiverse countries on Earth — lies one of nature’s most extraordinary vertical journeys: the elevational transect from the humid and warm lowlands of Yasuní National Park in the Amazon Basin to the soaring, windswept heights of Antisana Volcano and its protected ecological reserve in the high Andes.

International flight arrival to Quito – we will meet you at the airport and transfer the family to hotel San José de Puembo. You will have two nights at this hotel located in countryside and within 15 minutes from the Quito airport. Dinner not included, but we can arrange a delivery to the hotel depending on the time of check in after your arrival, immigration and airport procedures

Relaxed morning , breakfast included. We suggest an optional day at Alambi Reserve – watching hummingbirds and other species of tanagers in the Western Slope of the Andes. Overnight at hotel San José de Puembo.

Napo Wildlife Center program of 5 days / 4 nights. NWC - full board. This section of the trip is not included for this tour, please inquire for special arrangements in Amazonian Ecuador

After your Napo Wildlife Center trip and experience, we will meet you in Coca – Francisco de Orellana city. Early departure from NWC to Coca city and dock. After check out we will start a land trip driving towards the Sumaco National Park, overnight at WildSumaco Lodge - 3 days / 2 nights full board and private transportation included.

Early morning visit to Amarun Pakcha reserve, after lunch drive to San Isidro Lodge. Overnight at San Isidro – 3 days / 2 nights San Isidro reserve and Surroundings. At 6,600 ft. in elevation, we find ourselves in the heart of the humid subtropical zone, in all its natural splendor, and we’ll have two full days to explore a wide range of habitats throughout the area.

From San Isidro Lodge – after lunch departure to Guango Lodge, overnight at Guango Lodge. 3 days / 2 nights.

We will continue to explore Guango Lodge to get a taste of the beautiful Andean temperate forests. ​Colorful mixed flocks with birds such as Lacrimose and Hooded Mountain Tanagers, Blue-backed Conebill, and Black-capped Hemispingus can be seen around the lodge.

On day 12 we will have a full day at Papallacta Hotsprings - Overnight at Guango Lodge.

You will visit the Papallacta Pass, a dirt road into the Cayambe Coca National Park brings us into the high elevation Páramo at Papallacta, a very tundra-like habitat. On clear days the views of the surroundings and various volcanoes are breath-taking; a stop right up at the pass is one of the best spots to photograph the snow-capped Antisana Volcano as it towers over the mountains below.

From this point on we should start scanning the sky from time to time for Variable Hawk, Carunculated Caracara and Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, that may soar overhead.

We’ll check stands of Polylepis woodland for Giant Conebill, Black-backed Bush Tanager, White-chinned Thistletail, Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager, Pearled Treerunner, Golden-crowned Tanager, Pale-naped Brush-Finch and the scarce Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant. At the highest elevations you’ll seek out the secretive and cryptic Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe. In this route, occasionally, we have been lucky to observe Andean Bear!

As we arrive to Tambo Cóndor on the South East area of Antisana National Park, we will have the possibility of observing some of the high Andes hummingbird species, as well as appreciating the different geological formations of this impressive region of the Andes. We have 1 night at Tambo Cóndor Lodge.

Tambo Cóndor to Chakana Reserve – Andean Cóndor watching - after lunch departure to Quito in the old colonial town – overnight at Hotel Patio Andaluz in the Historic Center.

The Chakana Reserve and the Antisana National Park provide opportunities to understand the geological history of the Andes and the importance of this unique ecosystem. We may see many high altitude and local specialties including Ecuadorian Hillstar visiting the Chuquiragua bushes, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Andean Tit-Spineatil, Many-striped Canastero, Tawny Antpitta, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Red-crested Cotinga, Paramo Pipit, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch and Black-winged Ground-Dove.

We will have the chance to see many Carunculated Caracaras, Andean Gulls, Andean Lapwings, and many other species that are absent or difficult at other sites such as the rare Andean Ibis. This reserve has at least 4 different cliffs in which up to 30 Andean condors have been counted perching; this is a large number considering an estimated population of just about 150 wild individuals in the country. Birdlife categorizes Antisana as an Important Bird Area and is part of the Andean Condor Bioreserve, it is just a worthy glimpse between 10,500 ft to 15,000 ft above sea level.

At the end of our excursion we will head out to the Historic Center of Quito, overnight at Patio Andaluz

City tour of the Historic Center of Quito – overnight at Hotel Patio Andaluz

Quito is the largest and best-preserved colonial center in Latin America, the world's very first UNESCO World Heritage city. We will explore the historic center walking in part and by vehicle as well, visiting museums, monasteries, plazas and view point, which showcase fantastic colonial art, architecture and unique mix with the local Andean cultures. We can start around 9 am visiting San Francisco monastery and museum, La Compañía de Jesús, usually called the gilded church, an extraordinary piece of the baroque art during the 17th century. The Casa del Alabado Museum has one of the richest collections of ancient pottery and artifacts of different cultures of what now is Ecuador, this one of those places that you must to visit to get time line perspective on the ancient inhabitants of the country, their social structure, regional impact and importance.

Morning departure for a nature – birding visit to the temperate Andean Forest of Zuro Loma Reserve on the Western Slope of the Andes. Overnight at Hotel Eurobuilding closer to the airport.

Above the western side of Quito city, the geological complex of the Pichincha volcano reveals one of the best well preserved native forests of the Andes in this region. Andean temperate native forests secure water supply and protect an important corridor that connects the lowlands of the Pacific with the Andean mountain range. Yanacocha and Zuro Loma reserves host an extraordinary assortment of hummingbirds and tanagers, we will have excellent opportunities for bird photography.

We will have lunch at a local restaurant, overnight at Eurobuilding hotel near the airport.

Early departure – transfer to Quito International Airport

We will pick you up in the early morning to transfer you to the Quito International Airport, for your scheduled flight