Our journey with Norby was truly life-changing. We traveled from the Amazonian lowlands up the eastern slope of the Andes to Antisana, and every day was extraordinary. Norby is the consummate professional, but what makes him exceptional is that he guides because he genuinely loves sharing Ecuador with others. After decades in the field, he remains one of the country's most respected naturalist guides. Wherever we went, Norby was welcomed as a friend. From remote lodges to small communities and local stops along the way, his relationships opened doors and created meaningful connections. He has access to places few visitors ever experience, yet he carries that privilege with remarkable humility. His calm, friendly demeanor puts everyone at ease, and you always feel safe traveling with him. Ecuador is clearly his home, and through his warmth and knowledge, he makes it feel like yours as well. We also spent several days exploring Quito with him, and his expertise extends far beyond natural history. He has a deep understanding of Ecuador's history, cultures, geology, and volcanoes, and he shares that knowledge in a way that is both engaging and accessible. He guided us through one of the finest archaeological museums we have ever visited, bringing the exhibits to life with the same skill and enthusiasm he displays on a trail in the cloud forest. I've lived and worked in Ecuador on and off for more than 35 years, earning a PhD while studying birds there, and I still learn something new every time I travel with Norby. He is a remarkable guide, an exceptional teacher, and a truly special person. Traveling with him is a privilege. There may be less expensive ways to see Ecuador, but there is no better or safer way than traveling with Biotropica and Norby.

This was an incredible trip. Our stay at the Napo Wildlife Center was a highlight; the accommodations were lovely and the food was delicious. Each day was spent with our naturalist guides looking for and finding birds and other animals. Trips up into wildlife observation towers allowed us to see such amazing things including macaws, many-banded aracari, toucans, and many, many other birds. On our many canoe trips (with someone else paddling!) we saw other birds, multiple types of monkeys, sloths, and otters. The trip to the Galapagos Islands was also fascinating. We had such fun seeing the blue-footed boobies, red-footed boobies, great frigatebirds, magnificent frigatebirds, flamingos and so many others. Even managed to see a couple of penguins while snorkeling. For me, the only true problem was that seas were often rough at night causing some initial sea-sickness so that I did not always feel well. I must add that Norby and Susie were wonderful about helping us with all travel including getting us to and through airports/arranging accommodations, etc.

great trip with very experienced and knowledgable guides. Norby & Susy were with us all the way with our travel arrangements and we had no problems. the Kichwa Anangu tribe canoe paddlers were great and Norby was able to clearly translate what they said. we learned a LOT about the upper Amazon rain forest. we saw lots of different birds including a Harpy Eagle on her nest, watched a family of giant river otters two different times. we also saw lots of monkeys, parrots, butterflies, caimans, sloths, frogs etc.... the tree canopy towers were really great to watch birds & monkeys from a different angle. the lodge accommodations were first rate. and the food was excellent! the lodge was as good or better than most high end resorts and the most amazing part is that it is completely owned and operated by the local indigenous people! not some foreign corporation. the boat trip at the Galapagos was also great. we went to a bunch of different islands and saw and learned about all their unique species. the boat we traveled on (M/V Cachalote) is a well fit and seaworthy vessel. the accommodations were great. cool A/C, comfortable beds, full bathroom in each cabin and cleaned every day. I am a semi retired commercial fisherman and have a years of experience with similar vessels. she is a good one! the boat is clean and very well maintained. I got to know the Capt. and he is very experienced. the crew were all friendly & helpful. going ashore to the islands, you ride in rigid inflated boats. they have a pretty good system down for loading us and unloading us. (wet or dry) as far as the snorkelling, everybody else seemed to enjoy it a lot. but I am spoiled by diving in the clearer waters and colourful reefs of the Keys & Bahamas all my life. it was still interesting to see the different fish, sea lions & penguins. the food & service was excellent . just about everything on the menu is grown on a farm owned by the cruise company. all the food was fresh and delicious. their farm in the lush highlands of Santa Cruz also has a lodge that we spent a couple of nights in after our cruise. it was a highlight of the trip! I would come back just to hang out there again. I don't know why the company doesn't advertise it more or tell about where the food on the boat comes from. the lodge is really nice in a beautiful location. the rooms were comfortable and very clean. they have a lounging area with WiFi, bar, restaurant with great food, pool, and hot tub. they also have a cheese factory on the premises! and they give tours. they also make their own chocolate from cacao beans they grow. we got to see how chocolate is made from scratch. (its not what I expected!) helping roast and grind the beans was fun and informative. I would highly recomend BioTropica Expeditions to anyone who loves nature and wants to really see it up close and personal!

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

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.