| ECUADOR January 10-22, 2013 GALAPAGOS EXTENSION JAN 22-27 |
This photo tour visits my favorite bird photography areas in Ecuador. They include Mindo,
where many species are easily photographed coming into feeders, Otavalo for native waterfowl
and the best indigenous markets, Guango lodge for Sword-billed Hummingbird and my private
feeder setups near Santo Domingo. We will be doing multi-flash photography which makes for
stunning hummingbird images at both Guango and Mindo.
About Ecuador - Ecuador is one of the richest countries in the world for birds and bird
photography. Over 1,550 species of birds have been recorded in Ecuador, the fourth highest
total of any country in the world.
Tour leaders - Your tour leader Nate Chappell has a lot of experience photographing and
exploring Ecuador. Nate has done extensive bird photography there and knows the best
areas and techniques for seeing and photographing the birds there. Angie Chappell will lead
the non photographer spouses on some alternate activities. We are building our second home
in Ecuador and live there part of each year. Including private tours we lead several bird
photography tours to Ecuador each year. Ken Archer, another professional photographer will
be a co-leader to assist with the mutli-flash setups and give photography advice.
What to expect: Many of the birds will be close up. For example with the hummingbird
photography I usually use my 300mm lens rather than my 500mm and intermediate to long
zoom lenses are ideal for this type of photography (think 70-200 with 1.4 teleconverter, 70-300,
100-400 etc). At the other locations and for the other birds a minimum of 300mm is
recommended. The weather can vary from sunny to rainy but with the multi-flash hummingbird
photography we are often shooting from under covered porches. Nate will give presentations
on using flash for bird photography and photographing birds in the wild. The tour is focused
on bird photography, although one morning you will have the opportunity to visit the Otavalo
markets where the indigenous Ecuadorians sell their goods. Angie Chappell will be available
to organize a few activities for non photographer spouses and companions.
Maximum Participants: 10 total, including a maximum of 7 photographers.
Spectacular species we should be able to photograph include:
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Long-tailed Sylph
Andean Ruddy Duck
Blue-winged Mountain Tanager
Velvet-purple Coronet
Giant Antpitta
Pale-mandibled Aracari (toucan)
Toucan Barbet
Booted Rackettail
and many more species of beautiful tanagers and hummingbirds
Itinerary
Day 1, January 10, Arrival in the evening at Quito International Airport, Transfer to a 4 star
hotel in Quito.
Day 2, January 11, We will drive to Otavalo, stopping along the way to look for Southern Yellow
Grosbeak, Black-tailed Trainbearer and others. In the afternoon we will visit Laguna Quicocha
and take a boat ride with the chance to photograph some Andean mammals such as Wild
Guinea Pig, deer and rarely Spectacled Bear. We will also look for spectacular birds such as
Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager. Hotel: Posada del Quinde, Otavalo, a charming inn with a
local Andean feel and wonderful food.
Day 3, January 12, In the morning you have the choice of visiting the Otavalo markets and
photographing the indigenous people there or photographing waterbirds such as Andean
Coot and Andean Gull on Laguna San Pablo. In the afternoon we will visit the high altitude
grasslands known as the paramo at Mojanda lakes. Here we will photograph some of the high
altitude birds such as Bar-winged and Stout-billed Cinclodes. Andean Pygmy Owl is regular
here. Hotel: Posada del Quinde, Otavalo.
Day 4, January 13, In the morning we will photograph Andean Ruddy Ducks, Yellow-billed
Pintails and other waterfowl from a boat on Laguna San Pablo. Midday we will transfer to our
next lodge, Guango. Guango is the premier lodge in Ecuador for multi-flash photography and
the best place to photograph Sword-billed Hummingbird. We will spend the afternoon doing
multi-flash hummingbird photography. One of the participants on our 2012 tour took over
4,000 images in 3 nights here. I will give my presentation on flash photography this evening.
Lodge: Guango Lodge
Day 5, January 14, Today we spend the full day photographing at Guango Lodge. Other
hummingbird species which should visit our setups include Chestnut-breasted and Buff-tailed
Coronets, Collared Inca, Tourmaline Sunangel, Tyrian Metaltail and Buff-winged Starfrontlet.
Long-tailed Sylphs are easily photographed on perches as well as the beautiful Masked
Flowerpiercers. Torrent Duck can often be found by walking the trail down to the river. The
food at Guango is among the best in Ecuador. Lodge: Guango Lodge
Day 6, January 15, One more morning with the hummingbirds at Guango and then we will have
a 4 hour drive to our next lodge, Sachatamia in Mindo. After dinner we will look for the Black
and White Owl which can often be found hanging out under the flood lights near the lodge.
Lodge: Sachatamia
Day 7, January 16, In the morning we will photograph from the covered outlook which looks
down on banana feeders which attract Toucan Barbet, Pale-mandibled Aracari and many
species of tanagers. I will set up the area so the birds will be landing on nice perches before
coming in to the bananas. On my most recent 2012 tour there we had 11 species of tanagers in
one morning at the banana feeders. In the afternoon we will do multi-flash hummingbird
photography with Velvet-purple Coronet, Violet-tailed Slyph and Booted Rackettail being 3 of
the star species. We will have an image critique and review session in the evening. Lodge:
Sachatamia
Day 8, January 17, In the morning we will photograph at Paz de las Aves where Giant Antpitta
can usually be photographed at close range. In addition you will have the chance to see and
photograph Andean Cock of the Rock on their lek as well as other elusive forest species. In
the afternoon we will photograph hummingbirds on multi-flash setups at the lodge. Lodge:
Sachatamia
Day 9, January 18, In the morning we will photograph tanagers, toucans and barbets at the
lodge, while in the afternoon we will visit a couple of spots in Mindo which attract other species
such as Bananaquit and Green Thorntail. For those interested in butterflies they will have the
opportunity to visit the butterfly garden in Mindo. Hotel: Sachatamia
Day 10. January 19, After photographing at the lodge in the morning we will stop by the Mirador
Blanco in Los Bancos. The Mirador is a restaurant with an observation deck that looks over a
deep river valley. They have hummingbird feeders which have perches which are good for
photography close to the deck. In the afternoon we will drive to Santo Domingo and check in
to our next lodge, Hosteria Samagua. It has a nice swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi as well
as many birds including Saffron Finch. Lodge: Samagua, Santo Domingo
Day 11, January 20, We will spend the day shooting at my private feeder setups near our
property west of Santo Domingo. In this area I have photographed Rufous Motmot,
Rufous-tailed Jacamar and many other species. We will have blinds at feeding stations with
set up perches as well as areas for hummingbird photography and lights which attract insects
and therefore many birds in the morning. Lodge: Samagua, Santo Domingo
Day 12, January 21, In the morning we will photograph at my feeder setups and in the
afternoon we will return to Quito which is about a 3.5 hour drive, stopping along the way at
Alambi Lodge to look for White-capped Dipper and others.. Hotel: A 4 star hotel in Quito.
Day 13, January 22, Transfer to Quito International Airport in the morning.
Cost: Photographer $3,900 includes all lodging, meals, transportation within Ecuador, guiding,
instruction. It does not include airfare to and from Quito, Ecuador or personal expenses such
as tips or drinks. Nonphotographer spouse or companion $2,900. To reserve your spot a
deposit of $700 is required. The balance is due 90 days prior to the tour.
Contact - Email us at nchappell@trogontours.net if you are interested in this tour or call Nate at
253-512-1060.
GALAPAGOS EXTENSION, January 22-27, 2013
We are offering the following extension to the Galapagos Islands.
Summary: 5 days, 4 nights at the 4 star Silberstein hotel on Santa Cruz Island with daily
activities including boat trips to other islands and trips to the Santa Cruz highlands. It also
includes 1 night in Quito, Ecuador and meals.
Leader: Nate Chappell
Cost: $2,585 includes airfare from/to Quito to the Galapagos, 4 nights at the Silberstein Hotel on
Santa Cruz Island, 1 night in Quito, all meals and activities. It doesn't include the $115
Galapagos National Park fee or your flight home from Ecuador.
Here is the itinerary:
January 22 - Flight to Baltra in the Galapagos. After checking into the hotel and having lunch
we will go to the Charles Darwin Research Station where the captive breeding program for
Galapagos Tortoises is run. Hotel: Silberstein
January 23 - We will take a full day boat tour to North Seymour Island. It's about a 1 hour ride
to the island. At the island we will get out and photograph nesting boobies and frigatebirds,
land and marine iguanas and more. There will be opportunities for snorkeling here. Hotel:
Silberstein
January 24 - In the morning we will have a tour of the bay with Galapagos Sea Lions,
Blue-footed Boobies and more. In the afternoon we will go on a tour of the highlands of Santa
Cruz Island. This is the best location for viewing Galapagos Tortoises in the wild. In addition
we will see some of the finches that Darwin based his early writings on evolution on. There is
great scenery up here too with lava tubes. Hotel: Silberstein
January 25 - Today we will have a full day boat trip to Isabela Island. Isabela has a wealth of
wildlife including Galapagos Penguins, flamingos, boobies and tortoises. Snorkelling is
available on this excursion.
January 26 - We will have an early morning photographing at the beach at the research station,
followed by a flight back to Quito. Hotel: A four star hotel in Quito.
January 27 - Transfer to Quito International Airport for your flight home.
where many species are easily photographed coming into feeders, Otavalo for native waterfowl
and the best indigenous markets, Guango lodge for Sword-billed Hummingbird and my private
feeder setups near Santo Domingo. We will be doing multi-flash photography which makes for
stunning hummingbird images at both Guango and Mindo.
About Ecuador - Ecuador is one of the richest countries in the world for birds and bird
photography. Over 1,550 species of birds have been recorded in Ecuador, the fourth highest
total of any country in the world.
Tour leaders - Your tour leader Nate Chappell has a lot of experience photographing and
exploring Ecuador. Nate has done extensive bird photography there and knows the best
areas and techniques for seeing and photographing the birds there. Angie Chappell will lead
the non photographer spouses on some alternate activities. We are building our second home
in Ecuador and live there part of each year. Including private tours we lead several bird
photography tours to Ecuador each year. Ken Archer, another professional photographer will
be a co-leader to assist with the mutli-flash setups and give photography advice.
What to expect: Many of the birds will be close up. For example with the hummingbird
photography I usually use my 300mm lens rather than my 500mm and intermediate to long
zoom lenses are ideal for this type of photography (think 70-200 with 1.4 teleconverter, 70-300,
100-400 etc). At the other locations and for the other birds a minimum of 300mm is
recommended. The weather can vary from sunny to rainy but with the multi-flash hummingbird
photography we are often shooting from under covered porches. Nate will give presentations
on using flash for bird photography and photographing birds in the wild. The tour is focused
on bird photography, although one morning you will have the opportunity to visit the Otavalo
markets where the indigenous Ecuadorians sell their goods. Angie Chappell will be available
to organize a few activities for non photographer spouses and companions.
Maximum Participants: 10 total, including a maximum of 7 photographers.
Spectacular species we should be able to photograph include:
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Long-tailed Sylph
Andean Ruddy Duck
Blue-winged Mountain Tanager
Velvet-purple Coronet
Giant Antpitta
Pale-mandibled Aracari (toucan)
Toucan Barbet
Booted Rackettail
and many more species of beautiful tanagers and hummingbirds
Itinerary
Day 1, January 10, Arrival in the evening at Quito International Airport, Transfer to a 4 star
hotel in Quito.
Day 2, January 11, We will drive to Otavalo, stopping along the way to look for Southern Yellow
Grosbeak, Black-tailed Trainbearer and others. In the afternoon we will visit Laguna Quicocha
and take a boat ride with the chance to photograph some Andean mammals such as Wild
Guinea Pig, deer and rarely Spectacled Bear. We will also look for spectacular birds such as
Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager. Hotel: Posada del Quinde, Otavalo, a charming inn with a
local Andean feel and wonderful food.
Day 3, January 12, In the morning you have the choice of visiting the Otavalo markets and
photographing the indigenous people there or photographing waterbirds such as Andean
Coot and Andean Gull on Laguna San Pablo. In the afternoon we will visit the high altitude
grasslands known as the paramo at Mojanda lakes. Here we will photograph some of the high
altitude birds such as Bar-winged and Stout-billed Cinclodes. Andean Pygmy Owl is regular
here. Hotel: Posada del Quinde, Otavalo.
Day 4, January 13, In the morning we will photograph Andean Ruddy Ducks, Yellow-billed
Pintails and other waterfowl from a boat on Laguna San Pablo. Midday we will transfer to our
next lodge, Guango. Guango is the premier lodge in Ecuador for multi-flash photography and
the best place to photograph Sword-billed Hummingbird. We will spend the afternoon doing
multi-flash hummingbird photography. One of the participants on our 2012 tour took over
4,000 images in 3 nights here. I will give my presentation on flash photography this evening.
Lodge: Guango Lodge
Day 5, January 14, Today we spend the full day photographing at Guango Lodge. Other
hummingbird species which should visit our setups include Chestnut-breasted and Buff-tailed
Coronets, Collared Inca, Tourmaline Sunangel, Tyrian Metaltail and Buff-winged Starfrontlet.
Long-tailed Sylphs are easily photographed on perches as well as the beautiful Masked
Flowerpiercers. Torrent Duck can often be found by walking the trail down to the river. The
food at Guango is among the best in Ecuador. Lodge: Guango Lodge
Day 6, January 15, One more morning with the hummingbirds at Guango and then we will have
a 4 hour drive to our next lodge, Sachatamia in Mindo. After dinner we will look for the Black
and White Owl which can often be found hanging out under the flood lights near the lodge.
Lodge: Sachatamia
Day 7, January 16, In the morning we will photograph from the covered outlook which looks
down on banana feeders which attract Toucan Barbet, Pale-mandibled Aracari and many
species of tanagers. I will set up the area so the birds will be landing on nice perches before
coming in to the bananas. On my most recent 2012 tour there we had 11 species of tanagers in
one morning at the banana feeders. In the afternoon we will do multi-flash hummingbird
photography with Velvet-purple Coronet, Violet-tailed Slyph and Booted Rackettail being 3 of
the star species. We will have an image critique and review session in the evening. Lodge:
Sachatamia
Day 8, January 17, In the morning we will photograph at Paz de las Aves where Giant Antpitta
can usually be photographed at close range. In addition you will have the chance to see and
photograph Andean Cock of the Rock on their lek as well as other elusive forest species. In
the afternoon we will photograph hummingbirds on multi-flash setups at the lodge. Lodge:
Sachatamia
Day 9, January 18, In the morning we will photograph tanagers, toucans and barbets at the
lodge, while in the afternoon we will visit a couple of spots in Mindo which attract other species
such as Bananaquit and Green Thorntail. For those interested in butterflies they will have the
opportunity to visit the butterfly garden in Mindo. Hotel: Sachatamia
Day 10. January 19, After photographing at the lodge in the morning we will stop by the Mirador
Blanco in Los Bancos. The Mirador is a restaurant with an observation deck that looks over a
deep river valley. They have hummingbird feeders which have perches which are good for
photography close to the deck. In the afternoon we will drive to Santo Domingo and check in
to our next lodge, Hosteria Samagua. It has a nice swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi as well
as many birds including Saffron Finch. Lodge: Samagua, Santo Domingo
Day 11, January 20, We will spend the day shooting at my private feeder setups near our
property west of Santo Domingo. In this area I have photographed Rufous Motmot,
Rufous-tailed Jacamar and many other species. We will have blinds at feeding stations with
set up perches as well as areas for hummingbird photography and lights which attract insects
and therefore many birds in the morning. Lodge: Samagua, Santo Domingo
Day 12, January 21, In the morning we will photograph at my feeder setups and in the
afternoon we will return to Quito which is about a 3.5 hour drive, stopping along the way at
Alambi Lodge to look for White-capped Dipper and others.. Hotel: A 4 star hotel in Quito.
Day 13, January 22, Transfer to Quito International Airport in the morning.
Cost: Photographer $3,900 includes all lodging, meals, transportation within Ecuador, guiding,
instruction. It does not include airfare to and from Quito, Ecuador or personal expenses such
as tips or drinks. Nonphotographer spouse or companion $2,900. To reserve your spot a
deposit of $700 is required. The balance is due 90 days prior to the tour.
Contact - Email us at nchappell@trogontours.net if you are interested in this tour or call Nate at
253-512-1060.
GALAPAGOS EXTENSION, January 22-27, 2013
We are offering the following extension to the Galapagos Islands.
Summary: 5 days, 4 nights at the 4 star Silberstein hotel on Santa Cruz Island with daily
activities including boat trips to other islands and trips to the Santa Cruz highlands. It also
includes 1 night in Quito, Ecuador and meals.
Leader: Nate Chappell
Cost: $2,585 includes airfare from/to Quito to the Galapagos, 4 nights at the Silberstein Hotel on
Santa Cruz Island, 1 night in Quito, all meals and activities. It doesn't include the $115
Galapagos National Park fee or your flight home from Ecuador.
Here is the itinerary:
January 22 - Flight to Baltra in the Galapagos. After checking into the hotel and having lunch
we will go to the Charles Darwin Research Station where the captive breeding program for
Galapagos Tortoises is run. Hotel: Silberstein
January 23 - We will take a full day boat tour to North Seymour Island. It's about a 1 hour ride
to the island. At the island we will get out and photograph nesting boobies and frigatebirds,
land and marine iguanas and more. There will be opportunities for snorkeling here. Hotel:
Silberstein
January 24 - In the morning we will have a tour of the bay with Galapagos Sea Lions,
Blue-footed Boobies and more. In the afternoon we will go on a tour of the highlands of Santa
Cruz Island. This is the best location for viewing Galapagos Tortoises in the wild. In addition
we will see some of the finches that Darwin based his early writings on evolution on. There is
great scenery up here too with lava tubes. Hotel: Silberstein
January 25 - Today we will have a full day boat trip to Isabela Island. Isabela has a wealth of
wildlife including Galapagos Penguins, flamingos, boobies and tortoises. Snorkelling is
available on this excursion.
January 26 - We will have an early morning photographing at the beach at the research station,
followed by a flight back to Quito. Hotel: A four star hotel in Quito.
January 27 - Transfer to Quito International Airport for your flight home.
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