Galapagos Islands: Tandayapa Extension

Violet-tailed Sylph © Michael O'Brien

A highly recommended extension to our Galapagos Islands Cruise provides exposure to the species-rich cloud forests of the spectacular northwestern Andean slopes, where highlights include the world’s greatest hummingbird show and colorful toucans, tanagers, and barbets.

On this optional extension, we will explore the beautiful cloud forests of Ecuador’s northwestern Andes, sampling the magnificent diversity of hummingbirds, tanagers, toucans, trogons, and more found only a short distance from Quito, Ecuador’s capital city.

From Quito, we’ll head northwest, drop over a mountain pass, and quickly enter a realm of towering tropical hardwoods, cloud-shrouded peaks and ridges, and lush river valleys. Our destination is the region centering on the Tandayapa and Mindo valleys, an area renowned as a premier birding hotspot in Ecuador. As the site of some of the best infrastructure for eco-tourism in the country, it is an ideal place for natural history observation in Ecuador.

This region has much to offer in the way of birding potential, and we will focus on three general locations, all of which host the types of extravagant hummingbird shows that contribute to the region’s fame. Among the expected species is a remarkable collection of hummers, including Violet-tailed Sylph; Brown and Collared incas; Lesser, Brown, and Sparkling violetears; Booted Racket-tail; Purple-bibbed Whitetip; and a host of woodstars, brilliants, hermits, and coronets. We’ll also drive the old road that connects the town of Mindo to the Tandayapa Valley, making strategic stops with the hope of finding some of the more spectacular species of the deep forest and edge. This area, well off the main highway, is well known for hosting a dazzling assortment of tanagers, of which we will see many, and other regional specialty birds such as Golden-headed and Crested quetzals, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, and Toucan Barbet.

Any trip to the northwestern slopes is bound to be rewarding, but in this situation, as a short extension to the Galapagos Islands Cruise, participants gain experiences unlike any in the Galapagos while receiving a perfect introduction to the joys of birding in Ecuador.

An easy and relaxed trip centered in relative proximity to a pleasant lodge; cool conditions with light rain or fog possible; superior birding opportunities.

Toucan Barbet © Paul Greenfield