Birding & Camping Amagusa!
The Amagusa Reserve is a private property of 130 hectares of recovering forest within the new important protected area for birds (IBA) Mashpi-Pachijal. The location of this forest makes it special since it is the last foothill forest that connects directly with the western subtropical lower forest of Ecuador.
Basantes family has remained in this area for 20 years and now his heirs: Sergio Basantes and his wife Doris, are very interested in conservation, especially for birds, frequent visitors to their place. In addition, this area was recently declared a “Mashpi-Guaycuaycu-Sahuangal” protected forest where logging is now prohibited. Local people have received environmental education from local governments and from the organization “Aves y Conservación”, which is Bird Life’s operating branch in Ecuador.
Sergio and Doris are very excited about this new adventure. They have been working for the past two years to change their farming habits and include conservation ideas to enhance and protect the habitat. As part of this process, they have registered their property to become an official reserve in the hope that their reclaimed forest will attract more bird watchers to their home. Their plan is being sustainability and provide a complete ecological birding experience that will include home-grown food, lodging, camping experience, trails, feeders, and guides.
At a glance
Day 1 | Departure from Quito. Stop at Alambi´s hummingbird garden. Arrive to Amagusa Reserve for lunch. PM: birdwatching & photography afternoon at the reserve. Camping & dinner. Optional: night walk for insects, reptiles & amphibians. |
Day 2 | Very early birdwatching activity. Breakfast at the Reserve. Hike to Mariposa Azul waterfall. Lunch on the way back to Quito in the afternoon. |
What´s included:
- Private tourist transportation
- Naturalist private guide
- Traditional breakfast & dinner at the reserve
- 2 Box lunches
- Camping gear (tents of 2 to 4 people)
- Bottle water
- Entrance fee to the Amagusa & Alambi Reserve
- Professional photographer
What to bring?
- Warm clothing for wet rainy weather (hat, gloves, windbreaker)
- Sleeping bag and floor insulation (for being personal, we do not offer it on the tour, although if necessary we can rent them, if it is of your interest)
- Comfortable walking shoes and bathing sandals
- Food utensils
- Personal hygiene supplies
- Flashlight, binoculars and photographic equipment.
PAYMENT POLICY
A deposit of 30% total invoiced for your trip is required to confirm your reservation. The remaining balance (70%) is required 30 days prior to the departure date. In cases of trips confirmed within 30 days of the departure date, payment in full is required for confirmation. You should receive confirmations with every payment you make.
CANCELATION POLICY
- For cancelations of 30+ days before tour departure date, the full amount minus a cancelation fee of 10% will be refunded to the client.
- For cancelations between 21-30 days before tour departure date, a cancelation fee of 50% to the deposit paid will be charged.
- For cancelations less than 20 days prior to the tour departure date, full amount of the tour is charged with no refund.
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Destination
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Departure
Quito -
Departure Time
8:00 am -
Return Time
16:00 pm -
Included
Breakfastcamping gearDinnersEntrance feeLunchNaturalist local guidePersonal GuideRefuge -
Not Included
3 Star Accomodation4 Star Accomodation5 Star AccommodationAirport TransferFlight ticketsGallery TicketMules and portersPersonal expensesTips
Tour Plan
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Quito - Alambi & Amagusa Reserve (BL, D)
Departure early from Quito, around 8:00 a.m., picking up our participants from your hotels. We will take the Calacalí - La Independencia road to make our first stop at the Alambi Reserve, known as the hummingbird garden because in just 10 minutes it is possible to observe around 15 different species. Free time, entrance fee included. Then, we return to the main road until the detour to Pacto, passing by the Tulipe Archaeological Museum (in case it is open, we can make a stop). Continuing on the way to Mashpi Lodge, we will arrive at the Amagusa Reserve, just at lunch time and start an interpretive walk of 2 to 3 hours and live a new experience inside this amazing cloud forest. Upon return, camping set-up, traditional dinner, and for those who wish, there will be a night walk in search of insects, reptiles, amphibians, active at night.Day 2: Early birdwatching activity – "Mariposa Azul" Waterfall – Lunch & return to Quito (B, BL)
We will start very early in the morning to take advantage of the best hours for bird watching in the reserve, with the opportunity to see tangara, toucans, flycatchers, parrots, hummingbirds, etc. We will enjoy a good breakfast,"tigrillo" considered gastronomic heritage of our country. Disassembly of the campsite, to go and visit the Mariposa Azul waterfall. Free time to enjoy a good swim in its crystal clear waters. Around noon, we will begin our return to Quito with a stop in Nanegalito to enjoy a boxlunch to suit our clients. Return to Quito. End of services.IMPORTANT NOTES:
- For family groups, we can organize private outings with good discounts for children under 12, depending on the number of adults in the group.
- The average time of descent is 25 minutes and 30 minutes of ascent to the Mariposa Azul waterfall.
- Itinerary is subject to change, depending of our clients.
Reviews Scores and Score Breakdown
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