CVC 43

NONO ROAD

Duration: 9 hours
Departures: Everyday 08:00 hours

Leaving from Quito, toward the northwest of the occidental mountain range, you will find this Echo route that presents interesting areas that reflects the transition of flora and fauna from the paramo (highlands) in the Andes to the subtropical forest. The zone has precipitations of 4,00 mm of rain per year, existing abundance of mosses, bromeliads, medium size trees, giant ferns, guarumos and many kinds of orchids.

This great set of vegetation attracts lots of species of hummingbirds where the Black Breasted Puff leg is the bird in danger of extinction, juts out jointly to this important specie, they highlight also another varieties that we can observe point-blank like the Bearded Toucan, Plated Billed Mountain Toucan, Yellow Breasted- Antpitta, Orange Breasted Fruit eater, Club Winged Manakin, Tanager Finch, Moss Backed Tanager, among many others.

We found a great diversity of wild life, could observing 30 Ranitas' sorts of crystal, and mammals like Small Deer, Savage Rabbits. This natural environment offers to the visitors the opportunity to get in touch with nature.

Box lunch, or lunch at the zone's hostelry included

CVC 44

PASOCHOA ANDEAN FOREST

Duration: 9 hours
Departures: Everyday 08:00 hours

This is a privileged area with a large diversity of plants and animals. We go through “Los Chillos Valley” passing San Rafael, Sangolquí until arrive to Amaguaña, where the Pasochoa refuge of wildlife is located.
Its importance depends on the maintenance of the last zone of the Andean primary forest, which has registered more than 132 species of birds, some of them extinguished in other places of the Ecuadorian highlands. In this refuge you can see a large collection of native plants as: romerillo, zuro (kind of Andean palm), shanshi; traditional tree of the zone, straw, polylepis or paper tree, etc. The fauna is made up of many kinds of animals that belong to different zones as the Andean fox, bears, deer, blackbirds, swallows, hummingbirds, insects, semi-blackbirds, nuns, tangaras, colourful silversmiths, turtledoves and forelocks of mountain among many others.

Pasochoa is also home of another wild species like: Cervicabras, rabbits, bats, besides we can find slightly butterflies, beetles, ladybugs, frogs, toads and other surprising animals.

Within the many activities that can come true in the inside of this beautiful and fascinating forest, we recommended the following paths:

• Easy gone over hummingbird (30 minutes approx.)
• easy gone over Nature makes friends (30 minutes approx.)
• Forest for all with little effort (1 hour approx.)
• Mayguayacu medium hard walk (2 hours approx.)
• Cera's palm hard walk (4 hours approx.)
• The Pantzas (8 hours approx.) sudden effort this tour includes lunch at the zone's restaurant or box lunch.

CVC 45

PAPALLACTA PASS

Duration: 9 hours
Departures: Everyday 07:00 hours

East from Quito via Cumbaya Valley this area offers an excellent paramo (highlands) area for bird watching. New and interesting species can be found as we head toward the jungle, Ecuador’s Amazon basin

This area belongs to the “Cayambe Coca Reserve” with several footpaths where you will have the chance to observe a big amount of birds such us: Blue Winged Teal, Andean Duck, Andean Condor, Cinereous Harrier, Variable Hawk, Carunculated Caracara, Merlin, Aplomado Falcon, Sword-billed Hummingbirds, and some other species that with a grateful vegetation will make this an unique natural experience.

Box Lunch o lunch in a nearby restaurant included.

CVC 46

TINALANDIA TROPICAL, SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS COLORADOS

Duration: 2 days
Departures: Daily specially on Sunday 07:00 hrs

This warm location offers some of the best and most comfortable bird watching opportunities in western Ecuador. Various neo-tropical bird families are seen with little effort as over 200 species have been recorded here such as the fabled Long-wattle umbrella bird, the exotic Golden-winged manakin, and the Glistening-green Tanager, among others. Visit to a Colorado Indian’s homes, followed by lunch. Afternoon in Tinalandia a paradise for bird watchers with a lovely tropical resort.

The next morning offers you serious birding going deeper into the dense forest for example species as eared dove, black and white swallow, white-capped dipper, carunculated caracara, rufous-breasted chat-tyrant, American kestrel, white-collared swift, black flower-pincer, puma hawk, Andean gull, swallow-tailed kite, great thrush, burrowing owl, turkey vulture, great egret, Andean lapwing and the list could go on and on. Return after lunch to Quito.

Note: A special bird watching area at Rio Palenque Research Station    operated by the University of Florida is available about 30 minutes from Tinalandia.

CVC 47

CHIRIBOGA RAIN FOREST

Duration: 10 hours
Departures: Daily 07:00 hours

A 2-hour trip and 55km west from Quito, an area full of wildlife and excellent for bird watching, passing the western cordillera to reach the subtropical forest along the valley of the Saloya River. Walk into the primary forest to watch a big variety of birds such as parrots, roosters rock, hummingbirds and other species like deer, wild boar, insects, bear of glasses, and a big variety of medicinal plants and orchids.

Box lunch

CVC 48

GUAGUA PICHINCHA CALDERA (YANACOCHA )

Duration: 8 hours
Departures: Daily 07:00 hours

Departure from Quito toward Lloa's valley, going over for the skirts of the Pichincha Volcano to reach his boiler near of 4,660 m., With a diameter of 2,6 km, opened toward the Occident. This volcano is placed on the old Rucu Pichicha's remnants.

This moving adventure would be able to not brush aside our beautiful hummingbirds' charm of bleak upland; We will that way be able to find the acquaintance Ecuadorian Hill star, Plumbios Sierra Finch, Canastero, Safari Wings, Chestnut Black Eagle, Variable Hauck, in an adventure like this you would be able to not brush aside the zone's wonderful own fauna and observing Small Cushions, Ashpa Chochos (plants related with the cunts), Gencianas (white flowers that punches grow to the ground) and shrubs of Chuquiragua (once the climber's plant was  regarded as) and many more.

We will have a Box lunch during the journey.

CVC 49

MINDO TROPICAL RAIN FOREST

Duration: 8 hours
Departures: Daily 07:00 hours

Early morning departure to the northwest two hours from Quito through the Andean ranges to enjoy the wonderful Mindo’s valley, which has one of the richest fauna of the country and of the world with about 350 species. Among them we have partridges, hawks, quilicos, hill turkeys, humming birds of many types, woodpeckers, rock roosters, jumping birds, trigueros, etc. the vegetation is mainly formed by natural forest where we find trees such as cedars, white yellow and black cinnamon, avocado, red myrtles, guarumo and plants such as orchids, hill lilies, blackberries, hill hot peppers, shanshi and nettle. During this impacting trekking we will have lunch. Return to Quito.

For passengers, who would like to do an extension trip (2 days / 1 night), it can be arrange at Bellavista lodge.

CVC 50

HUMMINGBIRD TOUR

Duration: 8 hours
Departures: Daily (07:00)

The northwest of Pichincha Volcano is one of the most important areas. In this natural palace the scientist had register more than 30 different species of hummingbirds in one day. Here you can take unique pictures of these animals and of course the habitats that you are going to visit.

We leave Quito early in the morning through Yanacocha. In this place we will walk by the surroundings looking for some hummingbirds. Also our tourists have the opportunity to see different kinds of vegetation until we arrive to the most magnificent place known like the “House of the Hummingbirds named Pachaquinde too”   

CVC 51

ORIENTAL ANDEAN SLOPES TOUR

Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
Departures: Daily (7 hours)

• Day 1 The Andean slopes represent the zone with more biodiversity described by the scientists. We start this trip early in the morning; discovering different kind of vegetation until we arrive to Papallacta Hotel, place where we will have lunch. Free time in the afternoon.

• Day 2 After breakfast, we visit the “Cayambe – Coca Ecological Reserve”, one of the most beautiful places located at the northern part of Ecuador.
  In the afternoon we will go to Cabañas de San Isidro Hostelry for lunch. Then, we will have free time for rest and walk around the place. At night, our dinner is waiting for us!!

• Day 3 After breakfast, we will visit the area. Then return to Quito. During the trip we are going to do some stops, if we are lucky we will watch some kinds of birds. 

CVC 52

NORTH WEST TOUR

Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
Departures: Every day

Accommodation and all meals included.

This is one of the richest zones in Ecuador, talking about bird watching. The tourists have the opportunity to watch more than 30 different species of hummingbirds and other kind of birds. But if your interests are the plants this place will show you the beauty of the humid and cloud forest.

• Day 1 We leave Quito early in the morning and our first stop is Yanacocha. Here we will walk around the paramo (highlands), looking the main plants that belong to this zone. For lunch we will go to Bellavista Lodge. Then, we will visit the Hummingbird's House. At the end of the day arrive to Sachatamia Lodge for dinner and rest.
• Day 2 After breakfast, we will go to the village of Mindo. Then we will visit the Orquideario place where our tourists can have an idea of how many species of orchids has Ecuador. The Mariposario is the second place that is waiting for us. This is a refuge for hundreds of butterflies; you can see all the process, starting like a larva until they become a butterfly. Box lunch included.
  Diner and overnight at Sachatamia Lodge.
• Day 3 After lunch we will leave Sachatamia and go to Milpe Ecological Reserve. Walk around the surroundings for few hours and then return to Quito.

CVC 53

HORSEBACK RIDING INSIDE OF THE COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK

Duration: 8 hours
Departures: Daily (08:00)

In order to arrive at the “Cotopaxi National Park”, 70 km (42 miles) away from Quito, we will start our trip through the “Volcanoes Avenue”.

Riding is one of the best ways of getting know the Andes, its culture and wilderness. A Chagra, the Ecuadorian Andean Cowboy, will be the local guide for the riding.

The horses we provide are “criollo” or  “paramero”. These animals have been adapted to the local environment and the weather; therefore they are not tall and have a thick coat.

We also provide the Chagra riding attire, which consists of a wool poncho and zamarro (local leather chaps). The rides go throughout the majestic “páramos” or highlands along trails full of legend and history. We can admire wild bulls and horses, native birds and fauna, all of them in the marvelous landscape of the Ecuadorian highlands.

After the adventure we will enjoy a warm lunch inside of hostelry, return to Quito

CVC 54

MOUNTAIN BIKING BY THE COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK

Duration: 8 hours
Departures: Daily ( 08H00)

In order to arrive at the “Cotopaxi National Park”, 70 km (42 miles) away from Quito, we will start our trip through the “Volcanoes Avenue”.

We start our mountain biking adventure with an exciting downhill track from a parking lot located at 4500 m (14,760 ft) on the slopes of “Cotopaxi Volcano”. In addition to admire the stunning landscape, the descend from the volcano to “Limpiopungo Valley” is adrenaline filled, followed by a cross-country ride through the bed of an old landslide formed by lava and mudflows from past volcano eruptions. We will ride by old ruins dating back to the Inca Empire, place where we have a lunch break. The adventure resumes when we reach Hacienda El Porvenir, biking trough the magical Andean forest filled with abundant flora and fauna, rivers, ravines and waterfalls, and we end our ride in Los Chillos Valley. Return to Quito

CVC 55

CANOPY TOUR CAÑON DEL SALTO & COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK

Duration: 8 hours
Departures: Daily (08:00)

In order to arrive at the “Cotopaxi National Park”, 70 km (42 miles) away from Quito, we will start our trip through the “Volcanoes Avenue”. It's considered a National Park and an Ecuadorian Ecological Reserve. Cotopaxi means in Quichua The Sweet Neck of the Sun and Cotopaxi province is considered one of the wonderlands of Ecuador.

El Cañon del Salto Canopy is a transportation system based on harnesses and pulleys attached to an inclined cable, taking advantage of gravity. Scientists who were doing research in the forest canopy used this system. They avoided coming down to the ground and climbing up the next tree by using this system. 

El Cañón del Salto Canopy Tour is a safe way to enjoy high mountain forest from the upper part. This is an environmentally low-impact adventure; it gives people with few or no climbing techniques knowledge to live an exciting and unique experience.

El Cañón del Salto Canopy has 5 cables between 100 and 480 meters long. These cables can hold many tons of weight suspended. One ton grounded anchorages hold cables strengthened. A climbing via-ferrata is also available. 

We provide our visitors top of the line equipment and pulleys specially designed for cable use; fitness is not a factor with the canopy tour since gravity does all the work. Almost anyone can experience this, from children aged 7+.

Our specialized guides make our high mountain canopy flights very safe and at the same time they will impart their knowledge of this unique ecosystem.  Lunch included in a hostelry nearby the area.