CHAKANA RESERVE
andean Condor - Ecuadorian Hillstar and Spectacled Bears
Admire the heart of the Andes
Pick-up from your hotel at 7:00 am. This trip will take you through a great scenery in the Ecuadorian Andes. Leave Quito early in the morning for a one-hour drive towards the East towards Hacienda Antisanilla – Chakana Reserve, a 7,000-acre conservation land purchased in 2014 by the Jocotoco Foundation in partnership with several conservation organizations including the American Bird Conservancy to safeguard Ecuador’s most important population of Andean Condors north of Perú, this conservation maneuver will significantly aid efforts to continue growing a thriving and self-sustaining ecotourism program in the country.
Today you’ll have access to enjoy a privileged lookout to some of the most important Condor roosting and nesting sites. You might see them gliding at eye level. The altitudinal range covered is from 10.000 to 12.000 ft asl. You’ll spend the entire day in the area, watching for Andean condors (should be easy!) and other beautiful birds like the unique Ecuadorian Hillstar feeding on unique flowers of the Chuquiraga shrub, “The flower of the Andes”. You will even have to keep your eyes open for the only bear species of South America: The Spectacled Bears. The paramo is rich in important food sources for the bears’ mostly herbivorous diet; The Andean Bear’s main food source in the area is a type of ground paramo bromeliad Puya sp. which is pretty abundant in this ecosystem and has a sweet juicy heart. The area has a road system and trails of varying difficulty, allowing you to cover a big extensions of territory in a short period time. It is right here in the paramo, north east of Quito where you can increase your probabilities of a great encounter with bears and other Andean wildlife, sometimes close enough to have wonderful views and photographs!.
After exploring the reserve you’ll have a well deserved break and lunch at Tambocondor where you can also observe different species of hummingbirds like the Giant Hummingbird, Shining Sunbeam, Black-tailed Trainbearer and other species at the surrounding native flora and feeders. You’ll return to your hotel in Quito in the afternoon.
An early pick-up can be arranged if you want to experience the best bird activity and light
Andean Condor
Ecuadorian Hillstar
These high-altitude hummingbirds inhabit volcanic mountains up to snowline. They tend to prefer the upper parts of páramo zones ranging from dry grassy areas to humid rocky slopes.
spectacled Bear
Andean Bear female with 2 cubs. The young grow fairly quickly and at 180 days they already weigh 10kg. Cubs remain with the mother for at least one year after birth. Spectacled bears are estimated to live for just over 20 years.
Available add-on option:
If you like horseback riding let us know; we can arrange a great experience for you. We’ll take our horses and all the equipment for a 2 to 3-hour ride depending on weather conditions and your desire. You’ll be following a horse path with amazing views that borders Antisana, a national protected area and Chakana Reserve. You can also reach a view point from where you’ll admire a breathtaking volcanic landscape featurin Antisanilla’s lava field from a previous eruption from 1801.
Pricing
- 1 pax $ 320
- 2 pax $185
- 3-4 pax $140
- 5-6 pax $120
- 7-10 pax $ 110
*Optional early pick-up from 4:30 am to 6:00 am adds:
- $40 per person in groups of 1 or 2
- $25 per person in groups of 3 or more
*Horseback riding activity adds $60 per participant.
– Bilingual naturalist & birding guide
-Private transportation
-Horses and gear (if requested)
-Lunch and soft drinks
-All excursions and entrance fees to the reserves
-Tips
-Breakfast
-Alcoholic beverages
-Any other item not specified
Trips considerations
PLEASE NOTE:
This is a sample itinerary and it is subject to change based on weather, safety concerns, and the interests of our guests. Our goal is to provide the best possible birding, photography experience and wilderness enjoyment, and as such, we may make changes or additions to the itinerary. If you would like to extend your trip to other premier birding or wildlife photography destinations please let us know and we can provide additional details.
