Watching hummingbirds was an important adventure on side-trip from Quito during our ☞ 2008 Ecuador trip. We rented a car, with very knowledgeable driver/guide. On the way out to cloud forest, we took the old road starting high on the slopes of Pichincha, birdwatching in Yanacocha ( ca 3500 masl), Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve (ca 2200 masl) and at Alambi Reserve bird sanctuary along the new road on the way back to Quito (ca 1600 masl). Different hummingbird species live at different altitudes. They live in the forest, but some come to feeders to get extra food. Our guide and the sanctuary guide were able to identify many species.
During  ☞ 2008 Ecuador trip our eyes were trained on Galapagos, the big volcanoes (Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Pichincha) and the jungle (Cuyabeno), but no flower was left unnoticed. We really enjoyed lazy and relaxing visit to Quito Botanic Garden with superb orchid collection. Here is what we saw.
21-day trip to Ecuador and ☞ Galapagos Islands. We hiked 10-km Quilotoa rim loop and to 5000 masl at the edge of Cotopaxi glacier after grueling acclimatization walk in Chugchilan. We enjoyed watching ☞ hummingbirds and relaxing visit to ☞ Quito Botanic Garden.
Laguna Quilotoa
Altitude (masl): Galapagos 0, Rio Quyabeno-Rio Aquarico 200-300, Bellavista 2200, Quito 2800-2900, Chugchilan 3200, Yanacocha 3400-3600, Quilotoa rim 3700-3900, Laguna de Limpiopungo 3850, Quito Teleferico upper station 3950, Cotopaxi parking lot 4600, refugio 4800 and glacier 5000.
Quilotoa rim loop
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To Cotopaxi glacier
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Itinerary
Chicago ➜ Quito-Hostal Casapaxi-Parque la Alameda-Iglesia de San Francisco ➜ ☞ Galapagos ➜ Quito ➜ Yanacocha ➜ Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve ➜ ☞ Alambi Cloud Forest ➜ Quito ➜ Machachi-Toacazo-Sigchos-Chugchilan ➜ Laguna Quilotoa (rim trail) ➜ San Jose de Poalo/Latacunga ➜ Hostel Valhalla/Machachi ➜ Laguna de Limpiopungo ➜ Cotopaxi Refugio and glacier ➜ Quito-Jardin Botanico/Orchid House-Passo la Muerte/Volcano Pichincha ➜ Lago Agrio-Tierras Orientales-Rio Aguarico ➜ Rio Cuyabeno/Rio Aguas Negras-Dracaena (lizard) Lodge ➜ Quito ➜ Otavalo-Lago de San Pablo-Parque Condor ➜ Quito ➜ Chicago
Entrance to Hostel Casapaxi, our base in Quito, and we are off to arrange tours and visit Old Town
Visited tourist agencies on the way to Parque la Alameda…Basilica del Voto Nacional…
…Iglesia de San Francisco…
…plaza in front of Iglesia de San Francisco, Iglesia de La Merced…
…Plaza Grande (Independence Square)…
…returning to Casapaxi after dark
After returning from Galapagos, road to Yanacocha follows Inca trail to the lowlands
Volcano Pichincha, above the cloud forest
Tough donkey life in the high mountains…
… inhabited by hummingbird species adapted to high altitude of Yanacocha
Bellavista cloud forest, no kidding, clouds all around
Different species of hummingbirds…
…found only at lower altitude of Bellavista
Walking cloud forest trails, wet from all sides
Machachi, on the way from Quito to Quilotoa
…
Procession in Machachi
Sigchos
Hostal Cloud Forest in Chugchilan located on slopes perfect for acclimatization hikes
Steep hills often used for farming and deep ravines cut by water in volcanic ash deposited long time ago
Warming-up for fiesta in Chugchilan, party, music and dancing all night
Laguna Quilotoa, 3500 masl, highest rim point 3914 masl, last eruption in 1280
On the rim trail
Hiking ccw on 10 km rim trail, the starting point is already across the caldera
View towards Volcano Illiniza Sur and a bit later…
…good view of Cotopaxi, 5897 masl, last eruption 2015/2016
San Jose de Poalo
Returning to Valhalla Lodge located in the valley on NW edge of Cotopaxi National Park after late local hike, next day we are heading back up to the Park
Cotopaxi cone above the high plains, view from Laguna de Limpiopungo
Laguna de Limpiopungo at the base of Cerro Ruminahui
Refugio Cotopaxi, summit visible between clouds from time to time as we walk up the mountain…
Cotopaxi
…to 5000 masl marker at the edge of one of very few equatorial glaciers
Trail in one of the ravines on Cotopaxi slopes
Back in Quito, relaxing at Jardin Botanico Orchid House…
…and outdoor gardens of South American plants
In the afternoon, went up 1000m by Quito Teleferico…
…to hike towards Cerro Guagua Pichincha, passing by Ermita de la Dolorosa…
…only to the base of Passo la Muerte rocks at 4300 masl, just behing the green hill
Rio Aguarico, waiting for our boat 75 km from Lago Agrio to take us 100 kms to Rio Cuyabeno
Speed-boating down Rio Aguarico…
…to Rio Cuyabeno outpost…
…Rio Cuyabeno…
…arriving at Dracaena Lodge just after sunset
Got up early in the morning with oropendolas nesting next to our hut…
…we could hear them all right
Cuyabeno Reserve by boat…
…and on foot to walking palm tree…
…no exit…
…through the tropical forest…
…to a really big ceiba (kapok) tree…
…and by canoe to sneak on caimans after dark
Village on Rio Aguarico
School at Tierras Orientales CoOp
We visited local community, their houses, small school, watched kids play socer, left after dark for a short ride back to Dracaena
Fishing piranhas for dinner near the river bank, to swim we jumped from the boat in the middle of the river, trying not to reverse the roles, pink dolphins were swimming nearby. Pan fried piranhas are very good, plus we got Christmas cake (see Food in Ecuador)
The speed boat will take us up Rio Aguarico to Lago Agrio for an afternoon flight to Quito
Day-trip to Otavalo famous for its market, Lago de San Pablo at the base of Cerro Imbabura
Parque Simon Bolivar
Otavalo market, yes we bought another rug, see Food in Ecuador for more photos from the market
Otavalo, view from Parque Condor
Parque Condor, refuge for rescued birds
Iglesia el Jordan, last stop before returning to Quito and heading back to Chicago
Quilotoa rim loop
To Cotopaxi glacier
Itinerary
