Zamora or Mindo? (1 Viewer)

Two couples (the guys are birders, the spouses a bit less so but still interested). Original plans for a B&B in Macas fell through. The B&B proprietor is well-acquainted with the folks who managed Copalinga in Zamora before turning it over to the Jocotoco Foundation. Exotic Birding (http://www.exoticbirding.com/ecuador/bombuscaro/description.html) rates the adjacent Bombuscaro segment of Podocarpus NP as some of the best birding in the world.

Another option under consideration is El Septimo Paraiso (http://septimoparaiso.com/) near Mindo. A bit less expensive than Copalinga, with a 420-heactares cloud forest reserve. The two birders in the group spent five nights in Mindo in 2015 so we're not entirely unfamiliar with the region, but we know we barely scratched the surface.

We hope to stay again at Puembo Briding Garden for first nights in & last nights out. From Puembo, Mindo can be reached in half a day or less. Our Macas contact thinks it's best to schedule two days for the drive to Zamora.

So I'm reaching out to forum members who have experience with either or both lodges. Not just about the birding but also the level of comfort for spouses who will be less engaged in avian pursuits.

Also reached out to Sachatamia Lodge (http://www.sachatamia.com/about.html) near Mindo, set in a smaller preserve, but have thus far received to reply.

Timing of the trip would most likely be January or February.

Thanks.

Gary H

My wife and I stayed a couple of nights at Septimo Paraiso two years ago, and we were quite pleased. Some decent feeders and trails on the grounds, and good facilities/food for her.


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Puembo has no good birds.

Puembo is 30 minutes drive from the airport; e.g. Rio Alambi is (out of rush hours) 1h30 minutes...

So if you are willing to go straight to / from the airport for one hour longer, you could be in prime birding habitat for your first and last night, and have impressive hummer action until the very last hour of your trip.

Ofcourse, if you want to explore Quito it would be better to stay there, but in that case I would stay right in the old town centre.

I wouldn't drive just to go all the way to Zamora (and not much more on the way), unless you would be staying for more than a week, or unless this is a kind of road trip with stops on the way to and from Zamora. If just driving to get there, it's not worth spending all that time in a car, but I would definitely fly to Loja airport.

temmie said:

Puembo has no good birds.

Puembo is 30 minutes drive from the airport; e.g. Rio Alambi is (out of rush hours) 1h30 minutes...

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My definition of "good birds" must differ from yours. And that's okay. My preference for Puembo extends from some very nice introductory species in the gardens to the camaraderie and good will of Mercedes, Xavier and any patrons who happen to be there. Might even run into Ridgely!

Good place to get up to speed after too much time outside the tropics, and a good place to chill before boarding a plane for the trip back to the temperate zone.

I realize my comment was a bit harsh, but I really look at things from a bird-diversity perspective and my own point of view, which is probably not always the same as everybody else!
I have spend quite some time in the Neotropics and thus am looking for some good birds I haven't seen yet, and a quick look at the Puembo list didn't result in any lifers.

I agree that this kind of place can be a very nice introduction as the diversity is not overwhelming, and I also agree that friendly hosts can make or break certain your trip.

temmie said:

I agree that this kind of place can be a very nice introduction as the diversity is not overwhelming, and I also agree that friendly hosts can make or break certain your trip.

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We certainly hope the birding gets more intense at our primary destination, whether it's Zamora or the Mindo area. My biggest concern is whether or not Zamora's distance makes the drive from Quito too strenuous, even if completed in two days.

Hey,
I just came from Mindo and it was awsome
We booked a bird watching tour and saw a lot of Tukans, Humming Birds etc.

Here is a video I took in Mindo filming humming birds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3zXqtG-EMs