Andean Bears and Condors

1nt Ibarra, 2 nts Pimampiro, 2 nts Imbabura, 1nt Quito

Overview

Head north from Quito to a canyon where the spectacled bear resides. Early starts are required to begin your search for this magnificent animal. Bears begin to move around in the afternoon and so after lunch you will go down into the valley. You will be searching in very small groups in order to conserve the bears habitat and ensure your activities do not disturb their way of living. Two days will be spent looking for bears and the evenings will be spent in a simple homestay.

Then you will head to one of the most beautiful haciendas in Ecuador to learn about the Andean Condor. At Hacienda Piman they have a project to protect the condor and you will be able to view the bird flying around the forest. The next day you will head to an ecological reserve to try and see the Condor in the wild, but may also have the chance to see mountain tapir, Andean fox, peregrine falcon and curiquingue.

This itinerary can be easily combined with the Galapagos Islands, other mainland Ecuador experiences such as the Amazon or cloudforest. Contact us for a bespoke itinerary.

Price Guide

6 nights from £1,895 per person based on double occupancy

These prices are excluding international flights. Average flight prices vary depending on time of year and can be considerably more expensive at peak times (Christmas, Easter, Summer). Flight routes vary, please contact us for accurate flight pricing for your timings and place of departure.

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Day to Day

Below is an example day by day itinerary

Day 1

Met on arrival and transferred north to the town of Piman, overnight Hacienda Piman (B).

Day 2

You will have an early start and in a small group no larger than 4 people and guide you will head to the canyon that is the bear's natural habitat where you will visit various viewpoints know for sightings. The bears are not very active in the morning as they have thick fur and are looking for shadows in the trees. After lunch you will go down into the valley where the canyon is providing shade for the bears and they will start to move around. You need to have patience for the sightings but once you see one it will be worth the wait and an experience of a lifetime. Overnight in homestay (BLD).

Day 3

Another early start to maximise opportunities for sightings, similar to the previous day you will visit various viewpoints in the morning and then head down to the valley in the afternoon. Overnight homestay (BLD).

Day 4

On the last day of this part of the wildlife trip you will head early again to a path to try and see the bears eat, climb trees and see their daily activities for a few hours. In the afternoon you will head to the beautiful Hacienda Piman to learn about the Andean Condor. Overnight Hacienda Piman (BLD).

Day 5

There is an opportunity to view the Condor close to the hacienda where they have a project to protect the species, it is the official bird of Ecuador and you will hopefully see them flying around the forest or standing in a tree. This predacious bird is very active during the day which increases the chance of seeing them. In the afternoon head back to the hacienda to enjoy and relax. Overnight Hacienda Piman (BLD).

Day 6

Early this morning you will head to the Antisan Ecological Reserve to try and see the Condor in the wild, but also there is a chance to see other wildlife such as the mountain tapir, Andean fox, peregrine falcon and curiquingue or curunculated caracara. The altitude is high and temperatures will can be between 3 and 17 degrees celsius. In the afternoon you will be transferred back to Quito. Overnight Patio Andaluz (B).