From Quito to the Amazon catchment, Ecuador, October 5th, 2017

In the upper part of the Amazon jungle. I'm sitting on a terrace next to the jungle surrounded by swirling hummingbirds (not because I'm here but because there are some feeders with sugar-water at the edge of the terrace!). While the rest of our team of botanists are looking at the many exciting plants in the jungle. We left Quito and drove east towards the Amazon. We continued to Cosanga where we spend the night at Cabañas San Isidro.

Ready for departure from Quito, view from the street next to our hotel. Parat til afgang fra Quito, udsigt fra gaden ud for vores hotel.

Our first botanical stop was at the pass of the Andes Mountains (Páramo de la Virgen 4,064 meters above sea level) where the road leads you from Quito and go down to the Amazon basin.

The paramo hosts a great variety of plants and flowers.

First hummingbird of the trip: the giant hummingbird. The giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) is the largest member of the hummingbird family, weighing 18–24 g.

The páramo is a montane ecosystem with predominance of scrub vegetation. Páramos are usually located from altitudes of approximately 2700 meter above sea level.

Next stop was the Guango Lodge (2.700 m.o.h.). It was well equipped with hummingbird feeders, attracting a variety of hummingbirds.

We had a small hike in the rainforest around Guango lodge.