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Dick Glover
03-05-2009, 12:27 PM
This is the lodge at the Napo Wildlife Center, in the Amazon basin in Ecuador, where we spent 5 days birding in January. To get there fly 30 min. east over the Andes from Quito, take a motorized boat 2.5 hours down the Napo river, then transfer to a canoe for a 2 hour paddle up a stream -- there are no roads. This lodge, catering to ecotourism, is owned by the indiginous tribe and provides work and income for members of the tribe. It is first class in every way with great birding opportunities. Jungle photography is challanging, but we learned a lot and had a great time. Happy to provide more information to anyone interested.
Dick
Alfred Forns
03-05-2009, 03:47 PM
That is out of the way ...nothing like going to Jekyll Island !!

Attractive place big time !! How would it be for photographers !!!
Gus Cobos
03-05-2009, 04:36 PM
Where do I sign up for the vacation stay and the tour...:eek::D This looks like a beautiful place...from out of a movie...:cool:
Dick Glover
03-05-2009, 05:33 PM
Alfred, Gus,
Regarding photography, the jungle was more dense and dark than what we had experienced in Costa Rica, and I found the birds often partly obscured by foliage, in heavy shadows and often far away so it was frustrating. However, I do not have anywhere near the skill level of most of the BPN members, nor the long lenses that would make a big difference. I expect most of you would find it a very rewarding, but if you are not a birder, I might try somewhere else.
Dick

The tour organizer is Neblina Forrest, www.neblinaforesta.com (http://www.neblinaforesta.com), is a good source of information. The Napo
Wildlife Center has a website, www.napowildlifecenter.com (http://www.napowildlifecenter.com), which is worth checking out, and be sure to look at the link there to the parrot licks. They were a high point of the trip, although the Parrot Blast Off photo I posted a few days ago does illustrate the low light challange of the jungle.

A final note, 4 days at this location is enough because it is a single habitat.
Alfred Forns
03-05-2009, 06:48 PM
Big thanks on the info !! I know shooting in the jungle is tough on equipment, condensation is a problem !! ... but must be fun !!
Gus Cobos
03-05-2009, 07:14 PM
Thank you so much for the information Dick,
I will check it out...:):cool:
Robert Amoruso
03-06-2009, 10:57 PM
THis is a cool looking place!