A Dream Day with Condors and Hillstars - I just had the unforgettable experience of exploring Chakana Reserve with Santiago Zambrano, from Neotropical Nature and Birding Trips. My goal was to photograph Andean Condor, preferably the 'classic' eye-level flight shot, and the Ecuadorian Hillstar, hopefully a clear shot of this special species feeding on Chuquiraga flowers. I had faint hopes of seeing Spectacled Bear, but knew it was a long shot. Everything about this trip, including the advice to go to Chakana in the first place, was exemplary. Gabriela, who managed the logistics, was prompt, friendly and thorough from start to finish. Santiago was a perfect guide: knowledgeable, flexible and helpful ( The air at 3,800 m is thin, and I'm not. Santiago was so supportive in getting a geezer with bad knees and heavy cameras into just the right spot). This was a truly memorable experience, and I've been photographing wildlife since 1978. The Condors were awe-inspiring, the Hillstar is an absolute beauty and a very accommodating poser. There were plenty of other stunning birds too, like the Carunculated Caracaras and Andean Gulls, common at this location. We ended the day with a Crimson-mantled Woodpecker..a pretty good bonus bird. As a personal encounter with wild nature, this was simply the best. Recommended for anyone who loves wild places and creatures.

Who Could Ask for More? - We had an amazing day with Santiago! We saw everything we came to see: Andean condors, Ecuadorian hillstars and, when we had almost given up hope, we saw a spectacled bear! But there was so much more! Santiago knew exactly where to find amazing bird species that we never knew existed. We had a million questions about everything from the ecosystems, the creatures and the people that call them home, to the food and Santiago answered all of them. His love for and knowledge of his natural surroundings shone through every response and we were very appreciative!

High altitude experience - Magnificent experience, led by Santiago Salazar from @Neotropicalecuador.com, who guided us with passion and great knowledge about the area, the condors and their behavior.

Hillstars, Condors, and Giant Hummingbirds! - Santiago is a great guide, and we had a fabulous trip with him to see the Hillstars, Condors, and the Giant Hummingbird. Even though the bears had moved on in search of other food by the time we were there, he still looked for them. We got some great photographs of all the birds. It was a relaxing and fun day with Santiago. I would definitely go with him again!

Highly recommended if you want to see condors up close! - I wanted to see condors in Colca Canyon in Peru, but for various reasons I gave up, so I joined a tour to see condors in Ecuador. I was picked up at 5am and went to the cliffs where the condors perch, and saw many condors taking off, landing on the cliffs to perch, and flying overhead. I was also given binoculars to borrow, and I was impressed by how big they looked through them. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see condors!

A great day out of the city - I had an awesome time with Santiago visiting the Chakana Reserve and the Antisana National Park. He was super knowledgeable about the flora, fauna, and historical details of every part of the road we traveled. We got a great view of the condors, an andean ibis, a bunch of hummingbirds, some giant owls, and a bunch of other flowers and plants that were really amazing. He knew of a few secret places to look for some birds, which was pretty cool. We had a great lunch at a local spot whose owners are involved in the tagging and tracking of the various animals in the area. I would have loved more time to explore the Antisana area to just wander and hike around a bit more - but it will have to wait for another trip!

Fantastic nature experience - This day tour near Quito was one of our many highlights in Ecuador. Condors in such numbers and so close together on the cliff above the breeding grounds was a unique experience. As a bonus, we also saw the Ecuadorian Hillstar, the Andean Bear and many other highland hummingbirds. Everything was perfectly organized, our guide Santiago was great, always friendly and competent and, above all, totally committed. We would love to come back and would do the tour again!

Fantastic birding day with Neotropical Nature and Bird Tours - We had an amazing birding trip to Chakana and Antisana with Dario and Gabriella. Saw more than ten Andean condors along with many other birds. Dario is a great guide who knew all the calls and put us on birds we never would have seen. Also included a great lunch at Tambo Condor. I could have stayed there all day watching the amazing hummingbirds at the feeders. We highly recommend this company!

Highlight of our trip: spectacled bear, Andean condor, and more - The trip to Chakana Reserve was a highlight of our three-weeks around Quito, in the Galapagos, and at Machu Picchu. We had never heard of Chakana or anything about Neotropical before, and we are so glad we took a chance on both. We saw a spectacled bear--the main reason we picked Chakana--almost as soon as we arrived. We also saw many condors in flight, Andean guans (blue-jay sized plump turkeys), a roosting great horned owl, hillstar hummingbirds, and a lot more besides. No one can guarantee what you see on a particular trip, but Santiago knew what we were looking for and where to look for it. Santiago was the best guide we had in our whole trip. He knew the area, knew the wildlife, and arranged the whole trip for our convenience. Our driver (sorry, forgot his name) navigated some awful roads and got us where we wanted to be. The car was comfortable. Lunch was delicious. We went with our two grown sons. All four of us would recommend this trip absolutely. Go and enjoy the wildlife with Santiago!

Once in a lifetime experience - Our guide Santiago is an encyclopedia of knowledge regarding Ecuadorian/South American wildlife. After stopping at a local bakery en route to the reserve we were fortunate to come across an Andean bear enjoying a bromeliad for breakfast on our drive into the reserve which Santiago spotted across the hillside and setup a spotting lens for us to watch and take photos with. We then took a short walk to a secluded cliff top perch to watch hummingbirds and wait for the condors. It looked like the condors were in a different spot that morning, however, just as we started the walk back to the car 4 of them swooped overhead and we were able to get some great eye level shots of them soaring atop the canyon. We also saw a number of other birds and animals including an Andean fox. Lunch was at another local place where you could watch more hummingbirds whilst eating a delicious lunch. All in all an unbelievable day and will definitely be using Neotropical for future adventures!