Synopsis: Leaving Tambo Cóndor carried us from condor cliffs to the equator itself, where a brief stop at Mitad del Mundo gave way to a tense, rain‑slicked ascent toward Tandayapa Lodge—an arrival earned step by step after the van’s uphill slide turned the final approach into its own small adventure.
Ecuador Birding – Where Every Feather Tells a Story
From October 26, 2025 through November 8, 2025 I joined 5 other adventurers and an outstanding photographer and birding guide (Liron Gertsman) with Eagle-Eye Tours to Ecuador. This blog series highlights the animals (mostly birds), people and locations we encountered over the 14 full days in this beautiful land.
A Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
**Due to the high resolution and quality of the images in this blog series it is highly recommended
that readers view posts in Landscape Mode on a desktop PC from the actual blogsite at Ecuador Birding**
DAY 10 – Early Afternoon
Leaving Tambo Cóndor felt like stepping out of one chapter of the Andes and into another. The afternoon light still clung to the cliffs as we wound our way back toward the main highway, descending from condor country and beginning the long traverse westward. Our planned stop at Mitad del Mundo, the monument marking the equator, offered a brief but fascinating pause between high‑Andean drama and the lush cloudforests that awaited us in Tandayapa.
Mitad del Mundo
The monument sits on a broad plaza north of Quito, marking the line that 18th‑century French geodesic expeditions calculated as the equator. Although modern GPS measurements place the true equatorial line a short distance away, the site remains an important cultural landmark—celebrating the scientific collaboration that helped map the world with unprecedented accuracy. The central obelisk, topped with a metal globe, stands as a reminder of that achievement, and the surrounding complex blends history, geography, and a bit of playful tourism.
We took the obligatory photos straddling the painted equator line, one foot in each hemisphere, laughing at the novelty of it while appreciating the deeper history beneath our feet. After days immersed in wild landscapes, it felt almost surreal to stand at such a symbolic crossroads of the planet.
The Road to Tandayapa
From Mitad del Mundo, the road climbed again before dropping steeply toward the west slope. The transition was immediate: dry valleys giving way to mist, moss, and the dense greens of cloudforest. But the final approach to our lodge turned out to be an adventure all its own.
The access road was a very steep, very wet cobblestone track, slick from recent rain. As José eased the van into a sharp uphill turn, the tires spun, caught briefly, then lost traction entirely. Instead of climbing, we began to slide backwards, slowly at first, then with a creeping inevitability that tightened every muscle in my body. From my seat at the very back, I had a clear view of the road’s edge and the steep drop beyond it inching closer. I was just about to shout a warning when the van shuddered to a stop, mercifully holding its ground.
We climbed out with great care, grateful for solid footing. The only solution was to port our luggage up the steep road by hand, then up a series of steps that led to the lodge itself. By the time we reached the top, slightly breathless but relieved, the cozy, welcoming glow of Tandayapa Lodge felt like a reward in its own right—a warm refuge tucked into the cloudforest.
Tomorrow would begin long before dawn. We had an exceptionally early departure planned for Refugio Paz de las Aves, where another unforgettable chapter of the Andes awaited us.
NEXT UP: EB#61 “The Man Who Calls the Forest: Angel Paz’s Wild Realm“
Additional Photographs and Video
Previous Ecuador Birding Blog Posts:
- EB70 – Behind the Scenes: My Photo Processing Process — From Download to Gallery Display
This behind‑the‑scenes look walks through my complete post‑processing workflow—from organized hard‑drive folders and Lightroom edits to eBird documentation and SmugMug gallery uploads—showing how each image travels from field capture to final presentation. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with birds and nature. - EB69 – Illuminating the Iridescence: Hummingbirds of Tandayapa Lodge Through Forest Light
A late‑afternoon return to Tandayapa Lodge offered the perfect chance to capture hummingbirds in their natural light—iridescence glowing, wings blurring, and the cloud‑forest atmosphere turning every moment into a fleeting spark of color. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with birds and nature. - EB68 – More Colorful Songbirds at Guaycapi
As the hummingbirds faded into the background, a fresh wave of brilliantly colored tanagers swept through Guaycapi Lodge, setting the stage for an afternoon of dazzling forest jewels This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with birds and nature.
>>Ecuador Birding Blog Home Page Link https://reflectionsofthenaturalworld.com/ecuador-birding/
*This Ecuador Birding blog post was shaped and polished with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot, helping bring clarity and a consistent flow to my field notes and dictated memories.
**Unless otherwise indicated in the image caption, all photographs (>99%) are mine.
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