Explore the vibrant ecosystems of Ecuador on an unforgettable butterfly tour, where the majestic Napo River meets the foothills of the Amazon. This tour offers a unique blend of biodiversity and comfort as we split our time between the Andes and the Amazonian foothills. Expect to encounter an incredible variety of butterflies, with a special focus on metalmarks and hairstreaks, as well as morphos, clearwings, longwings, and skippers.

Our accommodations are chosen for comfort and sustainability, with upscale ecolodges throughout the journey, culminating in a night of relaxation at the luxurious Papallacta Hot Springs hotel. Although some of the roads may be a bit rough, all the long drives are on paved roads, and we’ll venture off onto rougher tracks specifically for our butterflying adventures.

Tour Dates:

November 07-23, 2026

Tour Leaders:

David Geale

After a hearty breakfast in Quito, we'll set off on our journey to Rio Quijos Ecolodge, approximately a 2-hour drive. Along the way, we'll make stops for butterflying, with locations chosen based on weather conditions. We’re likely to explore upper cloud forest habitats, where we may encounter a variety of butterflies, including Andean satyrs, Catasticta dartwhites, and Dalla skipperlings.

Rio Quijos will be our main Andean base for the tour, and we’ll have three full days to explore the abundant biodiversity of the region. The river beach, just 100 meters from the dining room, is a prime spot for observing a variety of raywings (Actinote spp) and the occasional firetips (Ardais pityusa, Mimoniades nurscia), among other species.

We’ll also venture along nearby forest trails, which are excellent for spotting Andean metalmarks, including Anteros nubosus and Ithomeis (Nahida) coenoides. In addition to the on-site trails, we’ll take short drives to nearby locations in search of exciting species like Caligo prometheus, Podotricha judith, and Perisama tryphena. Throughout our explorations, we’ll remain on the lookout for clearwings nectaring on Eupatorieae flowers.

Today, we’ll make our way from Rio Quijos to Tena, a scenic 3-hour drive. Along the route, we’ll stop to butterfly, aiming to spot the striking Veladyris pardalis, along with other Andean species like Echenais mycea. We’ll also keep an eye out for Andean satyrs, including Optimandes eugenia and Pedaliodes dracula.

Tena is one of the world’s premier butterflying destinations, and we’ll have four full days to explore its rich diversity. There seems to be no limit to the butterflies we might encounter! A highlight of several locations is the spectacular Coenophlebia archidona, a favorite among butterfly enthusiasts. The Apuya Track is renowned for producing jaw-dropping metalmarks, often accompanied by Evenus hairstreaks.

The on-site trails at our hotel are ideal for spotting dusk-flying skippers, and just up the road, a narrow valley is a magnet for a wide variety of species, including swallowtails and numerous Sarota species.

After a final morning in the Tena area, where we’ll likely revisit one of our favorite sites, we’ll embark on a 2-hour drive to WildSumaco Lodge, our next exciting destination.

We’ll spend two full days at WildSumaco, one of my favorite butterflying lodges, located on an outlying ridge of the Andes known for its extraordinary biodiversity. Expect to discover a whole new range of butterflies, including specialties like Ourocnemis boulleti, Heliconius hierax, and Pedaliodes pomponia. Roadside ditches are great for finding puddling whites, and Eupatorieae flowers often attract a variety of fascinating clearwing species. There’s always the possibility of encountering rare Andean species such as Balintus tityus, Argyrogrammana natalita, or Prepona praeneste.

Most of our butterflying will be on easy-to-walk trails, but we’ll also visit some roadside habitats to broaden our search.

We’ll spend most of the day at WildSumaco, soaking in the incredible biodiversity one last time, before making the short 1-hour drive to San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo.

We’ll have three full days to explore the extensive trail network at San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo, nestled in the lower foothills of the Sumaco Volcano. This area is renowned for its rare skippers, including Tellona variegata and Passova ganymedes. We can also anticipate encountering lower foothill and Amazonian species, such as Teratophthalma phelina, Asterope markii, and Pseudodebis marpessa. As with the rest of the tour, we’ll also be on the lookout for rare metalmarks and hairstreaks, both deep in the forest and in the open habitats around the lodge.

After breakfast at San Jorge de Sumaco Bajo, we’ll head to Rio Hollin for several hours of butterflying at this excellent foothill site. In the past, I’ve spotted gems like Imelda mycea and Dismorphia niepelti here, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled for these and other special species.

Following our time at Rio Hollin, we’ll complete the 3-hour drive to Papallacta, where we’ll spend the final night of the tour in a wonderful hotel built around soothing hot spring pools. Be sure to bring your bathing suit to fully enjoy this relaxing experience!

The weather at Papallacta is usually not ideal for butterflying, but if we’re lucky with a sunny morning, we’ll head up to the treeline above the hotel to search for exciting species like Neopedaliodes juba, Lasiophila circe, and Ladda puracensis, among others.

After lunch, we’ll make the short drive to the Quito airport, where the tour will officially conclude.