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Chouliha
We met Tony in Panama when he was leading a group of birders from the US. When he found out we were in Ecuador he invited us to come visit his bird reserve in the cloud forest.I recently spent a few days up at Tony and Barbara's place and throughly enjoyed the visit and the birds.ProsIf you like hummingbirds you can NOT beat this reserve. 25 species where counted while we were there. How about 2000-3000 hummingbirds per day!The work they have done to reforest the property and insure local fauna being replanted is an amazing tribute to both of them.They arranged for a taxi to pick us up at our hotel in Quito. This wonderful family took us to the store to provision first and then up to the guesthouse on Tony& Barbara's property. These folks were a delight to be with.The guesthouse was clean, had hot water, excellent spring water flowing from the tap and comfortable beds with bedding. Propane was used for cooking and hit water. It's rustic but that's one of the charms of the place.The wonderful bird life was terrific..... ok I mentioned that already.ConsIt is a bit difficult to get to and a 2 hour taxi ride.The guest house is a work in progress and more / better pots and pans were planned.Be sure to bring a headlamp with extra batteries, some candles and rain gear.I would highly recommend a visit especially if you enjoy birds and hummingbirds!
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yagul
Pacha Quindi Nature Preserve is a great place. Tony and Barbara are so welcoming and provide so much information about the birds and the environment. If you are ever in Ecuador and near Pacha Quindi you must go visit. You will not be disappointed. And you will see a large variety of hummingbirds.
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Petr_B_12_12
This is literally hidden gem. When our driver stopped and said "Here is Tony's garden" I really didn't see anything more than road curve in nowhere. After for about 50 steps, I stopped breathing for a while. What amazing place is there! Hundreds of hummingbirds buzzing ALL around and the view was breathtaking. We spent two nights there and will definitelly spend much more during my next visit. Is it worth of visit? 110%. Imagine the place where you meet Common potoo hunting daily from his perch, Sickle-winged Guan daily visiting the garden, rarely seen Wattled Guan eating the palm fruits, Crimson-rumped Toucanets dancing few meters of you, hundreds of hummingbirds everywhere or sloth hanging just 50 meters from the backyard. Tanagers and other birds periodically returning to the garden surroundings. Want to see Toucan Barbet? No problem, many times a day coming back and calling all the time from vicinity. As a wildlife photographer I had hundreds of opportunities to take pictures. But I didn't use it. Most of time I just sat looking ahead and wish I had to never leave. Tony and Barbara totally change the pasture (yes, it was pasture before) to very functional cloud forest. We spent several hours just talking about the beauty around. Their attitude, knowledge and patience are unmatched. I traveled to many beautiful places around the world tropics and this is really the place I will have in my heart forever. Your visit will support one of the most meaningful work on this planet. Just do it. As Tony said: "It's not bad backyard, isn't it?" :-)
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rowbird2014
I've been visiting the home of Tony and Barbara Nunnery for years now. It is always such a pleasure to come back! The hummingbird show around their house is unrivalled. The reforestation and habitat preservation that they have spent all their energy on over the past two decades is both impressive and inspirational. The birding and wildlife attractions here are not to be missed. No visit to the Tandayapa Valley is complete without a stop here.
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Papa47
My wife and I were blessed to spend an afternoon birding at Tony and Barbara's Pacha Quindi in August 2014. From the moment we arrived until we were dragged away by our tour guide, we were spoiled by the fantastic birding, the fabulous lunch, and the friendly hospitality of our hosts. There was a constant buzz of activity at the hummingbird feeders with Tony calling out the names in rapid fashion. Soon he was pointing out beautiful tanagers, woodpeckers, toucanets, and other great birds. Our cameras were clicking away (even as we ate our lunches) as we recorded memories to take home with us. This is a must see if you visit Ecuador.
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Ian_Fraser1951
I've had the privilege over the past couple of years of accompanying natural history groups to Ecuador and every hour of every day is a naturalist's delight. It's hard for any given wonder in the midst of such wonders to stand out, but Pacha Quindi, Tony and Barbara certainly do that. It's one of the places in Ecuador I most look forward to going back to each time, and one of the first places mentioned later by people I've travelled with when reminiscing. I can't add much about the particulars of the place to what other reviewers have done here, but I can certainly reinforce that your visit will be rich in the natural history of the area, as well as in wonder at the extraordinary achievements of Tony and Barbara on the slenderest of resources. Without in any way denigrating any of the wonderful lodges in the area, it is refreshing to be in a place whose sole purpose is to further the conservation and rehabilitation of this extraordinary part of the world. The risible $5 entry fee is entirely swallowed up by day to day running of the place for the benefit of the plants and animals. Please make time to visit, and please tell others. Ian Fraser, Canberra.
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roseannr974
I've been guiding birding tours to Ecuador, at least annually, since 1979, and I've never known a better place for hummingbirds than Tony and Barbara's Pacha Quindi. Ecuador is indeed "the hummingbird country," with the greatest diversity of species in the smallest area. And Pacha Quindi probably holds the record for the biggest "yard list" of hummers in the world--with around 45 species! It's not unusual to see 15-20 species of hummers--even during light rain!--in a couple of hours of birding from their sheltered porch, all the while learning how to distinguish the wing sounds of one species from those of another as Tony points out the fine variations.
After all Tony and Barbara have been living with these hummers since before 2000, when I first visited their feeders with a group. We saw 10 species of hummers in less than an hour, being lured away from the feeders and onto their forest trails by what would become my lifer Giant Antpitta! Since then they have continued to restore and improve the habitat around their home, which (incredibly!) was built in a cutover cow pasture some four to six years earlier. With great dedication and energy, they undertook to restore their clearing by nurturing a succession of native plants, resulting in what today would challenge an ecologist to distinguish from the original cloud forest. They continued to add new feeders, and the hummers just kept on coming! I've taken each of my tours that visits NW Ecuador to enjoy the hummingbirds, the cloud forest, and the wonderful hospitality of Tony and Barbara ever since. Their hospitality is considerable as well. For the low $10 entrance fee, you can enjoy not only the fabulous hummingbird show and a considerable network of well maintained trails (full of exciting bird possibilities!), but you can learn directly from Tony and Barbara some of their secrets for managing a lifestyle in this relatively remote location without electricity or a car, for growing much of their own food on site, and for restoring cutover habitat full of invasive plants to something very close to its original forested state. Their stories are truly inspirational!
For any birder going to NW Ecuador, a visit to Pacha Quindi is not to be missed. If you have time and go prepared with your own food, you can arrange to stay in their separate guesthouse for a couple of nights. It's simple but adequate, and you'll be right there at dawn, when the White-winged Brush-Finches start singing just outside the door, as they did in March 2008, when Richard and I stayed for a few days after a tour. Staying right there allows you to take advantage of the lovely forest trails before the rain clouds build up.
--Rose Ann Rowlett
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JeremyH523
Pacha Quindi has something of the Garden of Eden. The love, honesty and whole hearted commitment of Tony and Barbara to their cause of maintaining a pristine wildlife sanctuary is reflected in the richness and variety of the plants, insects and birds which grow and live in the reserve. The views are beautiful and there are a number of clear streams and waterfalls accessible from the trails, The bird life is plentiful and various and their garden is alive with hummingbirds. If you can you should try and stay there or at least visit. Pacha Quindi is a special place and by staying or visiting you will be contributing directly to the preservation of this wonderful part of the world. We wholeheartedly recommend it as an alternative to the luxury lodges in the area.We stayed in their cabin for five nights at the end of May 2014. It is self catering so we shopped in a Quito supermarket for groceries en route.There is no electricity, bring food which won't spoil without refrigeration, there are airy pantries to keep food fresh.It is an hour and a half to two hours from Quito by car. Illumination in the cabin is by candle and we found our head torches useful for reading, preparing food and getting up in the dark. There is gas for cooking and hot water, including the shower. The accommodation is rustic but very clean and the beds are comfortable. The water piped to the cabin is good for drinking.We recommend if you can that you engage Tony as a guide to his reserve and sites in the Mindo area. He is a very knowledgeable and accomplished guide and a great raconteur. He is also an enthusiastic and informed botanist and generally great company.Bring camera, binoculars and something to read.
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lyannak
I stayed here with two of my friends and none of us were disappointed! I got a lot more than I expected. At first I thought it would mostly be a place for seeing the hummingbirds and perhaps some other bird watching. It certainly had that, so many different birds, including toucans, woodpeckers, hawks, and many others. The diversity of the hummingbirds there was very impressive! Up close ecounters with countless different species. Additionally, there were also beautiful hiking trails for us to explore to my surprise! There were many waterfalls and breathtaking views that shouldn't be missed! From the guest cabin itself there are amazing views as well. The guest cabin also had hot water and a gas stove, just no electricity. It was very relaxing to disconnect for a few days, and at a fair price too! Highly recommended!
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482nikkiw
My husband and I spent a week and a half at the guest house of Pacha Quindi and were in complete awe for our entire stay. The time and attention Tony and Barbara have put into the refuge pays off in the beauty and attraction we experienced while hiking the trails, birding, and becoming enamored by the thousands of hummingbirds frequenting the garden. At any given time of day the hummingbirds swarm and some are docile enough to even land on your finger! At the same time, Plate-billed Mountain Toucans and Emerald Toucanets made frequent appearances throughout our time there. The guest house itself was a relaxing getaway from the cares of the rest of the world. With three bedrooms, a kitchen and common area, a bathroom, and an outdoor shower facing a waterfall across the valley, we were very comfortable and lacked nothing. Our overall experience will be treasured as one of our greatest trips. We recommend Pacha Quindi as a must see for birders and anyone passing through Ecuador!
