Ecuador after Galapagos

Probably i can have some help here.

I´m planing to spend 10 days around Ecuador after my trip to Galapagos , my main interest is to do some willife photography or better yet some u/w shoots in the jungle . Anyone know about a river or lagoon with clear water ?

In the past i saw some great u/w shoots from Rio Negro , Brazil . Lots of life and things happening near the surface in the submerged forest and very dramatic views.

Until now i´m considering the following places: Napo Wildlife Center , Sacha Lodge and Cuyabeno Lodge.

I will appreciate any recomendations, comments or suggestions based in your experiences

Gracias

Probably i can have some help here.

 

I´m planing to spend 10 days around Ecuador after my trip to Galapagos , my main interest is to do some willife photography or better yet some u/w shoots in the jungle . Anyone know about a river or lagoon with clear water ?

 

In the past i saw some great u/w shoots from Rio Negro , Brazil . Lots of life and things happening near the surface in the submerged forest and very dramatic views.

 

Until now i´m considering the following places: Napo Wildlife Center , Sacha Lodge and Cuyabeno Lodge.

 

I will appreciate any recomendations, comments or suggestions based in your experiences

 

Gracias

I Stayed at Sacha for 5 days, was great for frogs, Caiman and Pirahnas. The problem you will have underwater is that the water is a deep brown colour. the local guides were really cool and enjoyed laughing at the silly tourist snorkelling for caimans at night.

The accommodation at sacha was nice with no mosquitoes around the accommodation due to the acidity of the water, but my bungalow was right on the lagoon, i think the others on the hillside might have had more issues.

If i was to go again i'd probably try one of the others just to see what they are like, probably Napo Wildlife Centre.

There are some images in my weblink below

Ok . I will leave my housing at Quito . I asked the lodges and all of them said the same .... water is not clear at all .

I saw your Ecuador gallery and i have 2 questions :

Do you think the 80-400 VR is enough for the parrot lick ?

What about a tripod , worthy or not ?

I think i will choose NWC mainly because of the higher chance to photograph the giant otters , maybe then to Cuyabeno or the mountains.

Thanks

Ok . I will leave my housing at Quito . I asked the lodges and all of them said the same .... water is not clear at all .

 

I saw your Ecuador gallery and i have 2 questions :

Do you think the 80-400 VR is enough for the parrot lick ?

What about a tripod , worthy or not ?

 

I think i will choose NWC mainly because of the higher chance to photograph the giant otters , maybe then to Cuyabeno or the mountains.

 

Thanks

For the Parrot lick i was using a 70-200 VR with a 2x TC on a D70, we had a very overcast day and i had trouble getting the exposures i wanted. At the parrot licks there are set places where you can stand, ie you cannot get any closer and as such even the other guys that were there were having trouble with a huge canon 600mm (and 2x TC) on a 1Ds. At f5.6 on at 400mm on your lens i doubt you will want to add a TC.

For a camera bag I took a lowepro dryzone 200 with me which was a great help in keeping my gear dry, a pain in the ass to have 2 sets of zippers, but worth the money when it starts to rain.

If you have a good Ball head on your tripod it might be nice for waterfalls, but will be very little use for the parrot lick as you can rest the lens on the fence to steady it.

The giant otters would be great to see, i hope you get some shots!

After the Upper Amazon it might be worth trying the Cloud forest on the pacific side, loads of humming birds and toucans, and refreshingly cold air after being in the rainforest.

Gracias