This exceptional birding journey takes you through Ecuador’s most iconic natural regions, combining high Andean ecosystems, lush cloud forests, and the extraordinary biodiversity of the Chocó. Carefully designed for birding enthusiasts, the itinerary covers both hemispheres and a wide altitudinal range, offering outstanding wildlife encounters and spectacular scenery.
During the tour, participants can expect to record over 400 bird species, including numerous endemics and rare species, while staying at strategically located lodges close to prime birding sites. This experience blends expert guiding, conservation-focused reserves, and immersive nature exploration for an unforgettable adventure in one of the world’s top birding destinations.
Year-round, with excellent birding opportunities in all seasons
Nature lodges and comfortable hotels
Small groups for a more personalized birding experience
This trip will take you to the most famous birding area in the world. This well-thought itinerary includes a mix of regions on both hemispheres, so you can experience Ecuador's incredible wildlife, spectacular scenery, and birds. You are likely to find over 400 species of birds during this journey!
Arrive at the International Airport in Quito. Most flights arrive in the evening. Transfer to the hotel. Welcome dinner at the lodge and accommodation. (D)
We will leave Quito early at 5:30 AM to Yanaocha reserve, where a worm feeder was created for the Tawny Antpitta and the Rufous Antpitta, the latter being seen more regularly in the area. In addition to finding several species of Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Chestnut-napped Antpitta and Ocellated Tapaculo.
We´ll hike through the flat and easy-access Inca trail that extends for about 2 km through the stunning lush montane humid forest, with flocks of birds being regularly encountered. Several stations with multiple hummingbird feeders are situated at various spots. There are mixed flocks of beautiful birds such as Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Black-chested Mountain Tanager, Blue-backed Conebill, Golden crowned Tanager, Superciliated Hemispingus.
A major highlight here are the amazing Hummingbirds!! Great Sapphirewing, Sapphire-vented and Golden-breasted Pufflegs, Tyrian Metaltail, Buff-winged Starfrontlet and the outstanding Sword-billed hummingbird are frequent visitors of the feeders. Lunch will be served at the reserve restaurant; later, we’ll continue our drive on the old Nono-Mindo Road towards Bellavista Lodge. (BLD)
Today you’ll bird along the upper Tandayapa and Mindo Valleys. There are some interesting species to be watched here like the Beryl Spangled Tanager, and Black Capped Tanager, in the Upper Tandayapa valley you will try for the spectacular Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Gorgeted Sunangel, Collared Inca, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Grass-green Tanager, Dusky Chlorospingus (Bush-Tanager), Plain-tailed Wren, Ocellated Tapaculo, and Pearled Treerunner, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Red-headed Barbet, Toucan Barbet. Meals and accommodation at Bellavista Cloud Forest.
Today we will start very early in the morning and head off to Paz de las Aves that is a small, private reserve near Mindo where Angel Paz the owner of this magical place, has developed a way to hand-feeding several elusive species like Giant, Yellow-Breasted, Chestnut-Crowned, Moustache, Ochre-Breasted Antpittas with amazing success. This place is a highlight in this tour.
At sunrise we will also visit an active Andean Cock of the Rock Lek to admire the amazing displays of males. Some birds You´ll see in the forest are Golden-headed quetzal, Olivaceous Piha, Toucan Barbet, Black-chinned Mountain-tanager, Golden-Winged Manakin and Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Nariño Tapaculo among others. After a typical breakfast served in the reserve, we will enjoy the spectacular Velvet-purple Coronet, Brown-Violetear and Empress Brilliant at hummingbird feeders. Around the property we can also see Beryl-spangle tanager, Golden tanager. At mid-morning we continue our journey to Canandé reserve. We will serve a packed lunch on the way.
At mid-afternoon, the group will arrive at Canandé reserve, dinner and accommodation at Chocó Lodge. After dinner the group can make a night-walk to look for herps and other wonders.
During the next two days you will explore one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. Canandé Lodge is located in Esmeraldas Province of northwestern Ecuador, two hours from the town of Pedro Vicente Maldonado. The lodge is situated at about 300m altitude—an ideal setting to experience humid Chocó tropical forest.
There are 62 species of birds endemic to the Chocó eco-region. Of those, 37 can be found in the Canandé Reserve. Species of interest include the Scarlet-breasted Dacnis, Golden-chested Tanager, Rose-faced Parrot, Great Green Macaw, Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Banded Ground-Cuckoo, Yellow-green Bush-Tanager, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, White-tipped Cotinga, Plumbeous Forest-falcon, Baudo Guan, Black-tipped Cotinga. The enigmatic Sapayoa is observed, along with the Chocó Poorwill and the Great Jacamar.
Camera traps have also revealed there are populations of four feline species in the reserve: Jaguar, Puma, Ocelot and Margay, as well as Pecaries and Red Deer, plus three species of monkeys: Howler monkeys, Brown-headed Spider monkeys and White Capuchins.
Amphibians such as the Kiki, the Horned Marsupial Frog and glass frogs are also protected in the reserve.
Fundación Jocotoco established the Canandé Reserve with the aim of protecting one of the most important and threatened biodiversity hotspots the Chocó, known as the non-Amazonian locality with the largest herpetofauna in the world.
Today the group will depart Canandé reserve after a morning birding before starting the way back to Quito making some stops to enjoy some other areas such as Guaycapi or Sachatamia feeders. One of the main attractions are the hundreds of bird species that inhabit the exuberant protected forest, aside from the agoutis, anteaters, armadillos and deer. Dinner and accommodation at hotel in Quito.
On this day, we´ll visit Chakana reserve.
This trip will take you through a great scenery in the Ecuadorian High Andes. The roads will border one national protected area Antisana National Park and Fundación Jocotoco’s Chakana Reserve therefore the scenery is amazing. The altitudinal range covered is over 3600 to 4100 masl. We spend the entire day in the area, watching for Andean Condors that should be easy and other birds like Giant Hummingbird, the astonishing Ecuadorian Hillstar, Carunculated Caracara, Variable Hawk. You can a make a walk around the paramo to enjoy the sightings, landscapes and native flora. If you are lucky, you can see the Spectacled bear. You will take a delicious and traditional lunch at Casa Antisanilla. In the afternoon return to Quito. Dinner and accommodation at hotel in Quito. (BLD)
Airport transfer according to international flight schedules. End of services.
