ECUADOR
Premium Birdwatching Expedition
— Western Cloud Forests · High Andes · Eastern Andes —
- 📅 11 Days / 10 Nights
- 🐦 300+ Bird Species Expected
- 🗺️ Chocó • Andes • Amazon Foothills
- 🏠 Premium Lodges
- 🍽 All Meals Included
- 🚗 Private Ground & River Transportation
- 🔍 Professional Birding Guide
- ✅ All-Inclusive Experience
PRICE
$6,500
PER PERSON
THE BEST ALL-INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE
Some journeys are measured by miles. Others by the birds you never imagined you would see.
— The Land of —
Endless Birds
Ecuador Birdwatching
An Extraordinary Journey Through Ecuador’s Finest Birding Regions
🐦 Ecuador is one of the world’s greatest birdwatching destinations. Despite its small size, it is home to more than 1,650 bird species, representing nearly 17% of all bird species on Earth. From cloud forests and high Andean páramos to Amazon foothills, every day reveals new habitats and extraordinary birdlife.
🌳 This carefully designed expedition takes you across the Western Andes, the Chocó Cloud Forest, the High Andes, and the Eastern Slopes, allowing you to experience an exceptional diversity of ecosystems within a single journey.
🔍 Every destination has been selected to maximize bird diversity and photographic opportunities. We will visit internationally recognized reserves, private conservation areas, hummingbird feeders, forest trails, and strategic observation points where some of Ecuador’s most iconic birds can be found.
📷 Throughout the expedition, we explore several of Ecuador’s premier birding hotspots, searching for hummingbirds, antpittas, tanagers, toucans, quetzals, motmots, parrots, owls, cock-of-the-rocks, and hundreds of other remarkable species.
🏠 Our expedition combines outstanding birding with premium comfort. Carefully selected lodges, exceptional local cuisine, comfortable accommodations, and private transportation ensure you can fully enjoy every day in the field.
🗺️ Led by experienced birding guides, each day is planned around the best opportunities for observation while adapting to weather conditions, bird activity, and seasonal movements to maximize species diversity throughout the expedition.
Welcome to one of the most extraordinary birdwatching journeys on Earth.
What Makes This Expedition Unique?
🏔 Four Remarkable Ecosystems
Travel through the Chocó Cloud Forest, Western Andes, High Andean Páramos, and Eastern Andean Foothills, exploring an extraordinary variety of habitats within a single expedition.
🐦 World-Class Bird Diversity
Search for more than 300 target species, including antpittas, cock-of-the-rocks, quetzals, toucans, tanagers, hummingbirds, motmots, owls, and many of Ecuador’s most iconic endemic birds.
📷 Exceptional Photography Opportunities
Visit carefully selected reserves, forest trails, hummingbird feeders, canopy viewpoints, and natural observation sites designed to maximize close encounters and outstanding photographic opportunities.
🏠 Premium Lodges in Nature
Stay in some of Ecuador’s finest birding lodges, surrounded by cloud forests, Andean landscapes, and pristine habitats that place wildlife just steps from your room.
⛺️ Adventure with Premium Comfort
Private transportation, carefully planned routes, experienced guides, and strategic birding stops allow you to focus entirely on enjoying every moment in the field.
The Birding Experience
🐦 Every day begins at sunrise, when Ecuador’s forests come alive with the sounds of hundreds of bird species. Our carefully planned schedule follows the best hours of activity, maximizing opportunities for observation and photography.
🐦 Travel through changing elevations, from misty cloud forests to high Andean páramos and lush Amazon foothills. Each ecosystem reveals its own remarkable birdlife, offering an ever-changing and rewarding birding experience.
🐦 Visit internationally renowned reserves, quiet forest trails, hummingbird gardens, fruit feeders, canopy viewpoints, and hidden birding hotspots where many of Ecuador’s most sought-after species can be found.
🐦 Beyond birdwatching, this expedition offers the opportunity to experience Ecuador’s extraordinary landscapes, warm hospitality, exceptional cuisine, and one of the richest concentrations of biodiversity anywhere on Earth.
Expedition Itinerary
Ecuador Premium Birdwatching Expedition
day 01
Into the Chocó Cloud Forest
- Your birdwatching adventure begins with a personalized welcome at Quito International Airport or a pre-arranged meeting point.
- Leaving the city behind, we travel along the historic Nono Road into the heart of the Chocó Andino Biosphere Reserve. Our first birding session introduces us to Ecuador’s remarkable cloud forests, searching for iconic species such as the Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Chestnut-naped Antpitta, hummingbirds, tanagers, brushfinches, and many more.
- After a carefully selected lunch, we continue toward Bellavista Reserve, making strategic birding stops before enjoying a welcome dinner and our first night surrounded by cloud forest.
day 02
Cock-of-the-Rock & Cloud Forest Secrets
- An early morning departure takes us to one of the highlights of the expedition: the spectacular Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek, where these remarkable birds perform their famous courtship displays.
- After returning to Bellavista for lunch, we continue exploring forest trails in search of hummingbirds, tanagers, toucans, and, with some luck, the elusive Spectacled Bear. As darkness falls, we venture back into the forest to search for nocturnal species, including the fascinating Andean Potoo.
day 03
Descending into the Chocó
- Today we continue deeper into the Chocó cloud forest, visiting renowned birding hotspots including Chocó Birding, San Tadeo, and Sachatamia Lodge.
- Throughout the day we explore hummingbird feeders, fruit feeders, and forest trails while searching for toucans, tanagers, warblers, brushfinches, and many other cloud forest specialties.
- By evening, we arrive at Sachatamia Lodge for dinner and a comfortable overnight stay.
day 04
Birding in the Cloud Forest
- Spend a full day exploring the remarkable habitats surrounding Sachatamia Lodge.
- Forest trails, hummingbird gardens, and fruit feeders provide excellent opportunities to observe species such as the Long-wattled Umbrellabird, antpittas, colorful tanagers, and an impressive diversity of hummingbirds.
- Following dinner, we head back into the forest for another exciting nocturnal birding session.
05
From the Chocó to Quito
- Our morning begins with a journey toward the warmer forests of Frutti Tour, near Pedro Vicente Maldonado.
- Here we search for low-elevation Chocó species before returning to Sachatamia for lunch. In the afternoon, we travel back to Quito, where a comfortable hotel and dinner await before the next stage of our expedition.
day 06
The High Andes
- Leaving Quito behind, we climb into the spectacular Andean páramo of Antisana Ecological Reserve.
- Along the way, we search for iconic high-elevation species, including the spectacular Ecuadorian Hillstar. After arriving at Tambo Cóndor Lodge, we continue birding around the reserve with opportunities to observe the majestic Andean Condor, Ecuador’s national symbol.
day 07
Toward the Eastern Andes
- Crossing one of Ecuador’s most scenic mountain roads, we descend from the high Andes toward the eastern cloud forests.
- Stopping at several strategic birding locations, we eventually reach Guango Lodge, where hummingbird feeders, forest trails, and mountain streams offer outstanding opportunities to observe species such as the Torrent Duck, Mountain Toucan, and the magnificent Golden-headed Quetzal.
day 08
The Eastern Cloud Forest
- A full morning at Guango Lodge allows us to enjoy one of Ecuador’s finest hummingbird collections before continuing to San Isidro Lodge.
- The afternoon is dedicated to birding around the lodge’s trails and feeders. After dinner, we head out in search of the legendary San Isidro Owl and other nocturnal wildlife.
day 09
San Isidro Reserve
- Today we explore one of Ecuador’s premier birdwatching destinations.
- Forest trails in Cosanga, feeders, and surrounding habitats provide excellent opportunities to observe motmots, trogons, quetzals, tanagers, hummingbirds, and many other eastern Andean specialties before spending another relaxing evening at the lodge.
day 10
The Guacamayos Ridge
- Our final full day explores several of the Eastern Andes’ most productive birding hotspots.
- We visit the Cordillera de los Guacamayos, Narupa, the spectacular Hollín River Waterfall, and Pachacutik Community, searching for jacamars, umbrellabirds, Amazonian hummingbirds, owls, toucans, and many more species while enjoying one last day immersed in Ecuador’s extraordinary biodiversity.
day 11
Journey Home
- After breakfast, we begin our return journey to Quito.
- As we cross the Andes one final time, we leave with unforgettable memories, extraordinary photographs, and an incredible bird list collected across some of Ecuador’s finest birding destinations.
“For Custom Trips Contact Us”
Please Note: The itinerary may be adjusted according to weather conditions, bird activity, road conditions, or operational requirements. Any changes will always be made to maximize bird diversity while ensuring the safety and comfort of all participants.
What’s Included?
- Accommodation — Premium birding lodges and carefully selected hotels throughout the expedition.
- Meals — All breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and refreshments during the tour.
- Private Transportation — Private ground transportation throughout the entire expedition.
- Professional Birding Guide — Experienced birdwatching guide throughout the entire journey.
- Birding Activities — All guided birdwatching activities according to the itinerary.
- Reserve & Park Entrance Fees — Entrance fees to all reserves, lodges, and protected areas included in the itinerary.
- Premium Lodges — Comfortable accommodations located in Ecuador’s premier birdwatching destinations.
- All-Inclusive Experience — A fully organized birdwatching expedition across Ecuador’s most spectacular ecosystems.
We take care of every detail so you can focus on observing, photographing, and enjoying Ecuador’s incredible birdlife.
What’s Not Included?
- International Flights
- Tips for guides and staff
- Alcoholic beverages outside the included program
- Personal expenses
- Laundry service
- Personal birdwatching equipment
- Any service not specifically mentioned
Recommended to Bring
Be prepared to explore Ecuador’s most spectacular birding destinations.
Clothing
- Lightweight long-sleeve shirts (UPF protection)
- Quick-dry hiking pants
- Lightweight rain jacket or poncho
- Warm fleece or jacket (High Andes)
- Hat or cap
- Comfortable field clothing in neutral colors
Footwear
- Waterproof hiking boots
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sandals for the lodges (optional)
- Extra socks
Personal Gear
- Polarized sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Reusable water bottle
- Waterproof daypack
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Power bank
- Personal medications
- Waterproof phone case
Birdwatching Equipment
- Binoculars (8×42 or 10×42 recommended)
- Camera with telephoto lens
- Extra batteries
- Extra memory cards
- Tripod or monopod (optional)
- Bird field guide or birding app
- Notebook or bird checklist
📅 Best Season
Year-round birding, with peak bird activity typically from October to May. Bird activity varies depending on rainfall, flowering seasons, and migration.
Experience Level — Beginner to Advanced
Whether you’re a first-time birder or an experienced observer, our guides adapt the pace and itinerary to maximize your birdwatching experience.
🌳 Conservation — Responsible Birdwatching
We support responsible tourism by working with private reserves, local communities, and conservation initiatives that protect Ecuador’s extraordinary birdlife and natural habitats.
📷 Photography — A Photographer’s Paradise
Bring your camera and capture hummingbirds, toucans, tanagers, antpittas, cock-of-the-rocks, quetzals, and hundreds of other spectacular species across Ecuador’s most iconic ecosystems.
ECUADOR PREMIUM BIRDWATCHING EXPEDITION
