Tour Leader: Lev Frid
Tour price (Per person): USD7,395 * GBP5,726 * EUR6,854 * AUD11,804
Single Supplement: USD870 * GBP674 * EUR806 * AUD1,389
Can be linked with: Ecuador - Kapawi Amazon Extension 2026
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): USD7,600 * GBP5,885 * EUR7,044 * AUD12,131
Can be linked with: Ecuador - Kapawi Amazon Extension 2027
Due to incredibly complex geology and topography, southern Ecuador supports one of the most diverse habitats ranges in the world. Within 200 miles of the Pacific Coast, one can travel from the arid xerophytic habitat, through Chocó and semi-deciduous tropical forest, over the continental divide’s treeless paramos and down to lush, wet, foothill forests of the eastern Andes. Within these varied, pristine habitats, the evolution of many fine endemic species has occurred; and on our comprehensive South Ecuador Endemics tour, we will sample seven distinct habitats in search of these endemics and other specialties. Targets include El Oro and White-breasted Parakeets, El Oro Tapaculo, Watkins’s and the fantastic Jocotoco Antpitta, Pale-naped and White-headed Brushfinches, Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner, Elegant Crescentchest, White-tailed Jay, the fabulous Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Rainbow Starfrontlet, the vociferous, colourful, and extremely localized Orange-throated Tanager.
Very exciting news was the recent discovery of the Blue-throated Hillstar, a distinct species of hummingbird new to science, and we’ll attempt to find this highly localized endemic!
Blue-throated Hillstar; Grey Tinamou; Horned Screamer; Bearded Guan; El Oro, White-breasted (White-necked) & Grey-cheeked Parakeets; Watkins’s, Chestnut-naped & Jocotoco Antpittas; Pale-headed, White-headed & Bay-crowned Brushfinches; Bamboo, Henna-hooded & Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaners; Elegant Crescentchest; Long-wattled & Amazonian Umbrellabirds; Ochraceous Attila; Orange-throated Tanager; Band-bellied Owl; Pacific (Peruvian) Pygmy Owl; Blackish & Anthony’s (Scrub) Nightjars; Ecuadorian Trogon; Golden-headed Quetzal; Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan; Chestnut-crested Cotinga; Yellow-cheeked Becard; Coppery-chested & Purplish Jacamars; Andean Cock-of-the-Rock; Blue-rumped & Club-winged Manakins; El Oro (Ecuadorian), Chusquea & Northern White-crowned Tapaculos; Barred & Black-streaked Puffbirds; Equatorial Greytail; Great & Chapman’s Antshrikes; Esmeraldas, Jet & Grey-headed Antbirds; Foothill Antwren; Grey-mantled Wren; Foothill Elaenia; Fiery-throated, Scarlet-breasted & Scaled Fruiteaters; Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher; Necklaced & Line-cheeked Spinetails; Jelski’s Chat-Tyrant; Short-tailed Field Tyrant; Black-crested Tit-Tyrant; Red-billed Scythebill; Orange-banded & Tropical Royal Flycatchers; Grey-and-gold & Three-banded Warblers; Violet-throated & Neblina Metaltails; Rainbow Starfrontlet; Black-cowled Saltator; Chestnut-collared Swallow.
Coatimundi; Kinkajou; Spectacled Bear (rare)
Xerophytic scrub, deciduous, dry scrub, semideciduous tropical forest, pacific deciduous forest, moist foothill forest, treeless paramo, lagoons, estuaries, freshwater wetlands
Chilly at higher elevations to hot and humid at lower elevations
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader
MODERATE TO CHALLENGING: This tour requires a good level of fitness, stamina, and overall health. It’s best suited for experienced birders who are comfortable with a more active itinerary. Please note that it may not be ideal for avid photographers, new birders, or those with mobility or health concerns.
Moderate to brisk paced tours suited for those in good health with reasonable level of fitness. Not suited for anyone with mobility challenges or serious medical conditions. Limited down time at lodges, most days are birding & travelling.
Range from basic but comfortable to very comfortable.
Moderate, several difficult forest skulkers.
+-550
Worthwhile to good. Several feeders.
Dušan is an excellent field ornithologist with an encyclopaedic knowledge of bird song, taxonomy, and field identification marks. Ornithology is Dušan’s passion. He is also excellent with the clients – friendly, courteous, patient, and anxious that everyone sees all the birds and enjoys the tour. It was a great tour!
The tour was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Dušan Brinkhuizen is an excellent guide, a superb birder whose enthusiasm is infectious. We had members of our group with differing levels of birding skills, fitness and expectations. Dušan showed a high level of professionalism and went out of his way to meet everyone's expectations of the trip.
Dušan is a very knowledgeable, passionate, dedicated and high-energy leader. He is also very cognizant of his charges and tries to ensure that each of us sees the target birds. At one point, it was to his detriment not being able to photograph a very rare bird so I could catch up to him as it flew away. Dušan’s easy-going personality and humorous life and birding stories not only had us in awe of his experiences but also helped create a dynamic rapport within our group which enhanced our interpersonal interactions and travels that much more. Dusan was not immune to some gentle (or not so gentle) ribbing either. All was in good fun and tolerated admirably. We however will remember fondly the “Dušan mile”.
We were so fortunate to be able to experience the top notch birding skills of Dušan. He is very professional but also so personable. It is a tricky thing to manage many different personalities and keep everyone happy but Dusan made our trip so enjoyable.
One reason I did sign up was because of the excellent reputation of Dušan Brinkhuizen. A number of people told me what an excellent guide he was and, If I was ever to go to Ecuador, I should do so on one of his tours. They were not wrong. Dušan is exceptional for knowing the vast numbers of Ecuadorian birds and their calls. He can recognize a small chip or the legs and tail or even a partial description. Dušan is also a wonderful individual, helpful and entertaining. He is obviously very fond of his adopted country and cares much about the inhabitants and their lives.
Ecuador - Southern Endemics 2025 - January 2025
Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon II 2024 - November 2024
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes II 2024 - November 2024
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest II 2024 - October 2024
Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon I 2024 - April 2024
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes I 2024 - February 2024
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest I 2024 - February 2024
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes II 2023 - November 2023
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest II 2023 - October 2023
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes I 2023 - February 2023
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest I 2023 - February 2023
Ecuador - Southern Endemics 2023 - January 2023
Ecuador - Pacific Coast Extension 2023 - January 2023
Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon II 2022 - November 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes II 2022 - November 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest II 2022 - November 2022
Ecuador - Rare Bird Club 2022 - October 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon I 2022 - April 2022