23 Nov 2026 - 28 Nov 2026 (6 days)
USD3,850 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour price (Per person): USD3,850 * GBP2,885 * EUR3,362 * AUD6,033
Single Supplement: USD1,325 * GBP993 * EUR1,157 * AUD2,076
Flight costs: USD303 * GBP227 * EUR265 * AUD475
Can be linked with: Ecuador - North-western Specialities - ZEISS joint-partnership 2026
The lowlands of the Amazon basin boast incredible biodiversity; and, bird-wise, the area is arguably to most species-rich in the world. The number of bird species recorded at Napo Wildlife Center is approaching 600! The tour will focus on finding as many species and local specialties as possible, by visiting multiple (micro) habitats within the Amazonian basin. Although the list of possible targets is immense here, a couple of iconic species that we have chances for include Hoatzin, Zigzag, Capped and Agami Herons, Gray-winged Trumpeter, Sungrebe, Scarlet, Blue-and-yellow, Chestnut-fronted and Red-bellied Macaws, Gould’s Jewelfront, Wire-crested Thorntail, Great and Long-tailed Potoos, White-throated, Black-mandibled and Channel-billed Toucans, Many-banded and Ivory-billed Aracaris, American Pygmy and Green-and-rufous Kingfishers, Gilded and Scarlet-crowned Barbets, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Rusty-belted Tapaculo, Long-billed Woodcreeper, Cinnamon Attila, Screaming Piha, Golden-headed and Orange-crowned Manakins, Bare-necked Fruitcrow, Black-necked Red Cotinga and dozens of antbird species!
Black-necked Red Cotinga, Brown Nunlet, Black Caracara, Yasuni Antwren, White-plumed Antbird, Swallow-winged Puffbird. Also, Yellow-billed and Large-billed Terns, Undulated Tinamou, Scarlet and Blue-and-yellow Macaws, Green-backed and Black-tailed Trogons, White-chinned, White-eared and Great Jacamars, Scarlet-crowned Barbet, Black-fronted Nunbird, Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Salvin’s Curassow, Amazonian Streaked Antwren, Black-capped Donacobius, Hoatzin, Rufous-capped and Striated Antthrushes, White-crowned and Western Striped Manakins, Cinereous and Dusky-throated Antshrikes, Olive-backed Foliage-gleaner, Silvered, Plumbeous, Sooty, Lunulated and Scale-backed Antbirds, and more!
Giant Otter, Equatorial and Monk Sakis, Red Howler Monkey, Night Monkey, Common Squirrel Monkey, Golden Mantled Tamarin, with chances for Jaguarundi, Jaguar and Brazilian Tapir.
subtropical cloud-forest, tropical foothill forest, Rio Napo river-edge forest, Rio Napo river islands, Amazon terrafirme forest, Amazon varzea forest, Amazon riparian habitat and blackwater lagoons
Hot and humid, with some rain expected. At times cool at night and early in the morning.
10 with 1 Rockjumper tour leader & local birding 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.
Easy to moderate pace
Very comfortable and unique jungle lodge.
Moderate
300+
Amazon basin wildlife, accessed by dugout (motorized) canoe, including visits Napo river islands. Great forest trails right from the lodge. Canopy towers with access to the highest reaches of the forest. Great experience with local Kichwa-Añangu community/culture.
Good to excellent.
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.
A wonderfully tailored tour. This is not something easily done solo. If it was for Dusan, I would not have seen half of the bird species that I saw. Thanks again man, and hope to join you on another tour soon.
What a tour! We ended up with nearly 700 species seen and heard, and I ended up with almost twice as many lifers than I had anticipated. Dusan was excellent: Attentive to those having difficulties, enthusiastic, energetic, indefatigable, and a complete whiz at the birds. He was as excited about each new sighting as was the rest of the group, right through to the last day. We saw many very special birds, birds that I have missed over three previous trips to Ecuador as well as quite rare birds that, although specialties for this tour, require great effort and skill to unveil (think Buff-fronted Owl). Climate change affected the tour to a certain extent, but Dusan always had a clever plan or an alternative site to try for the bird again. The tour was a bit more strenuous than the itinerary led me to believe, but all at the participants willingly went the extra mile with Dusan every time. We were fortunate to have a pretty good group, a great driver, and good luck with the weather.
Dušan Brinkhuizen is great bird master, very friendly and helpful. The trip was brilliant.
Our tour of the Choco cloud forest and the Eastern Andes paramo and cloud forest was superb. Our guide Dušan Brinkhuizen was amazing in his ability to find birds; he clearly has supernatural hearing and eyesight! He also was superb at making sure that everyone saw the birds. He truly worried about his clients and listened to their requests as to birds, landscapes and need for sleep. We saw spectacular landscapes far off the beaten path and got very good looks at birds in all habitats. An additional plus was our driver Dario who kept us safe on marginal roads. We look forward to our next Rockjumper trip.
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