Ecuador - Amazon Extension - ZEISS joint-partnership 2026

23 Nov 2026 - 28 Nov 2026 (6 days)

USD3,850 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen

Tour price (Per person): USD3,850 * GBP2,840 * EUR3,298 * AUD5,863

Single Supplement: USD1,325 * GBP977 * EUR1,135 * AUD2,018

Flight costs: USD303 * GBP224 * EUR260 * AUD461

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!

Top Birds

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!

Top Mammals

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.

Habitats Covered

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

Expected Climate

Hot and humid, with some rain expected. At times cool at night and early in the morning.

Max Group Size

10 with 1 Rockjumper tour leader & local birding leader

Tour Pace & Walking

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

Accommodation

Very comfortable and unique jungle lodge.

Ease of Birding

Moderate

Number of Species Expected

300+

Other Attractions

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.

Photographic Opportunities

Good to excellent.

What our clients say about us

Dušan Brinkhuizen
DD, Ecuador 2018

[To Dušan Brinkhuizen] Truly, it was the very best birding trip I have ever been on, including several other Rockjumper trips which have all been great. As I think back on it, I can only marvel at your amazing ability to hear and identify the "chips" and "tsits" of birds calling or singing from deep in the understorey or high in the canopy of mature cloud forest while walking with a noisy group of folks or, even more unbelievable, from a moving vehicle.  And if this wasn't amazing enough, you would then expertly call the desired individual bird into view and, with incredible calm and patience, succeed in making sure that everyone of us on the tour got a crippling look (and maybe even a spectacular photo) of the target bird -- that as often as not -- was not only beautiful but also both rare and furtive.  And to further blow our minds, you often would pull out your vegetation clippers and create a setting and stage on which the bird would perform for us -- even sometimes, like some magician, telling us on which perch it would sit!!  As a measure of your expertise as a trip leader, let me tell you that on the two back-to-back trips with you I "got" 110 life birds (101 seen and 9 heard) and only missed 1 species that would have been a life bird for me (Blue-mantled Thornbill).  Never on any trip before in my life had I experienced such a high rate of success!! But above and beyond all of the uncanny skill and expertise that you exhibited, was the kindness, friendship, and humanity that you showed to each us.  For this I am so very grateful. Thank you!!!  Moreover, I'm sure everyone on the trip felt this way and I'm sure it created a safe and happy feeling among all of us that made the trip even more enjoyable.  I truly hope that I can go with you on another trip sometime. And finally thank you also for the wonderfully detailed and beautifully illustrated trip report you sent.  I remain amazed at how you could remember so clearly all the details of the trip.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
YB - Ecuador 2024

Dušan is the best guide we can ask for this trip ! His expertise is top notch and enthusiasm contagious !!! Even though he's been birding in Ecuador for years and has seen over 1,600 species of birds there, he showed us how he appreciated every single species we discovered, especially those hard-to-get ones ! We'd love to have him as our guide again in the future !

Dušan Brinkhuizen
RC, Ecuador 2018

Dušan Brinkhuizen is an excellent birder and leader with an excellent temperament to handle diverse personalities. I look forward to birding with him again.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
RL - Ecuador 2019

This was the second time I have traveled with Dusan Brinkhuizen (the first time was in Papua New Guinea in 2018). I would go with him anywhere. His expert knowledge of the birds and places, his skill at making sure that everyone gets on the birds, his patience and kindness, and his warm and engaging personality make him a perfect guide. I really hope I have a chance to tour with him again.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
RW & KW - Ecuador 2022

The birding was the point and our guide Dusan Brinkhuizen was and is one of the best birds guides we have ever met. Dusan has really amazing people and leadership skills. We had three very sick people on the tour and Dusan managed this and the tour very well. I personally lost a day and a half to illness and Dusan kept me appraised and part of the team as we went.

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Route Map

Tour Route Map