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Ecuador - Southern Endemics

© Blue-throated Hillstar by Dusan Brinkhuizen
Ecuador - Southern Endemics 2025

11 Jan 2025 - 29 Jan 2025 (19 days)

USD7,095 - No Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen

Tour price (Per person): USD7,095 * GBP5,669 * EUR6,823 * AUD10,927

Single Supplement: USD660 * GBP527 * EUR635 * AUD1,016

Can be linked with: Ecuador - Pacific Coast Extension 2025

Ecuador - Southern Endemics 2026

08 Jan 2026 - 26 Jan 2026 (19 days)

USD7,395 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Lev Frid

Tour price (Per person): USD7,395 * GBP5,909 * EUR7,112 * AUD11,389

Single Supplement: USD870 * GBP695 * EUR837 * AUD1,340

Can be linked with: Ecuador - Kapawi Amazon Extension 2026

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!

Top Birds

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.

Top Mammals

Coatimundi; Kinkajou; Spectacled Bear (rare)

Habitats Covered

Xerophytic scrub, deciduous, dry scrub, semideciduous tropical forest, pacific deciduous forest, moist foothill forest, treeless paramo, lagoons, estuaries, freshwater wetlands

Expected Climate

Chilly at higher elevations to hot and humid at lower elevations

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader

Tour Pace & Walking

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.

Accommodation

Range from basic but comfortable to very comfortable.

Ease of Birding

Moderate, several difficult forest skulkers.

Number of Species Expected

+-550

Photographic Opportunities

Worthwhile to good. Several feeders.

What our clients say about us

Dušan Brinkhuizen
RK, Ecuador 2022

Another amazing Rockjumper tour with Dusan Brinkhuizen. What a great guide and nice person. The tour was a little more rugged than the description on Rockjumper's website. It is NOT for beginners and this should be discretely mentioned. Nice Eco-lodges, food and friendly staff. Beautiful birds. Would recommend adding one additional night at San Isidro. Only one night doesn't seem fair to see the many birds at that altitude other than requiring birders to take the tour preceding the one I was on. Loved the Amazon Basin.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
WB, Ecuador 2018

Dušan Brinkhuizen is great bird master, very friendly and helpful. The trip was brilliant.

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
MW, Ecuador 2023

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.

Lev Frid
SL, Ecuador 2024

Fantastic tour and very diverse bird life. Lev and the local guides were fantastic! Could not recommend the trip or the guides more.

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