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Ecuador - Western: Chocó Specialities

© Banded Ground Cuckoo by Jonathan Rossouw
Ecuador - Western: Chocó Specialities 2026

10 Oct 2026 - 25 Oct 2026 (16 days)

USD6,295 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Lisle Gwynn

Tour price (Per person): USD6,295 * GBP4,722 * EUR5,512 * AUD9,892

Single Supplement: USD770 * GBP578 * EUR674 * AUD1,210

Ecuador - Western: Chocó Specialities 2027

16 Oct 2027 - 31 Oct 2027 (16 days)

USD3,500 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Rockjumper Tour Leader TBC

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): USD3,500 * GBP2,625 * EUR3,065 * AUD5,500

Our new Chocó Specialities birding tour completes our tour coverage of this incredibly diverse country. Long ignored and historically tricky to reach, the lowland Chocó forests of Northwest Ecuador and the coastal littoral now make for a very appealing tour. The Chocó is an eco-region and biodiversity hotspot that holds the largest number of restricted-range birds of any Endemic Bird Area in the Americas, with 62 species being endemic to the area. Habitats are typically characterised by tropical humid lowland forests and wet cloud-forests. Unfortunately, the Chocó region is also one of the most threatened areas in South America. Deforestation rates are accelerating and habitat destruction has been most severe in the lowlands, especially the coastal plains and foothills. Departing Quito we are introduced to the Andean region of the Chocó with a bevy of normally difficult species including Moss-backed Tanager, the Indigo Flowerpiercer, Beautiful Jay, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Chocó Vireo, Pacific Tuftedcheek, Black Solitaire, Star-chested Treerunner, and Purplish-mantled and Glistening-green Tanagers. We also make a chance to see a few enigmatic antpitta species like Giant Antpitta, Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Ochre-breasted Antpitta and Moustached Antpitta. As we move into the Chocó lowlands, we target Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Brown Wood-Rail, Banded Ground Cuckoo (if it is showing), Ocellated and Stub-tailed Antbirds, Scarlet-breasted Dacnis, and Scarlet-and-white, Blue-whiskered and Lemon-spectacled Tanagers. Five-colored Barbet, Black-tipped Cotinga, Lita and Chocó Woodpeckers, Yellow-green Bush and Golden-chested Tanagers provide the supporting cast to the drab but monotypic Sapayoa and the exceedingly tricky Rufous-crowned Antpitta.

Top Birds

Long-wattled Umbrellabird; Sapayoa; Baudo Guan; Rufous-crowned Antpitta (rare); Brown Wood & Ecuadorian Rails; Dark-backed Wood Quail; Berlepsch's Tinamou; Rose-faced Parrot; Chocó Trogon; Five-colored, Orange-fronted & Toucan Barbets; Black-breasted & Barred Puffbirds; Plate-billed Mountain Toucan; Black-tipped & Blue Cotingas; Red-capped Manakin; Orange-breasted Fruiteater; Guayaquil, Lita & Chocó Woodpeckers; Ochraceous Attila; Jet, Spotted, Esmeralda’s, Ocellated & Stub-tailed Antbirds; Giant, Yellow-breasted, Moustached & Streak-chested Antpittas; Chocó Poorwill; Chocó Screech Owl,; Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl; Beautiful Jay; Chocó Vireo; Short-tailed Woodstar; Humboldt Sapphire; Tooth-billed Hummingbird; Velvet-purple Coronet; Violet-tailed Sylph; Hoary Puffleg; Empress Brilliant; Pacific Tuftedcheek; Star-chested Treerunner; Black Solitaire; Dagua Thrush; Stripe-throated Wren; Chocó & Nariño Tapaculos; Subtropical Doradito; Pacific Flatbill; Rufous Mourner; Rufous Piha; Scarlet-breasted Dacnis; Moss-backed, Golden-chested, Purplish-mantled, White-winged, Scarlet-and-white, Blue-whiskered, Lemon-spectacled, Glistening-green & Grey-and-gold Tanagers; Indigo Flowerpiercer; chances for Banded Ground Cuckoo (very rare).

Top Mammals

Brown-headed Spider Monkey; Mantled Howler Monkey; White-fronted Capuchin.

Habitats Covered

Chocó tropical lowland forest, Chocó cloud-forest, Tumbesian dry forest, highland lakes

Expected Climate

Warm to hot and humid

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader

Tour Pace & Walking

DIFFICULT: This is a high-intensity “mega” tour designed for passionate listers and serious birders who enjoy a fast-paced schedule. Due to its demanding nature, it’s not recommended for avid photographers, inexperienced birders, or anyone with mobility or health limitations.

This is a moderate to difficult tour. You should have a VERY GOOD level of fitness and stamina & be in VERY GOOD health. Not suitable for dedicated or avid photographers; inexperienced birders; or anyone with mobility or health challenges. Our Mega tours are very fast-paced birding adventures designed for the dedicated lister and serious birder. The focus of the tour is to see as many of the endemics and area specials as possible in our given time. In order to cover the necessary route to maximise the species list we tend to spend a single night at most sites and travel large distances. There is very little down time aside from that spent driving from one site to the next. These tours are not suitable for dedicated or avid photographers; inexperienced or new birders; as well as anyone with serious mobility or health challenges.

Accommodation

Varies from basic to very comfortable.

Ease of Birding

Moderate to demanding. Bird density is low, many visuals are high in the canopy.

Number of Species Expected

400+

Photographic Opportunities

Reasonable, typical rain forest conditions of variable light and frequent rain.

What our clients say about us

Dušan Brinkhuizen
SW, Ecuador 2022

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.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
SK - Ecuador 2022

Dusan was an outstanding tour leader. His knowledge of the birds, their habits, and calls was amazing as was his ability to manage the needs and goals of the tour participants. Both tours completely fulfilled my expectations. Thank you for an excellent experience.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
SF, Ecuador - Galapagos 2018

Our guides, Dušan Brinkhuizen and Andrés Trujillo, are excellent in their jobs. They are very helpful and kind. All our tour members were very happy with them.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
MN - Ecuador 2021

"This tour was great and Dusan was fabulous, an incredible birder, guide and person. I don't need to say more because I'm sure you've heard many accolades about him. It was a great tour though harder than I expected but I'm old and age makes a difference. I definitely would go again with Dusan. There was a disparity of physical abilities among the clients and Dusan handled the situation very well, taking care of the one person who could do the least physically and I think keeping her happy under the circumstances. This really speaks to his people skills. The three of us who were the weakest physically were the oldest. I was elated because I saw the oil birds and Sapayoa(s!!) and why I signed up not even considering the difficulty of canopy birding and what hilly jungle trails entailed. I'm so glad I went and would have hated being dissuaded. So thank you..."

Lev Frid
DK & NK, Ecuador 2021

We really enjoyed the tour. Lev did a great job. We will look forward to booking again

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