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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 * GBP5,664 * EUR6,815 * AUD10,925

Single Supplement: USD660 * GBP527 * EUR634 * 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 * GBP5,903 * EUR7,103 * AUD11,387

Single Supplement: USD870 * GBP695 * EUR836 * 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
AG, Ecuador 2022

All the participants were nice and helpful in pointing out birds to others. Dusan was great and worked hard to get everyone on a bird. His expertise makes you realize how much you miss! But it also helps know what to try to find.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
DS, Ecuador 2018

It was a well-oiled machine. Dušan Brinkhuizen is an excellent guide. It goes without saying he knows his birds and he kept the whole adventure moving smoothly. I would hope Dušan would be the guide on my next Rockjumper tour.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
CM, Ecuador 2018

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 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
SW - Ecuador 2024

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”.

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