phone-icon 1-888-990-5552 email-icon info@rockjumper.com
user-icon
Log in / Register

Ecuador - Bird Photography Tour

© Black-throated Brilliant by Adam Riley
Ecuador - Bird Photography Tour 2027

30 Apr 2027 - 12 May 2027 (13 days)

USD6,200 - Spaces Available

Book Now

client-img

Tour Leader: Alexander Alvarado

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

Tour price (Per person): USD6,200 * GBP4,742 * EUR5,443 * AUD9,723

Ecuador is fortuitously situated within the heart of a fantastically diverse habitat array, ranging from the high Andes to excellent lowland rainforest. Ecuador’s small size, good infrastructure, unsurpassable scenery, and friendly people make it one of the planet’s most delightful birding destinations. Our dedicated Bird Photo Tour seeks to enjoy an incredible selection of Ecuador’s avian wonders and the various lodges and accessible feeders that we will visit superbly augment our overall experience.

Highlights

  • Visit many of Ecuador’s most famous sites that include some stunningly scenic locations including Antisana and Pichincha Volcano’s and the incredible Papallacta Pass.
  • Feeders abound throughout our route which attract numerous species. These provide fantastic photo opportunities of many different species from stunning hummingbirds to flashy tanagers.
  • Comfortable accommodation, many of which are built to be specialist birding lodges.
  • Refugio Paz, one of the most amazing bird shows on earth where several extremely cryptic species can be coaxed into view.
  • Visit to an Oilbird roost cave, an iconic monotypic family species.
  • Short travel distances between lodges, extensive birding habitat throughout.
  • Opportunities for Giant Hummingbird, the largest hummingbird in the world.

Top Birds

Andean Cock-of-the-rock; Andean Condor; Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe; Orange-breasted & Scaled Fruiteaters; Golden-winged, White-bearded & Club-winged Manakins; Beautiful Jay; Black Solitaire; Oilbird; Glistening-green, Moss-backed, Grey-and-gold, Rufous-throated, Blue-whiskered, Scarlet-browed, Saffron-crowned, Beryl-spangled, Flame-faced, Black-capped, Grass-green, Golden-crowned, White-capped & Ochre-breasted Tanagers; Buff-breasted, Masked, Blue-winged and Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanagers; Black-headed & Rufous-breasted Antthrushes; Giant, Moustached, Yellow-breasted, White-bellied, Peruvian, Slaty-crowned, Crescent-faced & Ochre-breasted Antpittas; Dark-backed Wood Quail; Golden-headed Quetzal; Chocó Trogon; Toucan Barbet; Pale-mandibled Aracari; Plate-billed Mountain & Chocó Toucans; Ecuadorian, White-tailed & Green-backed Hillstars; Black-tailed Trainbearer; Great Sapphirewing; Purple-backed, Black-mantled, Blue-mantled, Purple-mantled & Rainbow-bearded Thornbills; Shining Sunbeam; Giant, Speckled, Many-spotted, Violet-headed & Sword-billed Hummingbirds; Collared & Bronzy Incas; Long-tailed & Violet-tailed Sylphs; Tourmaline Sunangel; Chestnut-breasted, Velvet-purple & Buff-tailed Coronets; Mountain Avocetbill; Tyrian & Viridian Metaltails; White-bellied, Purple-throated & Gorgeted Woodstars; Glowing, Sapphire-vented, Black-breasted, Hoary & Golden-breasted Pufflegs; Violet-fronted, Black-throated, Empress, Green-crowned & Fawn-breasted Brilliants; White-booted & Peruvian Racket-tails; Geoffrey’s Wedgebill; Brown Violetear; Bronzy & Brown Incas; Green & Sparkling Violetears; Gould’s Jewelfront; Golden-tailed Sapphire; Napo Sabrewing; Rufous-vented & Purple-bibbed Whitetips; Golden-tailed Sapphire; Blue-fronted Lancebill; Wire-crested & Green Thorntails; Fork-tailed & Crowned Woodnymphs; Green & White-whiskered Hermits; Ecuadorian Piedtail; White-tipped Sicklebill; Buff-winged Starfrontlet; White-necked Jacobin; Andean Emerald.

Top Mammals

White-tailed Deer; Andean Fox; Mountain Tapir (rare); Olingito; Tayra; Spectacled Bear (rare)

Habitats Covered

temperate tree line forest, subtropical cloud-forest, tropical foothill forest and tropical lowland forest all in the Chocó bioregion, paramo grasslands and highland lakes, polylepis forest, temperate cloud-forest, upper and lower subtropical cloud-forest

Expected Climate

chilly to hot and humid (very pleasant temperatures on most days)

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader

Tour Pace & Walking

UNDEMANDING: This tour is ideal for birders and wildlife enthusiasts of all experience levels. It’s suitable for most mobility levels and offers a relaxed pace, ensuring an enjoyable experience for everyone.

Undemanding. Suitable for all birding / wildlife interest levels. Our Bird Photo Tours are a hybrid between our Classic birding tours and dedicated photographic tours. You don’t have to be a professional photographer or have the biggest lens; this is for everyone with an interest in photography and birding. Whether you’re using a bridge camera or the latest body and prime lens, our aims are the same. • These tours are not aimed at seeing the most species possible on the route, rather taking time to photograph key targets and any other interesting species we may find. Naturally, the overall species list will be lower than a comparable birding focused tour. • Whilst we may use blinds, feeders and hide setups on some of these tours, we will not be spending an entire day nor even several hours fixed in one spot. • These tours are suitable for photographers who prefer opportunistic photography over entire days in a hide. • Our leaders will assist in helping everyone secure good photographic opportunities and advise as much as they can on camera setup. However, they are not professional photographic tour leaders.

Accommodation

Comfortable.

Ease of Birding

Mostly undemanding. Birding is primarily at lodge feeders & trails, roadside or in parks/preserves.

Photographic Opportunities

Good to very good, numerous feeders.

What our clients say about us

Dušan Brinkhuizen
BK - Ecuador 2022

"Really very positive indeed. I really liked Dusan, and there was no question he was an astonishing birder. I'd love to do another tour with him."

Dušan Brinkhuizen
EL, Ecuador 2022

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.

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.

Tuomas Seimola
SR & PT, Ecuador 2022

This was our first birding tour and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The support from the tour leader, the ground staff, hotel, boat and lodge staff, local guides and families was exceptional. In particular we'd like to express our appreciation to Tuomas whose local and bird knowledge, combined with people skills made this a really memorable trip.

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.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  • Your details

  • This field is hidden when viewing the form

  • Contact permission

    We would love to send you Newsletters (twice yearly).via Type a message, Promotions/Discounts (weekly), Blog Articles/Image of the Month (monthly) and other content that we think you would find interesting. If you are happy with this then please select your preferences below. If you would like to unsubscribe from previous subscriptions, or leave our mailing list entirely, then please do so by visiting the Preference Centre link at the bottom of these emails.

Route Map

Tour Route Map

map-direction-img
Download Tour Itinerary