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Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest

© Toucan Barbet by David Hoddinott
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest II 2025

29 Oct 2025 - 05 Nov 2025 (8 days)

USD3,295 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Adam Walleyn

Tour price (Per person): USD3,295 * GBP2,630 * EUR3,168 * AUD5,280

Single Supplement: USD390 * GBP311 * EUR375 * AUD625

Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest I 2026

08 Feb 2026 - 15 Feb 2026 (8 days)

USD3,495 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Robert Wilcox

Tour price (Per person): USD3,495 * GBP2,790 * EUR3,360 * AUD5,600

Single Supplement: USD420 * GBP335 * EUR404 * AUD673

Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest II 2026

28 Oct 2026 - 04 Nov 2026 (8 days)

USD3,495 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz

Tour price (Per person): USD3,495 * GBP2,790 * EUR3,360 * AUD5,600

Single Supplement: USD420 * GBP335 * EUR404 * AUD673

Our classic Choco Cloud Forest tour covers all the important birding sites found north-west of the capital city of Quito. This area is part of the Chocó bioregion that hosts a great number of endemics and specialities that are only shared with neighbouring areas of Colombia to the north. We will be based in the Tandayapa and Mindo valleys from where we will set out to bird the various renowned private reserves, affording us an outstanding opportunity to support local conservation projects for long-term habitat protection. A wide array of habitats will be birded, starting with the mystical elfin forest of the temperate zone, followed by bird-rich subtropical cloud forests. We will also venture deeper into tropical foothill forests to reach the mega-diverse lowlands. Iconic species that we will be searching for include Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Giant Antpitta, Plate-billed Mountain and Chocó Toucans, Toucan Barbet, Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Club-winged Manakin, Glistening-green Tanager, Orange-breasted and Scaled Fruiteaters and Velvet-purple Coronet, to mention but a few. In case rarities such as Banded Ground Cuckoo or Rufous-crowned Antpitta show up in the area, we will do our very best to fit in a twitch. A great network of birding reserves together with excellent infrastructure, unsurpassable scenery and friendly people make the Northwest of Ecuador one of the planet’s most delightful birding destinations.

Top Birds

Dark-backed Wood Quail; Indigo-crowned Quail-Dove; Pacific Parrotlet; Rose-faced Parrot; Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl; Sword-billed & Purple-chested Hummingbird; Golden-breasted Puffleg; Purple-bibbed Whitetip; Empress Brilliant; Brown Inca; Velvet-purple Coronet; White-booted Racket-tail; Violet-tailed Sylph; Golden-headed Quetzal; Chocó Trogon; Barred Puffbird; White-whiskered Puffbird; White-faced Nunbird; Orange-fronted & Toucan Barbets; Pale-mandibled Aracari; Plate-billed Mountain & Chocó Toucans; Olivaceous Piculet; Cinnamon & Guayaquil Woodpeckers; Pacific Tuftedcheek; Black-crowned Antshrike; Checker-throated & Pacific Antwrens; Chestnut-backed Antbird; Black-headed & Rufous-breasted Antthrushes; Giant, Moustached, Yellow-breasted & Ochre-breasted Antpittas; Nariño & Ocellated Tapaculos; Chocó Tyrannulet; Black-capped Pygmy Tyrant; Andean Cock-of-the-rock; Orange-breasted & Scaled Fruiteaters; Golden-winged, White-bearded & Club-winged Manakins; Beautiful Jay; Black Solitaire; White-capped Dipper; Chocó Warbler; Yellow-tufted, Scarlet-thighed & Scarlet-breasted Dacnises; Indigo Flowerpiercer; Yellow-collared Chlorophonia; Glistening-green, Moss-backed, Grey-and-gold, Rufous-throated, Blue-whiskered, Black-chinned Mountain, Scarlet-browed & Ochre-breasted Tanagers.

Top Mammals

Olingito; Tayra; White-fronted Capuchin; Spectacled Bear (rare)

Habitats Covered

temperate tree line forest, subtropical cloud-forest, tropical foothill forest and tropical lowland forest all in the Chocó bioregion

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

easy/moderate pace

Accommodation

comfortable lodges

Ease of Birding

easy birding with some tricky skulkers

Number of Species Expected

300 - 350

Photographic Opportunities

excellent at sites with feeders

What our clients say about us

Dušan Brinkhuizen
SH & PB, Ecuador and Galapagos 2018

We had a great time, both Dušan Brinkhuizen (all 4 trips) and Andrés Trujillo (Galapagos) were excellent. We were very happy with the accommodation, transport and the variety of wildlife that we saw.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
AB, Ecuador 2018

Dušan Brinkhuizen is a fantastic guide! He is incredibly talented as a birder but equally important, he is very patient and he managed our group perfectly. We had a great time together based on his leadership. He is an asset to Rockjumper.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
KP, Ecuador - Galapagos 2018

The guides, Dušan Brinkhuizen and Andrés Trujillo, conducted the tour very professionally. They were meticulous in what they did and took care of us, seeing to our every need.

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
PS&AS, Ecuador 2022

Dusan Brinkhuizen our guide was exceptional. He knew all the birds, their calls and where to find them. Dusan had so much patience and went to great lenths to make sure we saw the brids. Allen and I would highly recommend Dusan as a guide to Ecuador.

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