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Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes: Paramo & Cloud Forest

© Sword-billed Hummingbird by Jonathan Rossouw

Our Eastern Andes tour is a great introduction to birding the mighty Andes of South America. We will be exploring the vast east slope for local specialities and will visit a wide array of fascinating habitats and elevations. Travelling from snow-capped volcanoes down to pristine cloud forests will be not only an incredible experience but will also offer superb birding and scenery every day!

Stunning species that we will be searching for include Andean Condor, Carunculated Caracara, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Giant Hummingbird, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Torrent Duck, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Inca Jay, White-bellied Antpitta, the San Isidro “mystery” Owl, Golden-headed and Crested Quetzals and Masked Trogon, to mention a few! Rare species that we will also be searching for include Andean Ibis, Andean Potoo, Red-rumped Bush Tyrant, Greater Scythebill, Bicolored Antvireo, Peruvian and Crescent-faced Antpittas, White-capped Tanager and Masked Mountain Tanager. A great network of birding reserves, together with good infrastructure, unsurpassable scenery, fine dining, and friendly people make the eastern Andes of Ecuador another key destination on the world birding circuit.

Top Birds

Andean Condor; Carunculated Caracara; Torrent Duck; Black-faced Ibis; Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe; Black-winged Ground Dove; Ecuadorian Hillstar; Giant & Sword-billed Hummingbirds; Viridian Metaltail; Long-tailed Sylph; Tourmaline Sunangel; Chestnut-breasted Coronet; White-bellied Woodstar; Glowing Puffleg; Black-tailed Trainbearer; Rainbow-bearded & Blue-mantled Thornbills; San Isidro “mystery” Owl; Rufous-bellied Nighthawk; Andean Potoo; White-capped Parrot; Grey-breasted & Black-billed Mountain Toucans; Masked Trogon; Golden-headed & Crested Quetzals; Crimson-mantled Woodpecker; Long-tailed & Paramo Tapaculos; Tawny, White-bellied, Peruvian, Slaty-crowned & Crescent-faced Antpittas; Andean Tit-Spinetail; Stout-billed & Bar-winged Cinclodes; Many-striped Canastero; Pearled Treerunner; Greater Scythebill; Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant; Red-rumped Bush Tyrant; Agile Tit-Tyrant; Handsome Flycatcher; Inca Jay; Black-billed Peppershrike; Black-eared Hemispingus; Black-backed Bush Tanager; Buff-breasted, Masked, Blue-winged and Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanagers; Saffron-crowned, Beryl-spangled, Flame-faced, Black-capped, Grass-green, Golden-crowned & White-capped Tanagers; Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia; Bluish Flowerpiercer; Golden-collared Honeycreeper; Pale-naped Brushfinch; Subtropical Cacique.

Top Mammals

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

Habitats Covered

paramo grasslands and highland lakes, temperate tree line forest & polylepis, temperate cloud-forest, upper and lower subtropical cloud-forest

Expected Climate

chilly at high elevations but pleasant in the subtropics

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader

Tour Pace & Walking

easy to moderate pace

Accommodation

comfortable lodges

Ease of Birding

easy birding with some tricky skulkers

Number of Species Expected

200 - 250

Photographic Opportunities

excellent, especially at Antisana, San Isidro and Guango

What our clients say about us

Dušan Brinkhuizen
JR, Ecuador

Dušan is an excellent field ornithologist with an encyclopaedic knowledge of bird song, taxonomy, and field identification marks. Ornithology is Dušan’s passion. He is also excellent with the clients – friendly, courteous, patient, and anxious that everyone sees all the birds and enjoys the tour. It was a great tour!

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.

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..."

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
RO, Ecuador 2018

In the Rockjumper tradition, Dušan Brinkhuizen went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure the serious birders in our group found our birds. This included several later night expeditions into the forest for owls and other nocturnal critters. Dušan managed to handle everyone with great patience and skill. A very kind man, dedicated advocate for the environment, a master birder.

Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes: Paramo & Cloud Forest II 2024

06 Nov 2024 - 12 Nov 2024 (7 days)

USD2,895 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Robert Wilcox

Tour price (Per person): USD2,895 * GBP2,287 * EUR2,666 * AUD4,345

Single Supplement: USD300 * GBP237 * EUR276 * AUD450

Can be linked with: Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon: Sumaco Foothills & Rio Napo II 2024

Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes: Paramo & Cloud Forest I 2025

16 Feb 2025 - 22 Feb 2025 (7 days)

USD2,995 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: James Wade Lee

Tour price (Per person): USD2,995 * GBP2,366 * EUR2,758 * AUD4,495

Single Supplement: USD390 * GBP308 * EUR359 * AUD585

Can be linked with:

Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes: Paramo & Cloud Forest II 2025

05 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025 (7 days)

USD2,995 - Spaces Available

Book Now
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Tour Leader: Adam Walleyn

Tour price (Per person): USD2,995 * GBP2,366 * EUR2,758 * AUD4,495

Single Supplement: USD390 * GBP308 * EUR359 * AUD585

Can be linked with: Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest II 2025

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