10 Oct 2026 - 25 Oct 2026 (16 days)
USD6,950 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Lisle Gwynn
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): USD6,950 * GBP5,292 * EUR6,267 * AUD10,420
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.
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).
Brown-headed Spider Monkey; Mantled Howler Monkey; White-fronted Capuchin.
Chocó tropical lowland forest, Chocó cloud-forest, Tumbesian dry forest, highland lakes
Warm to hot and humid
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader
WARNING: This tour involves strenuous activities and is intended for experienced adventurers. If you prefer a more relaxed experience, please check out our [Explore Relaxed Tours]
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.
Varies from basic to very comfortable.
Moderate to demanding. Bird density is low, many visuals are high in the canopy.
400+
Reasonable, typical rain forest conditions of variable light and frequent rain.
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.
Another amazing Rockjumper tour with Dusan Brinkhuizen. What a great guide and nice person. The tour was a little more rugged than the description on Rockjumper's website. It is NOT for beginners and this should be discretely mentioned. Nice Eco-lodges, food and friendly staff. Beautiful birds. Would recommend adding one additional night at San Isidro. Only one night doesn't seem fair to see the many birds at that altitude other than requiring birders to take the tour preceding the one I was on. Loved the Amazon Basin.
I have just finished a very successful snipe day with Dusan. I got all three species I was after, which was a result of some excellent guiding by Dušan Brinkhuizen. I cannot commend him highly enough. He can fill you in on the detail but looking for an Andean Snipe in the rain and cold wind at 4300m takes some effort! I will certainly need my rest day tomorrow.
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.
I really enjoyed this trip, it's probably the best one I've been on! I loved the knowledge and personalities of both our guides, Andrés Trujillo & Dušan Brinkhuizen, as well as the naturalist guides and the boat crews.
Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon I 2024 - April 2024
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes I 2024 - February 2024
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest I 2024 - February 2024
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes II 2023 - November 2023
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest II 2023 - October 2023
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes I 2023 - February 2023
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest I 2023 - February 2023
Ecuador - Southern Endemics 2023 - January 2023
Ecuador - Pacific Coast Extension 2023 - January 2023
Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon II 2022 - November 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes II 2022 - November 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest II 2022 - November 2022
Ecuador - Rare Bird Club 2022 - October 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon I 2022 - April 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes I 2022 - April 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest I 2022 - March 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon III 2022 - February 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes III 2022 - February 2022
Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest III 2022 - February 2022