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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 * GBP2,580 * EUR3,161 * AUD5,277

Single Supplement: USD390 * GBP305 * EUR374 * 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 * GBP2,736 * EUR3,353 * AUD5,597

Single Supplement: USD420 * GBP329 * EUR403 * 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 * GBP2,736 * EUR3,353 * AUD5,597

Single Supplement: USD420 * GBP329 * EUR403 * 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
RW & KW - Ecuador 2022

The birding was the point and our guide Dusan Brinkhuizen was and is one of the best birds guides we have ever met. Dusan has really amazing people and leadership skills. We had three very sick people on the tour and Dusan managed this and the tour very well. I personally lost a day and a half to illness and Dusan kept me appraised and part of the team as we went.

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
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
BS, Ecuador 2022

Dušan was an excellent bird guide and a good tour guide.

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.

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