This tour is a great introduction to birding the mighty Andes of South America. We will explore the vast east-slope for its local specialities and visit a wide array of different habitats and elevations. Travelling from snow-capped volcanoes down to pristine cloud forests will be an incredible experience with superb birding and scenery each day! Stunning species that we will be searching forinclude 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, San Isidro “mystery” Owl, Masked Trogon, Golden-headed and Crested Quetzal just to mention a few! Rare species that we will target include Black-faced Ibis, Andean Potoo, Red-rumped Bush Tyrant, Greater Scythebill, Bicolored Antvireo, Peruvian Antpitta, Crescent-faced Antpitta, White-capped Tanager and Masked Mountain Tanager. A great network of birding reserves together with good infrastructure, unsurpassable scenery and friendly people make the eastern Andes of Ecuador one of the world’s key birding destinations.

Tour Facts

Top Birds

Andean Condor, Carunculated Caracara, Torrent Duck, Andean Teal, Andean Duck, Andean Coot, Silvery Grebe, Black-faced Ibis, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Andean Gull, Andean Lapwing, Black-winged Ground Dove, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Giant Hummingbird, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Viridian Metaltail, Collared Inca, Long-tailed Sylph, Tourmaline Sunangel, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, White-bellied Woodstar, Glowing Puffleg, Shining Sunbeam, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Blue-mantled Thornbill, San Isidro “mystery” Owl, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, Andean Potoo, White-capped Parrot, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Black-billed Mountain Toucan, Masked Trogon, Golden-headed and Crested Quetzal, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Andean Motmot, Long-tailed Tapaculo, Paramo Tapaculo, Bicolored Antvireo, Tawny Antpitta, White-bellied Antpitta, Peruvian Antpitta, Slate-crowned Antpitta, Crescent-faced Antpitta, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Stout-billed and Bar-winged Cinclodes, Many-striped Canastero, Flammulated Treehunter, Pearled Treerunner, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Olive-backed Woodcreeper, Greater Scythebill, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Paramo Ground Tyrant, Red-rumped Bush Tyrant, Agile Tit-Tyrant, Marbled-faced and Variegated Bristle Tyrants, Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet, Barred Becard, Handsome Flycatcher, Inca Jay, Paramo Pipit, Black-billed Peppershrike, Russet-crowned Warbler, 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 and 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

JP, Ecuador 2022

This tour was fantastic. Dušan is an excellent leader. I learned a lot from him and he made the tour very enjoyable. I loved the lodges we stayed at. They were comfortable with birds and nature all around. I’m already looking into more tours in Ecuador with Dušan. Thanks Rockjumper!

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.

LH, Ecuador 2018

This was my first Rockjumper experience and it was excellent. Dušan Brinkhuizen was amazing at finding birds.

SW, Ecuador 2022

Our tour of the Choco cloud forest and the Eastern Andes paramo and cloud forest was superb. Our guide Dušan Brinkhuizen was amazing in his ability to find birds; he clearly has supernatural hearing and eyesight! He also was superb at making sure that everyone saw the birds. He truly worried about his clients and listened to their requests as to birds, landscapes and need for sleep. We saw spectacular landscapes far off the beaten path and got very good looks at birds in all habitats. An additional plus was our driver Dario who kept us safe on marginal roads. We look forward to our next Rockjumper trip.

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.

Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon II 2025 - November 2025

Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes II 2025 - November 2025

Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest II 2025 - October 2025

Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon I 2025 - April 2025

Ecuador - Lester & Lloyd & friends 2025 - February 2025

Ecuador - Southern Endemics 2025 - January 2025

Ecuador - Northern: Ultimate Amazon II 2024 - November 2024

Ecuador - Northern: Eastern Andes II 2024 - November 2024

Ecuador - Northern: Choco Cloud Forest II 2024 - October 2024

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

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