Ecuador - Northwestern Specialities - ZEISS joint-partnership 2026

10 Nov 2026 - 23 Nov 2026 (14 days)

USD6,750 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen

Tour price (Per person): USD6,750 * GBP4,943 * EUR5,724 * AUD10,266

Single Supplement: USD740 * GBP542 * EUR628 * AUD1,125

Our joint-partnership tour with ZEISS covers all of the most important birding sites within easy reach of the capital city of Quito. We begin exploring the eastern Andes, which serves as 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 the 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.

From the eastern Andes, we drop into the Chocó bioregion which 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.

What's more, by choosing to travel with Rockjumper and ZEISS, you will not only have the opportunity to see many of Ecuador's most sought-after birds but you will be contributing towards the conservation of the Nordmann's Greenshank; one of the most threatened wader species in the world. ZEISS has been the BirdLife species champion for the Nordmann's Greenshank since 2021 and the major goals of this program are to strengthen scientific knowledge, build on nature conservation measures and advance political and local engagement activities through education and outreach to secure the habitats of this target species. 

Top Birds

Dark-backed Wood Quail; Andean Condor; Carunculated Caracara; Torrent Duck; Black-faced Ibis; Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe; Black-winged Ground Dove, & Indigo-crowned Quail-Dove; Ecuadorian Hillstar; Giant, Purple-chested & Sword-billed Hummingbirds; Viridian Metaltail; Velvet-purple Coronet; Empress Brilliant; Brown Inca; Violet-tailed & Long-tailed Sylphs; Tourmaline Sunangel; White-booted Racket-tail; Chestnut-breasted Coronet; White-bellied Woodstar; Purple-bibbed Whitetip; Glowing & Golden-breasted Pufflegs; Black-tailed Trainbearer; Rainbow-bearded & Blue-mantled Thornbills; Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl & San Isidro “mystery” Owl; Rufous-bellied Nighthawk; Andean Potoo; Rose-faced & White-capped Parrots; Pacific Parrotlet; Grey-breasted, Plate-billed & Black-billed Mountain Toucans; Chocó Toucan; Pale-mandibled Aracari; Masked & Chocó Trogons; Golden-headed & Crested Quetzals; Olivaceous Piculet; Crimson-mantled, Cinnamon & Guayaquil Woodpeckers; Barred & White-whiskered Puffbirds; White-faced Nunnbird; Orange-fronted and Toucan Barbets; Long-tailed & Paramo Tapaculos; Pacific Tuftedcheek; Giant, Moustahced, Yellow-breasted, Orchre-breasted, 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; Black-crowned Antshrike; Checker-throated & Pacific Antwrens; Chestnut-backed Antbird; Black-headed & Rufous-breasted Antthrushes; 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 & Inca Jays; Black-billed Peppershrike; Black-eared Hemispingus; Black-backed Bush Tanager; Buff-breasted, Masked, Blue-winged and Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanagers; Glistening-green, Moss-backed, Grey-and-gold, Rufous-throated, Blue-whiskered, Black-chinned Mountain, Scarlet-browed & Ochre-breasted, 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), Olingito, Tayra, White-fronted Capuchin

Habitats Covered

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

Expected Climate

chilly at high elevations but pleasant in the subtropics, hot and humid at lower elevations

Max Group Size

12 with 1 Rockjumper leader, 1 ZEISS representative & local birding leader

Tour Pace & Walking

MODERATE TO CHALLENGING: This tour requires a good level of fitness, stamina, and overall health. It’s best suited for experienced birders who are comfortable with a more active itinerary. Please note that it may not be ideal for avid photographers, new birders, or those with mobility or health concerns.

easy to moderate pace

Accommodation

comfortable lodges

Ease of Birding

easy birding with some tricky skulkers

Number of Species Expected

400-450

Photographic Opportunities

excellent, especially at Antisana, San Isidro and Guango

What our clients say about us

Dušan Brinkhuizen
BK - Ecuador 2022

"Really very positive indeed. I really liked Dusan, and there was no question he was an astonishing birder. I'd love to do another tour with him."

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.

Tuomas Seimola
LV, Ecuador 2022

Overall the three consecutive tours were very very good. Tuomas was a superb, highly experienced/knowledgeable leader. It is amazing all the songs and calls he has mastered. He was most congenial, patient and always helpful to everyone. Highly recommend him as a leader. Local leaders and staff were all very good and most kind. Accommodations were comfortable and food was very tasty and well prepared.

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
MW, Ecuador 2023

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.

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Route Map

Tour Route Map