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Ecuador - Southern Endemics

© Blue-throated Hillstar by Dusan Brinkhuizen
Ecuador - Southern Endemics 2026

08 Jan 2026 - 26 Jan 2026 (19 days)

USD7,395 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Lev Frid

Tour price (Per person): USD7,395 * GBP5,483 * EUR6,520 * AUD11,459

Single Supplement: USD870 * GBP645 * EUR767 * AUD1,348

Ecuador - Southern Endemics 2027

10 Jan 2027 - 28 Jan 2027 (19 days)

USD7,600 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): USD7,600 * GBP5,634 * EUR6,701 * AUD11,777

Our South Ecuador endemics birding tour takes us to one of the most diverse range of habitats in the world to look for a whole host of special and endemic birds. Within 200 miles of the Pacific Coast, one can travel from the arid xerophytic habitat, through semideciduous tropical forest, over the continental divide’s treeless paramos and down to lush, wet, foothill forests of the eastern Andes and Amazon basin. Within these varied, pristine habitats, the evolution of many fine endemic species has occurred; and on our new South Ecuador Endemics tour, we will sample seven distinct habitats in search of these endemics and other Ecuador bird specialties. Targets include Blue-throated Hillstar, El Oro and White-breasted Parakeet, El Oro (Ecuadorian) Tapaculo, Watkins’s and the fantastic Jocotoco Antpitta, White-headed Brushfinch, Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner, the fabulous Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Rainbow Starfrontlet and the vociferous, colorful and extremely localized Orange-throated Tanager.

Top Birds

Blue-throated Hillstar, Grey Tinamou, Horned Screamer, Bearded Guan, El Oro, White-breasted (White-necked) & Grey-cheeked Parakeet, Watkins’s, Chestnut-naped & Jocotoco Antpitta, Pale-headed, White-headed & Bay-crowned Brushfinches, Bamboo, Henna-hooded & Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaner, Elegant Crescentchest, Long-wattled & Amazonian Umbrellabird, Ochraceous Attila, Orange-throated Tanager, Band-bellied Owl, Pacific (Peruvian) Pygmy Owl, Blackish & Anthony’s (Scrub) Nightjar, Ecuadorian Trogon, Golden-headed Quetzal, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Yellow-cheeked Becard, Coppery-chested & Purplish Jacamar, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Blue-rumped & Club-winged Manakin, El Oro (Ecuadorian), Chusquea & Northern White-crowned Tapaculo, Barred & Black-streaked Puffbird, Equatorial Greytail, Great & Chapman’s Antshrike, Esmeraldas, Jet & Grey-headed Antbird, Foothill Antwren, Grey-mantled Wren, Foothill Elaenia, Fiery-throated, Scarlet-breasted & Scaled Fruiteater, Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher, Necklaced & Line-cheeked Spinetail, Jelski’s Chat-Tyrant, Short-tailed Field Tyrant, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, Red-billed Scythebill, Orange-banded & Pacific Royal Flycatcher, Grey-and-gold & Three-banded Warbler, Violet-throated & Neblina Metaltail, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Black-cowled Saltator, Chestnut-collared Swallow

Top Mammals

Coatimundi, Kinkajou, Spectacled Bear (rare)

Habitats Covered

xerophytic scrub, deciduous, dry scrub, semideciduous tropical forest, pacific deciduous forest, moist foothill forest, treeless paramo, lagoons, estuaries, freshwater wetlands

Expected Climate

chilly at higher elevations to hot and humid at lower elevations

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader

Tour Pace & Walking

fairly brisk pace, mostly undemanding walks

Accommodation

comfortable lodges

Ease of Birding

moderate birding with some tricky species

Number of Species Expected

+-550

Photographic Opportunities

excellent, especially at feeders

What our clients say about us

Dušan Brinkhuizen
AG, Ecuador 2019

An excellent tour with an excellent guide. Dušan's knowledge of all the vocalizations is exceptional and he made sure I saw almost all the birds the group managed to see.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
SW - Ecuador 2024

Dušan is a very knowledgeable, passionate, dedicated and high-energy leader. He is also very cognizant of his charges and tries to ensure that each of us sees the target birds. At one point, it was to his detriment not being able to photograph a very rare bird so I could catch up to him as it flew away. Dušan’s easy-going personality and humorous life and birding stories not only had us in awe of his experiences but also helped create a dynamic rapport within our group which enhanced our interpersonal interactions and travels that much more. Dusan was not immune to some gentle (or not so gentle) ribbing either. All was in good fun and tolerated admirably. We however will remember fondly the “Dušan mile”.

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.

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
RC, Ecuador 2018

Dušan Brinkhuizen is an excellent birder and leader with an excellent temperament to handle diverse personalities. I look forward to birding with him again.

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