ECUADOR
Birding the Chocó Andes

ECUADOR: BIRDING the CHOCÓ ANDES

(9 days)

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3 - 11 February, 2026

from $3,190

(max 10 travelers)

Embark on an unforgettable birding and wildlife watching adventure through Ecuador’s breathtaking Chocó Andino biodiversity hotspot. This extraordinary mosaic of reserves lies just northwest of Quito, and spans altitudes from 360m - 4,500m, creating an incredible variety of ecosystems teeming with life. Home to over 350 bird species, 63 only found in the Chocó bioregion; this is a higher density of endemic birds than anywhere else in the Americas. The refuge also harbors 270 mammals – including the elusive Spectacled Bear – 210 reptiles, and 130 amphibian species. These factors make the Chocó Andes one of the most biologically rich areas in the world, rivaling even the Amazon and Indonesian Archipelago.​

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Tour Highlights:

• Explore the ecoregion with visits to the Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, the Tandayapa and Mindo valleys, and the famous Refugio Paz de las Aves, a haven for Antpittas

• Learn how Fundacion Sembrando Esperanza is working with community conservationists to protect Puma and contribute to active reforestation efforts by planting trees

• Visit a Cock-of-the-Rock lek and observe the incredible courtship display of this iconic species

• Seek out regional endemics like Giant Antpitta, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Long-wattled Umbrellabird, and Scaled Fruiteater​

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Our Chocó Andes Tour takes you through the heart of this vibrant bioregion, exploring the humid lowland forests of the Chocó-Darién and the lush northern Andean mountain forests. Based in comfortably located eco-lodges such as Piripe Lodge, Kapari Lodge, and Sachatamia Lodge, you’ll have prime access to world-class birding hotspots like the Tandayapa and Mindo Valleys, Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Paz de las Aves, and the Silanche   lowlands. These pristine habitats are home to an astonishing array of regionally endemic and sought-after bird species that are only shared with neighboring Colombia to the north.​

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Join us on this adventure to the mighty Andes!

 

ECUADOR: HIGHLAND EXTENSION

(2 days)

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The Ecuador: Birding the Chocó-Andes tour takes you to the cloud forests of the Chocó region; with this 2-day extension you’ll ascend to the breathtaking highlands of the Ecuadorian Andes. This tour extension takes you above the treeline, where the páramo ecosystem unfolds in sweeping landscapes of open skies and dramatic mountain vistas. In the crisp high-altitude air, we enter the realm of the majestic Andean Condor, soaring effortlessly over rugged peaks. These highlands offer unique birding opportunities not found on the main tour, including Giant Hummingbird, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, and Stout-billed Cinclodes. And if fortune smiles, you may catch a glimpse of the elusive Spectacled Bear — South America’s only bear species, and the real-life inspiration behind Paddington.

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2 - 3 February, 2026

from $610

(max 10 travelers)

 

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Andean Condor © vil.sandi

Vultur gryphus ~ Vulnerable ~ Found along the entire Andes range, from Venezuela to Tierra del Fuego, Chile

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