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Chocó Region and Andes Birding Tour
Northwest Ecuador packs one of the richest concentrations of range-restricted birds on the planet into a handful of accessible reserves, and this itinerary is built to find them. Over seven days we drop from the high páramo of Antisana National Park through temperate cloudforest and down into the legendary Chocó bioregion, one of the most biodiverse and imperiled forests on Earth. Hummingbird feeders at Zuroloma, Sachatamia, Amagusa, and Guango deliver an ever-changing lineup that includes Sword-billed Hummingbird, Great Sapphirewing, and Mountain Avocetbill, while a morning at Refugio Paz de las Aves brings tame Giant, Yellow-breasted, Chestnut-crowned, and Ochre-breasted Antpittas in for the camera alongside a lekking male Andean Cock-of-the-rock. Chocó specialties take center stage, including an accessible Long-wattled Umbrellabird lek, a roosting colony of Oilbirds, Choco Vireo, and Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, while Antisana's páramo adds Andean Condor and a good shot at Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe. This tour is timed to connect directly with our Galápagos departure, so travelers fly on to the islands the following morning without losing a day in between. |
Tour Information
Dates: April 8-15, 2027 Leader: Gavin McKinnon + local guides Start/End City: Quito, Ecuador Pace/Difficulty: Moderate. Several high-altitude sites (up to 3,400m/11,000ft at Zuroloma and 4,000m+ in Antisana National Park) and short walks on uneven cloudforest trails; no technical hiking. Deposit Information: $1,000 CAD 2027 Tour Price: $6,495 CAD + GST What's Included: Tour leader, professional bilingual birding guide, and private transportation; airport transfers; accommodation at San Jose de Puembo, Sachatamia Lodge, and Guango Lodge; all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on departure; and all reserve entrance fees. Not Included: International flights; Ecuador visa fees (if applicable); gratuities; alcoholic beverages; laundry; snacks, souvenirs, and personal expenses; travel insurance; and early check-in or late check-out. **This tour is designed to run immediately before our Galápagos departure, so travelers can continue straight on to the islands without an extra day in Quito, or join this leg on its own.** |
Ecuador Chocó and Andes Itinerary
Day 1, April 8: Arrival in Quito Arrive in Quito today and transfer to our hotel on the outskirts of the city. Overnight at San Jose de Puembo Hotel.
Day 2, April 9: Zuroloma / Alambi We depart early for Zuroloma Reserve, set at 3,400m (about 11,000ft) along an old Inca ditch on the skirts of Pichincha Volcano, roughly 1.5-2 hours from Quito. We spend the morning here for Hoary Puffleg and a strong supporting cast: Curve-billed Tinamou, Plain-breasted Hawk, Andean Guan, Scaly-naped Amazon, and hummingbirds including Great Sapphirewing, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Sapphire-vented and Golden-breasted Pufflegs, Tyrian Metaltail, and Purple-backed Thornbill. We'll also look for Bar-bellied and Powerful Woodpecker, Rufous Spinetail, Undulated and Rufous Antpitta, White-banded and White-throated Tyrannulet, Crowned Chat-Tyrant, Barred Fruiteater, Rufous Wren, Blue-backed Conebill, Black-chested Mountain-Tanager, Hooded and Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager, and, with luck, Golden-crowned Tanager. Overnight at Sachatamia Lodge.
Day 3, April 10: Long-wattled Umbrellabird Very early, we head to the small cloudforest settlement of La 23 de Junio, a 1-hour drive and 20-minute walk for one of the most accessible Long-wattled Umbrellabird leks in northern Ecuador. The area also holds Crimson-bellied Woodpecker, Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Choco Toucan, Semiplumbeous Hawk, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, and Esmeraldas Antbird. After a homemade cheese empanada and scrambled eggs, we bird back toward the lodge for Gorgeted Sunangel, Toucan Barbet, and more. Lunch and overnight at Sachatamia Lodge.
Day 4, April 11: Amagusa / Mashpi – Oilbird (optional) We head deep into the Chocó forest (about 1.5 hours) to bird the road and feeders at Amagusa Reserve, one of only three sites in the world for Choco Vireo, along with Black Solitaire, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Olive Finch, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Green-fronted Lancebill, Tawny-throated Leaftosser, and Rose-faced Parrot. The feeders bring in Golden Tanager, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Glistening-green Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, Black-striped Sparrow, Red-headed Barbet, Toucan Barbet, Moss-backed Tanager, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, and Black-winged Saltator. After a box lunch, we descend about an hour to one of the best sites anywhere for Oilbird, walking just two minutes from the road into a crack in the rock wall to view roosting birds from as close as 2-15 meters. Overnight at Sachatamia Lodge.
Day 5, April 12: Refugio Paz de las Aves Today we visit this small reserve famous for its tame antpittas; Giant, Yellow-breasted, Ochre-breasted, Chestnut-crowned, and Moustached, and for close looks at a lekking Andean Cock-of-the-rock, followed by a delicious breakfast. Other highlights include Rufescent Screech-Owl, Scaled and Orange-breasted Fruiteaters, Uniform Antshrike, Olivaceous Piha, the rare Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, White-faced Nunbird, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Slate-throated Whitestart, Ecuadorian Thrush, and Toucan Barbet and Golden-naped Tanager at the fruit feeders, with Empress Brilliant at the sugar feeders. We drive back to Quito in the afternoon. Overnight at San Jose de Puembo Hotel.
Day 6, April 13: Antisana National Park Antisana Reserve protects 120,000 hectares of forest and páramo moorland spanning 1,400m to 5,758m (4,592-18,712ft), beneath the 5,758m Antisana Volcano. At La Mica Lake we look for Aplomado Falcon, Silvery Grebe, Andean Gull, Andean Ibis, Andean (Slate-colored) Coot, Andean Teal, Tawny Antpitta, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Variable Hawk, Andean Condor, Grass (Sedge) Wren, Paramo Pipit, Many-striped and Stripe-backed Canastero, Yellow-billed Pintail, Paramo Ground-Tyrant, Andean Lapwing, Cinereous Harrier, Ecuadorian Hillstar, and Giant Hummingbird. Lunch at Tambo Condor. Overnight in Guango.
Day 7, April 14: Papallacta and Guango Guango Lodge, opened in 2000, sits at 2,700m (almost 12,000ft), about 1.5 hours from Quito, and offers humid temperate forest birding with active mixed flocks and some rarities. We spend the morning at the blind and mountain-toucan feeder for Andean Guan, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Turquoise Jay, Scarlet-bellied, Lacrimose, Buff-breasted, and Hooded Mountain-Tanagers, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Black-headed, Black-capped, and Black-eared Hemispingus, and Slaty Brush-Finch. Hummingbirds include Mountain Velvetbreast, Mountain Avocetbill, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Speckled Hummingbird, Gorgeted Woodstar, White-bellied Woodstar, Tourmaline Sunangel, Glowing Puffleg, and Purple-backed Thornbill, alongside Crested Quetzal, Powerful Woodpecker, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Black-capped and Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, and Glossy-black Thrush, plus a good shot at White-capped Dipper and Torrent Duck along the river. On the return drive after lunch, we make another attempt for Spectacled Bear and Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe. Overnight in Quito, ready to depart for the Galápagos the next morning.
Day 8, April 15: Depart from Quito/continue to Galapagos
Day 1, April 8: Arrival in Quito Arrive in Quito today and transfer to our hotel on the outskirts of the city. Overnight at San Jose de Puembo Hotel.
Day 2, April 9: Zuroloma / Alambi We depart early for Zuroloma Reserve, set at 3,400m (about 11,000ft) along an old Inca ditch on the skirts of Pichincha Volcano, roughly 1.5-2 hours from Quito. We spend the morning here for Hoary Puffleg and a strong supporting cast: Curve-billed Tinamou, Plain-breasted Hawk, Andean Guan, Scaly-naped Amazon, and hummingbirds including Great Sapphirewing, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Sapphire-vented and Golden-breasted Pufflegs, Tyrian Metaltail, and Purple-backed Thornbill. We'll also look for Bar-bellied and Powerful Woodpecker, Rufous Spinetail, Undulated and Rufous Antpitta, White-banded and White-throated Tyrannulet, Crowned Chat-Tyrant, Barred Fruiteater, Rufous Wren, Blue-backed Conebill, Black-chested Mountain-Tanager, Hooded and Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager, and, with luck, Golden-crowned Tanager. Overnight at Sachatamia Lodge.
Day 3, April 10: Long-wattled Umbrellabird Very early, we head to the small cloudforest settlement of La 23 de Junio, a 1-hour drive and 20-minute walk for one of the most accessible Long-wattled Umbrellabird leks in northern Ecuador. The area also holds Crimson-bellied Woodpecker, Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Choco Toucan, Semiplumbeous Hawk, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, and Esmeraldas Antbird. After a homemade cheese empanada and scrambled eggs, we bird back toward the lodge for Gorgeted Sunangel, Toucan Barbet, and more. Lunch and overnight at Sachatamia Lodge.
Day 4, April 11: Amagusa / Mashpi – Oilbird (optional) We head deep into the Chocó forest (about 1.5 hours) to bird the road and feeders at Amagusa Reserve, one of only three sites in the world for Choco Vireo, along with Black Solitaire, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Olive Finch, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Green-fronted Lancebill, Tawny-throated Leaftosser, and Rose-faced Parrot. The feeders bring in Golden Tanager, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Glistening-green Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, Black-striped Sparrow, Red-headed Barbet, Toucan Barbet, Moss-backed Tanager, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, and Black-winged Saltator. After a box lunch, we descend about an hour to one of the best sites anywhere for Oilbird, walking just two minutes from the road into a crack in the rock wall to view roosting birds from as close as 2-15 meters. Overnight at Sachatamia Lodge.
Day 5, April 12: Refugio Paz de las Aves Today we visit this small reserve famous for its tame antpittas; Giant, Yellow-breasted, Ochre-breasted, Chestnut-crowned, and Moustached, and for close looks at a lekking Andean Cock-of-the-rock, followed by a delicious breakfast. Other highlights include Rufescent Screech-Owl, Scaled and Orange-breasted Fruiteaters, Uniform Antshrike, Olivaceous Piha, the rare Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, White-faced Nunbird, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Slate-throated Whitestart, Ecuadorian Thrush, and Toucan Barbet and Golden-naped Tanager at the fruit feeders, with Empress Brilliant at the sugar feeders. We drive back to Quito in the afternoon. Overnight at San Jose de Puembo Hotel.
Day 6, April 13: Antisana National Park Antisana Reserve protects 120,000 hectares of forest and páramo moorland spanning 1,400m to 5,758m (4,592-18,712ft), beneath the 5,758m Antisana Volcano. At La Mica Lake we look for Aplomado Falcon, Silvery Grebe, Andean Gull, Andean Ibis, Andean (Slate-colored) Coot, Andean Teal, Tawny Antpitta, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Variable Hawk, Andean Condor, Grass (Sedge) Wren, Paramo Pipit, Many-striped and Stripe-backed Canastero, Yellow-billed Pintail, Paramo Ground-Tyrant, Andean Lapwing, Cinereous Harrier, Ecuadorian Hillstar, and Giant Hummingbird. Lunch at Tambo Condor. Overnight in Guango.
Day 7, April 14: Papallacta and Guango Guango Lodge, opened in 2000, sits at 2,700m (almost 12,000ft), about 1.5 hours from Quito, and offers humid temperate forest birding with active mixed flocks and some rarities. We spend the morning at the blind and mountain-toucan feeder for Andean Guan, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Turquoise Jay, Scarlet-bellied, Lacrimose, Buff-breasted, and Hooded Mountain-Tanagers, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Black-headed, Black-capped, and Black-eared Hemispingus, and Slaty Brush-Finch. Hummingbirds include Mountain Velvetbreast, Mountain Avocetbill, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Speckled Hummingbird, Gorgeted Woodstar, White-bellied Woodstar, Tourmaline Sunangel, Glowing Puffleg, and Purple-backed Thornbill, alongside Crested Quetzal, Powerful Woodpecker, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Black-capped and Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, and Glossy-black Thrush, plus a good shot at White-capped Dipper and Torrent Duck along the river. On the return drive after lunch, we make another attempt for Spectacled Bear and Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe. Overnight in Quito, ready to depart for the Galápagos the next morning.
Day 8, April 15: Depart from Quito/continue to Galapagos
