Tour
This tour offers the possibility to see the endemic birds of the Tumbesian region and also some of the Choco region. The combination of these two ecosystems will increase your bird list to include some of the most exotic birds of the world. If you have already visited the East and West slopes of the Andes of Ecuador, this is an excellent alternative for you!
Itinerary
Arrival to Guayaquil and transfer to the Hotel.
DAY 2: MANGLARES CHURUTE
Early departure to Manglares Churute Reserve where you can find the only known population of Horned Screamer in western Ecuador. This National Reserve has 49.984 hectares distributed from 0 to 700 msnm. It is formed by an extensive network of channels and islands that combined with a dense mangrove forest and vestiges of tropical dry forest is the house of a considerable biodiversity. Here it is possible to find bird species such us Pacific Royal Flycatcher, Ecuadorian Ground-dove, Red-masked Parakeet, Pacific Parrotlet and others. Besides if you are lucky you can see some mammals like the white-fronted capuchin and mantled howler monkeys, along with the occasional agouti, tigrillo, and armadillo.
Box Lunch on route and then you will continue your trip to Piñas stopping in some strategic points to observe some of the shore birds and also some specialists of the area such as Baron´s Hermit, Ecuadorian Trogon, Jet Antbird, Superciliated Wren, Orange-Crowned Euphonia, Peruvian Meadowlark. Arrive to Buenaventura reserve where you will have dinner and overnight.
Buenaventura Reserve is part of Jocotoco Foundation, it is located near Piñas and Zaruma in El Oro province. It protects a narrow zone of cloud forest habitat on the otherwise seasonally dry west slope of the Andes in Southern Ecuador. The target size for this reserve is 5,000 ha (12,000 acres) with an altitude range from 450m to 1100m. Here large mammals like Puma, Ocelot, Howler Monkey, Two and Three toed Sloth are present. This reserve supports an extremely diverse birdlife, including many endemics like El Oro Parakeet, Emerald-billed Woodnymph, Pacitic Tuftedcheeck, Club-Winged Manakin, Long Wattled Umbrella bird and El Oro Tapaculo. This day you will spend most of the time walking along the reserve looking for these species and other great birds such us the Andean Tinamou, Rose Face parrot and line-cheeked spinetail. Return to the lodge to diner and overnight.
After breakfast we will have the last opportunity to look for El Oro Parakeet and then we will continue our trip to Jorupe, another Jocotoco Foundation Reserve located close to Macará. On route we will stop in some strategic points like Velacruz - Catacocha to look for the species of the area. Jorupe reserve supports many endemic and rare species of plants and animals, including populations of numerous globally threatened birds like the Henna-Hooded foliage-Gleaner, Blackish Headed spinetail, Slaty Becard, Line Cheeked Spinetail, Loja Tyranulet. This reserve is a two square mile area of high quality deciduous forest in the Tumbesian region of south west Ecuador, a few km north east of the town of Macara which is near the Ecuador and Peru border.
During this day you will be in the middle of the Tumbesian forest that is a dry habitat ecosystem which extends from south west Ecuador into northern Peru, it is dominated by statuesque Ceiba trees. It is a conservation priority because much of it is already cleared or badly degraded.
Early in the morning you will travel Utuana (Jocotoco Reserve) where you can find a Montane Scrub and woodland, a great place to search for Black-Crested Tit-Tyrants, Piura Hemispungus, Gray Headed Antbird, Chapman Antshrike, Rainbow Starfrontlet and others.
Box lunch on route and in the afternoon you will depart to Loja stopping in some strategic points and in Catamayo airport to look for some of the Tumbesian species and others like the Tumbes Sparrow, Band-tailed Sierra Finch, Drab Seedeater. Arrival to Vilcabamba, a small town close to Loja where you will diner and overnight.
Early in the morning we will visit Cajanuma, part of Podocarpus National Park where we will look for some spectacular birds like the Red-hooded Tanager, Bearded Guan, Gray Breasted Mountain Toucan, Plumbeus Rail, Golden-Plumed Parakeet, White-Browed Spinetail, Elegant Crescent-chest, Chusquea Tapaculo, Three Banded Warbler, Barred Fruiteater, Golden Crown Tanager and others. Arrival at Tapichalaca, the first reserve created by the Jocotoco Foundation. More than 40 mammal species occur in the area, including the Jaguar, Wooly Monkey,Tapir, Andean bear, Giant armadillo and Neotropical otter. Besides, Podocarpus is a paradise for plants, with around 3,000 different species of vascular plants, many of which are endemic. Time to enjoy the hummingbirds that fly around the feeders at this lodge like the Flame Throated Sunangel, Rufous-Capped Thornbill, Chesnut Breasted Coronet and Long Tail Sylph . Dinner and overnight.
DAY 8: TAPICHALA AND THE JOCOTOCO ANTPITTA
You will spend the full day in Tapichalaca to try to find most of the species of this place and its surroundings. Jocotoco Foundation bought the land of this reserve in order to protect the habitat of the Jocotoco Antpitta, specie that was found in this area for the first time and also known that most of the world’s population of this specie occurs in this reserve. The major highlight of this area are: Dusky Headed Parakeet, White Capped Parrot, Swallow tail nightjar, Gray Breasted Mountain Toucan, Ash-Browed Spinetail, Chesnut-naped Antpitta, Rufous tail Tyrant, Yellow Cheeked Becard, Black faced Tanager, White Capped Tanager. Dinner and overnight in Tapichalaca Lodge.
DAY 9: TAPICHALA - LOJA- QUITO
This day you will have the last opportunity to search for the specialties of this area, like the Undulated Antpitta, White-bellied Antpitta, Tawny Antpitta, Oceliated Tapaculo, Loja Tyranulet, Andean Cock of the Rock, Blue Browed Tanager. Return to Catamayo where you will drive around the airport to look for the Tumbesian birds that you have not seen. Then you will depart to the local airport located at 3 hours approximately in order to catch your flight back to Quito. In the exit of the airport our local driver will be waiting for you in order to transfer you to your hotel where you will overnight.
DAY 10: QUITO - BACK HOME
After you have gotten a long list of birds in this unforgettable expedition in Ecuador you will be transferred to the airport to catch your international flight home.
EXTENSION- 14 DAYS
DAY 11 AND 12: PODOCARPUS NATIONAL PARK (BOMBUSCARO)
During these two days we will walk along the trails of the Podocarpus National Park and Copalinga Lodge looking for local species including the coppery chested jacamar, Ecuadorian piedtail, white breasted parakeet, chestnut crowned gnateater, green hermit, spangled coquette, black streaked puffbird, chestnut tipped toucanet, blue rumped manakin.
DAY 13: ZAMORA - LOJA - QUITO
This day will be the last opportunity to search for the specialties of this area, like the Ecuadorian tyrannulet, lined antshrike, foothill elaenia, Andean cock of the rock, blue-browed tanager, chestnut-vented conebill. Return to Catamayo where we will drive around the airport to look for the Tumbesian birds that we have not seen, arrival to the airport to catch our flight back to Quito. Transfer to Café Cultura Hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 14: QUITO - INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT HOME
After we have gotten a long list of birds in this unforgettable expedition in Ecuador we will be transferred to the airport to catch our home flight.
Rates
PRICE PER PERSON 2024*
14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS
| HOTELS CATEGORY | 1 *Pax |
2-3 Pax |
4-5 Pax |
6-7 Pax |
8-9 Pax |
10-11 Pax |
Sin Sup |
| Tourist | $9,617 | $5,586 | $4,244 | $3,504 | $3,156 | $2,946 | $370 |
| Tourist superior | $9,720 | $5,637 | $4,297 | $3,564 | $3,204 | $2,993 | $410 |
| Frist Class | $9,924 | $5,726 | $4,384 | $3,639 | $3,289 | $3,077 | $520 |
PRICE PER PERSON 2025*
14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS
| HOTELS CATEGORY | 1 *Pax |
2-3 Pax |
4-5 Pax |
6-7 Pax |
8-9 Pax |
10-11 Pax |
Sin Sup |
| Tourist | $9,617 | $5,586 | $4,244 | $3,504 | $3,156 | $2,946 | $370 |
| Tourist superior | $9,720 | $5,637 | $4,297 | $3,564 | $3,204 | $2,993 | $410 |
| Frist Class | $9,938 | $5,734 | $4,390 | $3,646 | $3,296 | $3,084 | $525 |
*Pax: Passengers
Single supplement under request
