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From the moment we landed at our destination, we were looked after and expertly led for the whole of the holiday. It was primarily a bird tour and was the fulfilment of a long-standing ambition to visit South America and particularly the Andes and see a number of target birds. We had hopes of what the holiday would be like prior to going, but all those hopes were not only met, but exceeded by the trip. They [Naturetrek] expertly organised everything and took all the pressure away from going to a strange country. The tour guide Andrea and the driver Jose were brilliant and took us safely to places to see the birds and wildlife that only local knowledge made possible. Andrea’s bird knowledge and the way she led the group was excellent as was Jose’s driving and taking care of everyone’s baggage.
D.S. Surrey, Nov 22
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Ecuador - On the Trail of the Jocotoco Antpitta
Tour Code: ECU17A 12-day birdwatching tour to the forests of Ecuador in search of the rare Jocotoco Antpitta and a wealth of other Neotropical birdlife.
£4,295
£3,395
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
It was only in 1997 that birders combing the mist-shrouded valleys of southern Ecuador were assailed by a loud sound they didn’t recognise. The caller turned out to be a species new to science, the skulking and quite remarkable Jocotoco Antpitta. The discovery caused a sensation – how did such a distinctive bird go undetected for so long? Nowadays it comes to be fed with earthworms at Tapichalaca Reserve and provides the perfect excuse for a trip to the birding mecca of Ecuador. We stay at a trio of comfortable lodges where world class birding begins on the balcony as a stream of hummingbirds, tanagers and other delights come to feeders and afford superb views. Bag a suite of sought-after Tumbesian birds down near the Peruvian border in the dry forests of the Jorupe Reserve, see Spangled Coquette, Ocellated Tapaculo and Amazonian Umbrellabird at Copalinga, and try for Jocotoco Antpitta at Tapichalaca. The tour ends with a chance of Spectacled Bear and Condor on the slopes of Antisana. Tour itinerary updated Feb 26 to comply with Foreign Office travel advice.
- A birding tour to see some rare and localised species of the south Ecuadorean Andes
- Three nights at Urraca Lodge for Tumbesian endemics
- Hummingbird heaven at Copalinga Lodge feeders on edge of Podocarpus National Park
- Headline act is the recently discovered Jocotoco Antpitta at Tapichalaca Reserve
- Condors and chance of Spectacled Bear to end tour at Antisana
- Optional pre-tour extension to NW cloudforests
When the Jocotoco Antpitta was discovered back in 1997, deep within the moss-draped cloudforests of the eastern slopes of the southern Ecuadorian Andes it greatly excited the ornithological world. Heading the small team of five which discovered the bird were Bob Ridgely and John Moore. Their team’s goal had actually been for John to obtain further sound recordings for his work on the ‘Vocalizations of Birds of the Neotropics’ and for Bob to tidy some loose ends prior to the publication of the seminal ‘Birds of Ecuador’. It was this new bird’s distinctive ‘jo-jo-jo-jo-jo-jo’ which alerted the group to the undescribed species. Interestingly, locals were familiar with the calls of the bird, but had never seen what made them!
Nearly 30 years on, this tour takes us first to the deep south of Ecuador, near to the Peruvian border, where a suite of Tumbesian endemics await us at Urruca Lodge in the Jorupe Reserve, including Gray-headed Antbird, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Piura Hemispingus, Jelski's Chat-tyrant, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, Purple-throated Sunangel and Rainbow Starfrontlet. Our next base, again for three nights, is Copalinga Lodge on the edge of the Podocarpus National Park. The feeders in the grounds of the lodge will be buzzing with hummingbirds such as Wire-crested Thorntail, Spangled Coquette and many others, while Blackish Nightjar and Gray Tinamou can be seen nearby.
The tour nears conclusion with two nights at Tapichalaca Reserve where, three decades after its discovery, we will be able to see Jocotoco Antpitta as it comes out to feed on earthworms at an antpitta feeding station. A flight to Quito and a day at Antisana for Andean Condors, hopefully Spectacled Bears and spellbinding scenery rounds off this exciting itinerary, which can be extended with a pre-tour visit to the north-west cloudforests, or a post-tour stay at one of the fabulous lodges along the Napo River in Amazonia (our recommendations being Sacha Lodge or Napo Wildlife Centre).
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
Comfortable hotels and birders' lodges.
- Food:
All included, except evening meals in Guayaquil and Quito.
Reviews
Extensions
Guaycapi extension
Dates & Prices
2026
2027
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
