JOCOTOCO CONSERVATION FOUNDATION PARTNERSHIP TOUR

ECUADOR: Southern Jocotoco Endemics

Jocotoco-Antpitta-EBUENANO

TOUR FOCUS
BIRDS & WILDLIFE

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SCHEDULED TOURS

2025 :: December 6 - December 18

TRIP LEADERS

TOUR COST

From: $0 (See details)
Cost is per person, double occupancy from Guayaquil, Ecuador (GYE)

GROUP SIZE

6 - 10 Participants

AVAILABILITY

2025: 10 spaces available

PRIVATE TOUR OPTION

This tour is available as a private trip for any size group. The tour cost will vary with the number of people and any custom requests.

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TESTIMONIALS

75 + 7 =

Highlights of ECUADOR: Southern Jocotoco Endemics

  • Ecuador is home to 16 endemic bird species
  • See Jocotoco Antpitta, which was only discovered by modern science in 1997
  • The new Jocotoco Reserves are full of incredible birds, especially antpittas
  • Long-wattled Umbrellabird, El Oro Parakeet, Tumbes Swift and more
  • Blue-throated Hillstar, the newly described endemic hummingbird

Description of ECUADOR: Southern Jocotoco Endemics

Southern Ecuador has only recently become easier to traverse for birding in search of the sixteen endemics that reside here. One of our top targets is the Jocotoco Antpitta which was only discovered by modern science in 1997! Bob Ridgely and John Moore heard a bird they did not recognize as they were exploring the region, when they finally saw the bird they were positive it was something new.

Retrace their discovery and join us on the incredible journey through the series of Jocotoco Reserves in search of birds found nowhere else on Earth. Long-wattled Umbrellabird, El Oro Parakeet, El Oro Tapaculo, Tumbes Swift, White-headed Brush-Finch, and Tumbes Swallow will be sought.

Tumbesian specialties such as Watkin’s Antpitta, Henna-hooded and Rufous-necked Foliage-Gleaners, Gray-breasted Flycatcher, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Purple-throated Sunangel, Piura Hemispingus, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, Chapman’s Antshrike, and Gray-headed Antbird will all be highlights of this spectacular opportunity.

 

Length of Tour

13-Days/12-Nights

DAY 1:  ARRIVAL IN GUAYAQUIL / TRANSFER TO HOTEL

After arriving in Guayaquil, you will be picked up at the airport and transferred to your hotel.
Night: Gran Hotel, Guayaquil

 

DAY 2: DRIVE TO UMBRELLA BIRD LODGE

After an early breakfast we will drive to Manglares Churute an area surrounded by marshes and dry forest. Our target bird here is the prehistoric-looking Horned Screamer (as this is the only place in Ecuador where the bird breeds), but while there we will also look for  Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Least Grebe, Snail Kite, Savannah Hawk, Wattled Jacana, White-throated Crake, Masked Water-Tyrant, Peruvian Meadowlark, and Pacific Pygmy-Owl. After lunch we will embark on the four-hour drive to Umbrellabird lodge

 

DAY 3: UMBRELLA BIRD LODGE

We will have a full day at Umbrella Bird Lodge, where we will walk the trails in search of El Oro Parakeet and El Oro Tapaculo, two more Ecuadorian endemics. We will also have plenty of time to enjoy the lodge’s hummingbird feeders; who knows what may show up!
Night: Umbrella Bird Lodge

 

DAY 4: DRIVE TO JORUPE RESERVE

After an early breakfast we will spend the morning combing the trails for any species that we may have missed the previous day. At mid-morning  we will travel to Macara, where we will spend the next two nights at the Jorupe Reserve. On the way we will make a special stop to look for Tumbes Swift,White-headed Brush-Finch.
Night at Jorupe Reserve.

 

DAY 5: JORUPE RESERVE

After breakfast , we will enjoy the great feeders , The pale-browed Tinamou, White-tailed Jay, Yellow-tailed oriole, Black-capped Sparrow , blue and Ecuadorian ground-doves usually visit the corn feeders then  we will explore the reserve’s trails in search of Tumbesian specialties such as Watkin’s Antpitta. Henna-hooded and Rufous-necked Foliage-Gleaners, and Gray-breasted Flycatcher. After lunch we will drive up to the Utuana Reserve, where at this higher elevation we hope to find Rainbow Starfrontlet, Purple-throated Sunangel, Piura Hemispingus, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, Chapman’s Antshrike, and Gray-headed Antbird.
Night: Jorupe Reserve.

 

DAY 6: DRIVE TO TAPICHALACA

After an early breakfast, we will return to the Utuana Reserve to clean up any species we may have missed yesterday. Then we will travel to Loja, stopping en route at Catamayo (also known as “Finch Heaven”) to look for Tumbes Sparrow, Drab Seedeater then drive to Tapichalaca reserve
Night: Tapichalaca.

 

DAY 7: TAPICHALACA

This morning we will hike the Quebrada Honda Trail to a very special feeder area where “Panchito” the Jocotoco Antpitta comes in for his breakfast! Other tough-to-see targets we will search for include Ocellated, Ash-colored, and Chusquea Tapaculos. After lunch we will road-bird on the way to the town of Valladolid, where we will search for Maranon Thrush. As darkness approaches, we will try for Andean Potoo and Rufous-bellied Nighthawk.
Night Tapichalaca.

 

DAY 8: DRIVE TO COPALINGA LODGE

After an early breakfast we will spend the morning birding the lodge grounds in search of anything we may have missed. After lunch we will drive to Bomboscaro and the Copa Linga Lodge, where we will spend the next two nights. We will have time this afternoon to search the lodge grounds for Wire-crested Thorntail, Spangled Coquette, and Violet-fronted and Black-throated Brilliants.
Night: Copa Linga Lodge

 

DAY 9: COPALINGA LODGE

We will spend the day birding the Bomboscaro area, where we hope to find such target species as Amazonian Umbrellabird, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Highland Motmot, Andean Cock-of-the-rock (the orange eastern race), and Olive Finch. In addition, there’s always the possibility of a tanager flock that will include such gems as Paradise, Green-and-gold, Yellow-bellied, Spotted, Magpie, and Fulvous-crested Tanagers.
Night: Copa Linga Lodge

 

DAY 10: DRIVE TO SARAGURO

This morning we will drive to Yanzatza to  look for the  Cute  Spangled Coquette and we will be birding around  that area and  after  lunch we will  drive to  Saraguro.
Night in Saraguro.

 

DAY 11: DRIVE TO SANTA ISABEL

We will  have  an  early  start  to  go to  Cerro  Arcos , where is the home  of the new Hummingbird for the  Science and endemic to Ecuador  The  Blue  throated Hillstar. And then   we will drive to the Jubones valley Santa Isabel
Night vin Santa Isabel.

 

DAY 12: RETURN TO GUAYAQUIL

This morning,  we will search for one of Ecuador’s (and the world’s) most threatened species at  one of  the Jocotoco Reserve,  Yunguilla, , the Pale-headed Brush-Finch, rediscovered here by Niels Krabbe. This is the only known population of this Ecuadorian endemic. We will also have a chance at locating Purple-collared and Little Woodstars.

Afterward that we will drive back to Guayaquil.
Night in Guayaquil.

 

DAY 13: RUTURN HOME

Transfer out at any time today.

Cost

Cost is $0 per person, based upon double occupancy, from Guayaquil, Ecuador (Airport code GYE).
This trip ends in Guayaquil, Ecuador (Airport code GYE).

Single Supplement

If a single room is preferred, or we are unable to find a suitable roommate for you, a single supplement fee of $0 will be assessed.

Deposit Requirements

A $0 deposit per person is required to hold each space on this tour. Deposit may be made online by clicking the "Book Your Trip Now" button and using any credit card. If you prefer, you may call us at 888-875-9453 to pay by phone. You may also mail us a check, however, remember that all space is held on a first come-first served basis as deposits are received.

Minimum Number

If fewer than the minimum number of required participants are registered, we may still be able to run the trip by adding a small-group supplement fee, per person, determined by the number of participants registered.

How to Book

In order to hold your space, click the "Book Your Trip Now" button above and complete the deposit process, including payment of the deposit through our Paypal portal using ANY CREDIT CARD. Upon completion of deposit, please visit our secure, online CLIENT INFORMATION FORM to complete your registration.

Final Payment

For all land-based tours: full payment by check is due 120 days prior to the departure date.

For all boat-based adventure cruises of 7-days or longer: full payment by check is required 180 days prior to departure.

NOTE: If you prefer to use credit card for final payment, a 3% fee may be added to cover the credit card merchant fees we incur.

Mostly Jocotoco Reserve Lodges

Activity Level Rating: (Note: 1 is easy and 5 is difficult)

Mostly easy walking, but some trails will be long and rocky. Some trails at high altitude. A fair amount of driving is required during this trip.

Purchasing Flights

Do not purchase your flights until the trip has been confirmed to go.

Detailed Trip Information

Upon notification that final payment is due (120 days prior to departure for land based tours / 180 days for boat based tours), you will receive a trip package of detailed information for your tour.

Any additional information about the trip, including lodgings, contacts, participants, meeting locations, etc., will sent about 2 weeks prior to the trip departure, or after final payment is received for late registrants.

Travel Insurance

As with all tours, we recommend purchasing Travel Insurance to help cover your investment, for covered reasons. Please see our section on Travel Insurance.

Passport & Visa

US Citizens may require a visa to enter certain foreign countries. See above for any required visa information.

Participants arriving to the USA from a foreign country may need to get a travel visa to enter the United States. Be sure to check the requirements for your country of origin.

Itinerary Changes

The trip itinerary is developed many months ahead of time. Occasionally, despite our best planning, changes may occur during the trip, or we may be forced to alter our plans. Changes may occur because of weather, road conditions, safety concerns or other circumstances. In these situations, it is the leader(s) responsibility to carefully consider and implement appropriate alternatives. Any additional costs incurred because of changes will be the responsibility of each individual participant. Refunds will not be issued as a result of itinerary changes.

Location Map