Ecuador Birding: Amazon & Cloudforest tour 2026

Welcome to Quito! The capital city of Ecuador is beautifully situated in the Andes, squeezed between mountain peaks and volcanoes at an altitude of 2,850 meters (9,350 ft). A city full of traditional Ecuadorian Sierra Culture, bustling markets, relaxing parks, busy commercial streets choked with traffic, and the incredible historical colonial city center. 

Our driver will carry a sign with your name on it and welcome you at the arrivals area. You will be transferred to your hotel in the city. The rest of the day/evening is free to acclimatize and get used to your new surroundings. 

Duration: transfer of 45 min to 1 hour 15 min / Type: private transfer

Depart from Quito International Airport to El Coca. After a brief lunch in Sacha’s private house, you begin a 2-hour journey down river to Sacha Lodge. After a brief rest, take a swim in lake Pilchicocha, a beautiful black water lake home to many species of fish and animals. You will also have the opportunity to see the sunset from the hotel’s observation tower. After dinner your naturalist guide takes you on a night walk through the rainforest, and a canoe ride to view the spectacled black caimans.

Leave the lodge after breakfast to hike on the Lagartococha Trail where you will learn about the native people and the legends of their spirits and ancestors. You can also spot wildlife species such as anaconda, caiman and capibara. Return to the lodge for lunch with free time to relax in the afternoon. Later your native guide will teach you how to fish for the infamous razor-toothed piranha, and you can enjoy a silent canoe ride through the Amazonian forest to spot more amazing wildlife, before arriving at Sacha’s 135 foot wooden tower built around an ancient Kapok tree to enjoy the view of Mount Sumaco and a beautiful sunset. Return to the lodge and dinner.

Leave the lodge after breakfast to hike on the Lagartococha Trail where you will learn about the native people and the legends of their spirits and ancestors. You can also spot wildlife species such as anaconda, caiman and capibara. Return to the lodge for lunch with free time to relax in the afternoon. Later your native guide will teach you how to fish for the infamous razor-toothed piranha, and you can enjoy a silent canoe ride through the Amazonian forest to spot more amazing wildlife, before arriving at Sacha’s 135 foot wooden tower built around an ancient Kapok tree to enjoy the view of Mount Sumaco and a beautiful sunset. Return to the lodge and dinner.

Early wakeup call and breakfast. Two hour canoe ride back to Coca city in time for your flight back to Quito. 

At arrival our driver will be waiting for you. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to rest and prepare for your next adventure in the Chocó Andino. 

Yanacocha, Bellavista: You will be picked up from your hotel in Quito, to be transferred to the first destiny, Yanacocha Reserve, place that boasts excellent montane cloud forest northwest of Quito with lots of montane bird life. If the flocks treat us well, they are frequented by mountain-tanagers (including Golden-crowned Tanager, Hooded, Black-chested, Scarlet-breasted MountainTanagers, fruit-eaters (Barred, Green-and-Black), Brush-Finches (Yellowbellied, White-naped), flowerpiercers (Glossy, Black, Masked, White-sided), etc. We will drive some down the Bellavista Road looking for Platebilled Mountain Toucan, Tanager Finch, Fruiteaters (Barred and Green-andBlack), mixed flocks, etc. in the afternoon.

Silanche & Milpe: Silanche is a classic lowland Chocoan site and one of the best birding spots in the region. The reserve protects a 60-hectare fragment of remnant forest; about 30 years ago this area was part of more than 20,000 hectares of continuous forest before agriculture and heart of palm plantations transformed the landscape. Despite its reduced size, Silanche is incredibly productive for birding. Mixed flocks can be impressive and may include 30 to 40 species moving together through the canopy and mid-levels, offering excellent opportunities to observe a wide variety of Choco lowland birds.

After exploring Silanche, we will continue toward Milpe. While Silanche lies below 500 m.a.s.l., Milpe sits at approximately 1000 m.a.s.l., placing it in the foothill zone of the Chocó region. This difference in elevation means that although there may be some overlap in species, many birds will be different, making the visit to both locations particularly rewarding.

Milpe is well known for its excellent feeders, where several hummingbird species and colorful tanagers can often be seen at close range. The forest trails are beautiful and productive, and mixed flocks frequently move through the area. With some luck we may encounter special species such as the Long-wattled Umbrellabird or other Choco endemics. In the evening, if conditions are favorable, we may also look for nocturnal birds such as Black-and-White Owl or Cloudforest Pygmy-Owl.

After a full day of birding, we will head to Sachatamia for the night.

Birdwatcher’s House (Santa Rosa) & Mindo: A retired guide bought a nice piece of land and made it very bird-friendly in the Birdwatcher’s House. We will get there early in order to take full advantage of the light setup which attracts insectivorous birds, which can be quite difficult to see, out into the relative open. There is also a banana feeder station and hummingbird station. Some of the main targets here are also quality views of Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Gorgeted Woodstar, and Blue-capped Tanager.

Afterwards, transfer back to your hotel in Quito. 

You will be picked up at your hotel for a transfer to Quito airport in time for your international flight out.