Ecuador birding: southern highlights 2026

his specialist birding tour takes you deep into Southern Ecuador, where deciduous Tumbesian dry forest meets wet Choco cloudforest, providing the perfect location to spot literally hundreds of bird species in a short amount of time. This area of Ecuador has some of the highest concentrations of endemic and restricted-range species in the world, and is always popular among bird enthusiasts.

• Visit a wide variety of differing ecosystems, including dry Tumbesian forest, wet Choco cloud forest, Foothill Choco, Foothill Amazon & High Paramo grasslands.
• Join a specialist local birding guide at each lodge who will accompany you to spot and identify the best birds in each area. There’s also the option to upgrade to an English-speaking guide throughout the tour.
• Expect to find a wide diversity of bird species in a single week, many of them endemic to the south of Ecuador. It is not uncommon to spot 300-400+ bird species during this tour, including 30-40 different hummingbirds.
• Enjoy comfortable lodging and easy organization throughout, so you can focus entirely on quality birding.

Short Itinerary:

• Day 1: Pickup in Guayaquil and transfer to hotel. Free time to rest, acclimatize, and prepare for the adventure ahead.
• Day 2: Early start heading to the Buenaventura area. A full day on the trails and at the feeders of Umbrellabird Lodge.
• Day 3: Birding excursion to Cerro de Arcos Reserve. Overnight Umbrellabird Lodge.
• Day 4: Transfer to the Jorupe area, excellent habitat for Tumbesian endemics. Birding on local trails and at the feeders. Overnight at Urraca Lodge.
• Day 5: A full day of birding at and around Urraca Lodge.
• Day 6: Transfer to Casa Simpson at Tapichalaca.
• Day 7: Tapichalaca Area: head out in search of the endemic Jocotoco Antpitta & other species on the trails.
• Day 8: Transfer from Tapichalaca to Copalinga. Afternoon birding at the feeders, around the lodge and the entrance road.
• Day 9: Birding the excellent trails in Poducarpus National Park. Overnight Copalinga.
• Day 10: Visit Huashapamba Alto-Andine Forest Reserve near Saraguro, and journey onto Cuenca.
• Day 11: A final day of birding action on the Paramo and high-altitude forests of El Cajas National Park. Journey onto Guayaquil city.
• Day 12: Tour ends after breakfast with transfer out.