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Notes from Ecuador's Eastern Andes & Amazon Rainforest

Posted Mar 2, 2026 by Jon Feenstra
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Jon Feenstra

Leader

Learn more about the Ecuador: Eastern Andes to Amazon Lowlands tour

The tour of eastern Ecuador was an epic ride from the high Andes to the lowland Amazon rainforest. In thirteen days of birding, we covered 4,000m of elevation change and saw well over 500 bird species. The treeless paramo highlands got us impossibly huge Andean Condors. The cloud forests brought us swarms of hummingbirds (we ended up with nearly 50 species) and dazzling tanagers like Orange-eared, Saffron-crowned, and Beryl-spangled.  In the end, the inclusion of the lowlands proved more than worthwhile, rewarding us with outstanding birds and remarkable wildlife encounters from the first day to the last. 

We began above treeline in the grassy paramo of Antisana National Park. Antisana volcano, partly obscured by clouds and some glacier, is visible in the background.
We began above treeline in the grassy paramo of Antisana National Park. Antisana volcano, partly obscured by clouds and some glacier, is visible in the background.
Jon Feenstra
The big (literally) highlight of that high country was Andean Condor. We saw a few far away, but then a couple came close over the road for us. So, we got to see them close from below…
The big (literally) highlight of that high country was Andean Condor. We saw a few far away, but then a couple came close over the road for us. So, we got to see them close from below…
Jon Feenstra
…and even a little from above.
…and even a little from above.
Jon Feenstra
Lower down, the Andean forests held a lot of wonderful things. We visited a lek of Andean Cock-of-the-rock at which twelve insane, screeching males did their thing.
Lower down, the Andean forests held a lot of wonderful things. We visited a lek of Andean Cock-of-the-rock at which twelve insane, screeching males did their thing.
Jon Feenstra
We also checked out a few rushing rivers and found a White-capped Dipper, here with some food for its nest next to a waterfall.
We also checked out a few rushing rivers and found a White-capped Dipper, here with some food for its nest next to a waterfall.
Jon Feenstra
Hummingbirds were a big part of our time in the cloud forest, and one of the most charismatic was the tiny, but fancy Peruvian Racket-tail.
Hummingbirds were a big part of our time in the cloud forest, and one of the most charismatic was the tiny, but fancy Peruvian Racket-tail.
Jon Feenstra
The second half of the tour was out in the Amazon rainforest where we were based at Sani Lodge on the land of the Sani Isla Kichwa people. There were no cars or roads and our passage for birding around the forest was strictly by canoe or on foot. Part of all of our days there looked like this.
The second half of the tour was out in the Amazon rainforest where we were based at Sani Lodge on the land of the Sani Isla Kichwa people. There were no cars or roads and our passage for birding around the forest was strictly by canoe or on foot. Part of all of our days there looked like this.
Jon Feenstra
A Sunbittern stalking around in the forest was also a highlight.
A Sunbittern stalking around in the forest was also a highlight.
Jon Feenstra
And one cannot forget antbirds, one of the largest neotropical families, here a Dot-backed Antbird, a specialty of flooded forest, was one of the brighter and more interesting-looking antbirds we encountered.
And one cannot forget antbirds, one of the largest neotropical families, here a Dot-backed Antbird, a specialty of flooded forest, was one of the brighter and more interesting-looking antbirds we encountered.
Jon Feenstra
A trio of the endangered Amazonian River Dolphins greeted us as we came back to our canoe after lunch one day. Rarely seen in the Rio Napo, these were especially exciting because we saw them from above, looking down from a high river bank.
A trio of the endangered Amazonian River Dolphins greeted us as we came back to our canoe after lunch one day. Rarely seen in the Rio Napo, these were especially exciting because we saw them from above, looking down from a high river bank.
Jon Feenstra
Here we are after walking the hilly terra firme trail through Yasuni National Park with our indigenous Sani Kichwa guide, Carlos.
Here we are after walking the hilly terra firme trail through Yasuni National Park with our indigenous Sani Kichwa guide, Carlos.
Jon Feenstra