Birdwatching tours from Cuenca
Day tours

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Cajas National Park

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This awesome park is located only 45 min. from Cuenca. This nice lagoon system with over 230 lakes, invites you to enjoy one of the nicest landscapes in South America, and here there are different ecosystems such as: Andean Mountain forest, Polylepis forest, paramo or grassland. You will have the chance to spot many interesting birds, even the endemic hummingbird of Cajas – the “Violet Throated Metaltail”- one of the most important birds in Ecuador, also in this tour you will see the beautiful Tit Like Dacnis, Blue Mantled Thornbill, Stout Billed Cinclodes, Tawny Antpitta, Spectacled Whitestar, Tyrian Metaltail, Gray Breasted Mountain Toucan, Andean Guan, etc.

Price: from $85 p/p
Min: 2 people/Max: 8 people

Tour includes:

  • Private transportation
  • Bilingual birdwatcher tour guide
  • Box lunch
  • Bird list of the area
  • Binoculars (please ask for these in advance)

Chorro waterfall & Yunguilla Jocotoco Reserve

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This nice area is located to the southwest of Cuenca and here you will enjoy firstly a nice landscape. Early in the morning you will reach Yunguilla Jocotoco Reserve, where there are some interesting birds but the most important without doubt is the Pale Headed Brush-Finch. The Brush-Finch is one of the Ecuadorian endemics and one of the rarest birds of the world, also here there is the possibility to find other beautiful birds, such as: Chesnut Crowned Antpitta, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Slate Throated Woodstar, Band Tailed Pigeon, Purple Throated Sunangel, Golden Olive Woodpecker, Hooded Siskin, etc.

Our tour also includes the visit to a waterfall, the most important in Azuay province, and there are some interesting birds such as the; Crimson Mantled Woodpecker, Russet Crowned Warbler, Black Chested Buzzard Eagle, Peruvian Pygmy Owl, and more.

Price: from $95 p/p
Min: 2 people/Max: 8 people

Tour includes:

  • Private transportation
  • Bilingual birdwatcher tour guide
  • Box lunch
  • Bird list of the area
  • Binoculars (please ask for these in advance)

Gualaceo & Limon road

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The Gualaceo-Limón Road connects the Azuay and Morona Santiago Provinces. This roughly 77 km road lets people practice birdwatching in different parts. The birding areas are located at elevations between 3360 to 1900 meters, also here you will find different ecosystems, such as; Páramo Grassland, Elfin Forest, Temperate Forest, Upper Montane Forest and Middle Montane Forest.

After one hour driving from Cuenca you will be crossing over the continental divide and start heading down along the eastern flank of the eastern Andes. This spot called “Loma de la Virgen” is located at an elevation of 3360msnm. Here have been recorded some important birds as for example; Páramo Tapaculo, Mouse-Colored Thistletail, Viridian Metaltail and at times also Rainbow-Bearded Thornbill. Continuing going down you will have different stops to spot birds, looking for important birds such as Masked Mountain-Tanager, Black-Backed Bush-Tanager and Mountain Wren, Blue Necked Tanager, Grass Green Tanager, etc.

The list of possibilities is big during this tour, as you will be covering a gradient of altitudes ranging from 2850 to 2000 meters.

Price: from $95 p/p
Min: 2 people/Max: 8 people

Tour includes:

  • Private transportation
  • Bilingual birdwatcher tour guide
  • Box lunch
  • Bird list of the area
  • Binoculars (please ask for these in advance)

Tamarindo tropical forest & Churute area

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Only 1 hour 45 minutes traveling to the west of Cuenca is located a very interesting topical forest and here the birders have a big chance to see many birds, among the most important are the Horned Screamer the symbol of Churute mangrove ecological reserve, also in this tour you will see the Peruvian Pygmy Owl, Rufous Headed Chachalaca, Crested Caracara, Palm Tanager, Streaked Saltator, Rufous Tailed Hummingbird, Saffron Finch, Scarlet Backed Woodpecker, also in this visit you will reach an open area to spot big aquatic birds such as; Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Snail Kite, Savanna Hawk, etc.

Price: from $95 p/p
Min: 2 people/Max: 8 people

Tour includes:

  • Private transportation
  • Bilingual birdwatcher tour guide
  • Box lunch
  • Bird list of the area
  • Binoculars (please ask for these in advance)

One hundred birds in one day !

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Calling all bird lovers… did you know that it is possible to see one hundred birds in just one day? Good news, this is possible with Polylepis Tours! It could be a long day, but it is really worth it. You will have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of different eco-systems, for example; the Andean forest, paramo, humid tropical forest and dry tropical forest. We invite all, from beginners to avid birders to share this amazing trip…

This tour takes place in El Cajas National Park and the Puerto Inca area.

Possible spots of the day include: Violet Throated Metaltail, Tit Like Dacnis, Blue Mantled Thornbill, Stout Billed Cinclodes, Tawny Antpitta, Spectacled Whitestar, Tyrian Metaltail, Gray Breasted Mountain Toucan, Andean Guan,Horned Screamer, Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Saffron finch, Crimsom breasted Finch, Lemon rumped Tanager.

Price: from $95 p/p
Min: 2 people/Max: 8 people

Tour includes:

  • Private transportation
  • Bilingual birdwatcher tour guide
  • Box lunch
  • Bird list of the area
  • Binoculars (please ask for these in advance)

Polylepis Tours

Polylepis Tours is a Tour Operator dedicated to delivering the best of Ecuador’s four regions to our clients. Bringing together the finest of our local providers, to showcase the amazing diversity that this wonderful country has to offer.

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