Refugio Paz Day Trip
in Mindo, Ecuador
Half Day
$60 per person
Half-Day Birding Tour
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock and Antpittas
Experience the early morning magic of Ecuador’s cloud forest with a focused half-day birding tour at Refugio Paz de las Aves. The adventure begins at dawn with a visit to the famed Cock-of-the-Rock lek, where you will witness the incredible courtship displays of these vibrant, scarlet-plumed birds. As the mist clears, you’ll observe the energetic males calling and performing in a colorful spectacle that is sure to captivate birders and photographers alike.
After the lek, the tour continues with a search for some of the reserve’s most elusive residents: the Antpittas. While the goal is to spot as many of the five species as possible—Giant, Chestnut-crowned, Moustached, Ochre-breasted, and Yellow-breasted Antpittas—it’s important to note that sightings may vary from day to day, as these shy birds do not always appear on cue. However, with expert local guides like Angel, Rodrigo, and Andy calling the birds from the dense undergrowth, you’ll have the best possible chance to see these rare ground-dwellers.
Giant Anpitta
Ochre-breasted Antpitta
Moustached Antpitta
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta
Yellow-breasted Antpitta
This compact, immersive tour provides a unique glimpse into the incredible biodiversity of the cloud forest and offers excellent opportunities for birdwatchers with limited time. Whether you’re new to birding or an experienced birder, the Cock-of-the-Rock and Antpitta tour delivers unforgettable sightings in one of Ecuador’s most iconic birding destinations.
This Day Trip Includes
- Expert Birding Guide
- Limited transportation within the reserve
- Breakfast, including purified water and hot beverages
- Access to the grounds, including hummingbird gardens and feeding stations.
Not Included
- Transportation to and from Paz de Las Aves (add-on available)
- Tips for staff
- Trip insurance
Other Birdwatching Opportunities at Paz de Laz Aves
During your visit, in addition to the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock and the Antpittas, it is possible to see:
- Collared Aracari, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Chocó Toucan, Yellow-throated Toucan, and Crimson-rumped Toucanet.
- Tanagers like Beryl-spangled, Golden-hooded, Flame-faced, Black-chinned, Metallic-green, Blue-capped, Blue-gray, and many more.
- Hummingbirds like Violet-tailed Sylph, Velvet-purple Coronet, Purple-chested, Violet-bellied, White-booted Racket-tail, Empress Brilliant and others.
- Night birds to include Black-and-White Owl, Rufescent Screech-Owl, Mottled Owl, and Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl.
- Other species like the quetzals, raptors, antthrush, antbirds, woodcreepers, foliage-gleaners, fruiteaters, woodpeckers, nightjars, etc.
If you would like to see a complete list of birds, visit our eBird listing.
To maximize your opportunity to see all of these birds, especially those that visit in the early morning and late evening, consider staying the night on our 3-day tour or 4-day tour. Alternatively, we also offer a 7-day tour that includes other important birding zones of the West Slope.
Additional Information
October 27, 2024
Paz de Las Aves, Mindo, Ecuador
Lodging and Rooms
Our lodge is small, with a total of 4 rooms. Three of these rooms have queen-beds. One room has two twin beds. Each room has a private bathroom with hot water and shower. These rooms share a protected, outdoor living room where we serve early morning coffee and tea.
The lodge does have wifi, though weather can impact the strength of the signal.
Want to learn more? Visit our Lodge and Restaurant page.
Meals
Our team, with over 20 years of experience serving a diverse international birdwatching audience, offer thoughtfully prepared dishes. Whether you're enjoying Ecuadorian classics or familiar international favorites, we ensure every guest has delicious meals that meet their needs, including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free options with advanced notice.
For day-trip visitors, breakfast is included, and for overnight guests, meals are included from dinner on the day of arrival through lunch on the day of departure.
Want to learn more? Visit our Lodge and Restaurant page.
Reservations and Payments
Guests wishing to book directly with Refugio Paz de Las Aves should use our online booking system, powered by WeTravel.
A deposit is required at the time of booking. If you need to cancel before making the full payment, we will do our best to refund your deposit, minus any bank transfer and administrative fees. Cancellations must be made in writing.
Full payment is due 30 days before your arrival date.
Once the full payment is made, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to cover any unexpected situations. If you need to cancel, please first submit a claim to your insurance provider.
For bookings made within 30 days of arrival, full payment is required at the time of booking.
Price Adjustments
Refugio Paz de Las Aves may need to adjust rates for reservations made more than four months in advance of the travel date. Rapid changes in the global economy can affect costs for transportation, fuel, food, and other essentials. If an adjustment is necessary, we will inform you immediately.
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance. A good policy should cover reimbursement for travel expenses due to personal illness (including COVID-19), natural disasters, and/or political instability. We also highly advise buying health insurance that includes medical coverage within Ecuador and emergency evacuation. While Refugio Paz de Las Aves is within driving distance of Quito, emergency medical care is limited in our region. If evacuation is needed, you will be responsible for all associated costs.
Terms and Conditions
By making a reservation through email, WhatsApp, or our website, you (the client) agree to these terms and conditions.
If your reservation is made through a third party such as a travel agency, Mindo hotel, or private guide, their terms and conditions apply, and you should contact them directly with any issues.
Terms of Service
The scope of our services is detailed on our website. However, we reserve the right to adjust the itinerary due to unforeseen circumstances such as severe weather, national emergencies, changes in animal behavior, etc.
If your arrival time changes due to unforeseen circumstances, please notify us as soon as possible. We will work with you to arrange an alternate visit time. However, if you prefer to cancel, please note that you may forfeit your payment.
Privacy Policy
At Refugio Paz de las Aves, we are committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you engage with our marketing campaigns and services.
Information that we collect:
We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when completing forms on our website or through Facebook ads. This information may include:
- Full name
- Email address
- Phone number
How We Use Your Information:
- To send you details and updates about our birdwatching tours
- To respond to your inquiries and assist with booking our services
- To send promotional emails about future activities and events at Refugio Paz de Las Aves
Changes to the Privacy Policy:
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the updated policy on this page.
Protecting Your Information:
We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss. We do not share your information with third parties unless it is necessary to provide our services to you. You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information at any time. To do so, please contact us at info@refugiopazdelasaves.com or call us at +1 619 919 4985 (U.S.) or 0996494170 (Ecuador).
