Next year, TWS members can experience South America’s most iconic wildlife and landscapes up close
TWS is partnering with Rockjumper Wildlife Tours, one of the world’s leading wildlife and birding tour operators, to offer two extraordinary trips in 2026. You can explore Ecuador’s Chocó Cloud Forest and Eastern Andes or the Brazilian Pantanal basin alongside other wildlife enthusiasts.
Next May, the Ecuador tour will explore three of the country’s most biodiverse regions: the Chocó Cloud Forests, the Eastern Andes and the Amazon Basin. Collectively, these areas are among the most species-rich on earth.
The tour will begin in the Chocó Cloud Forests northwest of Quito, a region known for its high levels of endemism, with the likelihood of encountering charismatic animals like coatis, toucans, tanagers, and the elusive tayra (Eira barbara).
Venturing east into the Andes, the tour will descend from snow-capped volcanoes into lush foothills. With the changes in elevation come a diversity of habitats, including windswept páramo landscapes, high-altitude alpine tundras and highland lakes, rushing mountain rivers and dense, bird-filled woodlands. Highlights include the iconic Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus), sword-billed hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera), golden-headed quetzal (Pharomachrus auriceps) and perhaps even the Andean spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus).
After these first two weeks, there will be an optional nine-day extension into the Amazon lowlands, ripe with iconic birds like the legendary harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) and dozens of striking antbird species. The itinerary has been designed with comfort in mind, offering a relaxed pace and quality accommodations, and one of the senior Ecuador-based guides will lead the tour.
Next September, the Brazil tour will explore the Pantanal basin, the largest freshwater wetland in the world. While the Amazon is famous for its biodiversity, the Pantanal offers the best opportunity to see its wildlife, thanks to the region’s open habitats and seasonal rhythms.
The tour will explore a mosaic of habitats teeming with wildlife, from capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) grazing riverbanks and giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) wandering open savannas to jabiru (Jabiru mycteria) fishing in quiet marshes. At the top of the wish list is the jaguar (Panthera onca), frequently observed along the Cuiabá and Three Brothers Rivers, often up close and in broad daylight.
The tour follows a circular itinerary beginning and ending in Cuiabá, and there are various options for extensions to the Amazon or Iguazu Falls for anyone eager for more adventure.
Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast, keen photographer or simply passionate about the natural world, this tailor-made adventure promises extraordinary encounters with Brazil’s charismatic fauna and the ecosystems they inhabit.
More information, trip details and timelines for the Ecuador trip can be found here, and for the Brazil trip, here. Both tours can accommodate a maximum of 11 guests and are now open for booking. You can learn more and inquire about the trips on Rockjumper’s website or e-mail them directly at tailormade@rockjumper.com.
