Average rating Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Lodge

Located on the western flank of the Andes Cordillera, the Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve is home to an awesome array of flora and fauna, from dazzling orchids to Technicolor tree frogs! Experience the richness of life in the clouds with this three-day eco-lodge tour!

It may be the second smallest country in South America, but what Ecuador lacks in size it more than makes up for in natural and cultural diversity! Straddling the equator on the northwest coast of the continent, Ecuador is a land of ancient cities, lush cloud forest, volcanic highlands and palm-fringed coastline. In a single day it’s possible to travel through all these landscapes and more, making Ecuador (pound-for-pound) the most diverse nation on Earth! One of 17 megadiverse countries, with 15% of the world’s known bird species as well as 250 endemic reptiles and amphibians, the “Republic of the Equator” is also home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including its capital, Quito, and the Galapagos archipelago, the lost world that inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Small wonder, then, that Ecuador is a traveller’s dream!

The Maquipucuna Reserve is a destination like no other! Cloaked in cloud and moss- mantled, these 15,000 acres of primary and secondary forest constitute one of the world’s top five biodiversity hotspots, where birds and insects of scintillating splendour dance in the mist like mischievous sprites! At the heart of all this (yet amazingly, just two hours from Quito!) is the Maquipucuna eco-lodge, your base for three days of jungle exploration! You’re free to fill your time as you wish, whether that’s hiking, bird-watching or swimming in the nearby clear-water river! There are guided nature walks on offer, as well as a trip to the local sugar cane mill where you can try a glass of guarapo (cane juice) or aguardiente (fire water)! And if all that sounds a little too hectic for your liking, you can kick back and relax in your hammock with a book from the lodge’s library.

This is one of most magical tours we’ve come across, one that promises sights, sounds and even smells that are as unique as they are intoxicating! Ecuador’s Edenic cloud forest is a seriously special place, and there’s no better way to discover it than with an eco-lodge stay like this one. This enchanting little tour will be adored by anyone with an interest in Life in all its myriad tones and textures, those whose idea of rest and relaxation involves a dip in a waterfall or a book, a hammock and some tropical birdsong. On the other hand, if you can’t imagine a holiday without TV, sun beds and beach bars, best look elsewhere!

Getting there

You will be picked up in Quito and driven to the lodge.

Price includes

Accommodation, food, activities, transfers, guide, entrance fee to the reserve

Price details

Prices are based on 2 people sharing.

Available

Jan—Dec

Typical Duration

3 days

Comfort level

Reasonably comfortable (Inns, B&Bs, luxury camping etc.)

Experience required

A reasonable interest is all that is needed