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Experience the heart of a montane rainforest
Stay at our eco-lodge, Santa Lucia Ecuador, located in the heart of a montane rainforest on top of a mountain with stunning views at 1,900 meters above sea level. Our reserve covers an area of 730 hectares, 80% of which is pristine montane rainforest, and is located in the Chocó Andean Hotspot, one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth.
Observe over 400 bird species and 300 orchid species
Santa Lucía is home to an impressive array of wildlife, including over 400 bird species such as the Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Beautiful Jay, and White-faced Nunbird. The lodge also boasts over 300 orchid species, making it a haven for nature lovers.
Itinerary
Day 1
- Recommended arrival time: 8 am – 11 am
- Arrival by car at the entrance of the main trail where our guide is waiting for you. He will give you a short explanation about the hike from the parking spot to the lodge
- Guided hike of about the two hours through the mature secondary forest (about 2,5 km long, 500 meters uphill – appr. 2 hours)
- There is a good chance of observing many bird and invertebrate species
- Welcome, introduction and check-in
- Lunch in our dining room with spectacular panoramic views
- 3:00 pm - Hike along the self-guided trail: this walkthrough mature secondary forest offers a good chance to have a close look at cloud forest flora and fauna and includes a visit to our orchid garden where, depending on the season, you can find flowers of up to 30 species
- 7:00 pm - Dinner
- A good night's sleep in one of our comfortable private cabins
Day 2
- 4:00 am - Visit of the Cock-of-the-Rock Lek (a place where the males of that species display their mating ritual)
- Box breakfast in the forest
- Return to the lodge through a vast primary forest and along the mountain ridge. This is a good chance for bird observation (11km in total – appr. 5 hours)
- Rest
- 1:00 pm - Lunch in our dining room with spectacular panoramic views
- 2:00 pm Preparation of "Quimbolitos“: you have the chance to prepare this typical and very tasty little gem with our kitchen staff
- 7:00 pm - Dinner
- 8:00 pm - optional - Nocturnal hike to experience the nocturnal fauna (insects, spiders, frogs, and the occasional bird or mammal) as well as the voices of the forest on a short night hike around the lodge.
- A good night's sleep in one of our comfortable private cabins
Day 3
- 7:00 am - Breakfast enjoying the spectacular views from our dining room
- 8:30 am - Walk to our sugar cane plantation: a short explanation of our conservation activities, sustainability, and research projects, including the camera trapping project and monitoring of the Andean Bear and other large mammals.
- Connection to the waterfall trail.
- Walk along the trail where you can see 3 different waterfalls and as a destination, you reach the river, where in season you can take a refreshing swim (7km in total – appr. 6 hours)
- Box lunch by the river
- Return to the lodge and rest
- 7:00 pm - Dinner
- A good night's sleep in one of our comfortable private cabins
Day 4
- 6:00 am - optional - Bird watching and observation of forest flora and fauna around the lodge and on the self-guided trail
- 7:00 am - Breakfast enjoying the spectacular views from our dining room
- 8:30 am - option 1: hike downhill on a trail that leads towards the Umachaca river passing through wonderfull primary forest and a former banana plantation until reaching the river.
- By the river, you have the chance to walk upstream where can enjoy a wonderful waterfall. After lunch in by the river, you'll follow an ancient pre-Incan trail where you will learn about the history of the region while enjoying a walk through primary forest with spectacular tree ferns and other attractions of our flora and fauna. The trail leads to a pasture that offers spectacular views on the river and the surrounding forests
- (6km downhill – appr. 6 hours)
- 10:30 - option 2: walk down the main trail on which you will keep observing more birds, insects while also enjoying various interesting aspects of our megadiverse flora (2.5km downhill – appr. 3 hours)
- Box lunch in the forest
- 2:00 pm - Departure
Additional activities
In addition to the itinerary, guests can enjoy nocturnal hikes to discover the nocturnal biodiversity of the cloud forest and learn about the community's history and the traditional way of making sugar cane sugar.
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