Duration: 5

Capacity: 5 per person

More on Chalalan Eco-lodge.

You stay at Chalalan eco-lodge, a community tourism project designed to benefit the whole community.

The lodge has created a sustainable economic activity while preserving the resources of Madidi National park, whose varied eco-systems we explore.

Our native guide leads us on trails around lakes and to streams, and on boat trips to clay licks and wetlands where wildlife forages and congregates.

You can see caiman, monkeys, sloths and more among the canopy. Read our wildlife guide for more.

As well as wildlife, your guide will explain the the use of plants in the lives of native people for sustenance, construction, art and medicine.

Duration: 3

Capacity: 5 per person

More on El Monte Sustainable Lodge

Situated within a private reserve, the El Monte lodge offers unparalleled access to the biodiverse Andean cloud forest. You’re surrounded by lush greenery, wonderful wildlife, and beautiful scenery.

The lodge owners decided, when they opened in 1998, to stay small, and keep a healthy balance between guests and the area of land to minimize the ecological impact.

Food is mostly vegetarian with lots of colour, but chicken and fish are also sometimes served (veggies are catered for too). The cooks are creative so there’s no fixed menu, just a guarantee that it will be tasty. Almost all dietary requests can be catered to.

Activities at El Monte Lodge

Arrival at El Monte is via a 20-metre ride on a tarabita—a hand-pulled cable car—over the Rio Mindo which gives a sense of seclusion from the outside world, but you are only a couple of miles from the small town of  Mindo.

From El Monte venture out to enjoy a range of activities. There are options catering to all visitors: go bird watching, join a nature walk, swim in a waterfall, visit a butterfly farm, visit an orchid garden, take a chocolate or coffee tour, feed hummingbirds, or simply relax in a hammock!

For the adventurous and for families, there’s zip-lining, horseback riding a cable car over the canopy, and tubing.

Duration: 3

Capacity: 5 per person

More about Mashpi Lodge

Mashpi Lodge is in one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. The Choco bioregion stretches from Panama through Ecuador to the border with Peru.

Ecuador’s section, the Andean Choco, is part of the world-famous Tumbes-Choco-Darien biodiversity hotspot. It covers 125,000 hectares with diverse microclimates across its undulating topography, offering a unique richness in flora and fauna.

About Mashpi Reserve and Lodge

Mashpi Lodge came to life in 2001 when a group of environmentalists bought 3,000 acres of land in the Choco bioregion. Once farmed and logged, the group set out to protect an area home to more than 400 species of birds, 150 butterfly species, 120 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 100 varieties of trees.

Mashpi Lodge aims to mix the best-in-class hotel service in an artistic, natural environment. It succeeds thanks to luxurious rooms and tasteful communal spaces that blend in and play with the surroundings.

The contemporary and sustainable lodge sits at the beating heart of the Mashpi Reserve, 950m/3,100ft above sea level, among the lower montane tropical rainforest and cloud forests. Panoramic views unfold from almost all areas, fusing you with nature during your stay.

Connect with nature at Mashpi

Connect with nature on the yoga deck, unwind in the spa, or enjoy a meditation session among the cloud forest sounds. Awaken your senses in the lodge’s pristine swimming area next to a refreshing natural waterfall, one of several cascades surrounding Mashpi Lodge, where you can re-energise your spirit.

Your wellness is cared for with high-end gastronomy, exotic cocktails, and the plush Samay Centre and Spa. Learn more about the environment in the expedition room. There’s an indoor and outdoor bar lounge, coffee bar, well-stocked library, gift shop, and viewing platform. There are even some computers for those that may need access.

Mashpi Lodge is also a member of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World programme; no need to say more.

Birdwatching

Mashpi Lodge is a birdwatching paradise, with explosively coloured birds sighted among the lush, tropical greenery. Look for the azure blue, deep vermillion, and forest green flashes of birds among the kaleidoscope of butterflies, frogs, and insects.

Some 35 of the 400 species at Mashpi Lodge are endemic, and more than 30 species of hummingbirds have been identified in the area. A highlight for many is the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek.

Highlights at Mashpi Lodge

Mashpi’s eight-storey high observation tower (26m/85ft) gives a view over the cloud forest canopy like no other. Watch nature in all its beauty from above the jungle floor.

A life centre offers a journey of learning and discovery for children and adults alike. There, resident scientists talk you through the area’s wildlife while inviting you to witness one of nature’s most striking wonders; the metamorphosis of butterflies.

The dragonfly gondola offers an 80-minute ride through and above the cloud forest canopy along a 1.2 mile/2km route. Alternatively, take the sky bike, pedalling 200m/650ft through the cloud forest canopy, over the jungle, rivers, and wildlife.

A hummingbird garden viewpoint allows guests to observe up to 19 of the 32 species identified at Mashpi. Marvel at the magical hovering birds while keeping your eyes peeled for the toucans and squirrels that share the garden.

Expert guides to help

Local and naturalist guides help spot wildlife on the numerous trails that follow the undulating features of the Mashpi zone. They range from short, 20-minute walks to those up to and over three hours, often combined with other activities. Evocative names include the Howler Monkey, Healing Water, Capuchin Monkey, and Walking Palm trails. You can also head out on night walks and experience the jungle from an entirely new perspective.

Kids love the laboratory where the experiments are designed to make them fall in love with the natural world. Research and conservation projects—new species are often being discovered—amplify this connection.

Take it easy among the birds and breeze on the outdoor yoga deck, soft mats provided. Or try Samay, which means ‘soul’ in Kichwa, a Wellness Centre that offers inner harmony for the mind, body, and soul. Massages, beauty treatments, and a hot tub await.