Mashpi Lodge

Today is a sample itinerary that includes the most popular excursions on offer. This day is completely customizable.

AM: The adventure begins at around 08:30 at one of the main hotels in Quito when you will be collected by Mashpi transportation for your journey to the northwest corner of the Metropolitan District of Quito. The road passes along the western flank of the Andes next to the “Middle of the World” which marks the equatorial line. We then continue westwards, downhill, following the course of the Rio Blanco, watching as the vegetation changes with every significant drop in altitude. After passing the town of Nanegalito, we head northwest, along winding country roads, passing the archaeological site of Tulipe and various farming communities. We arrive at the Lodge at noon.

PM: After enjoying lunch you will be shown to your room for a rest, before heading out for your afternoon activity. We take the Magnolia Trail from the lodge, walking through a beautiful patch of forest and stopping at the viewing platform that’s located halfway down the path. Moving along, we come to a great waterfall for a revitalizing dip and a cathartic shower. We then wade and walk downstream through the Laguna River, admiring the colors of the riverbed and spotting birds before finally reaching Tower 4 of the Dragonfly. It is here that we will embark on our gondola journey across the canopy, arriving at the Dragonfly’s main station 20 minutes later.

The highlight of any trip to Mashpi is the Dragonfly – an exciting, open-air cable car system that carries you over, across, and sometimes even directly through the forest canopy, offering guests a relaxing way to enjoy the reserve from overhead. The entire setup consists of two main stations, six towers (with an intermediate station that guests can get off at if they wish), and four gondolas. The gondolas are equidistant and separated by a distance of 500 meters/1,640 feet. Each gondola moves along the 2 km/1.24 mi length of cable at a low speed of 50 meters/160 feet per minute. The guides can stop the gondola at any point to allow for an extended observation of any flora and/or fauna that catches your eye. An entire circuit (roundtrip) takes about 40-minutes to complete. Gondolas can carry up to 4 guests (plus 1 guide).

Today is a sample itinerary that includes the most popular excursions on offer. This day is completely customizable.

AM: One of the best ways to enjoy the beauty of Mashpi is from the observation tower. From here, we can appreciate a wonderful view of the canopy and the complex structure of the tropical forest, and on clear days we can see the lodge, the Reserve’s boundaries, and a mosaic of forest, crops, and little villages beyond. The tower is a metal structure with a staircase that rises about eight stories (26 m or 85 ft), ideal for wildlife lovers. Species spotted from here include toucans, woodpeckers, barbets, tanagers, and parrots, as well as birds of prey.

Located west of the lodge, the Life Centre was conceived as a place for learning and discovery, but also as a place where our guests can disconnect while they admire the scenery from the comfort of a chaise longue on the handsome wooden deck – a great place to spot birds, and hear the roar of mantled howler monkeys, too!

Here we learn about the species of butterflies found in this region, observing the whole process of metamorphosis from eggs into beautiful butterflies. About 300 species of moths and butterflies have been identified to date in the Reserve, and our team has reproduced 50 of these to date. About a dozen can be seen in the center itself. Most of the interpretation in the center is provided by our guides or the employees from the local community involved in the project.

PM: Located close to the hotel, the Sky Bike makes for an original and exciting way to explore the forest canopy up close. Designed for two people to use at once, one person pedals the bike along a cable stretched between two points in the forest, around 200 m (655 feet) apart, crossing a beautiful gorge above a river flowing between rocks and trees below. Silent, easy-to-use, and fun, it’s an activity for children over 1 m high accompanied by an adult, providing guests with the chance to fly over the natural world close to the lodge and even spot its denizens. The ride takes 10 minutes or 20 round-trips.

After dinner, you can choose to take a short and easy trail which we use mostly for night walks due to its richness in insects. It’s named after the luminous ‘fox fire’ fungus that occurs here. It’s a glow-in-the-dark living experience!

AM: Enjoy your final breakfast as we ready you for your final excursion! The beautiful forests of Mashpi boast 32 hummingbird species identified to date, inhabiting different specific altitudes, with around 19 species alone observable by guests in this garden. To make it easier to see these amazing creatures, we placed several hummingbird feeders and fruit feeders, in front of a shelter with seating providing the ideal setting. Here, apart from hummingbirds, we can also frequently spot fruit feeder species such as toucans, tanagers, squirrels, etc. The site is located at a natural viewpoint, which, on clear days, provides breath-taking views of the Reserve’s forested hills. This is a paradise for photographers, regardless of your level of experience, as well as a place to calmly connect with birds and nature.

Check-out from the lodge is at 11:00. The shared transfer leaves Mashpi Lodge at 11:30. You will be given a complimentary box lunch to enjoy during the drive back to Quito.