Day 1

• Recommended arrival time: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
• Arrival by car at the main trail entrance where your guide will greet you
• Brief orientation about the hike from the parking area to the lodge
• Guided hike (approx. 2 hours) through mature secondary forest (2.5 km, 500m elevation gain)
• Opportunity to spot various birds and invertebrates along the way
• Welcome briefing and check-in at the lodge
• Lunch served in the dining room with panoramic views
• 3:00 PM – Explore the self-guided trail through lush cloud forest, ending with a visit to our orchid garden, which may feature up to 30 blooming species depending on the season
• 7:00 PM – Dinner
• Overnight stay in one of our private, comfortable cabins

Day 2

• 4:00 AM – Early morning excursion to observe the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek, where males perform their striking mating displays
• Light breakfast in the forest
• Return hike through primary forest along the mountain ridge (11 km total, approx. 5 hours), ideal for birdwatching
• Rest and relax back at the lodge
• 1:00 PM – Lunch with panoramic views
• 2:00 PM – Cooking demonstration: learn how to prepare “Quimbolitos,” a traditional Ecuadorian dish, with our kitchen team
• 7:00 PM – Dinner
• Optional (8:00 PM) – Night walk around the lodge to discover nocturnal wildlife such as insects, frogs, spiders, and possibly mammals or night birds, while listening to the symphony of the forest
• Overnight in private cabin

Day 3

• 7:00 AM – Breakfast overlooking the stunning landscape from the dining room
• 8:30 AM – Walk to our sugar cane plantation with an introduction to our conservation initiatives, sustainability practices, and research projects, including camera trapping efforts focused on the endangered Andean Bear and other large mammals
• Continue onto the waterfall trail
• Scenic hike passing three waterfalls, ending at the river where seasonal swimming is possible (7 km total, approx. 6 hours)
• Picnic lunch by the river
• Return to the lodge and unwind
• 7:00 PM – Dinner
• Overnight in private cabin

Day 4

• 7:00 AM – Breakfast with panoramic views
• 8:00 AM – Trek to the upper part of the reserve. The trail leads from the lodge up to 2,500 meters elevation, passing through open pastures with sweeping vistas and beautiful tracts of undisturbed primary forest teeming with flora and fauna (12 km total, approx. 5 hours)
• 1:00 PM – Lunch with panoramic views
• Free time to rest
• 7:00 PM – Dinner
• Optional (8:00 PM) – Nocturnal hike to experience the night life of the forest: insects, frogs, spiders, and more
• Overnight in private cabin

Day 5

• • • Optional (6:00 AM) – Morning birdwatching and observation of forest wildlife near the lodge and along the self-guided trail
    • 7:00 AM – Breakfast with panoramic views
    • 8:30 AM – Choose between two hiking options:

Option 1:

• • • Descend along a scenic trail toward the Umachaca River, passing through magnificent primary forest and a former banana plantation
    • Along the way, enjoy a short upstream walk to a beautiful waterfall
    • After a picnic lunch by the river, follow an ancient pre-Incan trail through lush forest featuring giant tree ferns and other highlights of the region’s biodiversity
    • The path ends in a pasture with sweeping views of the valley and surrounding forests (6 km downhill, approx. 6 hours)

Option 2:

• • • Take the main trail back down, continuing to enjoy sightings of birds, insects, and fascinating plant species (2.5 km downhill, approx. 3 hours)

    • Picnic lunch en route

2:00 PM – Departure