Following the Footsteps of the Great Naturalists
Dates & Prices
September 18th – 28th 2008
July 9th to the 19th July 2009
September 10th to September 20th 2009
Prices from: £3,065 per person
Based on two adults sharing a twin room including flights from the UK
Encounter four regions Cloud Forest, Andes highlands, Amazon Rainforest, Pacific Coast geographically different each with its own wildlife, conservation issues, culture, people, climate, and beauty.
In the Cloud Forest observe ongoing conservation and research efforts to preserve one of the earth’s most biologically diverse forest networks.
Short distances allow combination of wildlife, snow-capped volcanoes, local markets & people, Cloud Forest and stunning Andean countryside.
Your journey begins in the market town of Otavalo and its surrounding villages, internationally famous for their textiles and handicrafts. At Taxopamba waterfall you will observe and discuss medicinal herbs and plants, local fauna and birds, as well as local conservation issues, subsistence farming and the socio-economic conditions facing local people.
Ecuador’s Cloud Forest offers a unique encounter with nature, especially for bird lovers. Cloaking the steep slopes of the Andes, the vegetation is swathed in mist, making it a mystical place. 1600 species of birds are found in the Cloud Forests, birders paradise and the panoramic views from the top across the thick cloud forest are spectacular.
At an altitude of 5,897metres, Cotopaxi is Ecuador’s highest active volcano and the second highest peak in the country, only surpassed by Chimborazo. It’s also arguably Ecuador’s most striking.
Situated in a valley of waterfalls and hotsprings, Baños is a great base for exploring the great Ecuadorian outdoors and is the border that connects the Andes with the Amazon Rainforest. It also offers easy access to Riobamba, the starting point of the exhilarating train journey down the Devil’s Nose.
Finally driving through El Cajas National Parks which covers over 70,000 acres of park sheltering everything from Cloud Forest to rocky lunar landscapes, but it’s the lakes (more than 200 of them) scattered among jagged peaks that characterise the reserve best. In this area will see the wild llamas, spectacled bear, puma, and tigrillo. A long bird list counts hummingbirds, toucans, and Andean condors, beautiful!
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Dates & Prices
September 18th – 28th 2008
July 9th to the 19th July 2009
September 10th to September 20th 2009
Prices from:
From: £3,065 per person based on two adults sharing a twin room including flights from the UK.
Should you wish to book this trip we require a 20% deposit of the quoted price.
Single supplement:
We do not charge a single supplement if you are willing to share even if we cannot find a suitable roommate. Should you wish to have your own guaranteed single room the cost would be £275.
Includes:
The price includes return flight from UK, local transport and excursions as detailed, private transfers return, accommodation (twin/double with private facilities where available) board basis as mentioned each day.
A donation to the Maquipacuna Cloudforest Reserve. Your flight is offset with Climate Care.
Excludes:
Travel insurance, visas, vaccinations, and items of a personal nature, such as laundry and drinks. Meals where not stated and your departure tax, approx $50 per person from Quito.
Travelling from outside the UK:
We are happy to quote you either in US dollars or Euros for the trip without International flights.
Group Size:
This itinerary is based on 6 people travelling. We can run the group on a smaller number of participants, but this may incur a small supplement.
Please Note:
Exchange rates correct at time of printing. We maintain the right to confirm the price at time of booking with the up-to-date exchange rate
This Trip Supports..
Rainforest Concern
The Maquipucuna Foundation was founded in 1988 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of Ecuador’s biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources. The foundation promotes the participation of local communities in its programs.
To mitigate against the carbon dioxide released into the high atmosphere through your air travel a contribution of £10 per client is given to Rainforest Concern. Rainforests have a central role to play in the slowing of climate change and yet we are removing forests from the planet at a faster rate than they can grow back. It is thus axiomatic to try and preserve the forests that we have rather than replanting.
Rainforest Concern was established in 1993 to protect threatened natural habitats, the biodiversity they contain and the indigenous people who still depend on them for their survival. Central to Rainforest Concern’s philosophy is the establishment of strong partnerships with small yet dynamic organisations in the countries where it operates.
Field Expertise
Arsenio Barrera
Arsenio Barrera is the local manager of the Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Cloud Forest Reserve; he has been working at the lodge for over 14 year. Arsenio represents the essence of the ecotourism approach; as he changed from working in the timber and sugar cane trade to becoming one of the best local naturalist guides in this area. His passion is sharing with visitors his vast knowledge about the plants and animals of the forest, knowledge that is being transmitted from generations to generations.