Bellavista – sweeping forest views and hummingbirds! A cloud forest reserve and lodge deep in Ecuador’s northwest, yet only one hours 45 minutes from Quito. This special place offers peace and true discovery of exuberant nature, with 10 km of trails taking you to waterfalls, through forests of tall trees festooned with mosses, orchids and bromeliads. Birding here is superb – we are on the famous Nono-Mindo road – the new Ecoroute. We have lots of tanagers including Grass-green Tanager, and then the endangered Tanager-Finch, the Ocellated Tapaculo, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Toucan Barbet, Giant Antpitta, etc ,etc. Flurries of hummingbirds come to our feeders, including Gorgeted Sunangel, Collared Inca, Brown Inca, Buff-tailed Coronet, and more. There are always orchids in bloom, and the biodiversity is astonishing. The accommodation is original – our geodesic dome made of natural materials, with pie-shaped rooms and a circular restaurant with gourmet food, the bamboo house, and the gingerbread house in the main area, as well as the House in the Woods, perfect for Honeymooners.


Bellavista is located on the new “Ecoroute” – the first such route in Ecuador, so established because of its great scenic beauty and diversity of wildlife, particularly birds. Bellavista offers adventure tours to nearby areas, like zip line, rafting, tubing, and within its trails you can practice horseback riding and biking!

$216 per person

Round trip transport from/to Quito, all meals, lodging with private bath, shared naturalist guided hikes and taxes

Depends on type of planned lodging
*See website details on camping and hostel stays

Day One:

8:30h: Departure after breakfast from your hotel.

Optional- Brief stop at Pululahua crater overlook.

Arrival at Bellavista.

Settle in, and maybe take a reconnaissance hike into the forest. Lunch.

Afternoon: Forest hike – discover the ecology of this mysterious forest - and/or bird watching. Dinner.


Day Two:

Optional early morning bird hike – pre dawn departure

8:00h: Breakfast

Hike to a waterfall hidden in the forest, or walk our Self-guided Trail. Lunch

Afternoon: Further options for easy hikes or true adventure, alone or with a guide! Dinner


Day Three:

Early morning bird hike

8:00h: Breakfast

Optional- Horseback riding, or further guided hikes – many different areas to explore! Lunch

Afternoon: siesta

15:00: Departure from Bellavista (flexible)

17:00: Arrive at your Quito hotel

3 days

2 nights