Cloudforest Hiking Tour
( A four day)
This tour presents the opportunity to become acquainted with the two distinct conservation and ecotourism communities of Santa Lucia and Yunguilla with a brief tour of the surrounding area. There is a full day hike through primary and secondary forest descending from 2,600 metres to 1,900 metres and a swim in a waterfall. There is the option to spend a night in a forest refuge.
Day One: 8am pick up from Quito and drive northwest to the impressive crater of the extinct volcano Pululahua, with its maze of gullies and crags, forested with lush mountain vegetation and networks of fields and settlements. Drive to Calacalí for a tour of this typical rural Andean town in a mountain setting. Calacalí claims to be the true 'centre of the world' and has its own monument. Drive to Yunguilla, which sits at 2,500 metres , for lunch followed by an introduction to this mountain community and its conservation projects including a tour of its organic cheese and jam-making production and organic gardens. After dinner spend the night in Yunguilla's Tahuallullo hostal.
Day Two: Breakfast followed by a drive along a beautiful mountain track to Ali Mountain where you will set off on this full day mostly downhill hike through primary forest, to our birding tower. The trail begins at an altitude of 2,600 metres and descends to 1,900 metres . Along the way are many species of birds, including toucans, tanagers, hummingbirds and raptors; tropical plants, especially orchids; and with luck you will see the tracks of pumas or wild pigs. Have lunch at our birding tower located in an area of exceptionally high bird density and enjoy the views over the volcanoes Pichincha and Cotacachi. After lunch, continue the hike on, arriving at Santa Lucia ecolodge for a candle-lit dinner where you will spend the night.
*Your additional luggage not needed for your trip will be taken ahead by car to Santa Lucia.
Day Three: Breakfast followed by a tour of Santa Lucia and its conservation projects including a reforestation project, a native tree nursery, agroforestry projects and the production of organic panela (sugar). Lunch followed by a hike around our self-guided trail, which includes a giant tree swing, or simply relax in the hammocks, watch the hummingbirds and enjoy the spectacular panoramic views.
Dinner in the lodge followed by an optional night hike to see and hear the sounds of nocturnal animals and birds of prey.
Day Four: After breakfast hike down through the forest passing through the banana plantation with shade grown coffee trees, to the Umachaca River where you can walk upstream, cross the bridge following the path to the Santa Rosa River and walk up the river for about 100 metres to a wonderful waterfall which cascades into a beautiful pool. This is a seasonal option depending on the flow of the river. Then take the Pre-Inca trail which was used by the Yumbo people from the years 1500 B.C. to 500 A .C, to travel from Quito to the coast, in order to trade things like salt and coca. The trail ascends steeply before leveling off, crossing the boundary of the Santa Lucia Reserve. This is an area of pristine primary forest passing by two more waterfalls cascading to the river below. The forest has many different species of trees and an area of gorgeous tree ferns ( helechos gigantes ). Much of the trail is in the form of a deep trench called a “culunco,'' made by the Yumbo people, in places the sides rise to four metres. Along this trail it is possible to see wild pigs or maybe the elusive Puma. Finally after about two kilometers the trail opens out into a lush meadow with fantastic views of the river below. After crossing the meadow you will eventually reach the main road to the Maquipucuna Reserve where we will have lunch and then return to Quito in the afternoon.
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