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NEED AN ESCAPE FROM THE ORDINARY?
Close to the city but a world away lies a magical place made for every type of explorer. Maquipucuna is the perfect place to relax, discover, and play.
The Maquipucuna Reserve is the closest pristine rainforest from Quito. It spans over 14,000 acres of privately protected cloud forest at the heart of the Chocó Andean Corridor, one of the earth's top three biodiversity hotspots. The reserve covers a vast diversity of ecozones between 900m (2900 ft) and 2785m (9100 ft), meaning you can find a huge diversity of wildlife that call Maquipucuna home.
Come for the day and wander our immense trail system, take a dip in one of our many swimming holes, learn about the flora and fauna that make up the diverse ecosystem of the Chocó-Andino, and dine on locally sourced cuisine.
Want to stay longer? Book a stay in one of our cozy and eco-conscious accommodations or book a multi-day excursion and experience all the region has to offer. We also have a fully-equipped campsite where you can fall asleep to the gentle sounds of the Umachaca river.
DID YOU KNOW?
Our reserve is home to:
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25% of the bird species in Ecuador
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15% of the mammal species in Ecuador
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342 different species of orchids
Take a walk on the wild side on our over 40 kilometres of trails to explore through pristine protected forest surrounded by the sights and sounds of the abundant wildlife that lives at the reserve.
HIKING
ACTIVITES
BIRD WATCHING
Home to more than 400 species of birds or 4% of the world's bird diversity, Maquipucuna was declared an Important Birding Area in 2005 by BirdLife International.
Discover a huge diversity of Chocó Andean endemics on our morning bird watching hikes with one of our specialized local bird watching guides.
BEAR WATCHING
BEAR WATCHING
Maquipucuna is home to the largest congregation of Andean (also known as Spectacled) bears.
Migratory creatures, these furry friends are very easily seen a few times a year when the aguacatillo trees are at their fruit-bearing time.
Keep up to date on when a Bear Season begins by following our instagram or checking out our news page for updates.
SWIMMING
After a long day on the trail or as a refreshing way to start your day, we invite you to take a dip in our iconic waterfall, located only 10 minutes away on foot, or in one of our many swimming holes at our reserve.
Picturesque and refreshing, these calming waters are sure to leave you relaxed and recharged.
NATURE DISCOVERY WALKS
Self-guided or with a guide upon request, our nature discovery walks are the best way to get to know the plants and animals that call Maquipucuna home.
For our overnight guests we even offer night walks so you can get face to face with insects, frogs, bats and other creatures of the night!
COFFEE TOURS
Did you know that Maquipucuna cultivates its own world-class shade grown coffee?
Due to Covid-19 we have suspended all coffee tours until further notice.
If you would like to take home our freshly roasted coffee, bags of whole beans are available at our gift shop at the Maquipucuna Ecolodge.
IMAGE GALLERY
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