The last time I traveled to Ecuador in 2006 I remembered Quito as being colder than I expected. I expected it this time and was prepared with a fleece hat and jacket to ward off the morning cold. We traveled far far into the mountains on a winding two lane road. It took a couple hours before we finally arrived at Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge. The staff welcomed us and gave a tour of the main lodge and then showed us to our room. Again I was surprised at the cold up in the cloud forest and there was no heat in our rooms. However, the beds were laid with several wool blankets to keep us warm and we slept very well that night.
The next day we ventured out on a hike after breakfast. We chose a more vigorous hike and found that the trails splintered and merged all over the mountain. Eventually you could always find your way back to the main road and down the hill to the lodge. It was so peaceful in the cloud forest. The hiking was muddy on the way up through a series of trails that we took. On the way back we chose to take the road to avoid slipping in the mud. At times we would stop and see the clouds part momentarily to show the deep valley below with small homes and local farms way in the distance.
That afternoon we relaxed and enjoyed the low-key atmosphere at Bellavista. We grabbed a couple beers from the bar and tallied them on our tab. They have an honor system where you help yourself and then pay at the end of your stay. The main lodge was full of magazines and books about the wildlife and plants in the cloud forest. During the meals we noticed people from all over the world had come to stay. I listened at one meal and could clearly make out German, French, Japanese, and Spanish in the tables around us.
The hummingbirds where one of the most amazing animals to watch at Bellavista. There were so many different types to pick out as we just sat for an hour at the main lodge. We were followed by a group of Chinese tourists and their cameras with lenses about two feet long. They sat for hours taking thousands of photos as the hummingbirds came to feed. We hated to leave the peaceful setting but our driver had arrived to take us back to Quito.
In Quito, we stayed at Mansion de Angel and the pampering continued. By this time of our trip we were a bit tired and really enjoyed spending a day just exploring the Quito neighborhood ourselves. In the evening, we had a luxurious dinner back at Mansion with dessert to follow.
The rooms at the Mansion made you feel like you were staying in your own private mansion. Ours had a entryway room, a sitting room, and living room, a huge bathroom, and a giant bedroom complete with a study desk nook at the end. We enjoyed the morning at the hotel, drank coffee, and relaxed.
That afternoon we again explored a bit around Quito and spent more time to complete our souvenir shopping at the local markets in the park. Back at the hotel we said goodbye to the staff (who had been absolutely exceptional during our stay) and walked around the courtyard one last time before heading off to the airport. All in all our Galapagos Multisport and Ecuador Adventures had been a trip packed with excitement and lots of activity, ending with rest and relaxation before returning to the real world back at home. Thank you Ecuador for sharing your beautiful wildlife, terrain, and people with us.
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
3 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
4 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.