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Maquipucuna Ecolodge

  • Ecuador – Mashpi – Maquipucuna – scientific station
  • Ecuador – Mashpi – Maquipucuna – room
  • Ecuador – Mashpi – Maquipucuna – Spectacled Bears
  • Ecuador – Mashpi – Maquipucuna – waterfall
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Maquipucuna was founded in 1988 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to conservation and has been functioning as a lodge for tourists since 1993.

Maquipucuna was founded in 1988 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to conservation and has been functioning as a lodge for tourists since 1993.

One of the most remote lodges in the Mindo Reserve, Maquipucuna is favoured by birdwatchers and other wildlife lovers, for its unique and tranquil riverside location where at least 340 species of birds have been identified. Rich in biodiversity, it is also home to 250 types of butterfly and 2000 species of plants, with 40km of trails offering opportunities to spot spectacled bears on specialised bear tracking tours (Aug-Nov), as well as rare species of frogs and pumas. Night hikes are available in the evenings to go in search of nocturnal creatures.

The accommodation is simple, but comfortable, with 10 rooms and a family cabin. All rooms are ensuite and have a terrace or balcony with seating area. Some have river views. The restaurant serves a fixed menu of locally sourced food, with views out over the lush forest-clad mountains. A rooftop relaxation area provides an excellent spot for reading a book, whilst the elevated dining area is popular with guests and hummingbirds alike.

Bartolome, Galápagos

What our clients say

  • Most memorable experience: "Where to start? Huge evening skies on the Napo river, pulling out of Chimbacalle station on the Tren Crucero in a cacophony of whistling and hooting; the…

    DH, Portsmouth Jun 2015
  • It was all amazing to use an overworked word, but (i) the Cotopaxi days (train plus condors plus steaming volcano) was extraordinary, and (ii) encountering the Galapagos Islands and their…

    JL, Winchester Jul 2015
  • Everyone was very concious of preserving water and not littering - it seems part of everyday life in Ecuador

    KK, Belfast Dec 2010
  • Most Memorable Moment?: Drving up Mt. Cotopaxi and watching a Gaucho chase a cow riding a horse at the gallop whilst trying to lassoe it on a cobbled road,...some rider! …

    NBH, Watchet Mar 2018
  • Quito is a fabulous city with residents that seem to be pleased to see you, really helpful if you make just a little effort to address them in Spanish. Ecuador…

    DW, Lingfield Jun 2010
  • From the moment we were picked up, (on time) from our hotel in Quito, to the moment we were left at the departure lounge in the airport in Baltra, the…

    TP, Lima Jun 2013
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Our Expert's Opinion

Maggie
Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

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  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Alex
    Alex Walker - Travel Expert

    A globetrotter since her childhood, Alex spent a year studying abroad in Guadalajara and has returned to Latin America countless times since then.

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    Finn Clennett - Travel Expert

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Charlotte
    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

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    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

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