Seductive destination: Venturing into Ecuador

Mike Yardley ventures to Ecuador’s Mashpi Reserve, nestled on the western flank of the Andes in the Choco rainforest.

For next-level forest bathing, Mashpi Lodge is an eco-tourism jewel within the wider Mashpi Reserve that serves up an unrivalled rainforest encounter with the mighty Choco.

Truth be told, because the reserve traverses a wide altitude range, from 550m to 1400m, there’s the rainforest and the cloud forest. There’s a high level of endemism here, by the separation through the Andes.

The forests on the western side of the Andes evolved entirely differently to the Amazon rainforest on the eastern side. To really make my head spin, geological history testifies that prior to the seismic uplift of the Andes, this was all one sprawling forest.

All senses engaged, it’s the blissed-out sense of isolation that encircles you on arrival at Mashpi, personalised by the sparkling hospitality laid on by the convivial lodge staff, throughout your stay. Gazing dreamily into the thickly textured forest greens, I felt a world away from civilisation.

First up - location, location, location. Beyond the long, sinuous sprawl of Quito, the mountains rise up to meet you, as you pass through a swag of colourful hillside towns and sleepy villages on winding, undulating roads, pressing deeper into the forest’s embrace.

Running along the entire Colombian Pacific coast, from southwest Panama to northwest Ecuador, the Choco rainforest region is characterised by extremely high precipitation and extraordinary species diversity. It’s like a tropical Fiordland, where the rainfall is measured in metres. The average annual count is 3m.

In a region wracked by deforestation, this pocket of the Ecuadorian Choco is a rebounding treasure. Former Quito Mayor Roque Sevilla bought this 1200ha tract nearly 25 years ago to safeguard it in perpetuity. More than 90% of west Ecuador’s forests were deforested from 1938 to 1988. Today, Mashpi Reserve spans 3000ha, with plenty of community buy-in that continues to expand its borders.

Cocooned in the cloud forest, 900m high, the head-turning, modernist lodge with supersized, panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows was built on the site of a former saw mill. And not a single tree was felled to construct this 23-room masterpiece. Much of it was pre-assembled in Quito to minimise the environmental impact of construction.

Awakening to an unobstructed forest vista, in my spacious, stylish suite, veils of mist ethereally danced through the canopy at daybreak, as unfamiliar birdsong pierced the silence. The lavish use of glass ingeniously ensures the lodge is not in competition with nature’s finery - it provides a window on the wonders of such lush foliage.

It soon becomes vividly self-explanatory why Mashpi is such a mecca for twitchers, because it’s ranked as one of the world’s top 10 biodiversity hotspots by World Wildlife Fund. A quarter of all of Ecuador’s avian species are found here - 400 species have been documented at Mashpi, including 35 species endemic to the Choco region.

So many birds ... so little time. So what are some of the big-hitters? I was all aflutter with the hummingbirds because Mashpi boasts a staggering 32 species of these remarkable little birds that seemingly hover like levitating monks.

A runaway highlight was visiting the hummingbird garden with my expedition guide Paolo, where within minutes of refilling the feeders, the air was ablaze with these feathered friends. I marvelled over so many species - purple coronet, empress brilliant, purple-throated woodstar and the booted racket-tail. As its name suggests, this bird’s tail resembles two squash rackets. Hummingbirds are engrossing to watch up close, seemingly unperturbed by your presence as they do their mesmerising dance, while filling up from the feeders. Their wings do emit a humming noise, as if they are motorised, and they’re the only bird that can fly backwards.

String birds and South America into the same sentence and it’s the toucan that springs to mind for me. I adore them and Mashpi heaves with these cartoonish-looking birds with those enormous cylindrical beaks, including the Choco toucan (all yellow and black) and the pale mandibled aracari toucan.

Another thrill was to intimately observe the collared trogon, with its fire-engine red belly and vivid green upper body. The squirrel cuckoo and the woodpeckers are equally delightful birds to add to your bingo card. Yes, twitching can become effortlessly addictive, before you even know it!

Paolo and the expedition team took a lovely couple from Geelong and me to Mashpi’s Life Centre, which is an abundant breeding centre for butterfly species to enhance scientific research. It also serves as a stirring butterfly farm for close communion with these critters. Butterflies serve as a great barometer on the state of the forest and whether it’s a healthy ecosystem.

Mashpi is home to almost 800 species, including the truly remarkable giant owl-eye butterflies. When two of these darlings perch together, their wings form the face of an owl, duly scaring off predators. It’s like nature’s trusty version of the evil rye!

For a complete change of scenery, take a night walk with the expedition team to sample nocturnal life in the forest. We spotted vine snakes slithering in the trees from a safe distance. One of the most wondrous spectacles was the fox fire, an avatar-like luminous fungus. James Cameron couldn’t improve on that. By day, you’ll swoon over the plethora of orchids and bromeliads, as you stroll the forest trails. Given the propensity for rain, the lodge will happily kit you out in wet-weather gear and gumboots.

Mashpi Lodge offers a myriad array of expeditions and activities from full-day guided hikes and waterfall swims, to their dragonfly open-air gondola and positively riveting sky bike. The latter is similar to a zip line strung across the forest canopy, but the novel point of difference is you pedal your way across the skyline, with a gorge 60m below you, with a river flowing between the rocks and dense forest.

This ingenious activity is designed for two people to use at once, the back-seat rider doing the pedalling. It’s a 200m-long traverse on that high-wire cable and my legs certainly got a solid workout, streaking across the cloud forest. Thankfully, there were no close encounters with vine snakes. The views are celestial.

Every evening, Mashpi’s naturalist guides and resident biologists conduct group talks, sharing even more wonders about this rarefied pocket of the world. You’ll learn about ongoing research projects, conservation initiatives and the natural history of the region. Their passion and dedication is palpable and infectious. You certainly won’t skimp on indulgences at the lodge which boasts a comprehensive wellness centre, should you wish to treat yourself to some serious spa pampering.

The bar and restaurant is another radiant feature featuring exemplary mixology and top-notch cuisine, served within the two-storey dining room, slathered in glass. Exemplifying the personable nature of Mashpi, whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, you’ll be attended to by the same waiter for every dining occasion.

My charismatic waiter, Jorje, was a delight to get to know over the most divinely executed Ecuadorian dishes, that spanned delectable ceviche, mountain stew with those gorgeous miniature Andrean potatoes and chicken tamales. Lodge menus celebrate the best of both world’s surf and turf - wedged between the coast and the towering Andes.

Mashpi Lodge is the complete package, encompassing luxurious accommodations, splendid dining, and tailored nature experiences to suit your preferences.

But beyond being enrobed by the unplugged glories of nature, what really shines through is the exceptional level of warm and gracious hospitality that soon makes you feel at home and part of the family in this extraordinary natural sanctuary. Within minutes of arriving, one of the chirpy staff members, Alexin, shot a drone video of me, gazing out across the vast cloud forest from the observation deck.

He swiftly sent it to me, so I could impress my family on the grandeur, serenity and sheer scale of Mashpi Reserve. He does that for every guest and it’s those sort of thoughtful, innovative touches that makes such a deep impression.

Nature is the greatest balm to sooth your soul and exalt your spirits. Mashpi Lodge swirls with enchantment. It’s an irresistible Ecuadorian experience to thread into your adventures when visiting this most seductive of destinations.