Text and photos : Abi Rome
The Santa Lucia Ecolodge sits proudly perched on top of a large hill, 1900 meters above sea level in the cloud forests of the Ecuadorian Andes. Vistors to this community-owned reserve of 730 hectares of nearly virgin forest receive warm welcomes from local residents. Most mornings they are rewarded with sights, sounds, smells and tastes that can reek havoc on their senses. They may get a clear 360 degree view of dark green primary forests on the adjacent hillsides, lighter colored pastures below and scattered small villages or single houses. Or, they may be entertained - as if in a movie - by clouds wafting in and out of the valleys and along the ridges. For those with open ears, the birdsong of over 370 species abounds. Grasses, humid forest trees, musky animals and hot breakfast emit their familiar scents to attentive noses. Finally, breakfast brings tastes of fresh papaya juice, home-made bread, eggs, and locally-made raspberry jam.
It’s not surprising that Santa Lucia offers so much of nature to those with the energy to get there. It is located in one of the highest biodiversity areas in the world, in the southern section of the Choco Bioregion, which extends from Panama to northern Ecuador. With over 80% of the cloud forest in its primary state, there are no roads to the lodge. Visitors, like the community members who own and run the lodge, must walk 1-2 hours on an uphill path to reach the lodge. The hike goes quickly as local guides brim with stories about the forest and its creatures. The stunning views, as well as opportunities along the way to see or hear the Andean Spectacled Bear, over 370 species of birds, and orchids, bromeliads and other epiphytes, are not to be missed.
The lodge was built by members of the Santa Lucia Cooperative who first settled the hillsides to farm the land and raise cattle. In the mid-1990s they realized that its value for conservation exceeded its agricultural value. With the initial help of the Maquipucuna Foundation and Rainforest Concern, the community started to look at alternative ways to manage their forest and they set up an ecotourism project. Since then, Rainforest Concern has continued to provide ongoing support in a variety of projects such as reforestation, organic gardening, conservation research and ecotourism. Over the years other organisations and many volunteer groups have made their way to Santa Lucia and added invaluable support to their work. They established a new mission for their organization : to provide, through the creation of a well-organised ecotourism business, work and other benefits, in a manner that permits the long-term conservation of the forest and that respects the values of the members and community.
They built a three-story lodge with windows on all four sides, and equipped it with the minimum of essentials for visitors. Inside are eight bedrooms with capacity for 20, and a simple living/dining area and kitchen. On the covered patio outside are hammocks to relax in while watching feeding hummingbirds or afternoon rains. Community members cook a mix of typical Ecuadorian and international meals with fresh ingredients from the organic garden and their nearby farms. Over candlelight dinners, they eagerly share jokes and stories with those who have come to visit. Sometimes, they’ll even serenade guests with Ecuadorian ballads and love songs.
During the day, visitors take guided hikes through the cloud forest to see and learn about natural history. Some mornings there are visits to the birding tower (where overnight camping is possible) or to the Andean cock of the rock lek, where these spectacular birds gather and squawk at the crack of dawn. Other days guests learn about medicinal and household uses of some of the 2000 species of plants, or how locals make panela from sugar cane. Or, they try to catch sight or sign of threatened mammals such as spectacled bear, puma and ocelot. They may visit pristine waterfalls, learn about local legends and land-use practices, and hike along ancient trails used by pre-Incan ancestors on their trade routes between the Andes and the coast. Or, they may simply relax in the hammocks as they watch hummingbirds flit by. Volunteers are invited to come for weeks or months at a time to work in the organic garden, help plant trees, build and maintain trails, and provide environmental education or English lessons.
Location
Santa Lucia is located in the northwest of the Pichincha province, about 80km northwest of Quito. The journey by car or bus from Quito takes two and half hours. This is followed by a challenging hike with a guide that takes between one and two hours. Mules are available to carry visitors’ luggage. Santa Lucía community members can arrange all transport, upon request.
Contact
Francisco Molina, Recepción de Santa Lucía
Barrio la Delicia, Nanegal, Quito, Ecuador.
Tel. : (593) (2) 2 157 242
Fax : (593) (2) 2 157 242
E-mail : info@santaluciaecuador.com
Website : www.santaluciaecuador.com
Language : English and Spanish
For birding tour information and reservations : empidonax@netzero.net
From outside Ecuador : 00 (593) (2) 215 7242
From within Ecuador : (02) 215 7242
In the USA : (1) 520 399 4050
Cultural Information
Santa Lucia Cooperative was formed by a group of landless campesino familes in 1976, following a land reform act. They originally cleared parts of the forest to make a living from agriculture, but the difficulties of farming and the environmental problems it presented gradually became more apparent. Ecotourism was identified as a viable alternative to farming that would help Santa Lucia to achieve its aim of providing a source of income for its members, while at the same time conserving the forest. In 1999, Santa Lucía began to build its ecolodge, and with support from various organizations and volunteers, our ecotourism project was born. Members of Santa Lucia are now committed to conservation and are able to share with visitors their pride in their forest, and their knowledge of its flora and fauna.
Organisation
Santa Lucía Santa Lucía is a community-based organization formed by local campesino families who manage their own resources. The reserve is owned by Santa Lucía’s socios (members.) All Santa Lucía staff, as well as the socios, are local people.
Rainforest Concern has been supporting Santa Lucia since 1998, through funding our reforestation project, conservation monitoring project, and forest wardens ; providing volunteer groups and training ; and purchasing land to extend the reserve. Rainforest Concern (www.rainforestconcern.org) is a non-profit organisation, which works directly with local communities and local environmental organisations to protect threatened natural habitats and the biodiversity that they contain.
Santa Lucía was a runner up in the World Travel and Tourism Council’s ‘Tourism for Tomorrow’ Awards in the Conservation category ; finalists in the USA Condé Nast Traveler Magazine Ecotourism Awards ; and a runner up in the Responsible Tourism Awards.