Wildsumaco Lodge
at Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary
Now perhaps the best set of hummingbird feeders anywhere...IS Without any doubt, I think Wildsumaco is the best birding lodge I've stayed at in Ecuador...PH Wow! is this place great or what? JA Someone finally got it right.. the lodge is gorgeous - setting & infrastructure & food & lighting - I can read in my room! CV. Great place for good old fashion neotropical birding! PS. Wildsumaco is so much better than your web site tells! KG
This is the most outstanding destination yet! - birds, best trails, best accommodation, best hosts. FJA Excellent, well-planned, well-run-wonderfully-hosted operation. Don't leave Ecuador without visiting. MM The place is so comfortable, so friendly, the trails superb, and the birds staggeringly wonderful! FW. The best showers in Ecuador! PVL. Finally a lodge in this altitude belt of eastern Ecuador - and what a lodge! I'll be back. KE. What a marvelous and ambitious set of goals, from restoration to preservation and research. BH. Wow!
Wildsumaco Lodge was built with you, a birder and outdoor enthusiast, in mind. We know that at the end of a day on the trails, you want plenty of good food, a comfortable room and bed, a private bathroom, outlets to recharge your electronics, good lighting and space to spread out your books and birding gear. You'll find this and more at Wildsumaco Lodge.
At day's end, you can take a hot shower and head over to the dining area, relax on the deck or in the sitting room and bar, browse our library. If the weather turns rainy or cool, our fireplace will warm you. The perfect place for groups to review their bird lists, our dining room, sitting area and bar are well lit and comfortable.
We feature home-style cooking from around the world, and 3 meals per day are included in our rates. Soft drinks, wine, beer, and bar drinks are available.
Set on a ridge in the Andes' Eastern Foothills, Wildsumaco Lodge has panoramic views reaching across the Rio Pucuno Valley and to the Andes beyond. On clear days the distant snow-covered heights of Volcanoes El Altar, Tungurahua, and Antisana glow white against the blue sky. North of the lodge is Sumaco National Park, and often Volcan Sumaco can be seen peeking through the clouds and mist surrounding its heights.
From other parts of our reserve you can look out south and east to Napo Galeras National Park, and let your eyes and imagination wander to the far-off Amazonian lowlands spreading out beyond. Wildsumaco Lodge is located at a comfortable elevation of about 1480m (4855 feet), and our forest reserve ranges from 1200 to 1500m (3900 to 4900 feet).
Due to its location on the Equator, the steep Andean Foothills, and the close proximity of the Amazon, the Sumaco area holds one of the richest avifaunas in the world. A wonderful mix of cloudforest species, foothill specilties, and typically Amazonian birds share Wildsumaco's lush subtropical rainforest with a myriad of other animals. Many of the birds here are rare, endangered, or very difficult to see elsewhere.
From Wildsumaco's trails you might see Gray-tailed Piha, Blue-rumped Manakin, and Chestnut-crowned Gnateater. Short-tailed Antthrush and Wing-banded Wren often sing, while more uncommon species like Gray-throated Leaftosser and Plain-backed Antpittas are seen occasionally, and more often heard. The very rare Yellow-throated Spadebill has territories along several of our trails, and at any time the endangered Military Macaw or rare Spot-winged Parrotlet might fly by, or Black Hawk-Eagle soar overhead.
The road passing through our reserve offers great road birding, and this is one of many areas from which to see flocks. Possibilities here include Blue-browed Tanager, Yellow-breasted Antwren, and Coppery-chested Jacamar. Many colorful species of tanager may be accompanied by Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, the recently described Foothill Elaenia, and sometimes Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater joins in.
In season up to 20 migrant species from North America live in our forests, including the threatened Cerulean Warbler. At night Great Potoo, Band-bellied Owl, Rufescent Screech-Owl and Foothill Screech-Owl often call from near by.
We've had 27 species of hummingbird visit Wildsumaco's feeders to date, including sought-after birds as Lazuline Sabrewing, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Napo Sabrewing, Black-throated Brilliant, White-tailed Hillstar, Wire-crested Thorntail and Gould's Jewelfront. White-tipped Sicklebill frequents the heliconia that's abundant everywhere, and Gorgeted Woodstar, White-bellied Woodstar and Violet-headed Hummingbird can usually be found on the porterweed in front of the guest rooms.
Non-birding companions and other nature lovers enjoy relaxing and absorbing the fabulous views from the lodge area, or hiking our trails to experience the natural beauty and the immense variety of the area's flora and fauna. We have some amazing butterflies, and photography is a delight.
Mammals are usually more difficult to see than birds, but Napo (formerly Black-mantle) Tamarin is often seen in the trees of our reserve, White-fronted Capuchin monkey has been seen a few times, and Red Howler Monkey is a recent addition to our list. Night monkey is occasionally heard or seen around the lodge.
Other large animals that have been seen here include Two-toed Sloth, Amazon Dwarf Squirrel, Black Agouti, Tayra, Collared Peccary, Kinkajou, Greater Grison, Spectacled Bear, Puma, Jagurarundi and Margay. See photos in the "Who We Are" section of this website, others on the Rio Pucuno Foundation website, above. A complete mammal list is located at the end of the Wildsumaco Bird List.
Because forest conservation is the driving force behind Wildsumaco, we turn over most of the profit from the lodge itself, as well as all profits from our bar and gift shop, to the non-profit Rio Pucuno Foundation to help buy and preserve additional forest. Visitors have the satisfaction of knowing that their stay with us will help preserve the rainforest in a very real way.
You'll have a wonderful experience at Wildsumaco, and you'll thoroughly enjoy your stay with us. Wildsumaco Lodge is the perfect destination for anyone seeking great birds and the tranquility of the rainforest in Ecuador's Eastern Foothills.
When planning to bird Ecuador, plan to bird Wildsumaco!
Visiting Wildsumaco Lodge
Wildsumaco Lodge is happy to accommodate either individuals or private groups, or tour groups. If you'd care to engage the services of either a local or professional bird guide during your stay at Wildsumaco, please inquire when you make your reservations.
We can also advise you about transportation options to Wildsumaco, including transfers from Quito or Amazonian lodges debarking in Coca. We can meet you in Coca from Quito flights, for the short 2-hour drive from there to the lodge.
Day visitors are welcome to use the Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary trails, gardens and sites of interest after checking in at the lodge for a pass. A day-use fee will be charged.
Many of our guests will visit Wildsumaco with a tour company, visiting a number of birding sites and staying at several other lodges on their way to our location. These companies will provide you with a package that includes transportation and a guide familiar with Wildsumaco and its birds. Wildsumaco Birdtours (see link on this page) offers East Slope tours for groups or individuals at a very competitive price.
Rates and Reservations, Wildsumaco Lodge
Rates and Reservations: reservations@wildsumaco.com
2012 Wildsumaco Lodge Rates 1 person, double occupancy, $109 plus 22% government and service tax = $132.98
1 person, single occupancy, $120 plus 22% government and service tax = $146.40
Please note that all of our rooms are designed for 2 people; we do not offer triples or family-style accommodations.
All rates are per night, and include 3 meals per day plus full use of our trails and facilities.
Accommodations are available only by prior reservation through our Quito office; no same-day reservations or drop-in visitors will be accommodated.
Many of our birds are skulkers, as difficult to see as some of the Amazonian species, and you might want to use playback if you come without a guide. Services of a local or a professional birding guide may be available, but are not included in our rates. If interested, please inquire when you make your reservation.
WILDSUMACO BIOLOGICAL STATION
Soon to open, WILDSUMACO BIOLOGICAL STATION (WBS) will cater to the academic side of Wildsumaco, addressing the myriad of unanswered scientific questions relating to the Sumaco area of Ecuador.
While the focus of WBS will be science and education, there will be many days throughout the year when visiting scientists will be absent. These days will prove a boon to visiting birders who don't require the amenities of Wildsumaco Lodge.
Once the station is open, we'll be able offer reduced-rate accommodations. More rustic than Wildsumaco Lodge, Hostal Wildsumaco will have 4 bedrooms, each containing 2 sets of bunk beds (maximum of capacity of 4 people per room). Two bathrooms with hot showers will be shared by guests.
Three meals per day are included in the rates; food will be more basic than at the lodge, but hearty and ample. Extra meals and meals for non-guests cannot be provided.
Hostal Wildsumaco Rates (prices are per person per night):
Shared occupancy (3-4 people in 1 room):
$55 + 22% tax and service charge = $67.10
Double occupancy
$65 + 22% tax and service charge = $79.30
Single occupancy
$75 + 22% tax and service charge = $91.50
Accommodation will be by prior confirmed and prepaid reservation; there are no special rates or services for children. All of the Wildsumaco trails and facilities are available to Hostal Wildsumaco guests.
For bookings and reservations write to: reservations@wildsumaco.com
Wildsumaco Trails, Day Use Fee: $20 per person per day; contact us for additional information, and please check in to the Lodge before using any part of our trail system. Day use passes are for the use of the Wildsumaco gardens and trail system only, and no meals are included or available at the lodge for day-visitors or people other than lodge guests.
For transfers to or from the lodge, or to Coca, please contact us.
**U.S. citizens traveling to Ecuador should note that to enter the country, their passports must be valid for 6 months beyond the date of their ticketed return. Citizens of other countries should check with an Ecuadorian consulate or online for entry requirements.
What to Bring
Answers to questions often asked:
The US dollar is used in Ecuador, but currency in denominations larger than $20 are difficult to use, and we request that you bring cash in small denominations to pay for laundry bills, bar tabs, and gift shop items at Wildsumaco. ATM machines accepting most bank cards are found in larger cities, never in the remote areas where the birds are. Plan accordingly, as even on a prepaid tour you'll occasionally want to buy drinks, gift shop items, souvenirs, batteries, things you've run out of, lost or forgotten. Tips to lodge staff are always greatly appreciated.
Just as in the US, electric power in Ecuador is 110 volts, 60 Hz, and all guest rooms at Wildsumaco Lodge have outlets for recharging batteries and other electronics.
The climate at Wildsumaco is usually quite moderate, fine for T-shirts during the day, and it cools off a bit at night to about 18 degrees Celsius (64 F). Although it can rain at any time, our wettest seasons tend to be May through July.
To Bring:
- Binoculars and a spotting scope, if you have one
- Camera
- Flashlight for night birding
- Light day pack
- Sunscreen and insect repellent
- T-shirts and a long-sleeved shirt
- Jeans or other cotton pants are comfortable, as well as quick-drying nylon ones
- Sweater, jacket or fleece for night birding
- Light jacket, water resistant, or poncho
- Hiking boots or sturdy shoes
- Sandals for after hours
- Hat and umbrella
- Personal toiletries
Although few of our trails require them, we can provide rubber boots in many popular sizes for rainy days.
Now you can travel with Wildsumaco!
Want to bird the Andes' eastern slope? After many requests, Wildsumaco now offers an East Slope Birdwatching Tour! Journey from Quito to the heights of Papallacta, then visit all the important birding locations and elevations in eastern Ecuador on your way to Wildsumaco Lodge. This comfortably priced 8-day tour may be taken with or without a professional bird guide.
Join us for our Gran Sumaco Hiking Tour. This is as wild as it gets, with chances on large mammals and loads of birds that can't be seen at lower elevations. A Wildsumaco special, only for people who are physically very fit and who don't mind basic accommodations and sleeping bags.
See Birdtours page of this website for additional information.
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