Mashpi Lodge

Hotel review

Though only 100km from downtown Quito, it takes over three-hours to reach Mashpi Lodge on the winding roads of the Andes. Finally, it appears from the clouds of the Choco rainforest like an apparition of glass and teak. The surrounding forest is a knot of greenery, with rivers the colour of milky coffee and red sandalwood roots running through the mud like aerated veins. Upon arrival, guests are given rubber waders and hooded rain jackets with which to explore the forest on day hikes or lighted night walks. Each day, guests can choose from an array of activities spanning the 6,177-acre private reserve: hiking, pedalling through the treetops on the Skybike, or riding the “Dragonfly” teleférico, which carts people from one side of the park to the other on a forty-minute ride. Staff are hired from the local community, and are excellent guides whose physical intelligence and familiarity with the area make the hikes educational and stress-free.

Meals are taken in the airy restaurant, which serves a wide variety of Ecuadorian cuisine with a gourmet styling. At the end of a long day, retire to rooms open on one side with a wall-size window overlooking the jungle. Keep the blind open to awaken to the early light peeling over the trees, and to spot some of Mashpi’s 400-plus bird species.

Mashpi is serious about its ecological commitment. There is also an onsite biological lab, where, since 2012, Mashpi’s team of scientist has identified ten animal and plant species previously unknown to science. Unlike other so-called sustainable establishments, Mashpi doesn’t buy carbon offsets. All offsets are done on-site by calculating the carbon able to be captured by the surrounding forest and staying within that perimeter.

James Patterson Review published: 31/10/2018