08/30/2019
Whether you’re planning a trip to Ecuador or looking for trips to South America and aren’t quite sure where to land yet, these lodges in Ecuador are worth checking out before you go. From rooms with sweeping views of the ocean to jungle retreats to infinity pools to waterfalls and exotic birds, there are amazing options in Ecuador for everyone. Check out the recommended trip from Southern Explorations after each one for details on how to include one of these lodges in your next adventure.
Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge
This cloud forest lodge is big on experiences and lower on price. This 3-star option has all the comforts of home and a down-to-earth vibe. Opt in for guided hikes and birding, plus simple delicious meals and transportation to and from Quito.
Bellavista Lodge is nestled in its own 2000-acre reserve. Its owners have been dedicated to conserving the cloud forest and all the varied wildlife and plant life that exist within its boundaries for more than 20 years. Close enough to Quito for a day trip, this unique, friendly lodge is worth a longer stay. Birders especially will appreciate the unique location and one-of-a-kind aviary sightings.
Recommended Trip: Ecuador & Galapagos Family Adventure
Mashpi Cloud Forest Lodge
Mashpi Lodge is nestled deep in the heart of the 3,000-acre Mashpi Reserve, between lower mountain rainforest and cloud forests. It was built into the beauty of the cloud forest, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows so you can take in the flora and fauna from the comfort and privacy of your room. Located northwest of Quito, the tropical forest around Mashpi Lodge is full of orchids, ferns, monkeys, pumas, peccaries, and roughly 400 species of birds, including 36 endemic to the area.
The lodge also boasts a spa, yoga space, hot tub and an on-site restaurant with locally inspired cuisine that draws on the nearness of the sea and the mountains for fresh, local food. Relax in the bar with cloud forest inspired cocktails and an extensive wine list. Explore the gardens, cruise or “bike” through the forest canopy, hike up the observation tower, swing on a jungle swing, marvel at waterfalls and much more.
Recommended Trip: Unique Lodges of Ecuador
La Selva Amazon Lodge
Perched on the edge of Lake Garzacocha, this deluxe Amazon lodge combines both adventure and luxury. Stay in a breezy cabaña, inspired by native bamboo structures. Choose to have your own private tub, rainforest shower or views of the lake. Enjoy the fine dining in the restaurant and watch the local wildlife through your windows or from the deck. Relax with a massage at their on-site spa. Book their 4- or 5-day all-inclusive tour that includes transportation from Quito plus birdwatching, night canoe rides, hiking and more.
Recommended Trip: La Selva Jungle Lodge
Napo Wildlife Center Amazon
The Napo Wildlife Center gives you all the beauty of the jungle plus the chance to learn more about the people who call it home. Napo is situated in the Yasuní National Park, a 2.5-million-acre Park and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Stay within a stone’s throw of the Kichwa Anagu, the indigenous tribe that has flourished in the area for centuries. Drink and eat traditional fare and learn more about their customs. Take advantage of a local guide for a birding tour or a trek to some of the most photogenic vistas and wildlife in the area.
Recommended Trip: Napo Wildlife Center
Sacha Amazon Lodge
If you’re looking for a remote jungle experience in the Amazon, the Sacha Lodge has all the secluded splendor you’re looking for. A two-hour boat ride up the Napo River, this lodge is a destination all in itself. Explore their famous canopy walkways for up-close-and-personal views of the wildlife that lives far above the ground. There’s no better way to experience the vertical layers of flora and fauna in the Amazon Jungle then by climbing a canopy tour! This all-inclusive lodge is family-friendly and has been providing a unique experience to its guests for more than 20 years. Enjoy hot water showers, bug-free rooms and spectacular natural beauty everywhere you look.
Recommended Trip: Sacha Lodge
Hacienda Zuleta – Andean Highlands
Inhabiting the 17th-century home and farm of former Ecuadorian President Galo Plaza Lasso, this hacienda combines old-world charm with a working hacienda to provide horseback riding trips to mountain lakes within the Andes, cooking and embroidery classes, and walking or biking on hidden trails originally shaped hundreds of years ago. Enjoy locally grown cuisine made from family recipes and a number of activities that make the most of the surrounding area. Named one of the world’s “Top 10 Finds” by Outside Magazine and one of the best Ecuadorian Hotels by National Geographic Traveler, this colonial style plantation is well worth the visit.
Recommended Trip: Unique Lodges of Ecuador
Mantaraya Lodge – Ecuadorian Coast
This Mediterranean-style lodge is located near the Machalilla National Park, a 5-minute drive from the Puerto Lopez Beach and a short ride to Isla de la Plata, an economical alternative trip to the Galapagos Islands. Their 3-star comfortable rooms include en suite bathrooms and air conditioning. Rooms are available for families, with capacities of up to 6 people. Enjoy a number of activities facilitated by the lodge, including snorkeling, kayaking, bird watching, cycling, hikes, plus whale watching from June to September every year.
Recommended Trip: Mantraya Lodge
Pikaia Galapagos Lodge
This award-winning, sustainable luxury lodge in the Santa Cruz Highlands in the Galapagos offers sweeping views and large, luxurious rooms and bathrooms. Enjoy the view of the ocean in the distance as you relax next to the pool. Savor gourmet meals in their restaurant and world-class wines and cocktails in their bar and lounge. Take a trip on one of their boat tours, exclusive to guests. Perched on the edge of an extinct volcano crater, Pikaia sits 450 meters above sea level, where the arid savannah and the tropical mists of the highlands meet on Santa Cruz Island. The surrounding 31 hectares of its property are also a giant wild tortoise reserve. You’re likely to see these gentle giants lumbering by during your stay.
Recommended Trip: Pikaia Lodge
Galapagos Safari Camp
Enjoy luxury on a safari-like stay in the Galapagos at Galapagos Safari. Inspired by safari traditions, This eco lodge’s accommodations are in African-style tents with luxuriously comfortable beds screened windows to catch the cool breeze. During your stay, you can choose from among their tours of the surrounding area on land, water or both. If you’re looking for a memorable, unique option for your stay in the Galapagos, the personalized service and incredible food offered at this camp in the Santa Cruz Highlands will give you the trip of a lifetime.
Recommended Trip: Galapagos Safari Camp
Submitted by Zach on Fri, 08/30/2019 - 12:29pm
Whether you’re planning a trip to Ecuador or looking for trips to South America and aren’t quite sure where to land yet, these lodges in Ecuador are worth checking out before you go. From rooms with sweeping views of the ocean to jungle retreats to infinity pools to waterfalls and exotic birds, there are amazing options in Ecuador for everyone. Check out the recommended trip from Southern Explorations after each one for details on how to include one of these lodges in your next adventure.
Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge
This cloud forest lodge is big on experiences and lower on price. This 3-star option has all the comforts of home and a down-to-earth vibe. Opt in for guided hikes and birding, plus simple delicious meals and transportation to and from Quito.
Bellavista Lodge is nestled in its own 2000-acre reserve. Its owners have been dedicated to conserving the cloud forest and all the varied wildlife and plant life that exist within its boundaries for more than 20 years. Close enough to Quito for a day trip, this unique, friendly lodge is worth a longer stay. Birders especially will appreciate the unique location and one-of-a-kind aviary sightings.
Recommended Trip: Ecuador & Galapagos Family Adventure
Mashpi Cloud Forest Lodge
Mashpi Lodge is nestled deep in the heart of the 3,000-acre Mashpi Reserve, between lower mountain rainforest and cloud forests. It was built into the beauty of the cloud forest, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows so you can take in the flora and fauna from the comfort and privacy of your room. Located northwest of Quito, the tropical forest around Mashpi Lodge is full of orchids, ferns, monkeys, pumas, peccaries, and roughly 400 species of birds, including 36 endemic to the area.
The lodge also boasts a spa, yoga space, hot tub and an on-site restaurant with locally inspired cuisine that draws on the nearness of the sea and the mountains for fresh, local food. Relax in the bar with cloud forest inspired cocktails and an extensive wine list. Explore the gardens, cruise or “bike” through the forest canopy, hike up the observation tower, swing on a jungle swing, marvel at waterfalls and much more.
Recommended Trip: Unique Lodges of Ecuador
La Selva Amazon Lodge
Perched on the edge of Lake Garzacocha, this deluxe Amazon lodge combines both adventure and luxury. Stay in a breezy cabaña, inspired by native bamboo structures. Choose to have your own private tub, rainforest shower or views of the lake. Enjoy the fine dining in the restaurant and watch the local wildlife through your windows or from the deck. Relax with a massage at their on-site spa. Book their 4- or 5-day all-inclusive tour that includes transportation from Quito plus birdwatching, night canoe rides, hiking and more.
Recommended Trip: La Selva Jungle Lodge
Napo Wildlife Center Amazon
The Napo Wildlife Center gives you all the beauty of the jungle plus the chance to learn more about the people who call it home. Napo is situated in the Yasuní National Park, a 2.5-million-acre Park and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Stay within a stone’s throw of the Kichwa Anagu, the indigenous tribe that has flourished in the area for centuries. Drink and eat traditional fare and learn more about their customs. Take advantage of a local guide for a birding tour or a trek to some of the most photogenic vistas and wildlife in the area.
Recommended Trip: Napo Wildlife Center
Sacha Amazon Lodge
If you’re looking for a remote jungle experience in the Amazon, the Sacha Lodge has all the secluded splendor you’re looking for. A two-hour boat ride up the Napo River, this lodge is a destination all in itself. Explore their famous canopy walkways for up-close-and-personal views of the wildlife that lives far above the ground. There’s no better way to experience the vertical layers of flora and fauna in the Amazon Jungle then by climbing a canopy tour! This all-inclusive lodge is family-friendly and has been providing a unique experience to its guests for more than 20 years. Enjoy hot water showers, bug-free rooms and spectacular natural beauty everywhere you look.
Recommended Trip: Sacha Lodge
Hacienda Zuleta – Andean Highlands
Inhabiting the 17th-century home and farm of former Ecuadorian President Galo Plaza Lasso, this hacienda combines old-world charm with a working hacienda to provide horseback riding trips to mountain lakes within the Andes, cooking and embroidery classes, and walking or biking on hidden trails originally shaped hundreds of years ago. Enjoy locally grown cuisine made from family recipes and a number of activities that make the most of the surrounding area. Named one of the world’s “Top 10 Finds” by Outside Magazine and one of the best Ecuadorian Hotels by National Geographic Traveler, this colonial style plantation is well worth the visit.
Recommended Trip: Unique Lodges of Ecuador
Mantaraya Lodge – Ecuadorian Coast
This Mediterranean-style lodge is located near the Machalilla National Park, a 5-minute drive from the Puerto Lopez Beach and a short ride to Isla de la Plata, an economical alternative trip to the Galapagos Islands. Their 3-star comfortable rooms include en suite bathrooms and air conditioning. Rooms are available for families, with capacities of up to 6 people. Enjoy a number of activities facilitated by the lodge, including snorkeling, kayaking, bird watching, cycling, hikes, plus whale watching from June to September every year.
Recommended Trip: Mantraya Lodge
Pikaia Galapagos Lodge
This award-winning, sustainable luxury lodge in the Santa Cruz Highlands in the Galapagos offers sweeping views and large, luxurious rooms and bathrooms. Enjoy the view of the ocean in the distance as you relax next to the pool. Savor gourmet meals in their restaurant and world-class wines and cocktails in their bar and lounge. Take a trip on one of their boat tours, exclusive to guests. Perched on the edge of an extinct volcano crater, Pikaia sits 450 meters above sea level, where the arid savannah and the tropical mists of the highlands meet on Santa Cruz Island. The surrounding 31 hectares of its property are also a giant wild tortoise reserve. You’re likely to see these gentle giants lumbering by during your stay.
Recommended Trip: Pikaia Lodge
Galapagos Safari Camp
Enjoy luxury on a safari-like stay in the Galapagos at Galapagos Safari. Inspired by safari traditions, This eco lodge’s accommodations are in African-style tents with luxuriously comfortable beds screened windows to catch the cool breeze. During your stay, you can choose from among their tours of the surrounding area on land, water or both. If you’re looking for a memorable, unique option for your stay in the Galapagos, the personalized service and incredible food offered at this camp in the Santa Cruz Highlands will give you the trip of a lifetime.
Recommended Trip: Galapagos Safari Camp
Most Popular Ecuador Trips & Tours
| Trip | Price | Days | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andes, Amazon & Galapagos MultiSport | $4,695 | 12 Days | Mountain Biking & Hiking, Amazon Whitewater Rafting , Galapagos Islands , Sea Kayaking & More... |
| Ecuador Highlights | $3,150 | 9 Days | Otavalo Market, Cotopaxi National Park, Baños, Devil's Nose Train, Ingapirca Ruins, El Cajas National Park |
| Ecuador Hiking Adventure | $3,250 | 9 Days | Hiking, Birding, Wildlife |
| Ecuador Multisport | $3,395 | 9 Days | Hiking, Mountain Biking, Jungle Rafting, Horseback Riding, Papallacta Hot Springs, Otavalo Market |
