 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Contact:
Richard Parsons
General Manager
Bellavista Cloud Forest S.A.
Jorge Washington E7-25 y 6 de diciembre
Quito, Ecuador
Tel +593-2/211-6232 or 290-1536
Fax: +593-2/290-3165
info@bellavistacloudforest.com
www.bellavistacloudforest.com
Certified by:
SmartVoyager, Ecuador (2007)
Type of accommodation:
Bed & breakfast, lodge, inn
Campsite
Research station
Features:
Hot water
Kitchen
Laundry facilities
Private bathroom
Restaurant
Telephone
Wheelchair accessible
Year founded: 1995
Number of employees: 18
Percent of employees who are local residents: 95%
Number of rooms:
Type of destination:
Forest/rainforest
Mountain
Able to accommodate:
Families
Handicapped
Seniors
Singles
Singles with children
Volunteers
Description of the area:
We are less than two hours from the center of the city of Quito, which makes Bellavista a preferred destination for any person who enjoys nature. We provide very good food and a quiet place where people from the city can relax.
The cloud forest we protect, a sub-tropical rainforest, is very interesting to those not familiar with it, is quite cool, has few insects, and it is possible to find a large variety of wildlife. At Bellavista, we have trails ranging from easy access to adventurous, a self-guided trail for students, and more. You will find waterfalls within and around Bellavista. We also provide visits to other reserves in the region that have interesting attractions, different species of birds, orchids, butterfly farms, and adventure tourism options (rapids, tubing, mountain biking, etc.).
We are on Ecuador’s Ecoroute – a highway that is notorious for its high diversity of birds; in the Tandayapa Valley near Bellavista, there are more than 380 species. We have hummingbird feeders that attract many individuals; in a single day one can see 12 to 14 species. This spectacle is a novelty for many visitors and it is one of the best reasons for visiting the reserve.
Available activities:
Adventure, sports
Biking
Bird watching
Eco/nature/wildlife
Educational, research, volunteering
Horseback riding
Tours
Visits to conservation projects
Walking/hiking
How to get there:
We are approximately one hour twenty minutes from the Mariscal Sucre International Airport of Quito, Ecuador.
Making a difference:
At Bellavista, we protect 700 hectares of cloud, primary, and secondary forest that contain several springs. It is possible to find the endangered spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) and several species of endangered or threatened birds with restricted ranges, including the plate-billed mountain-toucan (Andigena laminirostris), the toucan barbet (Semnornis ramphastinus), the Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruviana), and two species of antpittas (Gralaria spp. ). In the 1990s, we were the first to protect and conserve the forests of the region and we were pioneers in ecological tourism in Ecuador. Today, the efforts to protect the land and stimulate ecotourism and nature tourism in this region are evident. At present, many people are receiving income from tourism, thanks in part to our and other people’s efforts.
We are working on improving natural resource management, which is evident in our work for the “Ecoroute”. Together with the schools we promote reforestation, the creation of activities that will complement tourism such as handicraft production, and much more.
At Bellavista, we created the Fundacion para la Protección del Noroccidente (Foundation for the Protection of the Northwest), which is promoting subsidized visits for primary and secondary schools to make day tours and learn in the forest, on the interactive self-guiding trail with the help of our guides.
Our work force consists mainly of residents of our region and they receive training on environmental protection and tourism management aspects.
General rates:
Click here for information about the accommodations, services, and special packages at Bellavista and the rates. Rates do not vary with season.
Date this information was provided: May 2008.
