NOW OPEN, Wildsumaco Lodge
      at Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary

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.  The place is so comfortable, so friendly, the trails supurb, and the birds staggeringly wonderful!  FW.  With this marvelous backdrop of beauty & comfort & great food, I saw my lifers Plain-winged-Antwren and Yellow-throated Spadebill. RAR.  The best showers in Ecuador! PVL.  Finally a lodge in this altitude belt of eastern Ecudor  -  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! Is this place great or what?  The trails are the best I've seen anywhere! JA.

Wildsumaco Lodge was built with you, a birder and outdoor enthusiast, in mind.  We know that at the end of a long day you want a quiet, comfortable room, a private bathroom with a hot shower, outlets to recharge your electronics, and space to spread out your books and birding gear.  You'll find this and more at Wildsumaco Lodge.

When birding is over for the day, you can head over to the dining area and relax on the deck or in the sitting room and bar.  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 a 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 El Altar,Tungurahua, Cotopaxi and Antisana Volcanoes glow white against the blue sky.  North of the lodge is Sumaco National Park, and often the volcano Sumaco can be seen peeking through the clouds and mist surrounding it.

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 you see spreading out beyond.  Wildsumaco Lodge is located at a comfortable elevation of about 1400m (4600 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 Antpitta are seen occasionally. The very rare Yellow-throated Spadebill has a territory along our Piha Trail.

We have a day perch for Great Potoo, 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 Wire-crested Thorntail, Yellow-breasted Antwren, and Coppery-throated Jacamar. Several colorful species of tanagers may be accompanied by Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, the recently described Foothill Elaenia, and sometimes Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater joins in.

In season we get a number of migrants from North America, including the threatened Cerulean Warbler. At night, Band-bellied Owl, Rufescent Screech-Owl and Foothill Pygmy-Owl often call from near by.

We've had 22 species of hummingbird visit our feeders to date, including sought-after birds as Ecuadorian Piedtail, Napo Sabrewing, Black-throated Brilliant and Gould's Jewelfront.

Non-birding companions and other nature lovers will 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. Butterflies and flowers abound at all times of the year, 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.  Other large animals that have been seen on our reserve include two-toed sloth, Amazon dwarf squirrel, agouti, tayra, collared peccary, kinkajou, spectacled bear and margay.

Because forest conservation is the driving force behind Wildsumaco, we turn over all profits from our bar and gift shop, as well as most of the profit from the lodge itself, 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.

We believe that you'll have a wonderful experience at Wildsumaco, and that you'll throughly 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 are interested in obtaining the services of a bird guide for Wildsumaco, or for private tours of the East Slope, please contact us. We can also advise you about transportation options to Wildsumaco, including flying to Coca and the short 2-hour drive from there to our location.

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.  Trails through excellent habitat in nearby areas can be followed as well, many subject to day-use fees.

We anticipate that many of our guests will choose to visit us 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 including transportation and a guide familiar with Wildsumaco's birds.

Because Wildsumaco Lodge is new, not all tour operators know us yet.  If we aren't mentioned in your favorite tour group's East Slope intinerary or as an optional add-on to your Amazonian lowlands jungle tour, do yourself and them a favor and insist that Wildsumaco be added to your trip!

Rates and Reservations

Rates and Reservations: reservations@wildsumaco.com

Wildsumaco Lodge Rates 2008
1 person, double occupancy, $125, including government & service tax
1 person, single occupancy, $145, including government & service tax

Wildsumaco Lodge Rates 2009
1 person, double occupancy, $135, including government & service
       tax
1 person, single occupancy, $155, including government & service
       tax

All rates are per night, and include 3 meals per day, plus full use of our trails and facilities. 

On request a local guide can show you our trails, and some of the birds' territories.  Services of a professional birding guide may be available, but are not included in our rates.  If interested, please inquire when you make your reservation.

Day Use Fee: $10 per person; contact us for additional information.

For transfers to or from the lodge, or to Coca, please contact us.

Cancellation Policy: We will provide a full refund for cancellations up to 90 days in advance of your booking, 50% refund for cancellations 89-15 days prior to your booking, and no refunds for cancellations less than 15 days prior to your booking.

What to Bring

Answers to questions often asked:

The US dollar is the currency used in Ecuador, common credit cards accepted. Note that US currency in denominations larger than $50 is difficult to cash anywhere in the country.  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, souvenirs, batteries, things you've run out of, lost or forgotten. And tips to lodge staff are always greatly appreciated.

Electric power in Ecuador is 110 volts, 60 Hz, and you'll have outlets in your room at Wildsumaco Lodge for recharging your 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 December through February, and May through July.

To Bring:

• Binoculars
• Telescope if you have one
• Camera
• Flashlight for night birding
• Light day pack
• Water bottle
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• T-shirts
• Long sleeved shirt
• Sweater, jacket or fleece for night birding
• Light jacket, water resistant, or poncho
• Hiking boots or sturdy shoes
• Sandals
• Hat
• Umbrella
• Personal toiletries
• Quick-drying nylon pants are perfect, but jeans are usually comfortable as well.

Although few of our trails require them, we can provide rubber boots in most popular sizes for rainy days.

We'll help you take your belongings to and from your room, but please, for your sake and ours, leave heavy luggage and large bags at home. More than 2 medium suitcases or duffels are difficult to manage on international trips.

Volunteers Sought

Do you hate those long, cold northern winters? Do you have time and talents you could share with us?

Why not spend a couple weeks volunteering in the mild and comfortable climate of Sumaco, in Ecuador's Eastern Foothills?

Our work in Wildsumaco is just beginning, and right now we have special need of extra hands and skills. If you have time to spend working with us there are many ways in which you can aid our grassroots conservation efforts. Your visit  with us as a volunteer at Wildsumaco will give you personal satisfaction of helping to make a difference in a unique part of the world.

Whether you're a birder or biologist or naturalist, you'll love the general area - the Andes and our Eastern foothills are incredibly beautiful. Just up the road from us is the entrance to Sumaco National Park, which has been described as one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. Our Wildsumaco bird list of over 400 species continues to grow!

Among other things, we are presently looking for volunteers to lend a hand with the following:

• assist with reforestation
• investigate areas for a future bird tower
• explore and plan new trails
• put up and monitor hummingbird feeders
• during boreal winter (Sept-May), conduct surveys of North American migrants, with emphasis on Cerulean Warbler, Canada Warbler, and Olive-sided Flycatcher
• identify and develop lists of the area's mammals, reptiles, insects and plants

Under our general supervision, volunteers usually work quite independently.  They may work by themselves on a project, or may work closely with the local people, on projects ranging from building construction to making trails in the forest.  While some knowledge of Spanish is very useful, it's not absolutely essential.

The area is quite hilly and at an altitude of about 1400m (4600 feet) so volunteers should be in at least average physical condition.

Volunteers stay in our basic but functional staff quarters containing bunk beds, cooking and dining area, and a bath house.  Three meals a day, cooked to local dietary preferences, are included in the $20/day fee we charge volunteers.  If you have special dietary requirements, please let us know, as we may or may not be able to accommodate them.  To make the experience a meaningful one for all concerned, we ask volunteers to stay with us for a minimum of 2 weeks.

You'll need to bring with you:
-  binoculars, and a telescope if you have one
-  sleeping bag suitable for mild weather (around 18 degrees C 
         [64F])
-  working clothes including hat
-  fleece or sweater for chilly days
-  rubber boots
-  rain gear, including umbrella and jacket
-  flashlight (head lamps are great)
-  insect repellent and sunblock

If you have special talents or skills, or know of other ways in which you might be able to help out, we'd be happy to discuss your ideas.

Contact Jonas@wildsumaco.com with any questions about our volunteer program, or to sign up.

Please visit Rio Pucuno Foundation's website, www.riopucunofoundation.org if you'd like to help our forest conservation or other efforts, but don't wish to volunteer.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU in WILDSUMACO!!!