Ecuador Cloud Forest Add-on Tour

Overview

Explore Ecuador’s cloud forest with guided walks, rich birdlife and a stay at Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge

Escape Quito for a short stay in Ecuador’s cloud forest, where changing altitude brings a striking shift in landscapes and wildlife. Based at Bellavista Lodge above the Tandayapa Valley, we explore a network of forest trails with expert guides, searching for birdlife and learning how this ecosystem functions. Optional early walks reveal peak wildlife activity, while varied routes lead to waterfalls and quieter corners of the reserve. With time to absorb the rhythms of the forest and guidance throughout, this is a focused introduction to one of Ecuador’s most biodiverse habitats.

Key Information

Activity: Wildlife Holidays
Activity Level: Easy
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you.
Trip Code: XTNCLOUD
Countries: Ecuador

What's Included

Accommodation: 2 Comfort nights (1 Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge, 1 Quito hotel)
All breakfasts, two lunches and one dinner
Travel by minibus
All activities at Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge

Positive Impact

We donate to our Foundation and rewild 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller. Find out more about how our adventures support nature and people to thrive.

Don't Forget To

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations. Speak to your sales representative for Dates & Prices and please be aware that a compulsory sole traveller supplement applies to this itinerary.

Highlights

Walk cloud forest trails with expert guides, learning about the ecosystem at every step

Search for birdlife on early morning walks in a key Andean birding corridor

Stay at Bellavista Lodge, surrounded by forest and wildlife

Itinerary

First Destination: Quito
Next Destination: Quito

Accommodation:Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge
Meals included:Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Quito
Next Destination: Quito

We leave Quito early (6.30am), heading northwest along the Calacalí–La Independencia road (approx. 1hr 30min), where the scenery shifts with altitude from Andean highlands to misty cloud forest. A final stretch along a smaller road brings us to Bellavista Lodge, perched above the Tandayapa Valley.

After settling in and breakfast, we head out on foot with our guide, who selects trails based on conditions and wildlife activity. The cloud forest here is known for its remarkable biodiversity, and our guide helps interpret everything from bird calls to plant life. Following lunch, we explore a different trail, offering a fresh perspective on this layered ecosystem. Back at the lodge, keep an eye out for the elusive olinguito, occasionally spotted near the buildings.

Accommodation:Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge
Meals included:Lunch, Dinner

For those keen to start early, there’s an optional birdwatching walk (6.30am), when activity is at its peak. Bellavista sits within a key birding corridor, and our guide focuses on identifying species that thrive in this altitude range.

After breakfast, we continue exploring the reserve, choosing from a network of trails that may lead to waterfalls or quieter forest sections. Each route reveals different aspects of the cloud forest, from dense vegetation to open viewpoints shaped by the terrain.

After lunch, we begin our return to Quito (approx. 2hr 30min), arriving mid-afternoon.

Accommodation:Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

You’ve walked through Ecuador’s cloud forest and searched for its diverse birdlife, but now it’s time to begin your return journey home or join the start of your main adventure.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Accommodation

Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge

Set high above the Tandayapa Valley, Bellavista Lodge places you within Ecuador’s cloud forest, a habitat known for its rich birdlife and layered vegetation. Rooms are simple yet comfortable, designed to keep the focus on the surrounding environment, with balconies and communal areas offering opportunities to watch hummingbirds and other species up close.

With a network of trails starting directly from the lodge and knowledgeable local guides on hand, it’s an ideal base for exploring this unique ecosystem.

Essential Information

This trip is graded Activity Level 1 (Easy). For more information on our trip gradings, visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

This add-on tour runs on a shared basis with non-Exodus guests.

Ecuador

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Ecuador. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/ecuador
Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/ecuador
United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ecuador/entry-requirements
USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Ecuador.html

Meals at Bellavista are hearty and home-style, designed to refuel after time on the trails. Ingredients are locally sourced where possible, with a mix of Ecuadorian dishes and familiar options served in the lodge dining area. Early breakfasts cater to those heading out for birdwatching, while lunches and dinners are relaxed affairs, often accompanied by views into the surrounding forest. Hot drinks are available throughout the day—particularly welcome in the cooler cloud forest climate.

It will be hot with high humidity in the Amazon Rainforest. There is a possibility of rain at any time, but not to the extent of spoiling your enjoyment. The driest time in the jungle (in terms of rainfall levels, not number of rainy days) is October to January.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.