Which bird species do you think is the biggest attraction to visitors to your lodge (please name only one species)?
Black-banded “San Isidro” Owl
What is the name of your lodge, and since when has your lodge been operating?
San Isidro Lodge. We have been operating since 1985.
How best to travel to your lodge?
By car, it takes 2 hours to get there from Quito airport.
White-bellied Antpitta
What kind of services – except for accommodation and food – does your lodge offer to visiting birders?
We offer guided tours, hummingbird feeders, antpitta feeders, moth trap feeders, bird blind, night monkey and mountain tapir observation, and a 2,000-hectare reserve of mostly primary forest.
Inca Jay
What makes your lodge special?
The large primary forest reserve, the beautiful accommodations, and the original and delicious food.
What are the 10 – 20 most interesting birds that your lodge offers good chances to see?
- Black-banded “San Isidro” Owl
- Rufous-banded Owl
- White-bellied Antpitta
- ?Peruvian Antpitta
- ?Bicolored Antvireo
- Barred Antthrush
- Highland Motmot
- Masked Trogon
- Crested Quetzal
- ?Scarlet-rumped Cacique
- ?Geoffroy’s Daggerbill
- Violet-fronted Brilliant
- White-capped Tanager
- Black-billed Mountain-Toucan
- Variegated Bristle-Tyrant
- Tyrannine Woodcreeper
- Wattled Guan
- Black-chested Fruiteater
- Andean Potoo
- Chestnut-breasted Chloropho
Masked Trogon
What is the best time to visit your lodge, and why?
Any time of the year is good, there is very little bird seasonality.
Is your lodge involved in conservation efforts? If yes, please describe them.
Our main conservation effort has been the creation of a 2,000-hectare forest corridor between two major national parks: Antisana and Sumaco.
Andean cock-of-the-Rock
What other suggestions can you give to birders interested in visiting your lodge?
PACKING LIST:
- Collapsible umbrella
- Comfortable hiking shoes or boots.
- Comfortable shoes or sandals for non-birding situations.
- Rubber boots (If your shoe size is very big)
- A wide-brim hat for the intense sun.
- Rain jacket
- Fleece jacket, gloves, warm hat.
- T-shirts and a couple of long sleeve shirts
- Extra socks
- Light fabric pants (that dry fast) and outdoor pants
- Bathing suit
- Extra duffel bag if you plan to go shopping!
OTHER USEFUL THINGS TO BRING:
Binoculars, camera, belt, a daypack for the field, water bottle for hiking, plastic bags to protect optics in heavier rains, plenty of sunscreen, flashlight, alarm clock, lip balm, lens tissue, washcloth, sink stopper, 2-prong adapter as many outlets do not have the ground, extra batteries should you need them, a collapsible stool for longer hikes (this only if you get tired easily), a little notebook and pen, “Birds of Ecuador” book by Ridgely, and trail mix or favorite snacks, plastic bags for the dirty clothes or shoes, insect repellent, antihistaminic, pain killers and any prescribed medicines.
Do you have activities for non-birders? If so, please describe.
Canoeing through the reserve and kayak if weather allows, trekking through kilometers of primary forest, hummingbird feeder stations (great for all levels of photography), orchid garden, night walks to look for animals, fishing and swimming in the Cosanga river, waterfalls, white light for insect observation, archaeological sites, WIFI, fireplace, heated pool and the lodge’s original 7-course Amazon tasting menu (please reserve one day in advance).
FOR KIDS
– Handicraft or pizza making, fireplace and marshmallows, blowgun, bow-and-arrow practice, fishing and our specially designed educational scavenger hunt.
ACTIVITIES WITH AN EXTRA COST AT SAN ISIDRO
– Amazonian tasting menu. Our seven-course haute cuisine tasting menu has been featured on the Gourmet International Channel.
– Night walk after dinner in the forest trails: $10 per person, with Spanish speaking native guide
If any reader of 10,000 Birds is interested in staying at your lodge, how can they best contact you?
By e-mail to: info@sanisidrolodge.com / whatsapp +(593) 97 934 7725 / Social media: @sanisidrolodge
Crested Quetzal
Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of 10,000 Birds?
San Isidro is one of the most historical lodges dedicated to conservation and birding in Ecuador, with origins dating back to the 1950’s when the reserve was founded by the same family that runs the operation today. The lodge and reserve offer genuine experiences blending history with modern comforts, as well as some of the best food in the country. San Isidro is one of the “must-visit” stops on a birding trip through eastern Ecuador.
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