Guango Lodge

Eastern Andes – Cloud forest – Paramo

Overview

Eastern Slopes

Opened in 2000, Guango Lodge is a new, small tourist facility surrounded by temperate forest and very birdy flocks. Owned by the same family as San Isidro, and about an hour away, Guango Lodge lies at a higher elevation (about 2,700 meters) on Ecuador's eastern slope, only 11 kms down the main Interoceanica Highway from the town of Papallacta. This area is centered in a zone classified as humid temperate forest, a habitat distinctly different from San Isidro and characterized by its more stunted trees (and thicker canopy), cooler climate, and different bird and plant composition.

Guango Lodge is only a short drive from the tree-line forests and treeless paramo zones, where an almost entirely new set of birds awaits you. With the opening of Guango Lodge, San Isidro is hopeful that yet another large chunk of ecologically important land will be both productive and protected, allowing guests to appreciate Ecuador's natural beauty.

Roger Ahlman - Many-spotted Hummingbird.
D. Moore – Golden Tailed Sapphire

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.

Facilities

Lodge

Guango Lodge offers many of the same services as San Isidro Lodge, including rooms with a private bathroom, hot water and excellent food.

Food & drink

El Guango, like its sister lodge San Isidro is know for its excellent home cooked food – a fusion of Ecuadorean and international cuisine.

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.

Birding

Along with San Isidro, Guango is one of the few sites on the east slopes of Ecuador’s Andes that cater to birders, especially at its specific elevation and it is best known for the stunning variety of humming birds that visit the feeders.

These include Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Tourmaline Sunangel, Golden-breasted and Glowing Pufflegs, Mountain Avocetbill, and White-bellied and Gorgeted Woodstars among many others.

Birds seen regularly at the lodge include Andean Guan, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Turquoise Jay, Scarlet-bellied, Lacrimose, Buff-breasted and Hooded Mountain-Tanagers, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Black-headed, Black-capped and Black-eared Hemispingus and Slaty Bursh-Finch.

A real treat, for those up early is the Chestnut-Crowned Antpitta which is habituated.

Antpitta
The antpittas in the genera Grallaria, Hylopezus, Myrmothera and Grallaricula are a sexually monomorphic; they resemble the true pittas in that they are virtually tailess; they hop like some thrushes, and are much easier to hear than see – although their vocalizations may be rather atypical for perching birds. These are forest birds that tend to feed on insects at or near the ground since many are specialist ant eaters. Most are drab in appearance with shades of (rusty) brown, black, and white being their dominant tones. Compared to other birds that specialize in following ants, this family is the most tied to the ground. The long, powerful legs (which lend the birds a distinctive upright posture) and an essentially vestigial tail aid this lifestyle.

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.