Wildsumaco Lodge

Overview

Eastern Slopes

From the Guacamayors Ridge on the road that winds through the Andes' beautiful eastern foothills, a volcano can sometimes be seen rising to 3730 meters (12,250 feet) through the misty distance of the east. It is called Sumaco. The hills below and around Sumaco are covered in lush primary forest, so remote and difficult to access that to this day they remain virtually unexplored, unmapped, a mystery.

Recognizing its significance, Ecuador has made Sumaco Volcano and the area around it a national park. With over 450 birds recorded on the reserve and surrounding areas, the list of birds seen on even a short stay is very impressive. The general region of Sumaco encompasses a wide range of elevations, and is bird-rich. Many of the species found here are rare, endangered or very difficult to see elsewhere.

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, 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 its heights.

Until now, there has been no comfortable lodging convenient to this superb destination.

Non-birding companions and other nature lovers 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. We have some amazing butterflies, and photography is a delight.

Making a difference:
Ecuador’s Andes' Eastern Foothills is facing ecological disaster in the near future. Rainforest in the renowned birding locale of Sumaco is rapidly being logged and converted into farm land, habitat for primary forest dwellers being lost. Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary S.A., a small private company dedicated to conservation, is determined to save what we can of this fine forest and its wildlife before it disappears. Their combination of land ownership and a fine birding lodge, along with their personal, hands-on, no administrative red-tape approach, is the perfect formula for rainforest conservation in Sumaco. In addition to managing their own forest and land and running Wildsumaco, they are also working with people in nearby communities to try and find alternatives to the slash and burn agriculture that is threatening the areas remaining wildlife. Their goal is to be a recognised base for scientific enquiry into ornithology, zoology, botany and other biological fields within their own forest and nearby Sumaco National Park

• 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

Background

The lodge was built with birders in mind! As well as great trails through the forest reserve, they have good food, quiet comfortable rooms, private bathrooms with hot showers, outlets to recharge electronics and space to spread out your books and birding gear!

Well lit and comfortable communal areas include a a dinning area, a beautiful deck with great fiews, a sitting room and a bar, with a cozy fireplace for cooler days.

Meals include 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.

Multiflash photographers will be very happy with our hummingbird feeders. We've been told that the settings are very convenient for multi-flash hummingbird setups - "among the best I've seen in Ecuador" writes one delighted photographer.

Rio Pucuno Foundation - Saving Rainforest in Ecuador's Eastern Foothills
Some words from the owners of Wildsumaco…

There's world-wide understanding and support for conservation of lowland jungle rainforest, and of the much higher elevation cloud forest, but there's little discussion about the need to preserve the area between them, foothill rainforest. The foothills host many species living only at this particular elevation (900-1500 m) as well as representatives from both higher and lower elevations.

Sadly, prime foothill forest continues to be logged at an alarming rate, threatening the very existence of many bird and animal species living in it. Donations to help purchase and preserve this foothill forest are desperately needed.

The non-profit Rio Pucuno Foundation (RPF) was established by the owners of Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary for the express purpose of buying and preserving foothill rainforest in Ecuador before it disappears under the pressure of chainsaws. We are proud of our private corporate efforts and accomplishments in Sumaco, but realize that any significant expansion of our work will depend on securing additional funding, and of putting land purchases into a foundation to ensure that the land and forest will be kept in perpetuity.

As a non-profit organization, Rio Pucuno Foundation is able to receive grants and financial contributions for conservation and education, operating separately from our privately-held company. It has been approved by the appropriate government agencies and is fully chartered under the laws of Ecuador.

Because Rio Pucuno foundation is small, we are personally involved in all aspects of it and the rest of our reserve, so your donation to RPF will give you an unusual opportunity: when you visit Sumaco, we can show you precisely the forest that your contribution helped save, you can walk on it and be proud that you are part of the reason that it still exists.

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

Elevation

Elevation 1400m (4600 feet), private 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, 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-chested Jacamar. Several colorful species of tanager may be accompanied by Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, the recently described Foothill Elaenia, and sometimes Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater joins in. Andean Laniisoma was seen by a lucky group of birders the last week in June, from the road!

In season up to 20 migrant species from North America visit, including the threatened Cerulean Warbler. At night Great Potoo, Band-bellied Owl, Rufescent Screech-Owl and Foothill Screech-Owl often call from near by.

24 species of hummingbird have visited Wildsumaco's feeders to date, including sought-after birds as Ecuadorian Piedtail, Napo Sabrewing, Black-throated Brilliant, White-tailed Hillstar, Wire-crested Thorntail and Gould's Jewelfront.

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.