Cabañas San Isidro

Overview

Description

Nestled in the picturesque Quijos Valley, one of the westernmost headwaters of the Amazon basin, San Isidro in Napo, Ecuador (only 2.5 hours from Quito) lies at an elevation of about 6,800 ft (2,000 m) above sea level in a zone still mostly blanketed by extensive humid forest. This combination of factors means agreeable temperatures, exciting birds, and a diversity of other wildlife, including large mammals.

Rooms

13 comfortable rooms with sitting area, private porch with a hummingbird feeder, and coffee maker.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 9

Percentage of local employees: 78%

Cabañas San Isidro lodge and its surrounding forest reserve is located on the east slope of the Ecuadorian Andes at an elevation gradient of about 6,234-7,874 feet (1,900–2,400 meters) near the small town of Cosanga. The reserve serves as the major nexus in the Cosanga Valley linking the Antisana and Gran Sumaco Reserves by way of a wide and splendid flat forest reserve (often classified as humid subtropical evergreen forest).

Flat forests in the Andes are hard to come by these days, since much of this habitat type has been converted into pasture. From a conservation standpoint, this reason alone labels San Isidro and its neighboring lands as a critical area in need of urgent attention. Many poorly known and endangered plant and animal species seek refuge and make their homes on the lodge and foundation’s properties, most noteworthy among them being Bicolored Antviero (Dysithamnus occidentalis), Giant Antpitta (Grallaria gignatea), Peruvian Antpitta (Grallaricula peruviana), Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus), and Oncilla (Felis tigrina). Even more interestingly, San Isidro is home to a peculiar owl (in the genus Strix) that may very well prove to represent a new species to science; to date San Isidro is the only spot where the bird has been found with certainty.

So far, ecotourism is the main industry that drives conservation at San Isidro. Without the outside interest from travelers such as birders and other nature enthusiasts, such a venture would have a very hard time sustaining itself. San Isidro employs many of the people from the town of Cosanga and other nearby areas, thus involving the locals and helping drive their economy as well. In the process, much training takes place in the areas of cooking, lodge management, naturalist and bird guiding, and more.

Rates

$76 – 100

For more information about rates, please visit:

• www.cabanasanisidro.com/pages/reservations.htm (available in English).

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Quito (UIO)

Travel time to nearest airport: 2.5 hours

Reaching San Isidro from Quito is easy, especially since much of the road is recently paved. From Quito, take the Via Interoceanica Highway east past the towns of Cumbayá, Tumbaco, and then Pifo of the central valley. From here, the road starts to climb up towards the continental divide, or what is known as the Papallacta Pass, and then afterwards continues downhill again, passing through the small towns of Papallacta and Cuyuja.

Soon after passing through the only large police control stop just before Baeza, watch for the obvious right hand turn-off (just past the gas station) to the south towards the towns of Baeza, Cosanga, and Tena. After passing through Baeza, continue for about 20 minutes. There is a side road to the right just before the small town of Cosanga marked by a "San Isidro" sign. Drive up this road for 2 mi (3 km) until the large San Isidro sign on the left that can't be missed.

Additional Information

Date This Information Was Provided

June 2012.

Photos courtesy of Cabañas San Isidro, Ecuador, for SustainableTrip.org.