Bella Vista’s 2,000 acre reserve offers a plethora of hiking and strolling opportunities, but for this particular day hike I was offered two options: relaxed or “slightly strenuous”, which ended up being perfectly fine coming from Montana. We hiked for about three hours at a comfortable pace, stopping every few minutes so that my guide could point out special characteristics of the cloud forest. For an orchid-lover like myself, this place was truly magical! There are also 320 species of birds within the reserve, as well as monkeys, spectacled bear, puma and coati, although the mammals seem to be quite rare.
We returned to the lodge for a three-course lunch in the main dining house, which resembled a glorified tree fort. It was an impressive structure, with high wooden beams that meshed perfectly with the surrounding forest. There were tables intended for both couples and groups, and as a solo traveler I sat alone, although I by no means felt unwelcome. As is traditional in Ecuador, we started the meal with a warm, delicious soup and then moved on to the main plate and desert. I was very impressed with the meal, and joined the Quito shuttle feeling very full and ready to relax after a day of hiking in the forest! My only regret is that I did not stay the night, as many of the rooms are recently renovated and the lodge is a great place to spend one or two full days.
