Mantaraya Lodge

The journey begins with a 30-minute flight from Quito to Manta or Portoviejo. You will be met by one of our qualified staff members, and transferred by car to Machalilla National Park (a 3 hour drive). On the road, we will stop to visit the legendary Panama hat makers of Montecristi, where you will learn about the fascinating history and art of this notable coast town weaving tradition. We continue to Machalilla National Park through roads that will that offer splendid views of coastal Manabí, one of Ecuador’s largest and most spirited provinces.

It is time to discover the wonders of Machalilla National Park.  Located in the heart of the park, the village of Agua Blanca offers you the opportunity to admire the archeological remains of the one-time dominant Salango Chiefdom, which belonged to the Manteño civilizations. With the help of various organizations, the community of Agua Blanca (no larger than 400 inhabitants) has created several projects to rescue the archeological ruins and improve administration of their tourism activities. There is a great number of activities in the area for you enjoy.

• You can choose to visit the Agua Blanca archeological museum to learn about  pre-Columbian cultures, the local way of life and the natural history of the area.
• From the museum, we can also hike around the archeological site through a path that offers the possibility of encountering the nature and wildlife of this very particular deciduous forest. You may choose to visit and enjoy the water springs. The hiking distance and time of visit are at our guest’s discretion.
• For more adventure-seeking guests, there is an opportunity to explore the San Sebastian Cloudforest on horseback.  Trails designed by the locals will take you through deciduous and semi-deciduous forests into cloudforest at an elevation of around 800m. The tour offers the opportunity to observe tropical birds, plants, insects, reptiles and occasional mammals at different altitudinal levels. This is also an excellent tour for bird lovers (please inquire so we can adjust the schedule*)

We swap mainland activities at Machalilla to explore the wonders at sea, as we head to Isla de la Plata. Isla de la Plata is an outstanding wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and other marine life.

Our sea adventure begins at Puerto Lopez’s harbor where we embark on Mantaraya’s private yacht. Navigation to the island may last about one and half hours. There are several activities you can complete during this full day tour. You can hike along trails on the island with our naturalist guide to learn more about the natural, geological and cultural history of Isla de La Plata. You can decide to take either the long or short trail. 

There is also plenty of time to go snorkeling and observe an interesting marine ecosystem around Drake’s Bay. If you just want to swim and relax on the beach, you will have the opportunity to do so as well. A box lunch and water is offered during the excursion. In the afternoon, our boat will take us back to Puerto Lopez where our private van will be waiting to transfer us back to Mantaraya Lodge.  After dinner, our excursion leader will offer a briefing on the activities for the next day.

This last day offers you the chance to visit the tropical forest, also known as cloudforest. On one trip, you may get a chance to see over 20 different bird species, learn about the local flora, and understand why this ecosystem is different from the others you have already visited. Venture into true tropical jungles along the Equator. Lunch will be ready for you at the lodge. In the afternoon, you will have some time to pack and get ready to leave Machalilla National Park. The trip to Manta or Portoviejo Airport takes approximately 2 hours by car. On your arrival to the airport, our staff will take care of your ticket and boarding pass for your return to Quito.

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