Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Set within nearly 2000-acres of private reserve in Ecuador’s cloud forest, Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge is a base for adventure and exploration.
Offering a unique stay above the forest canopy, the lodge is comprised of a selection of accommodation options from camping and mountain-view rooms to forest-view bamboo houses and geodesic domes. Boasting incredibly biodiverse forests and a plethora of little-studied wildlife, the lodge carefully balances the wonders of the natural world with cosy accommodations and authentic decor.
Owing to the important conservation programme operating in the reserve, there is an abundant and varied wildlife population. Resident mammals include the endangered spectacled bear, which has even been photographed by their camera traps, as well as mountain lions, South American coatis, kinkajous and olinguitos.
The Bellavista Reserve is actively involved in the Corridor of the Spectacled Bear Project, a conservation effort directed towards the ecology and conservation of habitat of this species. The couple behind the reserve bought the land as a passion project, deliberately outbidding an individual who wished to expand a cattle hacienda by tearing down the forest.
Surrounded by hidden valleys, waterfalls and crystal-clear streams, there is a network of trails that you can amble in peace at your own pace without bumping into crowds of other people. Hike to cascading waterfalls, plunging valleys or panoramic viewpoints, and admire the multitude of hummingbirds that hover around feeders in front of the communal lounge.
Visits to Cock of the Rock and a nearby butterfly farm can be arranged, and optional excursions outside of the reserve include ziplining and river tubing.
Just two hours away from the colonial capital city of Quito, but with the feeling of being worlds apart, Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge is set within the private Bellavista Reserve in Ecuador’s cloud forest.
Some of the wonderful places to stay that we frequently recommended.
Burrowed within 300-acres of cloud forest reserve, Sachatamia Lodge is a bird-watchers paradise situated beside the protected forest of Mindo-Nambillo, an area renowned for its exceptional biodiversity and abundant flora and fauna. Constructed almost entirely from wood, the lodge is a rustic building that blends in with the surrounding landscape, offering an indoor swimming pool and jacuzzi. Inside, its 10 wood-clad lodge rooms and bungalows are cosy and elegantly decorated, boasting incredible views of the verdant cloud forest.
Seamlessly blending lush jungle with an urban comfort, Mashpi Lodge is an exclusive Cloud Forest hideaway situated on a scenic plateau that overlooks distant forested mountains and up-close untamed foliage. A stunningly contemporary piece of architectural design, the lodge offers 22 rooms that aim to immerse guests in the striking landscape through the use of sweeping floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows. A restaurant and Explorer’s Bar prepare cuisine and beverages that have been created with a focus on native ingredients and flavours from both the coastal and Andean regions.
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
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