Tucked away amongst the cloud forest in the protected 3,212-acre Mashpi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve, about three hours northwest of Quito, in Ecuador, is Mashpi Lodge - a sophisticated and contemporary lodge. Described as a “luxury cocoon in the clouds”, Mashpi Lodge is perched 900 meters above sea level surrounded by rainforest crisscrossed with waterfalls between dramatic, verdant hills, and a profusion of plant species, from ferns and bromeliads to hundreds of orchid species, visible through its floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The Lodge, built with the latest techniques in sustainable building, is designed to blend beautifully with its surroundings that is populated by a staggering 500 species of bird, hundreds of amphibian and reptilian species, and animals such as monkeys, peccaries and even puma.

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