{"id":5153,"date":"2024-04-22T15:40:36","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T20:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/?p=5153"},"modified":"2024-04-22T15:41:02","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T20:41:02","slug":"travel-adventure-head-in-the-clouds-exploring-the-rain-forest-at-the-mashpi-lodge-part-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/22\/travel-adventure-head-in-the-clouds-exploring-the-rain-forest-at-the-mashpi-lodge-part-one\/","title":{"rendered":"TRAVEL &amp; ADVENTURE &#8211; Head in the Clouds: Exploring the Rain Forest at the Mashpi Lodge &#8211; Part One"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5153\" class=\"elementor elementor-5153\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2532820 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2532820\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de1cd33 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"de1cd33\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;full&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-35df372 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"35df372\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 29-01-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><em>Cuenca Expats Magazine, Issue 40<br \/><\/em><em>Photos: Cuenca Expats Magazine<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-805dd1d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"805dd1d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 29-01-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sponsored by:<\/h5>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bd00dea elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bd00dea\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 29-01-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.metropolitan-touring.com\/ecuador\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"634\" height=\"168\" src=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Metropolitan-Touring-Logo.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-4603\" alt=\"Metropolitan Touring - Logo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Metropolitan-Touring-Logo.png 634w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Metropolitan-Touring-Logo-300x79.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3df7636 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3df7636\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Like most, I first learned about the rainforest in some long-ago forgotten classroom.\u00a0 Over the years, there have been many reports about how the rainforest has been devastated by logging, mining, drilling, and farmland expansion.\u00a0 Much of it illegal.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0e5073e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0e5073e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I wanted to visit the rainforest. I live in Ecuador, and it would be a shame not to see one of nature\u2019s wonders right in my backyard. So, I contacted my friends at Metropolitan Touring to arrange an itinerary for me. Their holding group is the owner and operator of an internationally renowned lodge in the Choco Andino, called Mashpi Lodge.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.latamairlines.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4337 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/latam-logo_-768x235-1-300x92.png\" alt=\"latam-logo_-768x235-1\" width=\"300\" height=\"92\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/latam-logo_-768x235-1-300x92.png 300w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/latam-logo_-768x235-1.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d193e24 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d193e24\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>My journey began by booking a ticket for the quick 50-minute flight from Cuenca to Quito on LATAM. (I always try to fly with this dependable airline).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ba5fcc elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"3ba5fcc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 29-01-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-divider{--divider-border-style:none;--divider-border-width:1px;--divider-color:#0c0d0e;--divider-icon-size:20px;--divider-element-spacing:10px;--divider-pattern-height:24px;--divider-pattern-size:20px;--divider-pattern-url:none;--divider-pattern-repeat:repeat-x}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider{display:flex}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{font-size:15px;line-height:1;max-width:95%}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__element{margin:0 var(--divider-element-spacing);flex-shrink:0}.elementor-widget-divider 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.elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not([class*=elementor-widget-divider--view]) .elementor-divider-separator{width:100%;min-height:var(--divider-pattern-height);-webkit-mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;-webkit-mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);background-color:var(--divider-color);-webkit-mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url);mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url)}.elementor-widget-divider--no-spacing{--divider-pattern-size:auto}.elementor-widget-divider--bg-round{--divider-pattern-repeat:round}.rtl .elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{direction:rtl}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-divider,.e-con>.elementor-widget-divider{width:var(--container-widget-width,100%);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9383002 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9383002\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"462\" src=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_142841-1024x462.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5169\" alt=\"mashpi 1 - issue 40\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_142841-1024x462.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_142841-300x135.jpg 300w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_142841-768x346.jpg 768w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_142841-1536x692.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_142841-2048x923.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d3ebbf elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"3d3ebbf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b2e636f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b2e636f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I had reserved a room in Quito at my favorite luxurious boutique hotel: Casa Gangotena. This hotel is located in the center of the historic district and is an excellent choice for visiting the city or as a jumping-off point for excursions to Otavalo, Cotopaxi, or in my case, the rainforest.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24e191b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"24e191b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;full&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-acd4895 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"acd4895\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>And, I love the food at the hotel, so I always eat in. Chef Jose Tamayo, who started his career in Buenos Aires prepares \u201cCocina Mestiza,\u201d which is a combination of indigenous and European influences envisioned anew through modern techniques while celebrating fresh, native, and locally sourced ingredients. Take my word for it, it was the best meal I have had in my eight years in Ecuador\u2014food, and service outstanding.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fea9eae elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fea9eae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>After a great night\u2019s sleep in the spacious constable room, I had breakfast and was ready for my adventure to the rain forest.\u00a0 Metropolitan Touring had arranged for my transportation to the Mashpi Lodge. Right on time, Jose from the Mashpi Lodge picked me up from the hotel. He told me it was about a three-and-a-half-hour drive to Mashpi. To my surprise, we did not drive northeast to the Amazon (I thought all Ecuador\u2019s rain forest was there), but northwest toward Esmeralda&#8217;s Coast.\u00a0<\/p><p>On the way about 26 miles north of Quito we stopped to see the Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the Earth) monument. The monument was built to commemorate the first Geodesic Mission of the French Academy of Science who in 1736 conducted experiments to test the characteristic shape of the Earth. We drove on excellent\u00a0 highways until we came to the little town of Tulipe. I have a degree in archaeology, so I was disappointed that the archaeological complex museum with the ancient Yumbo ruins was closed.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68a985e elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"68a985e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62ea8f8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"62ea8f8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/family-dragonfly-ecuador-quito-cloud-forest-e1713376934859.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5306\" alt=\"TRAVEL &amp; ADVENTURE \u2013 Head in the Clouds: Exploring the Rain Forest at the Mashpi Lodge \u2013\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/family-dragonfly-ecuador-quito-cloud-forest-e1713376934859.jpg 900w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/family-dragonfly-ecuador-quito-cloud-forest-e1713376934859-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/family-dragonfly-ecuador-quito-cloud-forest-e1713376934859-768x461.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bae4bd1 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"bae4bd1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5f6af5 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d5f6af5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0ee7163 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"0ee7163\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-tree\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M378.31 378.49L298.42 288h30.63c9.01 0 16.98-5 20.78-13.06 3.8-8.04 2.55-17.26-3.28-24.05L268.42 160h28.89c9.1 0 17.3-5.35 20.86-13.61 3.52-8.13 1.86-17.59-4.24-24.08L203.66 4.83c-6.03-6.45-17.28-6.45-23.32 0L70.06 122.31c-6.1 6.49-7.75 15.95-4.24 24.08C69.38 154.65 77.59 160 86.69 160h28.89l-78.14 90.91c-5.81 6.78-7.06 15.99-3.27 24.04C37.97 283 45.93 288 54.95 288h30.63L5.69 378.49c-6 6.79-7.36 16.09-3.56 24.26 3.75 8.05 12 13.25 21.01 13.25H160v24.45l-30.29 48.4c-5.32 10.64 2.42 23.16 14.31 23.16h95.96c11.89 0 19.63-12.52 14.31-23.16L224 440.45V416h136.86c9.01 0 17.26-5.2 21.01-13.25 3.8-8.17 2.44-17.47-3.56-24.26z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc17cbc e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"fc17cbc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ed5835d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ed5835d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;full&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68355b1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"68355b1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">After a brief bio-break, we turned onto a dirt road for half an hour and drove straight into the clouds (literally).<\/span><\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mashpi Reserve is located within the Choc\u00f3 Andino Biosphere Reserve. The Biosphere Reserve comprises a territory of approximately 287,000 hectares (one hectare is about two and a half acres) of which 48% are remnants of the ancient Andean forests. Its forests have the important function of capturing the evaporation of the Pacific Ocean and generating significant amounts of water that flow through the basins of rivers. It is both rain and cloud forest, and home to 400 species of birds (36 not found anywhere else), 300 species of butterfly and moths, and a load of endangered animals.\u00a0<\/p><p>Mashpi Reserve itself is 2500 hectares (a hectare is 2.47 acres) in size, and the 24-room Mashpi lodge sits on the site of an old saw mill. There is a large gate at the entrance of the Mashpi Reserve that reminded me of \u201cJurassic Park.\u201d\u00a0 (I was half expecting to see a Spielberg raptor come out of the forest after us!).<\/p><p>To get to the lodge (a boutique hotel in the clouds) you need to take a one-way, winding dirt road up the side of a mountain for 20 minutes. All guests are welcomed with a hot towel before checking in\u2014a nice touch after the long drive. Check-in was quick and easy (as I found all service staff is English-speaking).<\/p><p>Luggage was taken directly to the room while I was served a refreshing drink before the orientation meeting started. Marc Bery, the general manager of Mashpi Lodge gave a slide presentation on its history and general information for guests.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5dde4e9 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5dde4e9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;full&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9c7ef33 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9c7ef33\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1154\" src=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_130240-1-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-5320\" alt=\"mashpi 2 - issue 40\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_130240-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_130240-1-300x135.jpg 300w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_130240-1-1024x462.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_130240-1-768x346.jpg 768w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_130240-1-1536x692.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20211215_130240-1-2048x923.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6731a8b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6731a8b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Mashpi-restaurant.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-5321\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Mashpi-restaurant.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Mashpi-restaurant-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Mashpi-restaurant-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d747dbe elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d747dbe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Mashpi Reserve was formed in 2001 when a group of Quito businessmen including Roque Sevilla, the former mayor of Quito and chairman of the board of Metropolitan Touring and the Grupo Futuro holding group of companies became concerned about the depleting rain forest. They purchased 800-hectares from a bankrupt logging company, and eventually built the lodge over a two-year period. It was opened in 2012. By that time, another 400 hectares had been added to the property, and in 2019, another 1300 hectares were added to the reserve, making it a total of 2500-hectares.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0cb9b60 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0cb9b60\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h6 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">In the second part of this article in the next Issue 41 will explain about the Mashpi Lodge.<\/h6>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f31f53a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f31f53a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MP10032-Mashpi-Lodge-yaku-Bathroom.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-5331\" alt=\"mashpi issue 40\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MP10032-Mashpi-Lodge-yaku-Bathroom.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MP10032-Mashpi-Lodge-yaku-Bathroom-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MP10032-Mashpi-Lodge-yaku-Bathroom-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MP10032-Mashpi-Lodge-yaku-Bathroom-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MP10032-Mashpi-Lodge-yaku-Bathroom-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-466db80 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" 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data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;full&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-753c328 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"753c328\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cuenca Expats Magazine, Issue 40Photos: Cuenca Expats Magazine Sponsored by: Like most, I first learned about the rainforest in some long-ago forgotten classroom.\u00a0 Over the years, there have been many reports about how the rainforest has been devastated by logging, mining, drilling, and farmland expansion.\u00a0 Much of it illegal. I wanted to visit the rainforest. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5164,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,355,55],"tags":[265,393,387,392,268,315],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5153"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5153"}],"version-history":[{"count":82,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5637,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5153\/revisions\/5637"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsmags.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}