Birdwatching & Wildlife Photography Tours | San Jorge Birdwatching & Wildlife Photography Tours at San Jorge Ecolodges Seven private reserves. Six deluxe eco-lodges. Over 1,500 bird species waiting in the frame. San Jorge Eco-Lodges & Botanical Reserves has spent more than 35 years building Ecuador’s most complete private network for birdwatching and wildlife photography — … Read more
THE TRAIN TO URGENCH. TOWARD THE LAND OF ONE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS It was 11:25 p.m. when I finally left the hotel in Beineu for good. The railway station—the true economic heartbeat of this small border town and perhaps its busiest landmark—was only a few minutes away. I switched Google Maps to driving mode … Read more
BEINEU. THE LAST HOURS ON THE STEPPE After a rainy night, the sky began to clear in an almost miraculous way. Little by little, patches of blue emerged through the clouds, as if announcing that the journey was ready to move forward once again. This is my last day in Beineu. Tonight, at eleven o’clock, … Read more
THE PRISON OF ALAT Part One Pre-boarding on the Caspian Sea The first surprise came the moment I stepped through the ferry’s door. There was no internet. After so many days relying on my phone to navigate, communicate, and plan my route, I suddenly found myself experiencing that strange feeling of isolation once again. For … Read more
Alat has become a small prison isolated from the noise of the outside world. I have already served a twenty-four-hour sentence in this place. The curious thing is that no one forced me to come. I entered of my own free will. And now I can’t leave. The only concession allowed by this peculiar prison … Read more
The Silk Road San Jorge Ecotours Prologue What Is a Bikepacker? A bikepacker is much more than a person who travels by bicycle. A bikepacker is an adventurer who has chosen to exchange comfort for experiences, rigid itineraries for uncertainty, and routine for constant discovery. It is someone who carries their world on two wheels … Read more
Where Ecuador’s Wild Heart Meets the Lens There is a moment every wildlife photographer knows well: the exact second when the forest goes silent, the light softens, and you feel — before you even see — that something extraordinary is about to appear. At San Jorge Eco-Lodges & Botanical Reserves, that moment happens again and … Read more
Descending from the cloud forests of Milpe’s upper slopes, the landscape grows denser, greener, and wilder. Mist turns to warm rain, and the calls of frogs and toucans echo from the deep valleys below. Here, in this lush, humid paradise, lies San Jorge de Milpe – The Cliff Lodge, the rainforest jewel of the San Jorge … Read more
Hidden deep in Ecuador’s misty western Andes lies a place where time seems to slow down and nature reigns supreme: San Jorge Tandayapa Lodge & Bird Sanctuary. Situated in the heart of the Andean cloud forest, this eco-paradise is world-renowned as one of the best places on Earth to experience hummingbirds in their natural habitat. The Living … Read more
Tucked away in the lush western foothills of the Andes, just a few hours from Quito, lies a place where the forest hums with life: San Jorge de Milpe Eco-Lodge & Bird Sanctuary. Known worldwide among ornithologists and nature lovers, Milpe is located in the heart of the Chocó bioregion, one of the most biodiverse and endangered habitats … Read more
