El Monte
Visit El Monte and feel the lushness of tropical cloud forest! Stay in private riverside cabanas and see firsthand the moss covered trees, crystal clear streams, spectacular orchids, exotic birds.Awaken to the symphony of forest noises, hear the sounds and try to imagine the source. Experience Cloud Forest with all senses, an ecosystem not widely known by name but could be described as the Garden of Eden or Paradise Found. One of the best ways to describe El Monte is that we are “unique”, mostly because of our environmental philosophy and personal touches.
A conscience decision was made to stay small and that there should be some sort of ratio between guests received and amount of land owned to keep the ecological impact to a minimum. Of the El Monte Reserve only about one hectare (2.5 acres) is used for the lodge, garden and cabanas, the rest is used for nature walks, bird observation or just enjoying nature.
Arrival to El Monte Sustainable Lodge is by “tarabita” or hand pulled cable car. The cable car gives us a sense of privacy from the outside world, while providing access to El Monte and the buffer zone to the Mindo-Nambillo Protected Reserve.