El Monte Cloudforest Ecolodge

With its roofs of bamboo and thatch, open-air lounges and lush, green surrounds, El Monte is every inch the eco-lodge. Your arrival by tarabita (a hand-pulled cable car) is as scenic as they come, not to mention that you'll be traversing the Mindo-Nambillo Reserve, known for its magnificent birds; you'll find everything from the Choco toucan to the bright orange Cock-of-the-rock and you haven't even reached the lodge! Hidden away from the world, the peace and quiet at El Monte is superlative, with plenty of places to curl up and relax or hear stories from local Mindo guides. But there's a good dose of adventure too, from tubing down the Rio Mindo to horseback rides through the forest.