In the transition regions between the high altitude grassland above the tree line and the rich sub-tropical rainforest of the jungles, are the montane forests known as cloud forests. These are frequently bathed in cloud and are damp humid places. They support a completely different environment dominated by gnarled moss-clad trees with branches hanging with old-man’s beard.
The Tandayapa Valley cloud forest, with some of the highest diversity of epiphytes anywhere in the world is dominated by canopied forest, with many epiphytic orchids (over 80 species identified to date), bromeliads, tree ferns and moss covered branches.
Most of the valley’s forest is still intact, its terrain characterised by steep slopes with primary and secondary forest, with extensive stands of bamboo in places (good for antpittas). The valley forms the most easily accessible part of the threatened Chocó Endemic Bioregion of south-west Columbia and north-west Ecuador, which hosts 61 range restricted birds, and 9,000 species of plant (more than 10 percent of all Neotropical plant species).
Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge is located in a private reserve in the Tandayapa Valley. The Reserve is formed by sharp and deeply forested mountains, descending to gorges with rushing waterfalls and streams. The goal of the Reserve is to educate its visitors on the significance of biodiversity in tropical cloud forests and the ever-increasing importance of the forest’s protection.
The reserve’s elevation ranges between 1600m to 2500 metres above sea level and has an average temperature of 14ºC to 22 ºC. Within the reserve there are over 320 recorded species of birds, as well as a large number of botanical treasures, such as bromeliads and orchids. Mammals present here include the endangered spectacled bear (rarely seen, but protected by the Reserve), and Andean coati amongst others.