My sister and I visited Refugio Paz de Las Aves for their 2D/1N birding tour. If you read no further, know that all of my expectations were exceeded! Perhaps my favorite stop during our trip to Ecuador, my only regret was not staying longer.

Angel and his family were incredibly kind, helpful, and overall excellent hosts. Although my Spanish isn't great, they were very patient and we were able to communicate effectively throughout the entire tour.

The food and accommodations were also fantastic! Nestled in a hillside, the lodge itself was beautiful and only steps away from the fruit and nectar feeders. My sister's favorite feature of the lodge was the balcony and sitting area that overlooked the stunning valley.

And last of all, the reason we traveled to this lodge - the birding! I'll attach a few sample shots taken at the lodge from the back of my camera, but know that we saw many, many, more species. One of our favorite experiences at the lodge was venturing out with Angel and Rodrigo for a night walk in search of screech owls. While we didn't see the screech owl, we heard their calls frequently and felt the burst of wind as one flew right past our heads! At the end of our walk we saw a pair of magnificent black banded owls next to the lodge.

The amount of diversity at the refuge is absolutely incredible. Whether you're an avid birder, or just looking to enjoy some of the beautiful landscape of the Ecuadorian cloud forest, make sure to visit Refugio Pas de Las Aves!