El otro Lado - Private Nature Reserve

“El Otro Lado” (Spanish for “The Other Side”) is a 64 hectares (158-acre) private nature reserve in Ecuador, located 3.5-hour drive from the capital city Quito, 20 km from the lively touristic town of Banos and one mile from the village of Rio Verde.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has designated the region as a “Gift to Earth” (no. 81) thanks to its rich variety of wildlife, flora and vegetation.

The only access route to the reserve is via a bridge suspended over the river, precisely where Rio Verde (the “Green River”) flows into the Pastaza River, creating one of the most magnificent waterfalls in all of Ecuador, called “Pailon del Diablo” (“The Devil’s Calderon”, see picture). Entrance to the reserve is for guests only.

People visiting the reserve often use the word “Paradise” to describe their experience. This is an exceptional, magical place, where the Andes meet the jungle in an exciting celebration of life, sound and color.

"El Otro Lado" is a place for nature lovers, birdwatchers and those who wish to get away from it all…

Weather

Year round temperatures are mostly comfortable: 17º to 24 Cº (the region’s proximity to the equator ameliorates the cold of the high altitude). Humidity is high, as to be expected in a cloud forest.

Wildlife and birdwatching

The reserve’s biodiversity is one of the greatest in the world. The reserve serves as the home of over 300 (!!!) bird species, some of which are endemic. One of the most beautiful and rare birds found on the reserve is called the “Andean Cock of the Rock”. The variety of butterflies is even greater. Additional wildlife includes small mammals such as monkeys, opossums, badgers, squirrels and more.

Vegetation

Since this is a cloud forest, the vegetation is extremely diverse, composed of thousands of different plant varieties. Of unique interest and beauty are the dozens of different orchid varieties, each magnificent in its own right.