It is time to discover the wonders of Machalilla National Park. Located in the heart of the park, the village of Agua Blanca harbours the archeological remains of the once dominant Salango Tribe, which belonged to the Manteño civilizations. With the help of various organizations, the community of Agua Blanca (no larger than 400 inhabitants) has created several projects to rescue the archeological ruins and improve the administration of their tourism activities.

There is a great number of activities in the area:

You can visit the Agua Blanca archeological museum to learn about pre-Columbian cultures, the local way of life and the natural history of the area.

From the museum, we can also hike around the archeological site on a path that lets you encounter the nature and wildlife of this very special deciduous forest. You can visit and enjoy the natural springs. The hiking distance and time of visit are at your discretion.

For more adventurous guests, there is an opportunity to explore the San Sebastian Cloudforest on horseback. Trails designed by the locals will take you through deciduous and semi-deciduous forests into the cloud forest at an elevation of around 800m. The tour offers the opportunity to observe tropical birds, plants, insects, reptiles and occasional mammals at different altitudinal levels. This is also an excellent tour for bird lovers (please inquire so we can adjust the schedule*)

In addition to the walking tours, we can arrange a bike ride through the Buena Vista Valley dirt road (about 5 Km), departing from the entrance road to Agua Blanca and arriving at the archeological museum. The ride gives you the opportunity to be in close contact with the deciduous tropical forest enjoying nature and people’s way of living.

The tougher option is to take the Julcuy road departing from the Buena Vista Valley for 40 Km ride that ends along the Jipijapa-Guayaquil highway, where our van will be waiting to transfer us back to the hotel.*

We swap the mainland activities at Machalilla to explore the wonders at sea, as we head to Isla de la Plata. Isla de la Plata is an outstanding wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and other marine life. Our sea adventure begins at Puerto Lopez’s harbor where we embark on Mantaraya’s private yacht. Navigation to the island may last about one and half hours. There are several activities you can complete during this full day tour.

You can hike along trails on the island with our naturalist guide to learn more about the natural, geological and cultural history of Isla de La Plata. You can decide to take either the long or short trail. There is also plenty of time to go snorkeling and observe an interesting marine ecosystem around Drake’s Bay. If you just want to swim and relax on the beach, you will have the opportunity to do so as well. A box lunch and water is offered during the excursion. In the afternoon, our boat will take us back to Puerto Lopez where our private van will be waiting to transfer us back to Mantaraya Lodge. After dinner, our excursion leader will offer a briefing on the activities for the next day.

The rocky cliffs, bays, and wide beaches of southern Manabí are surely a luring attraction to anyone. That is why today’s tour is going to be at the pristine white sand beach of Los Frailes, which is one of the 3 major protected seashores of Machalilla National Park where the nesting of at least two species of sea turtles (Hawksbill and Green Sea Turtle) takes place each year between January and May. The 3 gorgeous beaches at Los Frailes are separated by tropical coastal scrub vegetation and eroded headlands.

The choices to get here are to walk on a nature trail that starts near the entrance road and ends at the main beach. This path cuts through deciduous scrubland and reaches the seashore, offering an exceptional coastline view and access to the three beaches. The hike lasts approximately 3 hours and offers the chance to observe different species of flora and fauna that inhabit the coastal scrub. Another way to get to the main beach is by car or bike. Once in Los Frailes, you can just relax and sunbathe, walk the natural paths and trails, reach the viewpoint for a beguiling view of the endless Pacific Ocean swim in these warm equatorial waters, or maybe snorkel and enjoy the lively marine world down under. Lunch will be served at the hotel.

After a well-deserved rest, our excursion leader will bring you to the small fishing village of Salango. This small town, located south of Puerto Lopez, has an interesting archaeological museum with samples collected at different sites inside and out of Machalilla National Park. In addition, the museum exhibits in chronological order the archeological ceramic vestiges of cultures that inhabited coastal Ecuador over 5,000 years ago. The community at Salango is involved in a project called the marine parcel, which is a shallow area located between Salango Hill and Salango Islet where you can snorkel, scuba dive, and practice fishing.

After dinner, our excursion leader will offer a briefing on the activities that will take place the next day.

This last day offers you the chance to visit the tropical forest, also known as a cloud forest On one trip, you may get a chance to see over 20 different bird species, learn about the local flora, and understand why this ecosystem is different from the others you have already visited. Venture into true tropical jungles along the Equator.

Lunch will be ready for you at the lodge. In the afternoon, you will have some time to pack and get ready to leave Machalilla National Park. The trip to Manta or Portoviejo Airport takes approximately 2 hours by car. On your arrival at the airport, our staff will take care of your ticket and boarding pass for your return to Quito.