Trails in Puerto Lopez
BOLA DE ORO TRAIL
The Bola de Oro Trail, a gorgeous tourist spot, is a path within the upper part of the beautiful rain forest in the Machalilla National Park. This touristic trail is part of the Rio Blanco precinct in the community of El Pital.
Rivers and waterfalls of crystal clear water, lush and diverse vegetation from dry forests to rain forests with characteristics similar to the Amazon jungle, and diversity of plant and animal species where. A group of outgoing young guides show off a much desired trail, via foot or on horseback, to get into the thick of the jungle to see the diversity of local fauna (howler monkeys, wild turkeys, lowland pacas, deer, a variety of birds and insects, etc.) in a mysterious atmosphere, by the Ruta de Cacique de Piedra, to the highest point of the Machalilla National Park: La Bola de Oro to 800 masl.
With an abundance of flora (bromeliads, vegetable ivory, medicinal plants and timber) in the tropical rain forest, you can appreciate within this natural remnant of the Ecuadorian coast. It is considered to be of great importance as a site of biological regeneration within the binational corridor Choco-Manabí.
This green paradise, ideal for adventurous eco-tourism (walking or horseback riding) is part of the community-based tourism proposal on the Ecuador coast.
The rainforest is a great alternative for national and international tourism. This interpretive trail is part of the the Rio Blanco precinct in the community of El Pital.
Rivers and waterfalls of crystal clear water, lush and diverse vegetation from dry forests to rain forests with characteristics similar to the Amazon jungle, and diversity of plant and animal species where. A group of outgoing young guides show off a much desired trail, via foot or on horseback, to get into the thick of the jungle to see the diversity of local fauna (howler monkeys, wild turkeys, lowland pacas, deer, a variety of birds and insects, etc.) in a mysterious atmosphere, by the Ruta de Cacique de Piedra, to the highest point of the Machalilla National Park: La Bola de Oro to 800 masl.
With an abundance of flora (bromeliads, vegetable ivory, medicinal plants and timber) in the tropical rain forest, you can appreciate within this natural remnant of the Ecuadorian coast. It is considered to be of great importance as a site of biological regeneration within the binational corridor Choco-Manabí.
This green paradise, ideal for adventurous eco-tourism (walking or horseback riding) is part of the community-based tourism proposal on the Ecuador coast.
The rainforest is a great alternative for national and international tourism. This interpretive trail is part of the the Rio Blanco precinct in the community of El Pital.
EL ROCIO TRAIL
El Rocío is located in a sector that is very representative of the dry tropical forest, just 5 minutes from the Machalilla parish. It is a site which combines the natural wealth of the Machalilla National Park with the simple farming lifestyle.
A characteristic self-sufficient agricultural farm, guides the tourist to a 2 km path from which the visitors will see a fantastic landscape of the coastal profile of the Pacific Ocean and species of flora and fauna. The end of the trail is on the coast which allows return to Machalilla during low tide. EL ROCIO is a ecotourism trail developed by Don Santos Baque in the property of his father Don Jose Israel Baque Quimi, who bought these lands (500 hectares), 3 km in length before the establishment of the Machalilla National Park. The trail is located on the park grounds and is 5 minutes from Pueblo Nuevo and 8 minutes of Machalilla, exactly at the 42 km marker of the Jipijapa - Puerto Lopez road. Borders are: to the North, Puerto Cayo; to the South the city of Puerto Lopez; to the West the Pacific Ocean and to the East the Jipijapa canton.
The design and construction of the trail was a dream of the Baque Piguabe family, whose goal was to develop an attraction that represents both economic and touristic benefits for them and the community, leveraging the qualities of the area.
The ecological El Rocío Trail, offers to the tourists and inhabitants of Puerto Lopez, a new alternative for adventure tourism, characterized by the diversity of flora and fauna of the tropical dry forest within which there are species local to the region and legendary trees such as cascol, guyayacan, palo santo, and barbasco which are almost 300 years old. From Punta Canoa, the highest point of the trail, you can see in the distance the humpback whales between June and September. You can visit a beautiful, almost private, golden sandy beach. El Rocio is a good place to go camping and swimming, complemented by unparalleled landscapes of our coastal profile.
It is a natural attraction that combines the richness of the Machalilla National Park with the daily living of the farmer of Puerto Lopez. This ecosystem serves as refuge to a very rich avifauna which is characteristic of this.
The El Rocio trail as a tourist product is in direct competition with the trails located in the area of Puerto López canton. Currently there are only three ecotouristic trails which are Salaite Trail, El Sombrerito Trail, Bola de Oro and El Rocío.
El Rocío Trail has a great advantage due to the large extent of local and foreign tourists who visit the Puerto Lopez sector every year due to the Isla de la Plata and whale watching tours. These tourists principal goal is to observe the flora, fauna and attractive landscapes that El Rocio offers.
El Rocío Trail opened its doors to the public in the year 2000 thanks to financial support of the United Nations, Mr. Santos Baque and his family who managed to develop this tourism product. There have been proposals for the improvement of the El Rocío Trail. The proposed project is based on the implementation of improvements to benefit El Rocío Trail and its visitors with a marketing and promotion plan that will support the owners’ management.
The marketing and promotion plan will help to promote the trail on the national and international level, with which El Rocio Trail is expected to position itself in the market as a tourist attraction prepared to receive domestic and overseas tourists.
The goal of this improvement proposal for El Rocio Trail is to diversify tourist attractions of Puerto Lopez Canton, increasing the number of visitors to the area, achieving a positive impact on the local community.
A characteristic self-sufficient agricultural farm, guides the tourist to a 2 km path from which the visitors will see a fantastic landscape of the coastal profile of the Pacific Ocean and species of flora and fauna. The end of the trail is on the coast which allows return to Machalilla during low tide. EL ROCIO is a ecotourism trail developed by Don Santos Baque in the property of his father Don Jose Israel Baque Quimi, who bought these lands (500 hectares), 3 km in length before the establishment of the Machalilla National Park. The trail is located on the park grounds and is 5 minutes from Pueblo Nuevo and 8 minutes of Machalilla, exactly at the 42 km marker of the Jipijapa - Puerto Lopez road. Borders are: to the North, Puerto Cayo; to the South the city of Puerto Lopez; to the West the Pacific Ocean and to the East the Jipijapa canton.
The design and construction of the trail was a dream of the Baque Piguabe family, whose goal was to develop an attraction that represents both economic and touristic benefits for them and the community, leveraging the qualities of the area.
The ecological El Rocío Trail, offers to the tourists and inhabitants of Puerto Lopez, a new alternative for adventure tourism, characterized by the diversity of flora and fauna of the tropical dry forest within which there are species local to the region and legendary trees such as cascol, guyayacan, palo santo, and barbasco which are almost 300 years old. From Punta Canoa, the highest point of the trail, you can see in the distance the humpback whales between June and September. You can visit a beautiful, almost private, golden sandy beach. El Rocio is a good place to go camping and swimming, complemented by unparalleled landscapes of our coastal profile.
It is a natural attraction that combines the richness of the Machalilla National Park with the daily living of the farmer of Puerto Lopez. This ecosystem serves as refuge to a very rich avifauna which is characteristic of this.
The El Rocio trail as a tourist product is in direct competition with the trails located in the area of Puerto López canton. Currently there are only three ecotouristic trails which are Salaite Trail, El Sombrerito Trail, Bola de Oro and El Rocío.
El Rocío Trail has a great advantage due to the large extent of local and foreign tourists who visit the Puerto Lopez sector every year due to the Isla de la Plata and whale watching tours. These tourists principal goal is to observe the flora, fauna and attractive landscapes that El Rocio offers.
El Rocío Trail opened its doors to the public in the year 2000 thanks to financial support of the United Nations, Mr. Santos Baque and his family who managed to develop this tourism product. There have been proposals for the improvement of the El Rocío Trail. The proposed project is based on the implementation of improvements to benefit El Rocío Trail and its visitors with a marketing and promotion plan that will support the owners’ management.
The marketing and promotion plan will help to promote the trail on the national and international level, with which El Rocio Trail is expected to position itself in the market as a tourist attraction prepared to receive domestic and overseas tourists.
The goal of this improvement proposal for El Rocio Trail is to diversify tourist attractions of Puerto Lopez Canton, increasing the number of visitors to the area, achieving a positive impact on the local community.
EL SOMBRERITO TRAIL
The El Sombrerito Trail next to Puerto Lopez allows tourists to enjoy a unique panoramic view of coastal profile of the Machalilla National Park.
It’s a dry tropical ecotourism forest, with species of flora and fauna. It is located on the highway, to the north of Machalilla, 4 km away. It has areas for camping and descending via the cliff that allows tourists to observe seabirds, different shellfish on the rocks and a panoramic view of the coastal profile Machalilla parish.
It’s a dry tropical ecotourism forest, with species of flora and fauna. It is located on the highway, to the north of Machalilla, 4 km away. It has areas for camping and descending via the cliff that allows tourists to observe seabirds, different shellfish on the rocks and a panoramic view of the coastal profile Machalilla parish.
ISLA DE LA PLATA TRAIL
The Isla de la Plata has two paths for walking, Machete Trail and Punta Escalera Trail, where tourists can observe birds, typical flora of the area, the beautiful cliffs and sometimes sea lions, sharks and huge manta rays.
ECOLOGICAL TRAIL LA JOSEFINA DE SALANGO
In an area representative of the dry tropical forest, just 20 minutes from Salango community in the Chico River precinct.
The visit to the ecological trail includes a tour where people of all ages can enjoy the peace, tranquility and other benefits that nature provides us, at the same time learning to preserve and care for all our natural resources and the environment.
A site which combines the natural richness of the Machalilla National Park with the simple lifestyle of the indigenous farmer of the Manta village, tourists enjoy seeing all native species. The sounds of nature, the landscape of the rainforest from the tourist vantage point with a fantastic landscape.
The visit to the ecological trail includes a tour where people of all ages can enjoy the peace, tranquility and other benefits that nature provides us, at the same time learning to preserve and care for all our natural resources and the environment.
A site which combines the natural richness of the Machalilla National Park with the simple lifestyle of the indigenous farmer of the Manta village, tourists enjoy seeing all native species. The sounds of nature, the landscape of the rainforest from the tourist vantage point with a fantastic landscape.