Villa los Loros Lodge

Remote location and pristine environment

The lodge stands 10.5 miles away from Huanipaca village (Province of Abancay, Department of Apurímac). Villa Los Loros is discretely located below the green canopy of a forest irrigated by a nearby stream. Its waters are plenty enough to produce the rainbow trouts served at our restaurant. The Vilcabamba Mountain Range rises powerfully in front of Villa Los Loros, its snows melt down and flow into the nearby streams to reach the raging Apurimac River (one of the Amazon’s main tributaries). The Apurimac breaks through the mountains in a determined forward advance, cutting the overwhelming canyon with its ever standing strength. Travelers can hear the river’s voice in Choquequirao, located on a spur of the Qorihuayrachina Mountain.

Vegetation around the lodge consists of a perpetually green forest with tall trees, such as the Paroto (Ficus goldmanii), Paltopalto (Ocotea leucoxilon), Pisonay (Eritrhina falcata) and the Nogal (Junglas neotropica), which coexist with other natural life forms, such as rambling plants, epiphytes, shrubs and a few endemic species of orchids.

This ecosystem houses a variety of birds such as Crimson Mantle Woodpecker (Colaptes rivolii), Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana), Water Mosquito (Sayornis nigricans), Brown Heron (Ardea cocoi), Garrapatero piquiliso (Crotophaga ani), Tuya (Pheucticus Aureoventris), and several hummingbirds, such as the Green Violetear (Colibri thalassinus), Sparkling Violetear (Colibri coruscans), Green and White Hummingbird (Amazilia viridicauda), White-Bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia chionogastes), White-bellied Woodstar (Chaetocercus mulsant).

Parrots flying over the lodge is quite a beautiful sight: Scarlert-Fronted Parakeet (Aratinga wagleri), Mitred Parakeet (Aratinga mitrata), and Andean Parakeets (Bolborhynchus orbygnesius) are seen by hundreds. Higher up, the aerial display of the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) and the Black- Chested Eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) can be observed. The majestic Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) with its three meter wide (almost 10 feet) wingspan is also common around.

The characteristic nocturnal call of the Apurímac Owl (Megascops koepckeae) reveals its presence.