Our Cloud Forest Adventure Philosophy
Our way of thinking is that rural life in Ecuador (and most of Latin America) is both fun and healthy for visitors, and offers a way of thinking and being that can enrich the lives of visitors not only while here, but also once they are back home.Our aim is to provide a memorable experience for the traveller and tourist, blending unspoilt nature, traditional Andean farming, and relaxed cultural interaction. For most people, it takes quite a bit of money and planning to get to Ecuador, and we imagine that you didn't come to spend your time being herded from one pre-packaged experience to another. So it's something more than a business, it's a belief that life is a gift, and that not everything is to be measured by "the arithmetic of profit and loss".
Now that we work with Janet, Kevin and Kirk at cabañas Río Lindo, we notice that the same outlook prevails with them - As for us, we've gone into politics, for many of the same reasons that you can read here , while our friends at Río Lindo offer a safe and charming place for visitors who would like to explore this corner of Ecuador.
CFA grew out of a wish to provide authentic travel experience to visitors to Ecuador, especially for those who find themselves a bit trapped in a series of somewhat disappointing lurches between one "must-see" destination and another. We try to resist the urge to cater to what we think may be erroneous perceptions of what foreign visitors would like to experience. We imagine that, as part of their motivation to travel, they would like to gain insight into South American life as it actually is.
We try to keep things simple. The traveller obtains a wealth of experiences for a fraction of the price he or she would pay to mainstream travel agencies; and local people gain (directly or indirectly) a sustainable source of income from a style of ecotourism that demands no pretence.