Orchids can be tough to see in the wild, even near wildlife lodges like the Cabañas San Isidro. Large orchids love to grow high in the tree canopy, beyond the reach of even a pair of good binoculars. And some of the orchids that grow at eye level are so tiny that the casual observer would walk right by and not even realize they’ve passed a miniature of their favorite flower. And though orchids have prime seasons in certain areas, they don’t all tend to bloom at once. If you see an orchid in the wild, enjoy!
At Cabañas San Isidro, they have taken orchids from the wild that have fallen from trees and transplanted the root stock along a short trail near the lodge. The orchids survive in conditions that are very much like those in the primary forest but they are easier to see and much easier to photograph.
Please click on the following photo to navigate through the slides.
More Orchids in Ecuador
If you are interested in seeing more orchids while you are in Ecuador, please consider visiting these locations:
Will be in Ecuador next year and wondering about our timing to see many orchids in bloom. Thinking about being there imid-February to mid-March and we’ll be in the north and northeast birding. Is this as good a time as any to visit? Thank you for your reply.
Hi Dan, it’s a wonderful time to visit. For that region, the majority orchids tend to bloom a couple of months after the first rains of the rainy season which comes on about November or December. By February and March, you’ll have some nice wild orchids to hunt for!
You may want to check out our article on orchids in Ecuador to see some of the great places available to you. If you scroll over each photo, a caption with the month and year the photo was taken will appear. https://notyouraverageamerican.com/best-orchids-ecuador/
If you need help pulling together an itinerary, feel free to reach out (angie@notyouraverageamerican.com).