Piedra Blanca

Website: www.piedrablanca.org
E-mail: community@piedrablanca.org or volunteer@piedrablanca.org (Volunteer enquires)
Phone: (Rosa Olivares) +593 8042 204
(Raul Cabrera) +593 9304 4290 or +593 8587 9958
Note: Neither Rosa nor Raul speak English (only Spanish, though Raul speaks a little French) – if you wish to communicate in English, English speaking volunteers will reply to you if you email the address noted above.

Who they are

In 2003 the community of Piedra Blanca decided to address its economic situation by developing a community run ecotourism project. With the help of CRACYP (a local NGO), Global Routes (USA), Challenges Worldwide (UK), and Ayuda en Accion, amongst others, the community developed its tourism infrastructure in June 2004.

The ecotourism enterprise now provides the community with an alternative source of income and a direct economic incentive for local conservation and reforestation. The community manages the ecotourism enterprise to distribute the benefits of tourism as widely as possible.

For example, local guide services operate on a rotation system – local guides (fully trained) take it in turns to accompany the tourists, and the majority of the money you will spend as a visitor (accommodation, food, guide services, eco-tours) is destined for a community fund, which the community manages to develop local services.

What they offer

The community of Piedra Blanca consists of some 20 families scattered throughout a forested valley at the western foot of the Andes in Ecuador. In addition to relaxing in a hammock in their eco-lodge, there are a range of attractions for the adventurous tourist, both in Piedra Blanca and neighbouring communities. These private, tailor made tours are undertaken with a local guide and can be personalised as you wish.

Rafting Tours – see the local way of life as you float down the Rio Zapotal in traditional wooden rafts. Drift through the warm tropical scenery, enjoy the unpolluted air of the countryside, try the local ‘firewater’ and spend a night under the stars.

Trekking – Piedra Blanca is an excellent base for hiking and in Ecuador. There are numerous possibilities – trekking into the local pristine rainforest, interesting hikes along Ecuador’s ancient trade routes or the scenic and dramatic trek high into the paramo towards Salinas. This is off the beaten track trekking – don’t expect to see many other tourists in this remote part of rural Ecuador.

Horseback Riding Eco-tours – explore the beautiful countryside and scenic landscapes surrounding Piedra Blanca. This is the heart of Ecuador, where you can visit other rural indigenous villages, local farms, waterfalls and lagoons, pre-Inca burial sites, Inca stone inscriptions and more

Aguadiente Farm Tours – huge quantities of aguardiente (firewater) are produced from sugar cane in this tropical part of Ecuador. See the full process, from liquid extraction to fermentation – and try drinking the final product if you dare!

Rainforest Tours – Itineraries
Some parts of the rainforest are easier to visit than others. The higher parts of the forest provide a challenge, particularly in summer (January to June) as it is muddy (“mucho lodo”) and parts are very steep. It´s an adventure tour – you might be hauling yourself up and down small rocks using ropes at times (see photo – click to enlarge), but it’s great fun. There are numerous waterfalls and towering cliff faces to see. Depending on the season, it might be possible to take a longer tour to the higher part of the rainforest where you could camp overnight. The lower parts of the rainforest (near the cabaña) are flatter and provide an easier visit and you have a good chance of encountering wildlife such as monkeys and toucans there, particularly in the morning.

Recommendation 1 – hire a guide for the day to visit the higher parts of the rainforest in the morning, where you can see various waterfalls and the white cliffs after which Piedra Blanca takes it´s name. Return to the cabana for lunch, relax in a hammock for an hour and in the afternoon your guide can take you to the lower parts of the forest where you are more likely to encounter wildlife.

Recommendation 2 – if the season is right, take a longer full days tour higher into the rainforest. Bear in mind that it´s steep in parts and a tough though memorable excursion. If you’re reasonably fit you’ll be fine. You could camp overnight high in the rainforest if you wish.

Recommendation 3 – take a night tour to the rainforest to have greater chance to see wildlife.

Check out their Cultural Tours

Location

You should take a bus to San Luis de Pambil in Bolivar Province, from where it is a further 40 minutes to Piedra Blanca (about 5km). San Luis de Pambil has a hotel (called El Pambileno) if you wish to split up your journey there.

Please advise them in advance of your arrival, so that they can arrange for someone to meet you in San Luis de Pambil’s plaza – they will arrange horses or a private vehicle from San Luis de Pambil to Piedra Blanca for you.

To get to San Luis de Pambil:

From Quito: direct buses (approx 6 hours) – Transportes Macuchi departs daily at 8.30am, departing from the Southern Terminal Terreste in Quito.

From Guayaquil: direct buses (approx 3 hours) – Transportes Caluma departs at 2pm from Terminal Terreste.

From Guaranda: direct buses (approx. 6 hours) – Transportes Flota Bolivar has buses that depart at 7.15 am and at 2.15pm, or Transportes San Pedrito has buses at 8am, 9.45am, 12.30pm and 3.30pm.

N.B. Whichever bus, stay on it until it terminates – the last stop is the plaza at San Luis de Pambil.

Volunteer work at Piedra Blanca
Volunteer jobs at the Piedra Blanca Community Ecotourism Project in rural Ecuador: the project seeks volunteers to help develop the community ecotourism program and conservation projects. Work on the project began in 2004 – it now seeks resourceful, Spanish speaking volunteers to help with its development. A volunteer with a sound knowledge of what ecotourism is and how a community ecotourism project should function is the top priority for the project, though potential exists for anyone enthusiastic in the following fields to apply:

* Environmental projects
* Biodiversity and ecology in Ecuador
* Conservation projects
* Agroforestry and sustainable forestry jobs
* Teaching English to local guides and school children in Ecuador [more info]
* Ecotourism project development advisor
* Sustainable development projects
* Community development projects
* Fundraising and grant applications
* Tourism marketing
* Project Management
* Carpentry / Building work
* Chemical Engineers – for work with CADO, (see CRACYP’s website for more info about volunteer work with CADO).

Past Piedra Blanca volunteers have typically been pro-active people who have recently graduated from university having specialised in the fields of tourism, ecotourism or sustainable development and who seek hands-on, rewarding work experience in the field of ecotourism, project management or sustainable development.

Find out more

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What you need

- A small daypack
- Breathable & fast drying clothing
- Sunhat or baseball cap
- Insect repellent
- Raincoat/poncho
- Rubber boots or trekking boots
- Sandals

Prices

Standard 3 night package – $80 per person – includes transfers to and from the plaza in San Luis de Pambil (where the bus will drop you off), 3 nights accommodation in ecolodge and all your meals (normally 3 meals a day).
Extra Nights – add $20 per extra night you wish to stay, so a 4 night package costs $100 per person, 5 nights is $120 per person etc.

Fleeting Visit 2 night package – If you’re short on time, a two night package costs $60 per person.

Camping – if you’re travelling on a really tight budget, camping costs $3 per person per night. In addition, you’ll have to pay a $3 entrance fee if you wish to visit the rainforest.

Staying in San Luis de Pambil – an alternative option to visit the area, which works out cheapest, is to stay in the nearby town of San Luis de Pambil. El Pambileno hotel (which is San Luis’s only hotel), is on the plaza, it offers basic but clean rooms with en suite bathrooms for approximately $6 per person per night. There’s a handful of simple restaurants in the town – a meal generally costs no more than a couple of dollars.