Western Slopes to the Pacific Coast - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 244

species. The center is also planting ornamental gardens in the cabin
areas at Bilsa. Scientists, volunteers, ecotourists, and leaders of edu-
cational groups are all encouraged to work at Bilsa. Visitors to the re-
serve are always welcome, but keep in mind that most people
involved with the station are working. Travelers must make reserva-
tions. See lodging section below (page 249) for a description of avail-
able accommodations.

To get there, take a bus to Quininde (to the northwest of Santo
Domingo). From Quininde, small trucks at the gas station at Cinco
Esquinas provide transportation to Bilsa. Getting to Bilsa during the
wet season (January-June) can be difficult. You'll have to disembark
at the last stop the truck makes - usually La Y de La Laguna - and
hike the remaining seven miles to the reserve on a muddy road. You
must notify reserve personnel by radio from Jatun Sacha's Quito of-
fice prior to arrival. The clean and safe Hotel Sans is a good place to
spend the night in Quininde. Reservations should be made through
the Jatun Sacha Foundation office in Quito: Pasaje Eugenio de
Santillán N34-248 and Maurián, Urb. Rumipamba, 2-2432-240, 2-

2432-173, 2-2432-246, fax [phone], www.jatunsacha.org,
[e-mail]. For volunteer projects, e-mail vol-
[e-mail]. Researchers should provide two months ad-
vance notice. Jatun Sacha must approve research activities.

During the dry season (July through
December) it is a bit chilly at night and usually
foggy. The wet season (January through June)
is warmer and is marked by clear skies
alternating with heavy rains. Note that roads
to some of these destinations can become
impassible at any time with heavy rains, and
may require hours of mud-slugging in rubber
boots.

La Perla Forest Reserve
Twenty-five miles northwest of Santo Domingo toward the coast, this
is a solitary survivor in a region of overwhelming agricultural devel-
opment. La Perla Forest is the only stretch of uncut forest along this
road to the coast. Its owner, Suzanne Sheppard, fought for years to fi-
nally obtain official protected status for the land. She now offers tours
of the reserve and runs environmental education programs for local
youth and school groups.

Spend at least a few hours exploring this small but beautiful lowland
forest. It is home to numerous species of unique flora and fauna that