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February 7-12, 2027 |
6 days, 5 nights Cloud Forest Writing Retreat
intag Valley, Ecuador
Join us February 7-12, 2027 for six days of writing and wild nature in the cloud forest of Ecuador. The retreat venue, El Refugio de Intag, is surrounded by the forest in 35 acres of the Intag Valley on the banks of the Rio Taobunche. Located on the western slope of the Andes, El Refugio is in the most biodiverse region on the planet. You’ll spend your days writing in the company of the greatest number of hummingbirds, frogs, and diversity of orchids in the world.
Tucked in the misty forest at 6,000 feet elevation, our home for the week is a lovingly-tended eco-lodge where you can always hear the river. Enjoy quiet mornings sipping coffee grown on the grounds, long afternoons to immerse yourself in your writing projects, evenings of communing over farm fresh dinners, and plenty of time to rest and explore.
❋ WriteOpen to writers of all stripes – poets, novelists, narrative non-fiction, environmental - the retreat itself will be generative. Once you arrive at El Refugio, your time is largely your own. We will host several morning workshops to awaken your imagination and integrate your new surroundings, and gather on the final evening for a festive writing salon.
❋ ExploreIf you need a break from the page, six miles of forest trails wind through the property. We’ll also offer a guided nature tour to introduce you to the native flora and fauna on the grounds, and optional afternoon excursions to the nearby city of Otavalo, famous for its craft and textile market, and to the nearby volcanic hot springs of Nangulvi.
What’s included:
5 nights accommodation
Transfer to and from Quito International Airport to El Refugio (limited shuttle service)
2 morning generative workshops
Ample protected writing time
Final evening writing salon
Guided nature tour of the estate
Excursions to nearby Otavalo textile market and volcanic hot springs
Daily breakfast, most lunches, and dinner with many ingredients from the property’s garden
Fresh coffee grown on the property’s coffee farm and farm tour
Fairly reliable wi-fi
Sunday, Day OneArrive & Meet
Airport pickup in Quito (UIO Airport) followed by a scenic 3-drive to El Refugio. We will make a stop along the way for a bite and sightseeing. Then you'll have time to settle into your room before our first El Refugio meal together.
During our first meal at the lodge, we’ll get to know each other and talk about the week ahead.
Arrival in QuitoIdeally between 6am-12noon
Arrive at El RefugioBetween 12noon and 3pm
Dinner and Introductions6:30pm
Monday, Day TwoHead in the clouds, feet in the forest
Let the sights and sounds of Ecuador awaken your senses and permeate your writing. We’ll start the day with a home cooked breakfast, followed by a workshop with Bridget that will help integrate our travels and new surroundings into our work.
In the afternoon, esteemed naturalist Gabriel Willow, will take us on a tour of the property where we’ll get to know the local flora, fauna, and birds by name, a great exercise for writers who want to accurately describe the worlds portrayed in their poetry and prose. As we walk, we’ll talk about the dignity of naming and the creativity of specificity.
Breakfast 8:00 – 9:00am
Generative Writing Workshop #1: Sights, Sounds, and Weird Moments10:00-11:00am
Lunch 12:30pm
Group Nature Tour2:00pm
Dinner6:30pm
Tuesday, Day ThreeWord Wanderers
Enjoy a leisurely morning and start to get into your groove.
In our second morning workshop, let the exotic and unfamiliar landscape infuse you and your work at the sentence level.
After that, the day is yours to wander the paths inside your mind and outside on the grounds. Enjoy hearty and delicious lunch and dinner prepared by our in-house chef.
Breakfast 8:00 – 9:00am
Generative Writing Workshop #2: Other People's Sentences10:00-11:00am
Lunch12:30pm
Afternoon free writing + wanderingDinner6:30pm
Wednesday, Day FourMarket day
Enjoy a big breakfast before we adventure out to the nearby town of Otavalo. Otavalo is famous for its artisans market, which has been an indigenous trading post since pre-Inca times over 1,000 years ago, and specializes in textiles, alpaca sweaters, and Panama hats.
In Otavalo, you’ll have an afternoon to explore, dine at a local restaurant, and peruse the market for colorful treasures.
We’ll return to the lodge to relax, write, and unwind over dinner.
Breakfast 8:00 – 9:00am
Drive to Otavalo10:00 am
Market exploration + lunch11:30am – 2:30pm
Dinner6:30pm
Thursday, Day Fivesip, soak, and salon
This region is famous for its shade-grown Arabica coffee, and the coffee you’ve enjoyed every morning at breakfast is grown on the property of the lodge! Take a morning tour of the El Refugio coffee farm, where we will learn about coffee production from Oswaldo, the resident coffee farmer, guide, and handyman.
After lunch, we’ll take restorative soak in the mineral-rich waters of the nearby mountain hot springs with epic views of the Intag Valley.
Back the lodge, we’ll toast to our final evening together with a festive writing salon. Enjoy a drink at happy hour, a final dinner, and an intimate open mic where we’ll have a chance to share our writing.
Breakfast8:00 – 9:00am
El Refugio Coffee Tour10:00am
Lunch12:30pm
Hot Springs1:30 – 4:30pm
Evening Writing Salon: happy hour, dinner, open mic6:00 – 9:00pm
Friday, Day SixHasta la proxima!
Wake up on your last morning to views of the mountains, bird song in the air, and new writing in your notebooks. After one more communal breakfast, we’ll make tracks back to Quito and deliver you to the airport for your travels home or beyond.
Breakfast8:00 – 9:00am
Airport Transport11:00am
Airport Arrival1:00pm
Rooms and Early Bird Rates
Early Bird Rate:
Sign up by November 1:
$1,800 Double shared room
$2,200 Single room
Regular Rate:
$1,950 Double shared room:
$2,350 Single room
$400 deposit required to secure your spot
Getting there
Quito International Airport is approximately 3 hours from El Refugio. We will offer airport transfer on arrival day Sunday, February 7, and departure day Friday, February 12. If you arrive in Ecuador early or extend your adventures beyond the retreat, airport transportation will be up to you. Taxis from the airport are about $100, and we can help put you in touch with local drivers.
FAQ
What’s NOT included? Airfare, airport transfers other than provided shuttle, off-site meals, alcoholic beverages, souvenirs, gratuities for drivers, porters, guides, custodial staff etc. (Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar so no need to change money)
Will we be reading and workshopping each other’s writing during the retreat? This is a generative retreat, with the aim of offering you peaceful, protected time to just write. As such, we won’t be sharing pieces ahead of arrival, and there won’t be a formal workshop structure. However, you are welcome to share your writing with your retreat mates during our time together, and we’ll gather on the final evening to share the writing we’ve created.
Do I need to bring my own writing supplies? Yes. Bring your own laptop, notebook, favorite pens. There is a well-stocked library on site.
Do you offer refunds if I need to cancel my retreat? The deposit is non-refundable. Additionally, any cancellations made within 2 months of the retreat cannot be refunded. If you can’t attend, you’re welcome to offer your spot to another writer you know. We strongly encourage insuring your trip.
What is a cloud forest? A cloud forest is a type of high-altitude tropical or subtropical forest characterized by persistent, low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. These unique ecosystems are often called "fog forests" because they are continuously shrouded in mist.