dannyboy2233
July 9, 2024
What a fantastic lodge and experience. Wish I could give more than five stars! The area is gorgeous. Cordillera Blanca Lodge is nestled in the Andean foothills with unrivaled views of snowcapped mountain peaks. The grounds are inviting and manicured, with lots of hammocking/lounging space and a lovely indoor dining room. The people are delightful. Charlie and Yanni are the most welcoming hosts, while Felix and Yanina keep the lodge running like clockwork. Antony (Charlie's go-to taxi driver) was also a delight. The food is unbelievable, especially considering the remote location. Breakfasts included fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, orange juice, sausage, avocado, toast, grilled tomato, eggs, oats, and crepes. Bag lunches always had sandwiches, fresh fruit, and trail mix. Dinners were stellar, and always included a soup, main course, and dessert. During a weeklong stay I never had the same dish twice -- some savory highlights included squash soup, lomo saltado, lasagna, and milanesa de pollo, while key lime pie and mango custard were my favorite sweets. The lodge itself is beautiful and very clean. Comfortable beds, inviting hardwood furniture, and loads of hot water were very welcome. Note that, as Charlie mentions on the website, the only electricity available in each room is a pair of relatively low-amperage USB-A ports. Make sure your cables are compatible! Even if you want to digital detox, phones are still super useful for GPS while hiking. The nearby trails, and Charlie's hiking recommendations, are superb. The views are pretty much impossible to beat, and Charlie's provided GPS routes make navigation quite easy without a guide (assuming your phone has battery!). Some sneaky favorites during my stay: falling asleep to a roaring fire in the wood-burning stove every night; eating hyper-local honey from Felix's bees (the hives are about 10 meters from the lodge!); stargazing from the lawn; and reading in the hammocks after a long day of hiking. Cordillera Blanca Lodge is a truly special place and I will definitely be back!