Eco-friendly Initiatives

Our aim is to do all we can to reduce any negative impact we have on our stunning surroundings without compromising the experience of our guests. We want to ensure that we deliver a safe, non-toxic, and environmentally sensitive accommodation. In order to preserve our natural resources, we have reduced the consumption of water and energy, implemented recycling practices and work to become a more responsible neighbor.

Thanks to the hard work of our staff, family, and friends in the community, we think that we are taking steps in the right direction trying to search for ways to continuously improve.

High up in the Andean village of Isinlivi, water is one of the most valuable and important resources for the local people to live and make a living. It’s also one of the scarcest resources. We have built composting toilets to minimize water use and also to give something back to the earth, a beautiful and rich compost!

We’ve built two beautiful spacious toilets in our gardens for communal use, and each Garden Cottage and Mountain Room is equipped with a private composting toilet.

Our guests have adapted very well to our composting toilets, for many it has been a first time experience! The beautiful local design, big windows with Mountain View, the original artwork, and small lavender gardens inside have made the toilet a very pleasant and comfortable visit!

Water is a precious and scarce resource in Isinlivi and often a reason for disputes amongst villagers. Water is collected from small springs high up in the paramo and canalled into a large tank above the village from where all houses are supplied with water. It happens all too often that the village is left without water for several days due to a leak or maintenance work. The traditional “Minga” enters to work here in which all households work together to search for the leak or to maintain the water system.

Llullu Llama contributes to maintaining the water system by providing workforce and money for materials during Minga’s. To make sure our guests have a pleasant stay, we have built a water reservoir so that even when the village is cut off water, we have just enough water for showers and daily use.

Since there is no good waste management in the village of Isinlivi, we try to minimize our waste, to recycle everything we possibly can, and to transport plastic bottles, paper, tetra pack, glass, and cans to recycle points in Quito and Latacunga. Our organic waste is recollected by our neighbors who use it to feed their pigs.

Paper packaging is used to light the stoves every night, and sometimes people come to collect plastic bottles to sell in the cities. We try to not buy packed foods. Our box lunches are wrapped in recyclable paper bags and in the future we are searching for more ways to reduce our waste.

We have invested in a huge solar system on top of our kitchen roof to take advantage of every sunray to ensure our indoor Jacuzzi always has a nice temperature. Especially during sunny days, this preserves energy and the use of gas is heavily reduced. The water inside the Jacuzzi goes through a natural sand and stone purification system every day. A bit of eco-luxury has never felt better!

Every day millions of gallons of water are used to wash towels that have only been used once. Therefore at Llullu Llama Mountain Lodge we operate a towel reuse plan. You make the choice; a towel on the rack means “I will use again”, a towel on the floor means “please replace”.

Also, housekeeping uses non-toxic cleaning agents and laundry detergent. We buy handmade soap with organic materials from the local women’s project Mama Quilla! Mamma Quilla is planning to produce shampoo and cleaning products soon, we can’t wait to be able to offer our guests more products from our local highly creative women’s group!

The main building of our lodge is an original farm house that was built over 120 years ago by a local family. The huge adobe brick walls and natural local woodwork has all been restored. The creation of the lodge was inspired by preserving the old and original atmosphere of the house, contributing to the preservation of this beautiful local house that is so full of history!

Our new Garden Cottages and Spa were constructed with nature in mind; the wood used for the frames and the rooftops can be recycled or were built with long lasting materials. The walls were built with “barro”, a mixture of clay, water, soil and mud.

Most of the artwork has been made by artisans in the Quilotoa Loop region. And most of our furniture is made at the Don Bosco wood workshop in Isinlivi!