It all starts in 1970, when Jorge Cruz Sr. (Dr. George Cruz’s father), his wife, Dolores Barahona, and, Gabriel Barahona purchased Hacienda Singuna (est. 1868) to Ecuador’s ex-president Gen. Eloy Alfaro. Under the new ownership, the hacienda was used for ranching and agriculture.
Jorge Cruz Sr. (far right) cultivating potatoes, 1970.
In 1989, Hacienda Singuna was inherited by Dr. George Cruz. At this time, Dr. George Cruz was working in his pet shop and veterinary clinic in Quito. His savings from the clinic were invested to turn the ranching Hacienda into a small resort. Along with her wife Irina Alcivar, they renamed the place to Hosteria San Jorge and started receiving local tourism until 1990.
The 90s was an economically decaying and, profoundly corrupt decade for Ecuador. It reached a climax in 1990 after the collapse of the banking system resulting in the loss of all Ecuadorians life savings. In 1990, Dr. George Cruz was forced to close his resort. He returned to the USA to work as a waiter/dishwasher to support his wife, and, three children back in Ecuador.
In 1991, Dr. George Cruz came back to Ecuador. The economy was slowly recovering, and, he reopened Hosteria San Jorge. To promote his resort, he traveled on his bike all over the city to hand out brochures in schools and large companies. His efforts paid-off little by little - schools from all over the city started visiting Hosteria San Jorge for its unique hiking adventures, and, educational trips for kids.
Dr. George Cruz teaching animal anatomy to school kids, 1991.
In 2000, Hosteria San Jorge received its first international customers, a small group from Connecticut, USA. Dr. George Cruz became friends with the group, and, made a strong working relationship with Cheryl Korowotny, owner of Four Seasons travel agency in the USA. This same year Cheryl Korowotny started promoting Hosteria San Jorge in the USA.
By 2001, the resort started receiving a growing number of customers from the USA. Dr. George Cruz, and, her wife Irina, transformed the resort into an eco-friendlier, and, nature-lover exclusive place. The place is renamed to San Jorge Eco-lodge Quito, and, some of the resort’s facilities such as the swimming pool, and, the bullfight ring was replaced with beautiful gardens. Cheryl Korowotny started promoting horseback riding, mountain bycicle, and, hiking trips from the eco-lodge.
Dr. George Cruz leading his first horseback riding tour, 2001.
In 2003, when Ecuador was shaping to become a world-famous destination for birdwatching, Jorge Luis Cruz Alcivar. (Dr. George Cruz oldest son) developed a kin interest in wildlife, especially, in birds and butterflies. Cheryl Korowotny started promoting birdwatching tours to Ecuador, and, shortly after, Jorge Luis Cruz Alcivar, started guiding birding groups at the age of 14 years old.
In 2005, Dr. George Cruz, and, her wife Irina Alcivar developed an environmental conservation project through ecotourism, and, purchased 370 acres of prime woodland in the heart of Tandayapa cloud forest where they started building another eco-lodge. This same year, they purchased 370 acres of prime woodland in Milpe (one of Ecuador’s most critically endangered forests), and finally, 700 acres of forest in Cosanga-Yanayacu. In 2007, Dr. George Cruz, and, his wife Irina Alcivar opened San Jorge Eco-lodge Tandayapa. This same year, they started the construction of San Jorge Eco-lodge Milpe.
In 2008, Dr. George Cruz opened San Jorge Eco-lodge Milpe.
In 2009, Jorge Luis Cruz Alcivar (Dr. George Cruz oldest son) left for college in Miami, and later to Cambridge.
In 2011, Dr. George Cruz and Irina Alcivar’s conservation project grew stronger with the purchase of more virgin woodland adjacent to their properties in Milpe and Tandayapa. Tandayapa grew to 740 acres and Milpe to 1200 acres.
In 2012, Jorge Luis Cruz Alcivar returned to Ecuador after completing a degree in business administration, environmental science, and, web programming and design. To continue with the family business, Jorge Luis opened his website “The Magic Birding Circuit of Ecuador” and, began promoting birdwatching trips to his family’s chain of eco-lodges.
In 2013, Irina Gabriela Cruz Alcivar (Dr. George Cruz’s youngest daughter) left for college in New York.
In 2015, Jorge Luis Cruz Alcivar purchased his first DSRL camera and became passionate with wildlife photography. By the end of the year, he was promoting bird photography trips in the Magic Birding Circuit of Ecuador.
In 2016, Irina Gabriela Cruz Alcivar graduated with a duo mayor in business management and marketing. Irina Gabriela stablished in New York, and continued to support the family business by promoting natural history tours through her own website.
In 2017, Dr. George Cruz, and, his wife Irina Alcivar expanded their conservation project and chain of ecolodges to Ecuador’s Amazonia side and purchased 1300 acres of prime woodland next to Antisana, and, Napo Galeras national parks. They name the place San Jorge Guacamayos, and, immediately started constructing an eco-lodge.
In 2019, Dr. George Cruz and, his wife Irina, purchased 740 acres of land in the heart of the megadiverse Amazon rainforest. They started the construction of the second eco-lodge in Ecuador’s Amazonia region.
