5 days/ 4 nights

The private lodge you will be staying at is set deep in the northeastern Ecuadorian Amazon. In its spacious gardens, uncountable different species of plants grow in a wild profusion, while monkeys, tortoises, many species of parrots, macaws, boas, and caimans can be seen roaming freely. 

In our walks through the surrounding jungle, even more diverse flora and fauna can be seen.  Bromeliads, philodendrons, orchids, cedar, laurel and dragon’s blood are an insignificant sample of the untold quantity of plants to be found in the area.  Woodpeckers, macaws, parrots, toucans and many other birds patrol the forest canopy, along with the many species of primates who balance at the treetops.  On the ground, anteaters, armadillos, and guatusas can be spotted occasionally.  Innumerable insects, including the lemon ant, a tasty treat for the jungle hiker, forage the jungle floor for food.  Butterflies are abound throughout the humid air.  This area simply teems with life, and you’ll be here to witness it!

Itinerary:

Day 1: Our rain forest experience begins in the oil town of Lago Agrio in the north of Ecuador. We’ll pick you up at the bus station, airport or your hotel.  From Lago Agrio we will travel 3 hours by road to El Puente, our entrance point to the Cuyabeno Reserve. Once inside the reserve, we will board our canoe and travel down river, enjoying the extensive variety of flora and fauna along the way, until we reach our camp next to the beautiful Cocha Grande Lagoon.

Day 2: Dawn breaks early on the equator and you may want to rise with the sun and join us on an early morning bird watching expedition. After breakfast, we’ll hike in the primary forest, accompanied by an indigenous guide, who will tell us about the animal and insect life we meet along the trail, and about the uses of the many plants for survival and medical uses. In the afternoon we will try our luck at fishing piranha.  In the evening we invite you to join us on a fascinating river tour to savor the nocturnal sounds of the jungle and search for the gleaming red eyes of caiman (crocodilian family) with our flash lights.

Day 3: We wake up early, and take the lodges’ dugout canoes down the Cuyabeno river looking for the early rising wildlife.  Later we’ll explore the protected jungle near the lodge, then eat lunch in a typical Amazonian hut. After lunch we’ll visit a local village, where we may see a group of capuchin monkeys play on the riverbank.  Some of the locals will show us how they make some of their traditional foods and drinks.  The highlight for many will be visiting the local Shaman, who will demonstrate his curative powers in a “limpia” or cleansing, will talk about his spiritual encounters in the jungle, and demonstrate the native method of hunting with a blowgun.  We’ll also get the opportunity to take a sip of chicha, a fermented drink of the natives.  

Day 4: In the morning we'll hike in the primary forest and after lunch, we'll embark on a tour of a flooded forest full of unique flora and fauna. Afterwards we'll visit the lagoons, where we can take a refreshing dip.  You’ll have plenty of free time today to explore around the lodge, find some solitude and swim.

Day 5:  After an early breakfast, we’ll say goodbye to the village, we’ll board our canoe and journey up Cuyabeno river to El Puente, where our bus will meet us and take us back to Lago Agrio. From Lago Agrio you’ll be able to either fly or take a bus back to the capital city of Quito.