SAN RAFAEL WATERFALLS, ECUADOR

CUYABENO, GETTING THERE AND BACK

There are 4 options to travel to the Amazon Lowlands:

Take the night bus on the Putumayo bus cooperative from Quito to the Cuyabeno Reserve (usually leaves at 11 at night) from the "Terminal Carcelen (Norh)" in Quito and arrive in Lagoagrio the next day. Another option is from the "terminal Quitumbe (South). It costs about $ 28 one way and you have to leave from your hotel in Quito (by taxi to Carcelen or Metro to Quitumbe) to the terminal an hour before departure.

Fly Quito - Coca (officially Puerto Francisco Orellana), which costs about $ 200 for a round trip on Aeroregional (LATAM flies there too, but often at higher ticket prices), but it takes 2 X $25 to take a taxi to Quito airport. The flight usually leaves at 9 in the morning, and takes 30 minutes to arrive. You have to buy your Aeroregional tickets with cash at the airport in the building across the departure hall. After getting your luggage, it will be 10:30. We can arrange a transfer to the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve which takes about 3.5 hours. This fight is great for the Yasuni - Napo River Cruise and the Lagartocoche tour.

Take our Private Trans-Andean bus Transportation to Coca and the Cuyabeno Reserve. It will pick you up at your hotel early in the morning and take to the Cuyabeno Bridge entrance in about 9 hours. It takes a bit shorter, but the seats on the public busses are actually wider and more comfortable, although they don't look as pretty.

PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION QUITO - AGUARICO

Near the mountain pass you pass by beautiful paramos and some of the highest rainforests in the world along Lake Papallacta.

The San Rafael waterfall has collapsed into a sinkhole and is no longer accessible.

The Reventador Volcano pouring out lava.

Bordering Lake Papallacta is the Jamanco Spa with great mineral water without prior filtration as done in the Papallacta resorts. As a result, the mineral quality is supposed to be better, while resort prices are a fraction of the spas in Papallacta.

The Reventador is Ecuador's most active volcano and frequently runs of lava can be seen glowing in the night.

It is possible to arrange for spending the night at either a Papallacta (costly) or Jamanco (friendly and much more economical) Spa, but then another day is needed to get to the reserve.

Many passengers who take the private transportation, chose to fly back from Coca or visa versa.

Arrival at the airport of Coca.

On a clear day one can see the Antisana Volcano, as you fly passed it. On the way in on your right; on your left the way out.