5 days - Cuyabeno Lodge

CUYABENO LODGE 5 DAY RAINFOREST ADVENTURE

Start the adventure leaving the summits of the Andes behind and enter the Amazon basin, and finish it by getting on a motorized canoe along the Cuyabeno River through the rainforest.

5 DAY TOUR

Prices are based on double occupancy. During the high season* there is a surcharge of $50 USD per person if you want to have the room just for yourself). The surcharge is waived during low season.
Children aged 5-12 get 30% off. Children 4 years and younger are free.
For the dormitory there is a minimum of 4 persons or joining a confirmed tour.

Payment methods

All payments must be made via bank transfer, credit card, (we use the platform WETRAVEL (2.9% fee) or deposit. All payments are required 30 days BEFORE the program begins.

Read the itinerary

Itinerary

Travel to the reserve: Quito – Lago Agrio – Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve Travel across the Andes to the frontier oil town of Lago Agrio. (see How to Get to Lago Agrio ) and from there to the entrance of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, “Cuyabeno Bridge” at about 100 km / 60 miles from Lago Agrio. You will meet your guide at the park entrance, who will register you with the national park service.

Within Cuyabeno National Park: Rio Cuyabeno – Lake Cuyabeno – Cuyabeno Lodge
Your guide will help you board our motorized canoe to travel downstream the winding Cuyabeno River to Lake Cuyabeno where our Cuyabeno Lodge is nestled on an island close to the shore of the lake. Watching wildlife, it takes about 2 hours to get to our lodge. It is common to see different species of monkeys on the way, such as squirrel monkeys, capuchin monkeys and tamarin monkeys, as well as a variety of bird species like toucans, macaws and parrots. With luck, you may also spot a sloth or the largest monkey species, the howler monkey. Other possible animals you can spot on the river are anacondas and Amazon dolphins. Be sure to keep your eyes on the banks, your binoculars and your camera ready. Speaking about binoculars: Please notice that the Amazon jungle is all about details of small animals and bright flowers. Without binoculars, you just don’t get to see as much as you should. Please bring them. If you forgot, we have a few pairs for rent at the lodge at a modest price.

After arriving and settling into your room at the Lodge, your guide takes you out onto Lake Cuyabeno to watch wildlife and birds, to swim from the canoe and watch the beautiful sunsets for which Cuyabeno is so famous. After dinner back at the lodge, your guide will plan the next day’s itinerary and activities with you before you retire to your room for a good night’s sleep with the nocturnal sounds of the rainforest.

Monkeys or birds will probably wake you up in the morning. After breakfast, a short canoe ride takes you to a trail through the jungle. Your guide will tell about wildlife, medicinal plants, the forest ecosystem and indigenous people. As you’re learning more about at the Amazon jungle, pay attention to small details, like different species of ants with their perfected the organized colonies, tiny poisonous frogs hiding under the leaves, insects on the hunt for their next meal, or fungi that take over and kill small organisms like insects and spiders.

Our guides are the best in the entire reserve and will happily answer any question you may have. After lunch you can enjoy a siesta during the hottest part of the day. You may relax in your room, in one of the hammocks in our recreation room, or in a deck chair in the shade on our boat landing. Later in the afternoon, you will explore the flooded part of the forest by canoe. The fascinating Macrolobium trees, covered with thick blankets of epiphytes, are the most captivating tree species of this area.

Your all-seeing guide will help you spot monkeys, birds, pink dolphins, and with luck, an anaconda. After darkness has set, you will go on a night walk through the primary forest, looking for fascinating insects like giant green sable grasshoppers, stick insects, praying mantis and other critters that come out at night. If you’re lucky (and quiet) you might see some of the other nocturnal jungle animals, like night monkeys, owls, and different kinds of rodents. It is essential to bring your own LED flashlight to be able to fully appreciate the nocturnal life of the jungle. If you forgot to bring one, the lodge has a few available for a modest rent.

After having breakfast at the Lodge, you will enjoy paddling along the shores and marshes surrounding Lake Cuyabeno while listening to the exotic sounds of birds and insects. Moving along without the sound of an outboard motor is an unforgettable experience. In the afternoon, you will be taken on an excursion to one of the small hidden lakes of Cuyabeno National Park, where visitors of the other lodges rarily go.

You will start the day with an early breakfast, after which you visit the Siona community. You will follow the Cuyabeno River downstream to reach one of the four Siona indigenous villages. Along the way you will be looking out for birds and pink dolphins on the lake and monkeys along the river.

Having arrived at the village you will watch how a Siona woman prepares and cooks the typical “cassava” tortillas while you participate in the preparation. The process starts with the harvesting of the manioc or cassava in the family’s kitchen garden, before it gets cooked in a traditional kitchen over an open fire. The woman will also talk about the way of life of the Siona tribe. The women rotate daily so each will get a turn to earn some money. After the presentation, you return to the Lodge for lunch and a siesta.

In the late afternoon, you will enjoy a refreshing swim in Lake Cuyabeno. When darkness has set, you may go on a night excursion by canoe to spot caimans, snakes and nocturnal birds.

On the last day of your Cuyabeno visit, you will share the feeling with so many others: It all went by too fast, and you would have loved to stay longer. Well, you will always take along the memory of the peace and beauty of our beloved Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. For those who would still like a last excursion early in the morning, get up early and enjoy a last birding at dawn. You have one last delicious breakfast at the Lodge, afterwards navigate back upstream to the Cuyabeno National Park entrance from where you start your return to Quito either by bus or private transportation.

activities

Exploring the lake and the jungle in motorized canoes, swimming and enjoying spectacular sunsets;
Bird watching, looking for dolphins, monkeys and other animals;
Hiking in the rainforest with explanations about the jungle, wildlife, medicinal plants and the history of the Siona Indians;
Visit to the Siona Community and preparation of the traditional cassave;
Night excursions to watch caimans, insects and nocturnal birds;
Relaxing in a hammock and enjoying the view from our observation tower and enjoying the view from our observation deck overlooking the lake.

One of the best ways to explore the rainforest is by canoe; in this way you will have the opportunity of seeing this wet and wild green world in a close-up and highly rewarding way.

We are on an Island in Cuyabeno Lake!

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SERVICES

Boots and ponchos

Private bathrooms

Meals included

Transportation on the river

Hot water

Tour guide

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What's included?

Included

Activities such as hiking, canoe rides, and local community visit
Bilingual Naturalist Guide
Accommodations with hot water
Meals starting with lunch and ending with breakfast
Coffee, tea, purified water, available at all times
Use of rain ponchos and rubber boots – indicate size when booking

Not Included

Alcoholic beverages and additional drinks
Personal expenses
Tipping for drivers and guides
Transportation Quito – Cuyabeno – Quito
Transportation or transfer services to or from any other destination such as Papallacta, Coca, etc.
Any domestic flights including Coca and or Lago Agrio

Notes

Activities can be adjusted according to group interests.

Not all rooms have power outlets, you can charge your appliances in the communal areas.

Private guide with private canoe available at additional cost and previous reservation.

French- or German-speaking guide available at additional cost and previous reservation.