BEST AMAZON TOURS IN ECUADOR [TO SEE ANIMALS]

BEST AMAZON TOURS IN ECUADOR! Tripadvisor Review: Best Choice + Price. CombiDiscount Galapagos+Amazon

Volcanoes visible from the plane on a clear day.

Detailed map of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. Click for enlargement.

Best Amazon Tours in Ecuador, Day one

Fly in about 25 minutes from the capital Quito across the Andes to the frontier town of Lago Agrio, the oil boom town where the Amazon lowlands begin and your program for visiting the Amazon in Ecuador starts. Your flight passes by the Cayambe. Ask for a window seat at the right side of the plane to take pictures; on the way back on the left side. From there, our bus takes you in about 1 hour 45 minutes to the entry station Cuyabeno Bridge.

Lago Agrio Airport usually is serviced with modern Embraer planes.
Private transportation from LagoAgrio to the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve.

Entrance ranger station “Cuyabeno Bridge”. The government has significantly increased security with frequent patrolling by both the national police and the military. There are permanentĀ  police officers and park ranger at different ranger stations.

Here is where your real trip starts: An agile dugout canoe takes you on a one and a half hour tour on the winding Cuyabeno River to ourĀ  Amazon Rainforest lodge, the Cuyabeno Lodge.

Upon arrival, your adventurous Amazon journey really takes off, as we take you along the beautiful winding Cuyabeno River to reach our lodge. It’s a fascinating ride on this tributary of the Amazon River, that will take youĀ  first to the largest lake in the reserve, the Laguna Cuyabeno also known as Laguna Grande. This is the perfect spot to explore the Amazon, as our Amazon Jungle Lodge Cuyabeno Lodge is one of the few accommodation located on any of the seven lakes of the Cuyabeno river system.

The entrance to the Cuyabeno Lodge.
Relaxing a while after arriving at the lodge.
Upon arrival, you take a hot shower, relax a bit and after some rest, you may enjoy a swim in the lake.
With some luck, spot a few Amazon Dolphins or maybe even a Manatee.

Once the curtain of night falls after dinner, you will silently head out onto the lake again; this time in search of Caiman. You can spot them with flashlights, reflecting in their eyes like bright orange lights. Occasionally, with a bit of luck you may also catch the green eyes of a wandering Ocelot Cat or Jaguar in your beam. On the next night we take you on a walk through the woods with a flashlight. During such walks, we may find some of the strangest creatures, like this spider-like critter. Tree frogs are everywhere, but it is a bit difficult to find them. The moment you think you finally have one in your camera, they leap away to never be found again .

Best Amazon Tours in Ecuador, Days two and three

As birds are most active at dawn, you may start out your day with birdwatching before or right after breakfast with our experienced guide. Blue and Yellow Macaws fly noisily across the Cuyabeno Lake, while Hoatzins whisper their hoarse sounds as they browse the leaves of the Macrolobium trees. You may also hear the mysterious swelling sound of the Howler Monkeys or see a troop of squirrel monkeys bouncing through the treetops. In fact, 10 species of monkeys have been recorded in the reserve.

Bird and wildlife watching at dawn
Breakfast after the morning excursion.

Exploring Cuyabeno National Park from a dugout canoe. For the short distances we like to use peddles instead of a motor or use our brand new whispering electrical motor.

After breakfast explore the Amazon rainforest in the “terra firma” forest with your naturalist guide where you can learn about the forest’s medicinal plants and traditions. There are many colorful flowers in the Cuyabeno Nature Reserve, but it takes a bit of an effort to find them. Orchids and Heliconias are among the more spectacular Amazon Forest Plants.
Blue and yellow Macaws are fairly common in Cuyabeno.

Black-Mantled Tamarins live in groups of up to 200. A group often hangs out around the lodge.

After lunch and a siesta you will look for birds and orchids in the flooded igapo (Brazilian Portuguese for Amazon swamp) with Macrolobium trees covered in abundant epiphytes. At the end of the day you can enjoy a sunset swim in the lake.
A visit to the Siona village is always interesting: Vegetable garden with explanations from a Siona woman

Black-Mantled Tamarins live in groups of up to 200. A group often hangs out around the lodge.

The evenings are always a pleasant and relaxing time, far away from the modern world with television, you enjoy the peacefulness of the sounds of the jungle.
Having fun at our lodge in the evenings or……enjoying a quiet read.

Best Amazon Tours in Ecuador, Day four

On day four you will experience the feel of so many of our visitors: “It all went by too quickly”. Maybe you will become one of our frequent visitors that keep coming back for a special program of one or two weeks. Anyway, you will have to leave in the morning to get back on time to catch the plane orĀ  bus in Lago Agrio. You will ride the canoe up the Cuyabeno River to the bridge, where your transport will be waiting for you to bring you to the airport or to the bus station to take you on a trip back. skimping Cayambe National Park as it winds along the Andes flanks back to the central valley. For the flight back ask for a left window seat.

How to book for the lodge?

Our programs are rather customized and we try to accommodate the travel needs of our customers. To avoid misunderstandings, we don’t offer a prepaid travel option. For details consult our reservations page. Prior to departure, visit our office in Quito at this location where you can proceed with your payment. Also consult our frequently asked questions about our Amazon Jungle Lodge. You may also like to consider this best place to visit the Amazon or this Amazon Rainforest Tour

What is essential to bring?

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