The Cuyabeno Jungle Adventure departs from Quito on a spectacular 30 minute flight between the volcanoes and out over the upper Amazon to Lago Agrio. The journey continues to the Cuyabeno River and our lodge in the land of the Secoya Indians. Accommodation in Tapir Lodge. We may see tapir and hear the howls of the howler monkey. We will see a great variety of tropical insects such as butterflies and leaf cutter ants...

4 day, 3 night Sample Itinerary:

DAY 1: Meeting point is at Mariscal Sucre International Airport at the national departure information booth. An assistant from the lodge will help you checking in. The flight to Lago Agrio takes about 30 min. The airport is located outside the city; therefore you are not spending any time in Lago Agrio itself. Our private transportation (4x4 vehicles or buses) will drive (2 ˝ - 3 hours) us to “El Puente”, which is the entrance of the Cuyabeno Reserve. On this way you will have the chance to see a colorful landscape combining rainforest, rivers and small towns; a 40% of this road is paved and the other 60% is dirt road, this means that depending on the weather conditions, we could expect a dusty or muddy road.

Upon arrival at “El Puente” we’ll enjoy our box lunches and continue our trip on motorized dugout canoes (12mts. or 24 ft. long); the entire luggage will be covered in plastic, so it won’t get wet in case it rains. We provide rain ponchos and life vests as well. This narrow river allows us to admire the great variety of flora and fauna. After another 2 ˝ hours driving, we´ll arrive at the lodge around dusk (06:00 PM). Dinner will be served around 19:30. After dinner the guide will give a short briefing of the next day activities, and the needed gear. Overnight in our cozy Tapir Lodge.

DAY 2: Depending on the weather conditions, we can wake up early at 06:00 AM and drive with our canoe, looking for birds and other animals. We would return to the lodge around 8:00 AM. Breakfast (this consisting of eggs, bread, coffee / tea, fresh fruits and Juice) will be served around 08:30 AM. We´ll leave the lodge at 9:30 AM. We´ll provide our passengers with rubber boots. For larger shoe sizes than 11 ˝, please bring your own boots.

We will take our canoe (the passengers should carry life vests and rain ponchos all the time when leaving the Lodge; this will be the only responsibility they get during the tour) and depending on the size of the group (at least in the morning) we´ll take the motor canoe or take the paddle boat (small wood canoe of 5mts or 15ft. long which the indigenous people call Quillas. These small vessels can accommodate up to 4 people + guide. They are very stable). We´ll drive upstream to the “Laguna Grande” (Main lake) enjoying a slow drive in order to catch sight of animals and plants. Usually to get to the lake takes close to 30 minutes (paddle boat 1 hour). Once we get there, we will appreciate this flooded forest also known as Igapo. The trees are growing straight in the water, and many of them, real ancient; offer a perfect habitat for other plants, like Bromeliads, Orquids, Ferns and Cactuses.

We will leave the lake in order to reach solid ground. The path where we will walk today is called Palma Roja “Red Palm”, and used to be part of the scientific Station of the Catholic University. This will be our first encounter with primary forest. This type of forest is the habitat of many terrestrial mammals; these are usually shy or active during the night.

Before we begin walking, there is going to be a speech regarding basic ecology of the rainforest.

This walk shall take close to 3 ˝ hours of hiking. On the way you will find a swampy area. Do not worry, the guide will lead you through the right way. There is an opportunity to admire a big variety of ancient trees, long lianas, giant palms. We’ll also hope to catch sight and hear lots of birds such as woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, and toucans; and with luck we’ll come across two or three species of monkeys. This hike makes a loop in the forest; we´ll return to the same place the canoe left us. We´ll arrive there at around 01:30 PM. We get in the canoe or boat and drive back to the Lodge. Lunch will be served at the lodge around 2:20 PM, and it’ll be followed by a short resting period of approximately 2 hours. During this time the guest will have the chance to relax in the hammocks, read, to sleep or try some Piranha fishing. We´ll meet again at 17:00 hours at the dock, to take the canoe and drive to “Laguna Grande” again. Once we get to the lake we will make a small drive in the surrounding area to look for birds and other animals. There is the chance as well for swimming. Swimming is perfectly save and relaxing. During all these years we have not heard of anyone (passenger or native) that got attacked by an animal while swimming. Depending on the weather, we can admire a wonderful sunset. We´ll wait on the lake until it gets dark enjoying the noises of the forest. Then with the aid of our flashlights we will look for animals on the shores of the river. Usually in very bright nights (full moon) the chance of finding caimans is very low, but there are other animals that can be found such as birds and snakes. Once more this drive shall take close to 30 minutes. We will get to the Lodge around 07:00 PM. The free time before dinner can be used to take a shower, to have a refreshing drink or to talk with the guide about the animals found during the day. Dinner will be served at 07:45 PM. After dinner depending on weather conditions we can take a small night walk around the lodge looking for frogs and other night wanderers.

DAY 03: Early breakfast at 07:30. After this, we´ll meet at the dock again, once more carrying all the gear. Today we´ll go downstream. We will enjoy a 2 hour-navigation looking at /Morphos/ (giant blue Butterfly), Toucans, Macaws and with some luck monkeys. We will get good glimpses of the surrounding forest. On the way we shall pass the village of Puerto Bolivar where the inhabitants of the area the Siona indians have chosen to live. After 20 minutes we´ll arrive to a small settlement. There we will get to know the Shaman, Alberto and his family. This people belong to the Cofan ethnic group. Nowadays Alberto conceals his time to cure and treat people with his vast knowledge of the medicinal plants. The visit to this place will be used also to walk inside the forest. This forest is the habitat of the tiny Ecuador poison Frog (/Ameerega bilinguis/). We´ll begin our trekking on the river bank. There, a marvelous ancient Kapok tree will meet us. This magnificent specimen is at least 800 years old, and the roots of it are as big as a small room. The path in the forest leads us trough small creeks. In the end (after close to 2 hours) we arrive to the backyard of Alberto’s house. A superb box lunch will be served.

After lunch, Alberto will share some of his time with us. This man carries upon his shoulders more than 50 years of knowledge of the rainforest and the use of medicinal plants. He will explain us his experiences with the forest, other shamans and process of healing people. This short “healing” ceremony should last 40 min approximately. There will be some free time for asking questions to Alberto or simply take some pictures of him. Some handicrafts are available, all of them done by hand and materials of the rain forest.

We say goodbye to the family (close to 3:00 PM) and drive back to Puerto Bolivar. There a Siona family is waiting for us. We will take part in the preparation of the cassava bread (/Manihot esculenta/).This root has always been an essential food supply, and perhaps the main supply of carbohydrates for the indigenous communities of the rainforest. After gathering the Yuca (cassava), it will be peeled off, and grinded. This “paste” is pressed to eliminate the humidity and the starch. The remaining dried product will be cooked in a pan. After some minutes, we obtain a “pancake” of neutral taste.

We say goodbye to the village and drive back to the lodge arriving there usually before dusk. Dinner will be served at around 20:00. After dinner the passengers will be introduced to the crew members who did work during those days. We will be joined by a Goodbye - Passion fruit cocktail. Overnight.

DAY 04: The passengers will be waked up by our staff. Waking up and departure time from the Lodge will be scheduled according to the river, road conditions, the decision of the guide and of course the flight operation from Lago Agrio back to Quito. This information shall be given to the passengers the day before. Breakfast will be served while our staff takes care that the luggage is carried to the canoe. We will leave the Lodge and head our way back to the bridge. Our private transportation is waiting for us. This time, the drive to Lago Agrio should take less. Arrival at the airport and flight back to Quito.

5 day, 4 night Sample Itinerary:

DAY 1: Meeting point is Mariscal Sucre International Airport, at 08:00 AM in the national departure information booth. A Nomadtrek assistant will help you checking in and giving you box lunches. The flight takes about 30 min to Lago Agrio city. The airport is located outside the city; therefore you are not spending any time in Lago Agrio itself. Our private transportation will drive (2 ˝ - 3 hours) us to the bridge( “El Puente”), which is the entrance of the Cuyabeno Reserve. On this way you will have the chance to see a colorful landscape combining rainforest, rivers and small towns; a 40% of this road is paved and the other 60% is an open road, this means that depending on the weather conditions, we could expect a dusty or muddy road.

On “El Puente” we’ll enjoy our box lunches and continue our trip on canoe. We provide rain Ponchos and life vests as well. This narrow river allows us to admire the wide variety of flora and fauna. After close to 2 ˝ hours driving, we arrive at the lodge around dusk (06:00 PM). Dinner will be served around 19:30. After dinner the guide will give a short explanation of the next day activities, and the needed gear. Overnight in our cozy Tapir Lodge.

DAY 2: Depending on the weather conditions, we can wake up early at 06:00 AM and drive with our canoe, looking for birds and other animals. We would return to the lodge around 8:00 AM. Breakfast (this consisting of eggs, bread, coffee / tea, fresh fruits and Juice) will be served around 08:30 AM. We´ll leave the lodge at 9:30 AM. We´ll provide our passengers with rubber boots. For bigger numbers than 45 EU shoe size, please bring your own boots.

We will take our canoe (the passengers should carry life vests and rain ponchos all the time we are leaving the Lodge, this will be the only responsibility they get during the tour) and depending on the size of the group (at least in the morning) we´ll take the motor canoe or take the paddle boat (small wood canoe of 5mts or 15ft. long which the indigenous people call Quillas. These small vessels can accommodate up to 4 people + guide. They are very stable). We´ll drive upstream to the “Laguna Grande” (Main lake) enjoying a slow drive in order to catch sight of animals and plants. Usually to get to the lake takes close to 30 minutes (paddle boat 1 hour). Once we get there, we will appreciate this flooded forest also known as Igapo. The trees are growing straight in the water, and many of them, real ancient; offer a perfect habitat for other plants, like Bromeliads, Orquids, Ferns and Cactuses.

We will leave the lake in order to reach solid ground. The path where we will walk today is called Palma Roja “Red Palm”, and used to be part of the scientific Station of the Catholic University. These will be our first encounter with primary forest. This type of forest is the habitat of many terrestrial mammals; these are usually shy or active during the night.
Before we begin walking, there is going to be a speech regarding basic ecology of the rainforest.

This walk shall take close to 3 ˝ hours of hiking. On the way you will find a swampy area. Do not worry, the guide will lead you trough the right way. There is an opportunity to admire a big variety of ancient trees, long lianas, giant palms. We’ll also hope to catch sight and hear lots of birds such as woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, and toucans; and with luck we’ll come across two or three species of monkeys. This hike makes a loop in the forest; we´ll return to the same place the canoe left us. We´ll arrive there at around 01:30 PM. We get in the canoe or boat and drive back to the Lodge. Lunch will be served at the lodge around 2:20 PM, and it’ll be followed by a short resting period of approximately. 2 hours. During this time the guest will have the chance to relax in the hammocks, read, to sleep or try some Piranha fishing.

We´ll meet again at 17:00 hours at the dock, to take the canoe and drive to “Laguna Grande” again. Once we get to the lake we will make a small drive in the surrounding area to look for birds and other animals. There is the chance as well for swimming. Swimming is perfectly save and relaxing. During all this years we have not heard of anyone (passenger or native) that got attacked by an animal while swimming. Depending on the weather, we can admire a wonderful sunset. We´ll wait in the lake until it gets dark enjoying the voices of the forest. Then with the aid of our flashlights we will look for animals on the shores of the river. Usually in very bright nights (full moon) the chance of finding caimans is very low, but there are other animals that can be found such as birds and snakes. Once more this drive shall take close to 30 minutes. We will get to the Lodge around 07:00 PM. This free period before dinner can be used to take a shower, to have refreshing drink or to talk with the guide about the animals found during the day. Dinner will be served at 07:45 PM. After dinner depending on weather conditions we can take a small night walk around the lodge looking for frogs and other night wanderers.

DAY 3: Early breakfast at 07:30. After this, we´ll meet in the dock again, once more carrying all the gear (LV, RB, RP). Today we will drive downstream. We will enjoy a 2 hour-navigation looking at Morphos (giant blue Butterfly), Toucans, Macaws and with some luck monkeys. We will get good glimpses of the surrounding forest. On the way we shall pass the village of Puerto Bolivar where the inhabitants of the area the Siona have chosen to live. After 20 minutes we´ll arrive to a small settlement. There we will get to know the Shaman, Alberto and his family. This people belong to the Cofan ethnic group. Nowadays Alberto conceals his time to cure and treat people with his vast knowledge of the medicinal plants. The visit to this place will be used also to walk inside the forest. This forest is the habitat of the tiny Ecuador poison Frog (Ameerega bilinguis). We´ll begin our Trekking on the river bank. There, a marvelous ancient Kapok tree will meet us. This magnificent specimen is at least 800 years old, and the roots of it are as big as a small room. The path in the forest leads us trough small creeks. In the end (after close to 2 hours) we´ll arrive to the backyard of Alberto’s house. A superb box lunch will be served.

After lunch, Alberto will share some of his time with us. This man carries upon his shoulders more than 50 years of knowledge of the rainforest and the use of medicinal plants. He will explain us his experiences with the forest, other shamans and process of healing people. This short “healing” ceremony should last 40 min approximately. There will be some free time for asking questions to Alberto or simply take some pictures of him. Some handicrafts are available, all of them done by hand and materials of the rain forest.
After all these, we´ll say goodbye to the family (close to 3:00 PM) and drive back to Puerto Bolivar. There awaits a Siona family for us. We will take part in the preparation of the cassava bread (Manihot esculenta).This root has always been an essential food supply, and perhaps the main supply of carbohydrates, for the indigenous communities of the rainforest. After gathering the Yuca (cassava), it will be peeled off, and grinded. This “paste” is pressed to eliminate the humidity and the starch. The remaining dried product will be cooked in a pan. After some minutes, we obtain a “pancake” of neutral taste. We´ll say goodbye to the village and drive back to the lodge arriving there usually before dusk. Dinner will be served at around 20:00. After dinner the passengers will be introduced to the crew members who did work during those days. We will be joined by a Goodbye - Passion fruit cocktail.

The following day begins really early (around 04:00 in the morning), therefore it is recommend to pack all your stuff the same night, in order to get some extra minutes of resting before waking up

DAY 4: Breakfast will be served around 08:00. This day the passengers will have the chance to choose their activities with the guide. There are several options: birdwatching, rowing in the Lake, fishing, or walking in the Forest. According to what you choose, the day will be scheduled to fulfill your interests. Lunch will be served in the Lodge. In the afternoon our passengers will take part in a briefing. Dinner will be served at around 20:00. After dinner the passengers will be introduced to the crew members who did work during those days. We will be joined by a Goodbye - Passion fruit cocktail. Last Overnight at the Tapir Lodge.

DAY 5: The passengers will be waked up by somebody of our Staff. Waking up and departure time of the Lodge, will be scheduled according to the river, road conditions, the decision of the guide and of course the fight. This information shall be given to the passengers the day before. Breakfast will be served while our staff takes care that the luggage is carried to the canoe. We will leave the Lodge and head our way back to the bridge. Our private transportation is waiting for us. This time, the drive to Lago Agrio should take less. Arrival at the airport and flight back to Quito.

A UNIQUE COMBINATION FOR NATURE LOVERS!!!
7 days, 6 nights
(4 nights lodging & 2 nights camping)

DAY 1: Meeting point is at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, at 08:00 AM in the national departure information booth. A Nomadtrek assistant will help you checking in, and giving you the box lunches. The flight takes about 30 min to Lago Agrio city. The airport is located outside the city; therefore you are not spending any time in Lago Agrio itself. Our private transportation will drive us (2 ˝ - 3 hours) to a point called “El Puente” (the bridge), which is the entrance to the Cuyabeno Reserve.

On the way, you will have the chance to see a colorful landscape combining rainforest, rivers and small towns; 50% of this road is paved and the other 50% is an open road, this means that depending on the weather conditions, we could expect a dusty or muddy road.
Upon arrival at “El Puente” we’ll enjoy our box lunches and continue our trip on canoe. We provide rain Ponchos and life vests as well. This narrow river allows us to admire the wide variety of flora and fauna. After close to 2 ˝ hours driving, we arrive at the lodge around dusk (05:00 PM). Dinner will be served around 19:30. After dinner the guide will give a briefing about the next days´ activities, and the needed gear. Overnight at our cozy Tapir Lodge.

DAY 2: Depending on the weather conditions, we can wake up early at 06:00 AM, and drive with our canoe gliding down the Cuyabeno river without using the motor, enjoying the sounds of nature, looking for birds and other animals. We return to the lodge around 8:00 AM. Breakfast (this consists of eggs, bread, coffee / tea, fresh fruits and Juice) will be served around 08:30 AM. For the next day’s activities we´ll provide our passengers with rubber boots. For bigger numbers than 45 EU shoe size, please bring your own boots.

At 9:30 am we will take our canoe (the passengers should carry life vests and rain ponchos all the time we are leaving the Lodge, this will be the only responsibility they get during the tour) and depending on the size of the group (at least in the morning) we´ll take the motor canoe or take the paddle boat (small wood canoe of 5mts or 15ft. long which the indigenous people call Quillas. These small vessels can accommodate up to 4 people + guide. They are very stable).

We´ll go upstream to the “Laguna Grande” (Main lake) enjoying a slow drive in order to catch sight of animals and plants. Usually to get to the lake takes close to 30 minutes (paddle boat 1 hour). Once we get there, we will appreciate this flooded forest also known as Igapo. The trees are growing straight in the water, and many of them, real ancient; offer a perfect habitat for other plants, like Bromeliads, Orchids, Ferns and Cacti.

We will leave the lake in order to reach solid ground. The path where we will walk that day is called Palma Roja “Red Palm”, and used to be part of the scientific Station of the Catholic University. These will be our first encounter with primary forest. This type of forest is the habitat of many terrestrial mammals; these are usually shy or active during the night.

Before we start with the hike, the guide will give a speech regarding basic ecology of the rainforest. This walk shall take close to 3 ˝ hours, on the way you will find a swampy area. Do not worry, the guide will lead you trough the right way. There is an opportunity to admire a big variety of ancient trees, long lianas, giant palms. We’ll also hope to catch sight and hear lots of birds such as woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, and toucans; and with luck we’ll come across with two or three species of monkeys. This hike makes a loop in the forest; we´ll return to the same place the canoe left us at around 01:30 PM. From there we´ll go back to the Lodge. Lunch will be served at the lodge around 2:20 PM, and it’ll be followed by a short resting period of approximately. 2 hours. During this time the guest will have the chance to relax in the hammocks, read, sleep or try some Piranha fishing. We will meet again at 17:00 hours at the dock, to take the canoe and drive to “Laguna Grande” again. Once we get to the lake we will make a small drive in the surrounding area to look for birds and other animals. There is the chance as well for swimming, which is perfectly save and relaxing in this fantastic black water system. Depending on the weather, we can admire a wonderful sunset. We wait in the lake until it gets dark enjoying the voices of the forest. Then with the help of our flashlights we will spot for animals on the shores of the river. Usually in very bright nights (full moon) the chance of finding caimans is very low, but there are other animals that can be found such as birds and snakes. This drive shall take close to 30 minute, to be back at Lodge around 07:00 PM. This free period before dinner can be used to take a shower, to have refreshing drink or to talk with the guide about the animals found during the day. Dinner will be served at 07:45 PM. After dinner depending on weather conditions we can take a small night walk around the lodge looking for frogs and other night wanderers.

DAY 3: After Breakfast, we’ll be ready to start our expedition by taking our canoes and navigate for about 4 hours downstream. Delicious box lunch on the way. For camping we will look for a good place on the shores of the Cuyabeno River, where we can settle down our tents. In the afternoon, we will undertake a trekking into the Rain Forest. Due to the isolated location there are great chances to see diurnal mammals especially at dusk. Dinner and overnight in our Campsite, for a wonderful experience in the deep virgin rainforest.

DAY 4.Early in the morning, we´ll take the canoe and let it glide downstream. This allows us to hear the sounds of the forest and those of several animals waking up. Breakfast will be served in the heart of the forest. There will be a hike for about 4 hours in the Rainforest where we have good opportunities to find birds such as: Herons, Egrets, Curassows, Hawks, Screaming Pihas, Oropendolas, fly catchers and king fishers as well as different species of monkeys. We´ll return back for lunch at the camp. After this there will be a small resting period of a couple of hours. In the afternoon we´ll take a boat ride along the Cuyabeno River for some bird watching. After getting dark, with the help of our flashlights, we can try to spot caimans and other animals on their night live. Dinner and overnight at our camp.

DAY 5: After an early breakfast, and enjoying the mood of the forest, we´ll start disassembling the camp site. We´ll navigate upstream along the Cuyabeno River once more. On the way we’ll stop to visit the shaman Alberto and his family. This people belong to the Cofan ethnic group. Nowadays Alberto conceals his time to cure and treat people with his vast knowledge of medicinal plants. This man carries upon his shoulders more than 50 years of knowledge of the rainforest and the use of medicinal plants. He will explain us his experiences with the forest, with other shamans and the process of healing people. This short “healing” ceremony should last 40 min approximately. There will be some free time for asking questions to Alberto or simply take some pictures of him. Some handicrafts are available, all of them done by hand and materials of the rainforest.
We´ll leave the family (close to 3:00 PM) and drive back to Puerto Bolivar. There, a Siona family will wait for us. There we will take part in the preparation of the cassava bread (Manihot esculenta).This root has always been an essential food supply, and perhaps the main supply of carbohydrates, for the indigenous communities of the rainforest. After gathering the Yuca (cassava), it will be peeled off, and grinded. This “paste” is pressed to eliminate the humidity and the starch. The remaining dried product will be cooked in a pan. After some minutes, we obtain a “pancake” of neutral taste, which is going to be eaten by all our guests. We say goodbye to the village and drive back to the lodge arriving there before dusk. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

DAY 6: Breakfast will be served around 08:00. This day the passengers will have the chance to choose their activities with the guide. There are several options: bird watching, rowing in the Lake in our paddle boat, fishing, or walking in the Forest. According to what you choose, the day will be scheduled to fulfill your interests. Lunch will be served in the Lodge. In the afternoon our passengers can enjoy the last sunset view at Cuyabeno Lake. Dinner will be served at around 20:00. After dinner the passengers will be introduced to the crew members who did work during those days, to share and enjoy a Goodbye - Passion fruit cocktail.

DAY 7: The passengers will be waked up by somebody of our Staff. Waking up and departure time of the Lodge, will be scheduled according to the river, road conditions, the decision of the guide and of course the fight. This information shall be given to the passengers the day before. Breakfast will be served while our staff takes care that the luggage is carried to the canoe. We will leave the Lodge and head our way back to the bridge. Our private transportation is waiting for us. This time, the drive to Lago Agrio should take less. Arrival at the airport and flight back to Quito.