Lodges in Cuyabeno reserve

NICKY AMAZON LODGE

From $260.00

Nicky Amazon Lodge is located close to Laguna Grande in the upper part of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. The lodge was built keeping the traditional Indigenous style of the amazon jungle, lovely huts so-called cabañas with thatched roofs.

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JAMU LODGE

From $227.00

Jamu, coming from the word Armadillo in Siona, is a beautiful, privately-owned lodge in the Cuyabeno Reserve where our guests can enjoy a variety of activities. We are located along the Cuyabeno River, 15 minutes down-river from the spectacular Laguna Grande

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TAPIR LODGE

From $650.00

Tapir Lodge is a pioneer in Ecuador, built under the premise of respecting the precious ecosystem of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Production Reserve. We are passionate about the environment therefore we work to cause minimal disturbance to wildlife.

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SIONA LODGE

From $699.00

The Siona Lodge has the best and one of the single most distinctive locations in the reserve, allowing for picturesque sunsets viewed across the large freshwater lake. Much of the wildlife you will see is dependent on the unique ecosystem the lake supports allowing for some rare viewing opportunities.

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PIRANHA LODGE

From $250.00

We have built it with nature in mind. Our cabins use ecological materials, all endemic to the area. Eco sustainability, ecological awareness and durability have been our premises when building every little space in our hostel.

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CAIMAN LODGE

From $240.00

Caiman Eco-Lodge is at one of the best spots in the Cuyabeno Reserve, really close to the Laguna Grande and reachable by canoe all year long, not depending on the season. The Lodge accommodates up to 40 people in three individual guest huts; each hut has 2 – 4 double or triple bedrooms (as required) each with its own private bathroom and shower.

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DOLPHIN LODGE

From $240.00

Cuyabeno Dolphin Lodge is set at the heart of natural attractions, just a couple of minutes' motor canoe ride away from the Cuyabeno lake area and right next to the banks of the Cuyabeno River. From the hammocks at our pier, you may spot freshwater dolphins and enjoy the scenery of the river

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About Cuyabeno

The Amazon region is characterized by large extensions of tropical forest where trees such as ceibo, sande and mahogany can easily reach more than 50 meters in height. However, there are areas where water replaces solid ground, rivers suddenly become narrow channels, large and medium-sized lagoons appear, and the canoe is the only way to move among the trees and vegetation. They are the flooded forests of the Amazon, a good part of which is protected within this great reserve. The protected area takes its name from the Cuyabeno River, which overflows in its middle course, creating a complex of 14 lagoons and forming the largest wetland in the Ecuadorian Amazon. These flooded forests are the territory of dolphins, manatees, caimans, anacondas and otters, and of the guarango de agua, the most unique tree in the reserve; Thanks to its special adaptations, it can grow on the banks of rivers and lakes, creating a magical and mysterious environment that attracts thousands of visitors each year. The reserve is also considered one of the protected areas with the greatest cultural diversity in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Here there are communities of indigenous Siona, Secoya, Cofán, Kichwa and Shuar.

Province:
ORELLANA, SUCUMBIOS
Extension:
590112 hectares
Year of creation:
1979
Altitudinal Range:
177 - 326 meters

Cultural aspects

The territory currently occupied by the reserve has had a human presence for a long time. Formerly the basin of the Aguarico river was inhabited by the "encabellados". The Spanish chroniclers gave this name to these people who wore long, highly decorated hair.
The Sionas and Secoyas who today live within the reserve descend from the ancient encabellados who lived in different areas. The Sionas lived further north, in the area between the Aguarico and Putumayo rivers, on the border between Ecuador and Colombia.
The Secoyas, on the other hand, inhabited the banks of the Napo on the Peruvian side; in 1940 they migrated to the banks of the Aguarico River, pressured by the rubber industry. The Cofan occupied, and still do, the upper basins of the Aguarico and San Miguel rivers. The current inhabitants of the Cofán de Sábalo community came down the rivers and in 1972 they settled in the central part of the reserve.
There are also several Kichwa communities, especially along the Aguarico River, in the area known as Playas de Cuyabeno -where it meets the Aguarico- and in the Zancudo area, at the eastern end of the reserve.

Geography

The reserve is located in the northern part of the Ecuadorian Amazon and includes the hydrographic basins of three important rivers: the Cuyabeno to the northwest, the Lagartococha to the east (which in turn borders with Peru) and the Aguarico that runs through the Cuyabeno RPF. from west to east.
Although the terra firme moist forest is the most abundant ecosystem in the reserve (and in the Amazon in general), it is the flooded ecosystems adjacent to the Cuyabeno and Lagartococha rivers that distinguish this protected area from others in the eastern region.
To learn more about the geography of this reserve and understand the dynamics of these forests, it is necessary to become familiar with the two types of rivers that exist in the Amazon and are also present in the reserve: whitewater and blackwater. Those of white waters originate in the mountain range and, as they descend towards the lowlands, they drag a large quantity of sediments that give the water a yellowish-tan color, like that of the Aguarico. The areas temporarily flooded by this water are called varzéas and are rich in sediments, so they are preferred for agriculture. In contrast, blackwater rivers are born in the same forest and their color is dark due to the presence of certain substances from the decomposition of plant material that falls into their waters. An example is the Cuyabeno and Lagartococha rivers.
The areas flooded by these rivers, known as igapós, can remain flooded for several months each year.

BIODIVERSITY
MAIN ATTRACTIONS

The terra firme forest that covers most of the reserve is highly biodiverse; however, here we will refer only to the flora and fauna of the aquatic environments, which are those that characterize Cuyabeno. The guarango de agua, the most representative tree, grows in canals and on the edges of lagoons flooded by sewage (igapós).

lizardcocha

The Lagartococha River marks the border with Peru and the eastern limit of the reserve. Navigating this river and its small canals is an experience that is hard to forget, both because of the landscape offered by the flooded jungle and because of the variety of wildlife found, especially birds and monkeys. Here you can visit several lagoons, especially Imuya, Redondodocha and Delfincocha.
Zancudococha

The largest lagoon in the Ecuadorian Amazon is located in the lower part of the reserve, next to the Aguarico River. Its name, surprisingly, actually comes from the word Sionasecoya Soncorai, which means "Laguna del Sonco" in reference to a small fish that abounds here. Near the lagoon is the Kichwa community of Zancudo, which maintains a community tourism program.
indigenous communities

Around the Siona indigenous communities of Puerto Bolívar, on the banks of the Cuyabeno River, and the Cofán community of Sábalo, on the banks of the Aguarico River, you can explore the tropical forest, take canoe rides on the rivers and buy local handicrafts made with seeds and other forest products.