DAY 1:
Our adventure begins at 7:30 at Hotel Ayahuaska Wasi for people arriving by bus to the city of Lago Agrio, and at 9:30 for people arriving by plane. We then take our private bus for approximately 2 hours to reach the town of Tierras Orientales, located on the banks of the Aguarico River. Here, we will provide you a box lunch and prepare to take the motor canoe. After a 3-hour journey downstream Aguarico River, we will reach the bocana, place where the river Aguarico joins the river Cuyabeno. In this area, we will have the opportunity to enjoy an incredible landscape since it is a place where you can observe without difficulty the pink dolphins of freshwater. We will also notice the great difference between the secondary forest and the primary forest. After 30 more minutes on the river Cuyabeno, we will arrive at our Amazon Lodge located in the lagoon San Francisco, inside the Cuyabeno Reserve.
Along this route we will be able to appreciate the great biodiversity of the forest and photograph several species of animals such as monkeys, birds, reptiles, and aquatic mammals. You will be able to observe them without difficulty since our guides will provide you with binoculars if needed.
At our Lodge, we will have time to relax and familiarize ourselves with the place. After dinner, our guide will give us a briefing about the activities for the following days and will invite us to make a night walk around the camp in search of interesting nocturnal species such as insects, spiders, amphibians, tree snakes, and much more.
DAY 2:
The best time for bird watching is before dawn, so our activity will begin at 6:00. We will take our paddles to enjoy the sunrise, the incredible landscape of the rainforest, and navigate through small lakes near the Lodge. During this tour, we will have the opportunity to observe a wide variety of species of birds and mammals. Afterwards, we will make our way back to the lodge to savour a delicious breakfast.
After a short rest, our guide will invite us to go on a 3-hour walk. He will share his knowledge about the practical use of medicinal plants that his ancestors have transmitted through generations. He will also explain to us his connection with the world of botany before returning to our Lodge to have a delicious lunch. At 16:30, we will once again take our boards to navigate around the lagoon of the Ceibo, meaning giant tree of the jungle, located near our Lodge. We will be able to admire the forest flooded with black water, also called Igapo, and considered within the tropical rainforest as one of the 5 ecosystems dominated by the famous trees of Macrolobium. These trees have the ability to store nutrients in their bark and become home to countless microscopic animals, epiphytes and many species of birds. Afterwards, we will visit the San Francisco river, a narrow white water river surrounded by exuberant vegetation where we can find species of birds that are not found in bigger streams. When the night begins to fall, we will venture downstream in search of caimans (family of lizards) and other species of nocturnal animals such as fishing bats, tree snakes, and nocturnal birds.
DAY 3:
An early activity allows us to enjoy nature in its purest state since the best hours to enjoy the rainforest and its animal life are before dawn. Therefore, at 5:45, we will hop on our paddle boards and navigate downstream for approximately 2 hours. This being the best time for bird watching, we will have the opportunity to enjoy a large number of species along the river until we reach the saladero (clay bank full of nutrients exposed to the banks of the river). Here, we will witness 5 species of colorful parrots and parakeets coming every day around 7:00 to have breakfast. It is then time for us to savour our tasty breakfast!
After a break, we will take our boards once more for a long journey downstream Cuyabeno, enjoying a prosperous rainforest activity until we reach the bocana. In this area where the 2 rivers meet, we will enjoy the sighting of freshwater pink dolphins and admire the coloration of the white waters full of sediments coming from the River Aguarico and the black waters full of tannins coming from the River Cuyabeno. Back at the lodge, we will be welcomed with a delicious lunch.
At 16:00, we will take our canoe to go to the entrance of the lagoon of Amarum poza. We will enter this lagoon on our paddles to make a visit to the Bird Observation Tower, which is built around one of the largest trees of the place, a Ceibo tree. From the top of the tower, at 28 m (92 ft) high, we will have a breath-taking view of the Canopy and of the rainforest. This will give us the opportunity to hear and observe a great diversity of wildlife.
Before returning to our Lodge for dinner, we will make a short night walk around the tower in search of new species of insects.
DAY 4:
This day being our last one in this wonderful place, we will go on a canoe ride to witness the awakening of this incredible nature and try to spot more birds.
A delicious breakfast will be served at 6:00. After breakfast it is time for the return trips make sure your luggage is prepared and ready to go. We will sail 30 minutes downstream on the Cuyabeno river and then take the Aguarico river upstream for 3 hours until we reach Tierras Orientales around 12:00.
From here a "taxi" will take us to Tarapoa where we will catch the shuttle that will drive you to Quito, (the taxi has a cost of $40 which can be shared among 4-5 people).
Min 2 people.
Amazon experience
