Tapir Lodge is based in the northeastern Province of Sucumbíos, in the upper Ecuadorian Amazon region, within the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, and was built in partnership with some family members of the Siona Community and private sponsors. In order to meet appropriate ecological standards, Tapir Lodge shares with them the Eco-tourism activities and profits. Tapir Lodge offers all the facilities possible in the heart of the jungle, but in order to avoid unnecessary disturbances to the environment, we employ alternative means of illumination, like solar panels to produce 110 volts electricity.

FEATURES:

Total capacity:  36 passengers

1. 1 bungalow with 6 double rooms with private bathrooms, 2 of them can also be used as triple room.
2. Our 15 meter tower with 4 rooms equipped with a queen size bed and a twin size extra bed, with private bathroom, hammock, balcony and a spectacular view to the Amazon jungle
3. Our new tower with 4 rooms equipped with a queen size bed and a twin size bed, with private bathroom, hammock & balcony. The 4 rooms in this tower can be used as quadruple or triple rooms.
4. Hot water at all rooms

*    All the facilities count with electricity provided by solar panels

1.  
2. Other facilities:     - Dining room (capacity 35 passengers)

                               - Bar with wine, beer, cocktails and soft drinks available

ITINERARIES

A UNIQUE COMBINATION FOR NATURE LOVERS!!!
(4 nights lodging & 2 nights camping)

DAY 1.  We meet at the airport in Quito at 8:45 where a guide will assist you checking in and give you your box lunches. The flight takes about 30 min (on a Boeing /Embraer Plane with capacity for 90 passengers) to Lago Agrio city. From there on, we take our private transportation to “El Puente” which is the entrance to the Cuyabeno Reserve. The trip shall take close to 2 ½ hours. On this way you will have the chance to see a colorful landscape combining rainforest and small towns. A 40% of this road is paved and the other 60% is an open road. On the Puente we’ll continue our trip on canoe (12mts. or 24 ft. long); the entire luggage will be covered with plastic during the canoe ride down the Cuyabeno River. This narrow river allows us to admire the wide variety of flora and fauna. We arrive at the lodge around dusk at 18:00. Dinner will be served around 19:30. Overnight and accommodation in our cozy Tapir Lodge.

DAY 2. Breakfast will be served at 08:00. We will take our canoe heading to the main Lake “Laguna Grande” to meet the “Igapo”, a unique flooded forest ecosystem, for first time. Here we will take a path for a 3-hour trekking in the primary forest, the guide will show you some of the local flora and fauna. 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.
Lunch will be served at the lodge at 14:00, and It’ll be followed by a short resting period(aprox.2hours).
At 16:30 we’ll drive to the lake for some piranha fishing and a refreshing dip into the “Laguna Grande”.
Dinner will be served around 19:30. Overnight and accommodation in our Tapir Lodge.

DAY 3. After Breakfast, we’ll be ready to start our expedition by taking our canoes and navigate for about 4 hours down streams. Delicious box lunch on the way. We will look a place on the shores of The Cuyabeno River where we can settle down our tents. This will take us a couple of hours 
In the afternoon, around 14:00 we will have a trekking into the Jungle. Due to the isolated location there are great chances to see diurnal mammals especially at dusk, where jaguars for example are resting in the river shores. Dinner and overnight in our Campsite for a wonderful experience in the deep virgin rainforest.

DAY 4. Early in the morning there is the chance to take the canoe and let it glide. This will allow us to hear the sounds of the forest and those of many animals waking up. Breakfast, 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, Curasows, Hawks, Screaming Piranhas, Oropendolas, fly catchers and king fishers as well as different species of monkeys. Back for lunch at the camp. There will be a small resting period of a couple of hours. In the afternoon we take a boat ride along the Cuyabeno River for some bird watching and will wait until it gets dark. This is the time where we can try to find caimans or other animals on their night live with the help of our flashlights. Dinner and overnight at our camp.

DAY 5. Early breakfast, enjoying the mood of the forest. Packing up at camp shall take some part of the morning. After this we say goodbye. We navigate upstream along the Cuyabeno River once more. On the way we’ll stop to visit Cofan shaman and his family. This will give us the chance to have insights into traditional indigenous rituals and natural medicines. Box Lunch will be served there. In the afternoon (16:00) after a small healing ceremony we will continue upstream, to reach our Tapir Lodge. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

DAY 6. After breakfast, we start navigating in our “quillas” (dugout Indian canoes), to visit different lagoons in the Wildlife Reserve. Back to the Lodge for a taste of typical cuisine in the middle of the jungle. In the afternoon, canoe ride to the Canangüeno lake, home to fresh water dolphins, Arapaimas, Hoatzins. After a chance to admire the sunset in a splendid jungle setting it’s back to the lodge for dinner. Then out again in the boat to look for caimans and experience some of the nocturnal wildlife along the Cuyabeno River. Back to sleep at our Tapir Lodge

DAY 7. Early breakfast.  Bird watching and a final taste of the glorious natural surroundings before making our way back to “El Puente”, and then drive back to Lago Agrio to catch the flight to Quito.

DAY  1.-  Lago Agrio, drive to “El Puente” (entrance of the Cuyabeno Reserve). Box lunch on the way. Canoe ride down the Cuyabeno River admiring the wide variety of Flora and Fauna. Dinner and overnight in our Tapir Lodge.

DAY  2.- After breakfast we will explore the primary forest, learning about the flora and fauna in the area. Our first excursion will be a 3 hour walk in the primary forest and the nearby lake of “Laguna Grande” where we can admire a big variety of ancient trees, long lianas, giant palms, bromelias, orchids, and birds like woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, toucans; and also with some luck we can find two or three species of monkeys.  Back to lunch at the Lodge. In the afternoon, Piranha fishing and a refreshing dip into the Cuyabeno lagoon. Dinner and overnight in our Tapir Lodge.

DAY 3.-  After breakfast, we will hike through the jungle with a naturalist guide, who will give us lessons about the use of medicinal plants. We will have the great chance to see diurnal mammals, reptiles and birds.  Lunch in our Lodge, where our passengers will taste the best typical and international cuisine in the middle of the jungle. In the afternoon, canoe ride to the Canangüeno Lake. Good chances to admire fresh water dolphins, Arapaimas, Hoatzins, and a fantastic sunset. Dinner and overnight in our Tapir Lodge.

DAY  4.-  Early breakfast, bird watching. Then, we will enjoy 2 hour-navigation in the Cuyabeno River, looking at Morphos (giant blue Butterfly), Toucans, and Macaws. Visit to a Cofan Shaman and his Family, where we will be able to hear lessons about rituals and natural medicines. Continue upstream to the small settlement of Puerto Bolívar (Siona Indians). We will share with them the way they live. Lunch. In the afternoon, we will also have some bird and butterfly watching, and will take our canoes to go to the Main Lake, where we will also have an extraordinary sunset view.  At night, we shall look for caimans and be part of the nocturnal wildlife along the Cuyabeno River.

DAY  5.-  Early breakfast. Bird watching, enjoying the surrounding nature, we make our way to “El Puente”, from there drive to Lago Agrio in our private transportation on time to take the flight back to Quito.

DAY  1.-  Drive from Lago Agrio to “El Puente” (entrance of the Cuyabeno Reserve).  Box lunch on the way. Canoe ride down the Cuyabeno River admiring the wide variety of Flora and Fauna. Dinner and overnight in our Lodge.

DAY  2.-  After breakfast we will explore the primary forest, learning about the flora and fauna in the area. Our first excursion will be a 3 hour walk in the primary forest and the nearby lake of “Laguna Grande” where we can admire a big variety of ancient trees, long lianas, giant palms, bromelias, orchids, and birds like woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, toucans; and also with some luck we can find two or three species of monkeys.  Back to lunch at the Lodge. In the afternoon, piranha fishing and refreshing dip into the Cuyabeno lagoon. Dinner and overnight in our Tapir Lodge.

DAY 03.- Early breakfast, bird watching. Then, we will enjoy 2 hour-navigation in the Cuyabeno River, looking at Morphos (giant blue Butterfly), Toucans, Macaws. Visit to a Cofan Shaman and his Family, where we will be able to hear lessons about rituals and natural medicines. Continue upstream to the small settlement of Puerto Bolivar (Siona Indians). We will share with the Indians the way they live. Lunch. In the afternoon, we will also have some bird and butterfly watching, and will take our canoes to go to the Main Lake, where we will also have an extraordinary sunset view. At night, we shall look for caimans and be part of the nocturnal wildlife along the Cuyabeno River.

DAY  4.-  Early breakfast, bird watching enjoying the surrounding nature, we make our way to “El Puente”, from there drive to Lago Agrio in our private transportation on time to take the flight back to Quito.