Cuyabeno

River Lodge

TOUR: ECUADOR — IQUITOS, PERU
12 DAYS

Itinerary

Please note that this itinerary gives the general idea of the route offered during this tour.  However, due to local river conditions the actual day-to-day itinerary can change.  Each day you will be given the opportunity to do jungle walks (with options to do early morning bird walks and night walks at your request).  In addition you will have the chance to fish and swim in the rivers between other activities. 

Itinerary subject to change

DAY 1:

Our adventure will begin at the Cuyabeno Bridge (the entrance to the Cuyabeno National Park).  You can arrive at this point by taking the overnight direct bus from Quito the night before (11 hours) or leave in the morning of day 1 by plane from Quito to Lago Agrio (40 minutes) and then taking a 3 hour bus to Cuyabeno.  Once you arrive at the Cuyabeno Bridge, your guide will be there waiting to transport you to our lodge, Cuyabeno River Lodge.  After lunch we will do a short adaptation walk (1 hour approximately), followed by dinner and rest in our cabins. 

DAY 2:

After breakfast we will set out from the Cuyabeno River Lodge and travel to the Laguna Grande.  Our second camp will be set up in this region where we hope to see monkeys, macaws, possibly river dolphins depending on the level of the river, and other animals.  Optional nocturnal walk. 

DAY 3:

Today we will start with a longer trek through the rainforest, walking for a couple of hours through the mysterious environment of exotic plants and animals.  After lunch we will swim in the Laguna Grande and observe birds of the Amazon region.  We may go piranha fishing as well if time and conditions permit. 

DAY 4:

After breakfast we will continue our journey via canoe to the Siona Indigenous Community where we will prepare a traditional yucca bread dish with a local family.  Our ride down the river will then lead us to the community where a traditional Shaman lives.  We will set up camp in this region and participate in a ceremony with the Shaman to learn about his work and beliefs. 

DAY 5:

On the 5th day we will be travelling even further into the Cuyabeno Reserve, arriving close to the Peruvian-Ecuadorian border.  The canoe trip down the Aguarico River will be longer than our previous days’ journeys but provides many spectacular views of the river’s wide beaches, animals, and remote vegetation.  In the late afternoon we will set up our new base camp on the beaches of the Aguarico River. 

DAY 6:

Today we will visit one of the most remote regions of the Cuyabeno National Reserve and of Ecuador’s Amazon Basin.  This region, called Lagarto Cocha, is an extremely remote strip of preserved pristine rainforest where the pink river dolphins are known to live.  In addition, it is known to be the home of caimans that can be seen at night.  The name Lagarto Cocha is Quecha for ‘Caiman Lake.’ 

DAY 7:

We will continue with our activities of jungle walks, fishing, bird observation, and canoeing depending on what weather and river conditions permit.  This day will be spent in the Lagarto Cocha region. 

DAY 8:

Departing early in the morning, we will leave the Lagarto Cocha region and continue our journey to the customs check-point on the border between Ecuador and Peru.  Route:  Rocafuerte-Pantoja-Santa Martha de Nanay

DAY 9:

Our next destination will be to our base camp on the Curaray River where we will also have the opportunity to fish and do an afternoon or evening walk. 

DAY 10:

Today we will continue our activities in the region of Santa Clotilde.

DAY 11:

We will spend our last full day in the Peruvian Amazon in the region of Laguna Achual Cocha. 

DAY 12:

On the last day we will arrive at the entrance of the Great Amazon River and enter the city of Iquitos around mid-morning.  The tour officially ends at that point, but you can continue on to Lima by plane if desired (airfare not included in tour price).