I’ll jump right in. This place is pure magic!
There are two main nature reserves in Ecuador’s Amazon region: Yasuní National Park and Cuyabeno Reserve. Yasuní National Park is arguably the more famous one; it’s the biggest and has one of the highest biodiversity rates per square meter in the world. However, Cuyabeno is just as impressive.
So what’s the difference? The type of forest. Yasuní is primarily humid tropical rainforest, in other words, what you might imagine when you hear the word “rainforest.” Cuyabeno, on the other hand, is mostly igapó forest (black-water flooded forest) with areas of tierrafirma (areas that don’t flood).
I was lucky enough to visit Cuyabeno twice in a three-week period, once with my mom and cousin, and once with Shane and a crew from IKIAM (the university in Tena). So, as a professional Cuyabeno goer, I’m here to convince you why you should add Cuyabeno Reserve to your Ecuador itinerary!
1. Its easy to plan!
You’re only allowed to visit the reserve with a guide, which makes planning this portion of the trip a breeze. There are 14 lodges in the reserve, so your only decision is which one you prefer. They all offer nearly the same type of package, but vary based on the accommodation type, food, and location in the reserve.
I stayed in two lodges, the Bamboo Lodge (with my mom and Clancy) and the Caiman Lodge (with Shane), both of which are a short boat ride from Laguna Grande, one of the main features of the reserve.
Bamboo Lodge
Caiman Lodge
Both lodges were clean, had good food, friendly staff, and felt safe. However, the Bamboo Lodge felt more upscale than the Caiman Lodge. The bamboo structures (hence the lodge’s name) were beautiful and the food was incredible. It also had small things that made it feel a bit more comfortable, like 24-hour electricity (80% of which comes from solar), filtered water (although they provide purified drinking water), and fluffy towels (which seems silly, but it’s not something I expected in the jungle!).
Alternatively, the Caiman Lodge had a better space to hang out during your downtime, their viewing tower had better views, and they had clotheslines for wet things (which you’ll need), but it felt a bit more rustic overall.
Neither place has wifi or cellphone service (nowhere in the reserve does), and it takes roughly the same amount of time to get there. So, really, your choice of lodge boils down to your personal preference and the price. Bamboo Lodge was a bit more expensive than Caiman Lodge, but it also had a few more features, like breakfast on the day of arrival and full almuerzo (versus a packed sandwich lunch) on the day of departure.
2. It’s all inclusive.
First off, I’d recommend the 3-night/4-day package, which is roughly $300 per person depending on the lodge. However, the price includes everything. Meals starting from lunch on the day of arrival until lunch on the day of departure, the two-hour transport from Lago Agrio (the closest city) to the port, the two-hour motorized canoe ride from the port to the lodge, accommodation, all of your guided activities, and jungle gear (rubber boots and ponchos). So, considering all that’s included, the price isn’t so terrible.
Oh, and did you catch that it’s quite a long journey to get there? It’s about 5 hours from Tena and about 8 hours from Quito to Lago Agrio. Then it’s another 4 hours to get to the lodges, which is why I recommend the 3-night/4-day (at minimum!). Gotta make the effort worth it!
However, another thing to keep in mind is that the tour starts once you’re on the boat. A guide must be with you at all times, and they are good at what they do! So, not only is the two-hour journey relaxing, but you’ll start seeing animals right away! For example, we saw five types of monkeys on the way in!
3. All activities are included and pre-planned.
And, all activities are guided tours. In both places, on arrival, we were introduced to our guide who stayed with us for the duration of our visit. Also, since it’s a flooded forest, you have to go everywhere by boat, and the maximum number of people per boat is 10. So, the group stays small.
It was a bit different on the trip with Shane since we arrived with a pre-made group. However, on the trip with my mom and cousin, we were assigned a group on arrival. Honestly, it felt a bit like summer camp for adults because you eat all your meals and do all the activities with your group. Our guide, Wilson, even sat at the head of the table, just like back in my camp counselor days. 😆
Now, I suppose this could be weird if you get a bad group, but we were lucky. Our seven-woman crew plus Wilson had a blast!
The activities vary slightly depending on how many nights you stay. However, in general, you can expect motorized canoe rides to look for animals, standard canoe rides (paddling required!), day and night walks in the tierra firma, and swimming in Laguna Grande.
During longer stays (like the 3 night/4 day one), you’ll visit one of the local communities, which was an informative experience. We learned how to make cassava (a yuca bread) from scratch!
4. You’ll see a lot of animals!
Birds! Pink river dolphins! Sloths! Anacondas! Spiders! Monkeys! Caimans!
Take binoculars, people!
(I am no nature photographer. Here’s the best I could do. The rest of my animal photos just look like pictures of trees. 😆)
And these are a few of my favorite things!
(I hope you sung that.)
Swimming and sunset in Laguna Grande
The equator!
I did not expect this, and it was a true treat!
And for those keeping track, this was my mom’s third trip to the equator. 😁
The Milky Way!
I only have a picture in my mind, but yes, we saw the Milky Way! There’s no light pollution on Laguna Grande, and we were lucky with some clear nights. Riding in silence, staring up at the Milky Way is something I’ll not forget.
Night walks
Everything is different at night. And it’s dark, really dark!
You’ll get to experience that firsthand when the guide has everyone turn off their flashlights. 😜 Ignore my cheesiness, but, wow, standing in the pitch black listening to the sounds of the jungle. Go figure, it really sounds like those “sounds of the jungle” soundtracks!
So, are you convinced yet?
I feel so lucky to have shared this place with my mom, cousin, and Shane! In my opinion, the Amazon region is often overlooked on the average tourist itinerary. And while it may be a journey to get there, it’s one worth taking!
Nos vemos,
The Shwits 