Quito – Lago Agrio – Rio Cuyabeno – Laguna Grande – Cuyabeno Lodge

From Quito, fly or travel by road over the Andes to the frontier oil town of Lago Agrio, ( at the moment there are not flights to Lago Agrio).  (see How to Get to Lago Agrio). From Lago Agrio, our private transportation will take you to the “Cuyabeno Bridge” (distance 100 Kms / 62 miles, travel time approx. 2 hours) where you will meet your guide. Depending on logistics, either have lunch here in a local restaurant, or once you arrive at the lodge.

Your guide will register you with the National Park and help you get on the motorized canoe which will take you along the Cuyabeno River to the Laguna Grande, where our lodge is located. During this journey of approx. 2 hours (depending on the conditions of the river) you will be able to observe the richness of the wildlife. 

It is common to see different species of monkey on the way, such as squirrel monkeys, capuchin monkeys and tamarin monkeys, as well as a variety of bird species like toucans, macaws and parrots. With luck, you may also spot sloth or larger species of monkey like woolly monkey or howler monkey. Other possible animals you can spot on the river are anaconda and caiman. Be sure to keep your eyes on the banks and your camera ready.

After arriving at the lodge, settling in your room and a short rest, you will go out to explore the beautiful Laguna Grande in search of pink dolphins and birdwatching. You will also be able to swim in the lake by sunset and enjoy the unique atmosphere on the lake.

After dinner back at the lodge, your guide will plan the next day’s itinerary and activities with you before you retire to your room for a good night’s sleep with the nocturnal sounds of the rainforest.

Monkeys or birds will probably wake you up in the morning. After breakfast, a short canoe ride takes you to one of the trails in the National Park. Walkthrough the “terra firma forest” and listen to your guide explaining the wildlife, medicinal forest plants, the forest ecosystem and indigenous life. 

As you’re getting a close look at the jungle, pay attention to the small details you might see: different species of ants that have perfected the organization of their colonies, tiny poisonous frogs hiding under the leaves, insects on the hunt for their next meal, or fungi that take over and kill small organisms like insects or spiders. All of our guides are experts and will happily answer any question you might have.

After lunch, we recommend a siesta during the hottest part of the day. You can relax in your room, in the hammocks, or on the dock. Later in the afternoon, you will explore more flooded parts of the forest by canoe. The fascinating macrolobium trees covered with abundant epiphytes are the most typical plant of this area. Try to spot monkeys and birds, and also look for dolphins or anacondas.

After dinner, get your flashlight out and walk through primary forest, looking for insects like giant grasshoppers, stick insect, praying mantis and others that come out at night and are fascinating to see from up close. If you’re lucky (and quiet) you might see some of the other nocturnal jungle animals, like night monkeys, owls, and different kinds of rodents.

After an early breakfast, today you will visit the indigenous Siona. Follow the Cuyabeno River downstream for about 1.5 hours, of course always looking for wildlife, until you reach one of the three indigenous villages we work with and support with our visit. One of the women will give you a hands-on lesson in how to prepare the typical casabe, a tortilla made from manioc. 

Start by harvesting the maniok in the family’s fields, before it gets cooked in a traditional kitchen over the open fire. Your guide will give you some explanations about the indigenous people of the area, their history and their way of life.

Return to the Lodge for lunch. After the siesta, take a refreshing bath in the lake and enjoy once more the beautiful sunset.
After dinner a special adventure awaits you: a nocturnal excursion by canoe, looking for caimans, snakes and nocturnal birds. Bring a good flashlight, then caimans are most easily spotted by the reflection of their eyes.

If you like, you can go bird watching early in the morning. Early mornings are a beautiful time in the jungle, when everything slowly begins to wake up, the water is calm and the air fresh.

After breakfast, journey upstream, back to the bridge. Of course we will look for wildlife one last time. From the bridge, our vehicle will take you back to Lago Agrio. Return to Quito either by bus or private transportation.