Ecuador Amazon 5 Day Tour – Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Start from El Puente del Cuyabeno

The Ecuador Amazon 5 Day Tour – Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve begins at the meeting point in El Puente del Cuyabeno. From there, after gathering the group, we’ll make a short stop for lunch before boarding a motorized canoe that will take us along the river. This first river journey is a great opportunity to begin observing the lush vegetation and local wildlife. The guide will provide us with a rain poncho and a life jacket for the trip, which usually lasts between 2 and 3 hours until we reach the eco-lodge deep in the jungle.

Lodge in the Cuyabeno Reserve

Upon arrival at the eco-lodge, we’ll receive a warm welcome from the local team. We’ll have time to settle into our rooms, rest from the trip, and start feeling the peace of the rainforest. Before dinner, the guide will offer a short introductory talk to tell us more about the natural environment of the Cuyabeno Reserve, how the lodge operates, and the activities we’ll experience over the next few days.

Laguna Grande and Jungle Hike

After a delicious breakfast at 7:30 AM, we will depart by canoe to Laguna Grande, where we will explore the igapós—flooded forests full of ancient trees, bromeliads, and orchids. Then we will continue with a hike along the Palma Roja trail in the Terra Firme area, with opportunities to see tropical birds and monkeys.

Sunset and Night Walk

After returning to the lodge, we will have lunch at 2:30 PM and enjoy a short rest. In the afternoon, we will go back to the lagoon for a peaceful canoe ride, with the option to swim and admire a beautiful sunset. Back at the lodge, we will explore the surroundings in search of the Amazon’s nocturnal wildlife.

Birdwatching and Puerto Bolívar Community

We will start the day with an optional birdwatching excursion at dawn at 6:00 AM, followed by breakfast at 7:00 AM at the lodge. Then we will set off by canoe downstream in search of Morpho butterflies, monkeys, and local wildlife.

During the trip, we will visit the Puerto Bolívar community, inhabited by the Siona people, and continue until we meet Thomas, a Cofán shaman, who will share his knowledge about medicinal plants. Afterwards, we will have lunch there with a box lunch.

Visit to the Siona Family

After lunch, we will navigate back to Puerto Bolívar, where a Siona family will show us the ancestral process of making yuca bread (casabe), which we will have the chance to taste.

We will return to the lodge for dinner and end the day with a guided night walk around the lodge to observe frogs, spiders, and other nocturnal jungle animals.

Different activities in the Cuyabeno Reserve

After breakfast, the day will be organized according to the group’s interests, and there will be options to choose activities together with our guide. Several alternatives are available, such as birdwatching, canoe rides, or hikes through the rainforest.

*The group will not be divided; the activity will be decided based on the option chosen by the majority of participants.

Lunch will be served at the lodge, and in the afternoon, we can enjoy a moment to relax and watch the last sunset over the lagoon. After dinner, we will have a passion fruit cocktail farewell to say goodbye to the experience in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve.

Return to El Puente del Cuyabeno

After breakfast, we will board the canoes again to start the journey back to El Puente del Cuyabeno. During the river trip, we will have one last chance to marvel at the area’s biodiversity and say farewell to the Amazon rainforest. Departure is scheduled around 9:30 AM, but it may vary slightly depending on the weather and water level. We expect to arrive at the bridge around 1:30 PM, where this unforgettable adventure of the Ecuador Amazon 5 Day Tour – Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve will end.