4 Days Paddle Boarding in the Cuyabeno Reserve

Ready for your 4-day Amazon tour? Meet us at Meeting Point Restaurant (formerly Blue Planet) in Lago Agrio at 8:00 AM. A bus ride and scenic canoe trip will take you to Waita Lodge, where you’ll enjoy wildlife sightings and an immersive rainforest experience, including a night walk to spot insects, snakes, and more.

We begin our paddle ride at 6:00 - the best time to spot birds. While navigating through small lakes, enjoy the sunrise and incredible landscape. During this tour, we can observe many species of birds and mammals. Afterwards, we go back to the lodge to savour a delicious breakfast. After a short rest, our guide takes us on a 3-hr walk. He will share his knowledge about the use of medicinal plants that his ancestors have transmitted through generations and provide information on the flora and fauna of the area. After lunch, at 16:30, we once again take our boards to navigate around the lagoon of the Ceibo, "giant tree of the jungle". Here, the forest is flooded with black water, also called Igapo. Afterwards, we visit the San Francisco river, a narrow white water river surrounded by exuberant vegetation and unique species. When the night begins to fall, we venture downstream in search of caimans and other species of nocturnal animals (fishing bats, tree snakes, nocturnal birds).

At 5:45, we hop on our paddlboards and navigate downstream for about 2 hrs to enjoy the awakening of nature. When we reach the saladero (clay bank full of nutrients exposed to the banks of the river), we can witness 5 species of colorful parrots and parakeets having breakfast. It is then time for us to savour our tasty breakfast! After a break, we take our boards for a long journey downstream Cuyabeno. At the bocana, where the 2 rivers meet, we can spot pink dolphins and admire the unique coloration of the water. Back at the lodge, we will have a delicious lunch. At 16:00, we take our canoe to Amarum Poza Lagoon. We enter this lagoon on our paddles to go visit the Bird Observation Tower, built around one of the largest trees of the area, a Ceibo tree. From the top of the tower, at 28 m (92 ft) high, we have a breathtaking view of the Canopy and wildlife. Before returning to our Lodge for dinner, we go on a short night walk around the tower in search of new species of insects.

This being our last day in this wonderful place, we have one last early activity - either a brief forest excursion or a canoe ride - to witness the wildlife starting their day. After breakfast, you must prepare your luggage for the return trip. We will sail 30 minutes downstream on the Cuyabeno river and then take the Aguarico river upstream for 3 hrs until we reach Tierras Orientales. Here, we have lunch while waiting for our transportation. Once back in Lago Agrio, around 15:00, you can either take the bus or the plane back to Quito.