6-Day Amazon Cuyabeno & Papallacta Adventure

Very early in the morning, around 3:00 AM, you will be picked up at your hotel in Quito to start your trip to the Cuyabeno. It will take around 8 hours to reach the reserve. Upon arrival at the Cuyabeno Bridge, your naturalist guide will share information about the reserve and important recommendations before navigating two hours down the Cuyabeno River, towards the lodge. During the canoe ride, you will have a first look at the jungle, and observe different types of birds. You may also be able to see a variety of monkeys and other jungle animals, depending on weather conditions. Once you reach the lodge, you can relax a bit. After the break, you will go swimming in Laguna Grande and witness a beautiful sunset. Then, you will then return to the camp for dinner.

After breakfast, you will walk for approximately 3 to 4 hours through the primary forest, where the guide will explain about the tropical forest and its medicinal plants. You will return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you will go out to see the beautiful butterflies and swim in the lagoon, where you will enjoy the impressive sunset. If you are lucky enough, you will have the chance to observe pink dolphins. After dinner at the lodge, you will carry out a nocturnal activity focused on the search for alligators on the banks of the river.

After breakfast, you will set off in a canoe, down the river for about an hour, to visit a family from the Tarapuy community. Here, you will learn how to prepare Casabe, a traditional Yuca bread, using materials from the jungle. You will then return to the lodge. After lunch, you will have time for some relaxation activities. At the end of the day, you will have a short walk through the primary forest focused on observing nocturnal animals, such as spiders, geckos, or scorpions, and listening to the noises and sounds of the night.

Today you will participate in two activities. First, there will be an excursion to the surroundings of the lodge on a native special canoe called “Quilla” for bird watching. Then, you will have another hike where you will get a good idea of what a flooded forest looks like. While paddling, you will have a great opportunity to see even more fauna and flora, as you will observe a great variety of birds and monkeys from the canoe. The activities of this day take about 4 to 5 hours, so during the excursion, you will enjoy a box lunch.

Early in the morning, and before breakfast, you will have an optional bird-watching excursion. This activity will depend on weather conditions. After this, you will have breakfast. Then, you will be transferred back to the Cuyabeno Bridge. From there, you will head to Papallacta, where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful hot springs. These open-air thermal pools have various medicinal benefits. Due to their minerals, these waters will help gently exfoliate your skin and relax your body.

On the last day of your Cuyabeno & Papallacta Adventure, you will go, by private transportation, from Papallacta to Quito’s Airport or back to your hotel in Quito.