CUYABENO WILDLIFE RESERVE, ECUADOR [2023]

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Ecuador: Why better wildlife viewing:

Imagine yourself exploring the Amazon rainforest. Of course, you really want to see wildlife. But only in Cuyabeno you actually get to see it. This is why: Most wildlife moves about through the canopy of the trees. From where you are on the ground, your vision is limited, because the undergrowth and the leaves are in your way. From the relative darkness where you are on the ground, you have to look up and get blinded by the sky light that penetrates through the tree crowns. That makes it difficult to distinguish the characteristics of the birds and mammals;

when you are in the jungle on foot, the crowns of the trees 35 meters above you look are so dark that observing animals above is very difficult as the contrast between the leaves and the light of the sky is blinding;

Birdwatching however from a motorized canoe, however, is very rewarding. Also the riverbed, the trees are lower and there are many srubs were, birds and monkeys tend to frolic, including aquatic birds. Sunlight illuminates the vegetation sideways so you are not blinded by light from the sky. While sitting comfortably in your canoe, you can watch wildlife at ease, while sitting down photographic equipments, binoculars and a nature guides at hand reach, without having to carry them;

Cuyabeno is the only reserve on a floodplain in the Andes foothills. This facilitates the best bird and wildlife viewing. Read why: In hilly terrain are no lakes and it is more difficult to hold the canoe still in faster running rivers. There is no other floodplain near the Andes foothills in any of the Amazon-Andes countries;

Being close to the Andes, your cost of getting there are much lower and travel time shorter than when you have to get deeper into the Amazon lowlands further away from the Andes;

The best time to watch birds and mammals is at dawn and sunset, so you need to be near to where the best wildlife observation is, which is Lake Cuyabeno and its surrounding swamps, the Cuyabeno Lodge is on a seasonal island in the lake itself, in the middle of the lake system. Tourists from other lodges must navigate uo to 45 minutes each time they go on excursion around the lake.

That is why you really want to explore the Amazon jungle from the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, the best Amazon Amazon National Park in South America. You can watch more birds and flowers during your stay anywhere else in the Amazon.

5 fabulous Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve Packages

In 1975, I, Dr. Daan Vreugdenhil, was a junior nature conservation ecologist, part of the United Nations project for selecting the National Parks System of Ecuador, proposed the protection of Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, at the time about 150,000 hectares. In 1976, then junior wildlife biologist, Dr. Flavio Coello, was the first superintendent of the national park and co-owner of this Parks and Tribes tour operation company. Read more about the Conservation History of Ecuador and other hidden places in Ecuador. Together we are the most knowledgeable experts on the Amazon of Ecuador and we developed the following fabulous programs for you.

Cuyabeno Lodge; the best Cuyabeno Lake package from the first eco lodge at the best place on a peninsula of the Laguna Cuyabeno;
NEW! Napo River / Yasuni tour, this tour takes you to all the beautiful places along the Napo / Yasuní without ridiculous prices;
NEW! Lagartocoche lakes this package takes you to the most hidden corner of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve at the border with Peru;
NEW! Cuyabeno Loop, this is the only package that takes you trough the entire Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve;
NEW! Cuyabeno new daytrip, If you are short of time or money this is the package for you;
Cofan Lodge/Zabalo Southern Cuyabeno package; the Cofan tribe hosts you from their Cofan Lodge in the Southern part of Cuyabeno.

The location within the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve is also of the essence:

As bird and wildlife observation is best very early in the morning, it is paramount to be right in the heart of the best place for observing animals. In the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, this is the Cuyabeno Lake system. The Cuyabeno Lodge is on a seasonal island, right in the heart of the lake system, while visitors coming from most other lodges must first travel 30 to 45 minutes to get to the lake. According to Tripadvisor, our Cuyabeno Lodge is the best Amazon Rainforest Eco Lodge in Ecuador!

Visibility on the ground within the Amazon forests is poor, making exploring the Amazon rainforest more difficult as one is blinded looking up while having to permanently having to watch where one walks. This makes wildlife observation much more difficult.

Watching birds, flowers and mammals from narrow rivers is better as trees along the creeks are lower and the sunlight penetrates to illuminate the river banks. Moreover, wildlife observation and photography from the water is much more convenient and effective, as one always has his/her binoculars, camera and birdbook at hand, as opposed to when one is walking through the forest.

The beauty of the Amazon jungle is in the small details. There are up to 580 species of birds, many of them incredibly beautiful, while flowers, such as orchids and bromeliads decorate the forest.

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve Facts

Discover our 5 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve tours traversing all 160 km from west to east and 100 km from North to South, exploring the 590,912 hectares of mostly virgin rainforest! Check on Google Earth: Cuyabeno Lodge being right on the equator.

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve CLICK TO ENLARGE the official map:

Rivers of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve incorporates most of the Rio Cuyabeno watershed which drains into the Aguarico River. Zancudo Cocha Lake is the largest lake in the parks, while the Lagartocoche watershed at the Peruvian border has a variety of lakes and swamps at both sides of the border, in tri-national reserves among Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. Over its length, the national park gently slopes from 300 masl in the East so about 250 masl in the Lagartocoche watershed. The main forest type of the park is humid tropical rainforest.

Climate and Weather of National Park Cuyabeno

The rainfall the Ecuadorian Amazon is varies from 3500mm at the airport of Lagoagrio to about 3200 mm per year at the Peruvian border. Average temperatures range from 24 C to 26 C, depending on the location, with lower temperatures nearer to Andes. For example, in Leticia it is 27 C on average, further down Amazon region in Colombia. Rainfall also has a significant west-east gradient, as precipitation decreasing Eastward.

CUYABENO WILDLIFE RESERVE, ECUADOR: Climate Lagoagrio.

Precipitation is the lowest in December, with an average of about 200 mm. Most rainfall falls in June, with an average of 345 mm.

At an average temperature of 25.7 Degree C, November is somewhat warmer, while the average temperatures in July are a bit lower at 24.1 degree C. It is the lowest average temperature of the whole year.

Ecology and Species of Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

9 macro-ecosystems:

frequently flooded forests or swamps;

poorly drained occasionally flooded lowland forests;

poorly drained rarely flooded lowland forests;

Semi-permanently flooded dwarf-forests or Igapo;

well-drained forest, located on undulating terrain;

"coffee-with_milk" coloured sediment-rich rivers;

black water rivers;

semi-permanent lakes;

permanent lakes.

The internal rivers and creeks are black-water ecosystems; however, during heavy rains they occasionally become sediment laden coloring the water lighter.

With almost 600 species of birds, Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve is an el dorado birders. More than 150 species of mammals have been recorded for the park, including two speces of dolphins, the Amazon Manatee, 10 species of monkeys, including the night monkey, the second smallest monkey on earth, many bats and rodents, varying from the world's largest, the Capybara to many small ones. Hoofed animals are include tapirs, two species of peccary and deer. Tree dwelling mammals include Sloths and Ant Eaters. Predators include various South American cats, including jaguar and Puma.

When the United Nations project selected the protected areas of Ecuador in 1975, Cuyabeno was known for its 6 m giant Anacondas, occasionally reaching 9 m. With the better protection, big anacondas are seen rather frequently, sometimes with the visible remains of an animal. Some of the turtles may grow to 1/2 meter, while yellow-legged tortoises roam the land. Moreover, many smaller snakes, lizards, geckos and iguanas are found in the park. Amphibians are everywhere, but hard to spot. The fish fauna of Cuyabeno is extremely diverse and includes the piranas, enormous catfish, electrical eels, prehistoric paiches and small colorful fishes.

Les common but present are the Yellow-handed Titi-monkeys.

The most fearless monkeys are the Capuchin Monkeys that invade the kitchens of the lodges from time to time.

Amazon Manatees migrate throughout the Amazon watershed in search of floating meadows.

The Grey Amazon Dolphin may sometimes jump above the water.

The Cuyabeno and Cofan Lodges, are at prime locations for exploring the park. the Cuyabeno Lodge at a seasonal island in Lake Cuyabeno in the Cuyabeno Upper watershed, while the Cofan Lodge is located along the Aguarico River in the village of Zabalo. Our quality programs - with great guides with great knowledge of birds, mammals - make optimal use of these different locations, thereby covering the entire national park areas.

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Canopy tower

2023 COFAN LODGE / CUYABENO LODGE / PARKS AND TRIBES PRICES

PARKS AND TRIBES AMAZON PROGRAMS WHAT's INCLUDED? HOW GET TO THE AMAZON? Prices excluded meals
CUYABENO DAY TRIP
DURATION STAY	Prices in US$
1 DAY	$ 99
Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers. Discounts for families with children NAPO RIVER CRUISE
DURATION STAY	Prices per person in US$
3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS	$ 450
LAGARTOCOCHE EXPEDITION
DURATION STAY	Prices per person in US$
4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS	$ 450
Departure from Nuevo Rocafuerte at the border with Peru. There is a daily rapid public boat services between Coca and Nuevo Rocafuerte for about $50 (not included).
Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers.
COFAN LODGE PROGRAMS
COFAN LODGE STANDARD PROGRAM
DURATION STAY	Prices per person in US$
4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS	$ 499

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers.

CUYABENO LOOP
DURATION STAY	Prices per person in US$
5 DAYS / 4 NIGHTS
Standard room at the Cuyabeno Lodge part (nights 3 &4)	$ 799
Standard room in the Cofan Lodge (nights 1 & 2) and Deluxe room at the Cuyabeno Lodge (nights 3 & 4)	$ 899

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers.

CUYABENO LODGE PROGRAMS
CUYABENO LODGE STANDARD PROGRAM
DURATION	Prices per person in US$
3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS
Standard room (17 m², private bathroom, shared balcony)	$ 280
Standard room Plus (20 m², private bathroom, shared balcony)	$ 350
Deluxe room (25m², private bathroom, private balcony in the tower)	$ 370
Suite (36m², private bathroom, private balcony)	$ 390

4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS
Shared budget room (Dormitory shared among 4 people, shared bathrooms)	$ 280
Standard room (17 m², private bathroom, shared balcony)	$ 390
Standard room Plus (20 m², private bathroom, shared balcony)	$ 430
Deluxe room (25m², private bathroom, private balcony in the tower)	$ 480
Suite (36m², private bathroom, private balcony)	$ 510

CUYABENO ADVENTURE
DURATION	Prices per person in US$
5 DAYS / 4 NIGHTS
Shared budget room (Dormitory shared among 4 people, shared bathrooms)	$ 340
Standard room (17 m², private bathroom, shared balcony)	$ 420
Standard room Plus (20 m², private bathroom, shared balcony)	$ 535
Deluxe room (25m², private bathroom, private balcony in the tower)	$ 595
Suite (36m², private bathroom, private balcony)	$ 635
Single occupancy surcharge (for the entire trip)	$ 100

Individual bookings are WELCOME

QUITO - LAGOAGRIO (or visa versa) PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION
	Prices in US$
One way per party price from or to Quito. Group Price for parties of 2 - 7 to the park entrance (minivan) who share the costs.	$ 300
One way Coca to Park entrance per taxi (Japanes size). Minimum 2 maximum 4 A 6 persons minivan is also available.Luggage capacity for carry-ons only.	$ 120 / $150

NATIONAL PARKS TOUR PROGRAM
DURATION STAY	Prices in US$
OPTION A: Complete national Parks Tour (10 days). From	$ 1399
OPTION B: After Machalilla return to Quito (6 days). From	$ 999
OPTION C: After Machalilla return to Quito (6 days) via Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve (7 days). From	$ 1099
OPTION D: Start and finish in Guayaquil (5 days). From	$999
OPTION E: Start in Cuenca and Finish in Guayaquil (5 days). From	$ 999

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers.

GALAPAGOS TOURS

Prices in US$

Galapagos Tours From:

Island Hopping. Prices for 6 days, 5 nights starting at:

Additional day trips available at various costs.

$ 749

Prices excluding flight and park entrance fees. Mínimum 2 persons.

LIMA CUSCO MACHU PICCHU
DURATION STAY	Prices in US$
6 or 7 days (subject to flight itineraries). Prices may vary from:	$ 1099

Flights not included. Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers.

CUYABENO WILDLIFE RESERVE. ECUADOR

PARKS & TRIBES Travel Agency in Quito, Ecuador

Street: Las Casas, Side street: Jose Coudrin, 2 blocks above the Occidental Highway

Canton Quito, Prov. Pichincha, Parroquia Belisario Quevedo

Tel: (++593)(02) 2 2324 4086, Cell phone: (++593) (0) 99 283 2187 Whatsapp: (++)1 304 901 0718

Email: info@parks-and-tribes.com

NO SEXI VIDEOS BUT SOLID INFORMATION FROM TRUE EXPERTS

CUYABENO WILDLIFE RESERVE, ECUADOR [2023]

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Ecuador: Why better wildlife viewing:

5 fabulous Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve Packages

The location within the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve is also of the essence:

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve Facts

Rivers of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Climate and Weather of National Park Cuyabeno

Ecology and Species of Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

9 macro-ecosystems:

COFAN LODGE PROGRAMS

QUITO - LAGOAGRIO

(or visa versa)

PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION