PARKS AND TRIBES

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6 BEST TROPICAL ADVENTURE TOURS, [REVIEW]

• 7 - 9 DAYS' LAGARTO COCHA EXPEDITION

• 5 DAYS' CUYABENO LOOP

• 4 DAYS' STANDARD COFAN LODGE TOUR

• 4 DAYS CUYABENO LAKE TOUR

• 5 DAYS CUYABENO LAKE TOUR

• PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION QUITO LAGOAGRIO

These 6 Tropical Adventure Tours, that take you on hidden  creeks and lakes are the best Amazon journeys in Ecuador! Discover Indian tribes in Ecuador, Monkeys, Sloths, Dolphins. No other Amazon rainforest in any of the Amazon-Andean countries can match the wildlife viewing of Cuyabeno and it is far better than Yasuní! This is why! Within Cuyabeno, these are the best Cuyabeno programs because they have been designed by the conservation biologist who started ecotourism to Cuyabeno and the Cofan Tribe, who manage one third of Cuyabeno.

7 DAYS' LAGARTO COCHA EXPEDITION

The 7 day's Lagarto Cocha Expedition is an epic journey deep into the wildest part of the Ecuadorian Amazon, exploring creeks and lakes that hardly any tourist ever gets to see.

Day 1

Our transport meets you in Lagoagrio to take you in about 2 hours to the the canoe landing location Nuevo Unión, on the Aguarico River.

Upon arrival in Zábalo, you will be shown around in the village and taken to your cabins to freshen up and rest, as it has been a long day since your departure from Quito.

Day 2

You will be taken on one of the few Ecuadorian black water rivers, where the clear dark water provides ideal conditions for Giant Otters. There is also a vivid population of Scarlet Macaws as well as a great variety of tropical birds and monkeys.

In the evening, you return to Zábalo to spend the night in the Cofan Lodge.

After dark, we make a short excursion to look at nocturnal animals.

Tree frogs are very common, but it is somewhat hard to spot them. The minute you think you at last have one in your camera, they jump away to never be seen again. With lots of luck, you may see the reflecting eyes of an Ocelot Cat in the beam of your flash light.

Day 3

The day begins with learning about of the Cofan ways. You will be instructed how to shoot with a blowgun, and get the opportunity to see the traditional Cofan dresses.

In the morning we take off to the largest lake of the Ecuatorian Amazon, Zancudo Coche, located in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. After a well-deserved night's rest, you will explore Lake Zancudo Cocha and its surrounding.

Skim past the shores with beautiful jungle trees and spot sloths and monkeys, like the Black-mantled Tamarins, noisy Howlers and Wooley Monkeys. Watch for the more than 540 species of birds known for the area, varying from hummingbirds to Harpy eagles, King Vultures to endangered – yet common in Cuyabeno - Blue and Yellow macaws.

We spend the entire day exploring the lake, after which we make camp and sleep in tents along the lake side.

Day 4

After breakfast, we enter a branch of the Imuya River, which forms the Lagarto Cocha watershed. We send the entire day exploring this beautiful black water river, looking out for wildlife and birds.

Some of the jungle flowers you may find along the way, depending on the season.

In the evening we make camp (in tents) along the river.

Day 5

After breakfast, we enter the Lagarto Coche Lakes, a dense network of lakes and creaks at the border with Peru. We spend 2 days exploring the lakes and Macrolobium swamps.

In the evening, we make camp along one of the creeks or lakes.

Day 6

In the morning, we continue exploring the Lagarto Cocha Lakes swamps.

In the afternoon, we have to head back to Zábalo, where you spend the night in the Cofan Lodge.

Day 7

On day 7, you will experience the feel of so many of our visitors: "It all went by too quickly".

From Zábalo, we take you upstream Aguarico River to the road at El Unión, where your transport is waiting for you to take you to the airport or the bus-terminal in Lagoagrio, where your journey ends. Check our Cofan Lodge rates.

CUYABENO LAKE EXTENSION

For those who would like to explore the entire Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, we have the Cuyabeno Lake Extension. Your expedition would last two more days, the last of which, you would spend around the famous Cuyabeno Lake while being lodged in the comfortable famous Cuyabeno Lodge. This would be a fantastic conclusion of your Amazon Rainforest Expedition.  For details about the program, take a look at Cuyabeno Tour, but in stead of staying 3 nights, you would be staying 2 nights.

For this extension, your extended itinerary would continue after the previous day 6:

Day 7

After breakfast, we take you to the mouth of the Cuyabeno River, where usually some river dolphins hang out. From there you will be taken to the Canopy tower, to have an impression of the natural canopy.

After visiting the canopy tower, the journey continues upstream to the Cuyabeno Lake, from where the program will be taken over by one of the lodges at the Cuyabeno Lake, of which the most famous is the Cuyabeno Lodge.

Upon arrival at the lodge, you can take a hot shower and rest up a bit and take a swim in the lake at sunset.

At night you can take an night excursion through the "tierra firma" - better drained hilly (but not dry) forest and explore the cool mysterious critters of the night.

Nocturnal critters

On night excursions, one can see the most unusual critters and events, like a cricket that just changed its skin, nocturnal lizards, tarantulas, and of course, tree frogs.

Day 8

After a well-deserved night's rest, you will explore the Cuyabeno Lake and its surrounding Macrolobium swamps, which are more developed than in Lagarto Cocha. The forest in this part of the reserve is better developed and you are likely to see different species of wildlife.

Day 9

On this final day, you will have to leave early in the morning to get back on time to catch the plane or bus to Quito in Lagoagrio. You will ride the canoe up the Upper Cuyabeno River to the main entrance of the park, the "Cuyabeno Bridge", where your transport will be waiting for you to bring you to the airport or to the bus station to take you on your trip back to Quito, thus ending your Tropical Adventure Tour in Ecuador.

CUYABENO, GETTING THERE AND BACK

There are 3 options to travel to the Amazon Lowlands:

• Take the night bus from Quito to Lagoagrio (usually leaves at 11 at night) from the "Terminal Norte" in Quito and arrive in Lagoagrio at dawn, which takes about 7 hours. It costs about $ 40 for the round trip and you have to leave from your hotel in Quito to the terminal  an hour before departure. Alternatively, you can take a day bus, but then you will have to spend the night in Lagoagrio. We will pick you up in Lagoagrio in combination with arriving passengers by plane, departing generally at 10:30 (depending on the arrival of the plane), to Nuevo Unión (2 hours), where we embark in our canoe at about 12:30. Between your departure from your hotel at night at 10 at night until disembarking, will be more or less 15 hours.

• Fly with Tame Quito - Lagoagrio. You can book your ticket at https://www.tame.com.ec, which costs about $ 150 round trip, but additionally you have to consider the cost of a taxi that costs 2X25; Then it actually costs $ 200. Your flight usually leaves at 9 in the morning, and takes 30 minutes to arrive. As many times the flight is delayed, count on arriving around 10, and after getting your luggage, it will be 10:30. We'll pick you up at the airport. From there it takes two hours to arrive in Nuevo Union, where we leave in our canoe at 12:30. Thus flying takes a total of 5, 5 - 6 hours from your hotel until you can embark on the Rio Aguarico.

• Take our Private Trans-Andean Transportation to the Aguarico or Cuyabeno River, of which you can read the details below. We will pick you up at your hotel early in the morning and take to the Aguarico River in about 8 - 9 hours depending how much time we spend on the way at the overlooks into the Cayambe _ Coca Ecological.

PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION QUITO - AGUARICO

Very early in the morning you will be picked up at your hotel in Quito to travel along the scenic road to the Aguarico River, passing through Ecuador's most striking waterfall, the San Rafael Waterfall, as well through the paramo (Andes meadow) of the Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve.

• It is possible to arrange for spending the night at either a Papallacta (costly) or Jamanco (friendly and much more economical) Spa, but then another day is needed.

• Many passengers who take the private transportation, chose to fly back or visa versa.

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

Amazon Tours

1. Lodging;

2. Excursions with professional nature guides;

3. All Amazon programs include all meals, and fruit juices served with the meals. Our restaurants serve a mix of international cuisine and occasionally, the Cofan Lodge offers  a sample meal of traditional Cofan dishes.

4. Meals include coffee, tea and bottled water, while additional bottled drinks and alcoholic beverages can be bought.

5. Transportation between Lagoagrio and the access rivers.

National Parks Tours

1. All hotels and lodges;

2. Transportation: All ground transportation on the National Parks tours;

3. In-country flights where included in the national parks tour program, but NOT to/fro Galapagos or Lagoagrio;

4. An English speaking naturalist guide. A German or French speaking guide may also be available, but can't be guaranteed.

5. All entry fees.

COMBI-DISCOUNTS

Depending on the program you selected, we always try to give you a discount on combined modules. Groups above 4 passengers will receive discounts, depending on group size.

HOW TO BOOK A TOUR?

Our programs are rather customized and we try to accommodate the travel needs of our customers. To avoid misunderstandings, we don't offer a prepaid travel option. Just send an email to or contact us through our contact data below. 

From Abroad:

Sending money from abroad is rather costly and we try to minimize money going to bank transfers. Once your schedule has been worked out, we kindly request you to make a reservation guarantee transfer of only $100 by Western Union or Moneygram. The balance you pay in CASH in Quito upon arrival (we don't take credit cards!) This way you don't lose a lot of money sending money. The $100 is NOT recoverable upon cancelation.

Why we don't accept credit cards in Ecuador either? The credit card services charge 7%! We would have to charge you for that, making your trip more expensive. We do everything to make your trip as cost effective as possible.

Already in Ecuador?

You can pay in our office mentioned below. We apply a cancelation fee of $100.

WHAT IS ESSENTIAL TO BRING?

For this question we link to our special vacation packing list.

2017 PARKS AND TRIBES PRICES

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers and apply to EACH passenger.

Individual bookings are WELCOME

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers and apply to EACH passenger.

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers and apply to EACH passenger.

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers and apply to EACH passenger.

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers and apply to EACH passenger.

Individual bookings are WELCOME