¿HOW GET TO THE SAN RAFAEL FALLS, ECUADOR?

How get to the San Rafael Falls, Ecuador

The131 m tall San Rafael Waterfall is the highest waterfall in Ecuador and the third highest in the Andes. It’s also the biggest waterfall by volume in the country and 25th biggest by volume worldwide with an everage water flow of about 400 cubic meters per second according to the Waterfall Database. One gets to the San Rafael Falls, Ecuador, on the Coca River, following the road from Quito to Lagoagrio.

Ecuador's tallest waterfall, San Rafael Falls.

Upper falls of the San Rafael Waterfall.

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 $ 25 for the round trip and you have to leave from your hotel in Quito to the terminal an hour before departure (by taxi). 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 boarding the our motorized canoe, will be more or less 15 hours. The same applies for the Lake Cuyabeno accommodations which pass through the main park entrance on the Cuyabeno River.
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 - 6 hours from your hotel until you can embark on the Rio Aguarico. The same applies for the Lake Cuyabeno accommodations which pass through the main park entrance on the Cuyabeno River.
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 Reserve, the San Rafael Falls, the Reventador Volcano and the Papallacta spas. The same applies for the Lake Cuyabeno accommodations which pass through the main park entrance on the Cuyabeno River.

CUYABENO WILDLIFE RESERVE MAP: Lake area tours.

CUYABENO WILDLIFE RESERVE MAP: Cuyabeno Loop.

CUYABENO WILDLIFE RESERVE MAP: Lagarto Cocha Expedition.

Routes from the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve programss of Parks and Tribes / Cofan Lodge:

Left above: Cuyabeno Lake Area;
Right above: Cuyabeno Loop;
Left: Lagarto Coche Expedition with the Cuyabeno Lake area as an additional option.

PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION QUITO - AGUARICO

Near the mountain pass you pass by beautiful paramos and some of the highest rainforests in the world along Lake Papallacta.

The San Rafael waterfall surrounded by virgin cloud forest is the most beautiful waterfall of the country.

Bordering Lake Papallacta is the Jamanco Spa with great mineral water without prior filtration as done in the Papallacta resorts. As a result, the mineral quality is supposed to be better, while resort prices are a fraction of the spas in Papallacta.

The Reventador is Ecuador's most active volcano and frequently runs of down-pouring can be seen glowing in the night.

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.

Arrival at the airport of oil-boom town Lagoagrio.

On a clear day you can see the Cayambe exactly on the equator, as you fly around it. It is the only major volcano as well as the only glacier in the world precisely on the equator. On the way in, chose a window on the right and on the way back on the left of the plane.

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

National Parks Tours

All hotels and lodges;
Transportation: All ground transportation on the National Parks tours;

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

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

All entry fees.

NOT INCLUDED:

Meals and beverages.

Amazon Tours

Lodging;
Excursions with professional nature guides;
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.
Meals include coffee, tea and bottled water;
Transportation between Lagoagrio and the access rivers.

NOT INCLUDED:

Bottled and alcoholic beverages need to be paid.

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.

2019 COFAN LODGE / CUYABENO LODGE / PARKS AND TRIBES PRICES

COFAN LODGE PROGRAMS
COFAN LODGE STANDARD PROGRAM
DURATION STAY	Prices in US$
4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS
Standard room	$ 499

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers.

CUYABENO LOOP
DURATION STAY	Prices 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.

LAGARTO COCHA EXPEDITION
DURATION STAY	Prices in US$
7 DAYS / 6 NIGHTS	$ 1099
Including Extension Cuyabeno Lake from where returning to Lagoagrio.	$ 1349

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers.

CUYABENO LODGE PROGRAMS
CUYABENO LODGE STANDARD PROGRAM
DURATION	Prices in US$
4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS
Shared budget room (Dormitory shared among 4 people, shared bathrooms)	$ 270
Standard room (17 m², private bathroom, shared balcony)	$ 410
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 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)	$ 510
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

$ 300

Group Price for parties of 2 - 7 (minivan) who share the costs.

NATIONAL PARKS TOUR PROGRAM
DURATION STAY	Prices in US$
OPTION A: Complete national Parks Tour (10 days)	$1999
OPTION B: After Machalilla return to Quito (6 days)	$1349
OPTION C: After Machalilla return to Quito (6 days) via Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve (7 days)	$1399
OPTION D: Start and finish in Guayaquil (5 days)	$1149
OPTION E: Start in Cuenca and Finish in Guayaquil (5 days)	$1149

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers.

GALAPAGOS TOURS

For island hopping starting at (Read details)

$520

Individual bookings are WELCOME

LIMA CUSCO MACHU PICCHU
DURATION STAY	Prices in US$
6 or 7 days (subject to flight itineraries)
LIMA - CUSCO MODULE (Read details)	$1199

Prices are based on a minimum of 2 passengers.

¿HOW GET TO THE SAN RAFAEL FALLS, ECUADOR?

PARKS & TRIBES and the COFAN LODGE have their sales office inside:

Hotel Balmoral, Address: Calle Moreno Bellido E6-57 & Avenida Amazonas, Quito

Telephone: (++593)(02) 2 50 5310, Cell phone: (++593) (0) 96 29 35 271

Email: [email protected]

Skype: ecotravelworldwide

Parks Man Dr. Daan Vreugdenhil is author of this website and founder of Parks and Tribes. He dedicated his life to the conservation of nature. https://www.facebook.com/DrDaanVreugdenhil, https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdaanvreugdenhil/. He was part of the team that selected the first 39 protected areas of Ecuador, including. Yasuní and Cuyabeno, the latter of which he he later recommended to be expanded from originally 150,000ha to 600,000ha, together with then Cuyabeno director Prof. Dr. Flavio Coello and Parks and Tribes partner. Daan is also the founding father of the Cuyabeno Lodge and co-manager of the Cofan Lodge.

¿HOW GET TO THE SAN RAFAEL FALLS, ECUADOR?