Your Travel Experience with Galapagos PRO
Day 1
Transfer to Lago Agrio
Arrival by tourist bus or private Spanish-speaking driver to the Cuyabeno Bridge. The lodge will be waiting for you there. The journey takes about 10 hours by bus and 8 hours by private transfer. When the weather is nice it is a very beautiful drive through the paramo, cloud and rainforest.
Transfer to Jamu Lodge
From Lago Agrio, take a private transfer to the entrance of the Cuyabeno Reserve and enjoy a packed lunch. At this point, visitors must register in the reserve and pay admission.
As you move through the National Park, your naturalist guide gives you information about the reserve, the animals and the plants. Your canoe journey on the Cuyabeno River to Jamu Lodge will offer about 2 hours of beautiful jungle scenery, and you will get a first glimpse of some of the jungle's unique flora and fauna.
After reaching the Jamu Lodge you will be shown your room and enough time to settle in. After a siesta, enjoy a swim in the lagoon during sunset. Afterwards, return to the lodge for dinner and finish your first day in the jungle by relaxing in a hammock or having a drink at the bar.
Primary forest trip and caiman observation
After breakfast, take a 3 to 4 hour excursion to the primary forest where your guide will explain how this complex tropical ecosystem works. You will learn about medicinal plants and with luck you may see some exotic birds and monkeys. Return to the camp for lunch and a siesta.
In the afternoon, enjoy another sunset swim in the lagoon where you may have the opportunity to spot pink dolphins or an anaconda basking in a tree. An optional night canoe ride to look for caimans is offered after dinner.
Day 2
Bird watching
Rise at dawn to watch birds before breakfast and spot river dolphins. After breakfast you have a walk through the terra firma forest with your naturalist guide who shares more knowledge of the special plants and wildlife.
Flooded Igapo and a guided night hike
After lunch and a siesta you will make a trip by dug-out canoe to the flooded Igapo to spot the active monkeys and birds in the afternoon. Enjoy another sunset swim before dinner, then join the guided night excursion to spot caimans and nocturnal birds.
Day 3
Visit the Siona Community
After breakfast, we head to the Siona Community of Puerto Bolivar, the largest ethnic group in the Reserve. During this tour you will learn their customs, traditions and way of life. You will be part of the preparation of Casabe, a local dish made of yucca .
During the 2 hour canoe ride to the community, you can admire the wildlife along the Rio Cuyabeno such as: birds, monkeys, snakes, pink dolphins and tortoises. A visit to the Shaman, the healer of the community, is also included. This is a full day excursion with lunch in the Community. After returning to the lodge, take a short nocturnal hike through the primary forest in search of insects, spiders, geckos or scorpions, and listen to the night sounds of the jungle.
Day 4
Cuyabeno Reserve
After breakfast, a tour with traditional dug-out canoes is on the agenda. You can enjoy the unique nature and relax during the ride. You will have a packed lunch then explore the Canangueno Lake to discover the variety of different bird species, which can be found there. Return to the lodge.
Day 5
Transfer to Quito
After breakfast journey up Cuyabeno river to El Puente. Drive back to Lago Agrio in time for your return flight or bus journey back to Quito.