Get Some Insight to Prepare For Your Cruise or Lodging Adventure
The Ecuadorian Amazon region is one of the most biodiverse places on our planet. Besides countless animal and plant species, this spectacular region, also known as Oriente, is also home to several jungle tribes.
When starting to plan your jungle adventure, the first step is to decide what area of the Ecuadorian Amazon region you want to visit. There are mainly two different destination types. You can either visit one of the jungle towns that verge on the Andes for a quick escape or travel further into the rainforest for a deep jungle experience of at least 3 nights.
Most of our travelers choose a trip into deeper jungle like Yasuní National Park, Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve or Kapawi Reserve because of the exceptional wildlife you find there. In these areas, you will most likely see iconic species such as howler monkeys, anacondas, stinkbirds, parrots, and caimans.
Places like Tena, Puerto Misahuallí, and Puyo lie only a few hours’ drive away from important highland cities. These closer Amazon regions give you a first perception of the rainforest and serve as an introduction to the jungle flora and fauna. Unlike in the deepest areas of the rainforest, here you can practice adrenaline sports like rafting and tubing.
Click on the Tabs Below for More Information
Weather
The climate in the Amazon rainforest is hot and rainy. It is Ecuador’s most humid region. There are no actual seasons; the year can only be divided into rainy and less rainy months, as the Amazon region always offers a generous amount of rain. However, around February there are usually some days without any rainfall.
Despite the fact that it rains a lot, it never gets cold in the Amazon region. The average daytime temperature varies from 30°C to 32°C (85°F to 90°F). During the night, temperature can cool down to 20°C (68°F).
Packing List
Original passport
Light clothing (long sleeves, no jeans)
Raincoat
Comfortable walking shoes
Long socks (for the rubber boats)
Swimsuit
Rubber boots (if your lodge does not provide them)
Sandals
Sunglasses
Hat with neck cover
Sunscreen (sunblock)
Small backpack
Mosquito repellent
Medication for people that are allergic to insect bites and stings
Personal first-aid kit
Waterproof bag for valuables
Camera (good memory capacity, charger and adapter)
Binoculars
Flashlight and batteries
Reusable water bottle
Cash
How to Get There
Tour starting point: Coca City (also: Francisco de Orellana)
| By airplane from Quito | 45 minutes | +/- USD 290 roundtrip |
| By public bus from Quito | 7 hours | USD 15 each way |
| Private transportation | 5-6 hours from Quito | +/- USD 290 one way (up to 10 people) |
From the port of Coca City, you travel about three hours by motor canoe on Napo River to get to the different lodges in the Yasuní area.
Tour starting point: Cuyabeno Bridge
| Shared tourist bus | 10 hours | USD 35 each way |
| By public bus from Quito | 11 hours | USD 15 each way |
| Private transportation | 8-9 hours from Quito | +/- USD 290 one way (up to 10 people) |
From Cuyabeno Bridge, you travel about three hours by motor canoe to the lodge.
Tour starting point: Quito / Shell
| Quito - Shell by land | 4 hours |
| Shell - Kapawi by plane | 50 minutes |
Kapawi Ecolodge and Reserve is one of the most remote tourist destinations in Ecuador. First, you travel by land to Shell and from there you take a 50-minute flight to Kapawi. From the aerodrome, it is about 30 minutes to the lodge by canoe.
The area of Tena and Puerto Misahuallí is frequented by foreign and national tourists because of its proximity to Quito and the easy accessibility.
| By public bus | 5 hours from Quito | USD 6 each way |
| Private transportation | 4 hours from Quito | +/- USD 190 one way (up to 10 people) |
There are many lodging facilities from budget hostels to first class lodges located in the town or the nearby rainforest.
The town’s proximity to the Andean city Baños makes it an ideal destination for one-day tours from there.
| From Quito (5 hours) | +/- USD 8 by bus | USD 200 by private transportation |
| From Baños (1.5 hours) | USD 3 each way by bus | USD 40 by taxi |
Lodging facilities and tourist sites are located in the town or close-by.
Tour Duration
As the Yasuní National Park, the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve and the Kapawi Reserve lie deep inside the jungle, we recommend tours of 4 nights, or at least 3 nights. Obviously the longer you stay, the more you see.
The minimum recommended stay for visits to the Amazon border towns like Tena and Puerto Misahuallí is one night. There are one-day trips to Puyo leaving from Baños.
Standard Tour Schedule
First day – arrival:
- Land or air transportation to the Amazon region
- Pick up by your guide and journey to the lodge (land and/or fluvial transportation)
– Cuyabeno: approx. 3 hours by motor canoe
– Yasuni: approx. 2 hours by motor canoe and 30 minutes by foot and/or paddle canoe
Usually you arrive at the lodge in the afternoon.
Full days in the rainforest region:
Travel program according to your lodge
- Most activities are done in the early morning before breakfast, in the morning, late afternoon and after dinner by night. Those are the times when animals are usually more active.
- Activities vary according to the lodge and strongly depend on the weather. Find a list of possible activities below.
Last day – departure:
- Early breakfast, maybe followed by a short activity
- Transfer out of the jungle and trip to your next destination
Activities vary according to the lodge and strongly depend on the weather. This is a list of standard jungle activities: jungle hikes, wildlife spotting, birdwatching, night walks, botany observation, visit to a local community, climb an observation tower, caiman spotting, swimming, ecological piranha fishing, canoeing and sunset viewing.
