Home / South America, Ecuador Tours / Eco
7 Days - 360° Amazon Experience in Cuyabeno
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve,
Duration
7 day(s)
Tour type
Regular & Private
Group size
1-16 people
Physical Level
moderate
Tour Overview
Discover the Ecuadorian Amazon in Cuyabeno with eco-friendly lodge stays. Enjoy guided walks, wildlife spotting, and cultural exchanges with local communities. Highlights include a traditional canoe ride to a birdwatching tower with panoramic rainforest views, led by expert naturalist guides. Perfect for nature lovers.
Activities
Boat
Adventure
National Park
In-depth Cultural
Tour Features
Duration
7 day(s)
Max Group Size
1-16 people
Tour Code
7D360AEC
Departure Type
guaranteed
Tour Category
Eco
Guiding Method
Fully guided
Operated In
Age Requirement
0 - 0
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
Pickup Time:
----------------
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
Dropoff Time:
Highlights
Explore the Amazon by motorized canoe
Itinerary
Day 1
Our adventure begins at 8:00 a.m. at the Meeting Point Restaurant in Lago Agrio. We then take private transport for about two hours to the town of Tierras Orientales, on the banks of the Aguarico River, where we enjoy a box lunch. From there, we begin a 3-hour motorized canoe journey downstream to “La Bocana,” the meeting point of the Aguarico and Cuyabeno rivers, with opportunities to spot pink river dolphins and learn about the rainforest. We continue 30 minutes upstream on the Cuyabeno River to reach our lodge inside the reserve, observing wildlife along the way. After arriving and settling in, we enjoy dinner and join an optional night walk to discover nocturnal creatures.
Meals included: -/L/D
Overnight: Amazon Lodge
Day 2
At around 5:30 a.m., we begin our excursion with a motorized canoe ride upstream along the Cuyabeno River (about 1 hour), the ideal time to observe a great variety of birds and animals. We reach the “Saladero,” a clay lick where up to five species of colorful parrots. While enjoying this spectacle, we have breakfast outdoors. Afterward, we switch to our traditional killas de remo canoes and paddle upstream briefly before entering a blackwater meander, navigating slowly downstream in search of flora and fauna. We return to the Cuyabeno River and continue to the lodge (approximately 4 hours total). After lunch and a short rest, we take part in a
3-hour jungle walk, where the guide shares ancestral knowledge about the medicinal use of plants. We return to the lodge for dinner, with an optional night activity available afterward.
Meals included: B/L/D
Overnight: Amazon Lodge
Day 3
At 5:30 a.m., we start with a nutritious breakfast before boarding our traditional killas de remo to navigate downstream on the Cuyabeno River. We visit blackwater lagoons and stop at “La Bocana” to watch freshwater dolphins before reaching Doña Carmen Yumbo’s Kichwa farm, where we harvest fruits and learn to prepare casabe, a cassava bread included in our lunch. After returning by motorized canoe to the lodge for a short rest, at 4:30 p.m., we take the killas de remo again to visit the Bird Observation Tower built around a giant Ceibo tree, enjoying panoramic views and wildlife sightings. As night falls, we embark on a caiman-spotting adventure, encountering nocturnal animals before returning to the lodge for dinner.
Meals included: B/L/D
Overnight: Amazon Lodge
Day 4
We start early with a short trip in the forest or by canoe to see birds and enjoy nature waking up. After breakfast at 8:00 a.m., we pack our bags and take a motorized canoe ride to the Amazon Lodge (located upstream), with our local driver who will point out plants and animals along the way. The trip takes about 4 hours, depending on the river. When we arrive at around noon, you will have lunch, get settled in your room, and relax in the afternoon. After dinner at 7:30 p.m., the guide will explain about the lodge and the activities planned for the next days.
Meals included: B/L/D
Overnight: Amazon Lodge
Day 5
Wake up early for a special morning visit to the saladero, a natural clay lick where vibrant parrots and parakeets gather to feed. Enjoy breakfast in the field while watching this dazzling wildlife display. Then switch to paddle canoes to navigate a blackwater stream rich in biodiversity, where you might spot sloths, snakes, and exotic insects. In the afternoon, join a guided jungle hike focused on medicinal plants, where your guide will share ancestral knowledge passed down through generations. Return to the lodge for dinner and relax under the sounds of the Amazon.
Meals included: B/L/D
Overnight: Amazon Lodge
Day 6
Begin with a peaceful paddle at sunrise, observing birds and mammals as the forest wakes up. Later, venture along the San Francisco River and visit the enchanting Ceibo Lagoon, surrounded by flooded forest and jungle life. As night falls, embark on a starlit canoe ride in search of caimans and other nocturnal wildlife, a magical way to end a day filled with discovery.
Meals included: B/L/D
Overnight: Amazon Lodge
Day 7
On your final morning, rise early for one last optional walk or canoe outing to bid farewell to the jungle in its morning light. After breakfast, pack your bags and begin the return journey. A 30-minute canoe ride downstream leads to the Aguarico River, where you’ll travel upstream to Tierras Orientales. There, your land transport awaits to take you back to Lago Agrio, arriving around 1:00 p.m. The Amazon will stay with you long after you leave the colors, the sounds, and the profound connection to nature that this experience creates.
Meals included: B/-/-
Overnight:
Included
6 nights in cozy Amazon lodges.
Certified bilingual naturalist guides.
Meals per itinerary (vegetarian/vegan options)
Purified water.
Tea, coffee, and hot chocolate all day.
All river transport.
- Nighttime electricity for charging
- Rubber boots provided
- Biodegradable shampoo and soap
- Activities per itinerary
- Supports our Conservation Project
Excluded
International flights
Travel health insurance
- Overnight shuttle bus (Quito – Meeting Point – Puente Cuyabeno – Quito).
- Meals not in the itinerary.
- Alcoholic drinks.
- Rain poncho.
- Extra activities.
- Tips for the guide