Day 1.-  Arrival Day

9am – 12pm
You are welcome to arrive at our meeting spot, the Hotel Arazá in Lago Agrio, early in the morning. You can relax in the lobby until the tour begins. From 6am to 9am, breakfast is provided, and there are bathrooms with showers and a pool available for your use. Our team will pick you up at 9:30am to start the journey to Bamboo Lodge. A two-hour shuttle ride will bring you to the entrance of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve.

12pm – 4pm
At the entrance of the Cuyabeno Reserve, your guide will complete the registration process and provide you with general information and important safety guidelines. Then, you’ll board the canoe, where you’ll get your first view of the stunning Amazon rainforest. The two-hour canoe ride downriver to Bamboo Lodge offers your first opportunity to observe the diverse Amazon wildlife and plant life. Upon arrival at Bamboo Lodge, lunch is served, and you can settle into your room.

4pm – 9pm
After a brief rest, we’ll set out in paddling canoes to explore the “Laguna Grande” (Big Lagoon). You’ll have a great chance of spotting pink river dolphins and other wildlife, and you can even take a swim in the center of the iconic “Laguna Grande” as you enjoy your first sunset in the jungle. After dinner, we’ll go on a nighttime expedition by motorized canoe to search for caimans and other nocturnal animals.

Day 3 – Amazon Culture & Forest

7am – 12pm
After breakfast, you’ll journey down the Cuyabeno River in a motorized canoe, heading to the Siona community of “Puerto Bolivar.” Along the way, your guide will highlight various Amazon wildlife such as monkeys, birds, and snakes. Upon arrival in Puerto Bolivar, a Siona woman will greet you and lead you to harvest yuca. She’ll demonstrate the complete process of making cassava, a traditional yucca bread, and you’ll have the chance to help and taste the bread afterward.

1pm – 4pm
You’ll return to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation. Later in the afternoon, you’ll head out for a jungle hike.

4pm – 9pm
Beginning your walk at around 4:30pm gives you the unique opportunity to observe the jungle’s shift from day to night. During the walk, you’ll explore different forest areas (highlands, swamps, and flooded forests). Your guide will explain the rainforest’s ecosystems, wildlife, and medicinal plants, as well as point out animals. Dinner will be served back at the lodge.

Day 4 – Departure Day

5:30am – 9:30am
Start the day early for bird watching, as most birds are most active at dawn. On this last day, you’ll rise with the sunrise. From our bird-watching tower, you may spot toucans, arasaris, oropendulas, and more. If the weather permits, you’ll also have one final opportunity to paddle out to the “Laguna Grande” to watch the sunrise. After returning to the lodge, enjoy breakfast and pack up to begin the journey back to civilization at 9:30am.

9:30am – 2:30pm
Enjoy your final canoe ride along the Cuyabeno River back to the reserve’s entrance, with possible last glimpses of Amazon wildlife. At the entrance, our shuttle will be waiting, and you’ll bid farewell to your guide. The shuttle will then transport you back to Lago Agrio.

Approximately 2:30pm
Once in Lago Agrio, our shuttle driver, Jaime, will take you to a local restaurant for lunch. Afterward, he can drop you off at the bus terminal, Hotel Arazá, or another location in Lago Agrio. If you have booked the tourist shuttle to Quito, it will pick you up directly from the restaurant.