CUYABENO

This wildlife reserve deep in the Ecuadorian Amazonia lies in the middle of the rainforest, in the protected zone of the Sucumbios province in the north-east of the country. After a two hour drive from Lago Agrio, the visitors have to continue by a motor canoe for another two hours to Laguna Grande, the centre of the reserve. The whole area lies between 200 and 280 metres above sea level.
The region is a maze of rivers, lakes and flooded rainforest. The protected area covers more than 604,000 hectares of primary rainforest with huge numbers of plants and animals including Neotropical species such as: the Amazon river dolphins, tapirs, capybaras, caymans, anacondas, ocelots, various monkeys and piranhas. As yet, 515 bird species have been described in the reserve, from parrots and toucans to the harpy eagles. There are also approximately 12,000 plant species.

Cuyabeno offers good infrastructure for tourist and nature enthusiasts. Eco-lodges can be found mainly around the lake but also on both banks of the Cuyabeno River. Apart from the activities connected with research and tourism, these eco-lodges cooperate with the local Siona tribe communities, who benefit from this tourism income in the harsh conditions of the rainforest.