Ecuador: jungle lodge shopping

[MagicChicken]

Hello again!

I booked a scuba diving cruise in the Galapagos. While I'm waiting for the itinerary to be approved by the authorities (GNP), I'm looking at other fun things to do in Ecuador.

One thing that comes to mind is a 4-day/3-night stay in a jungle lodge. There are many to choose from. I would appreciate if anyone who has stayed in one of these (or better, many of these!) could give some input. The following lodges have been mentionned several times on internet boards:

Kapawi lodge is located ~250km southeast of Tena, where Rio Capahuari and Rio Pastaza meet. It is the most remote jungle lodge and it is run by Achuar people following strict ecotourism guidelines. The website mention a tremendous variety of observed species : mammals (even river dolphins!), reptiles, birds, insects... You can't take pictures of the Achuar people (I like this mindset), but are instead invited to visit their households, drink manioc beer, eat local food and experience their culture.

Sacha and La Selva are located ~100km east of Coca (or 200km northeast of Tena) along the Rio Napo. Birdwatchers from around the world visit them. I've read a lot of positive comments about Sacha lodge on internet forums.

Many Ecuador circuits include a 2-day jungle lodge stay. I don't think they go that deep in the amazonian basin.

My priorities are:

1) The wildlife. The more I can see (not disturb!), the better! I want to see mammals (jaguars, ocelots, capybaras... dolphins?!) and reptiles (snakes, caimans, frogs) the most. I know I will see plenty of birds and insect wherever I end up

2) Cost. I'm a student. Money saved will be spent elsewhere during the trip.
...Kapawi = $975
...Sacha = $745
...La Selva = $555

3) Distance. They all include some hiking and some boat ride. I would prefer not to waste much time flying as it's better spent enjoying the jungle

Considering the above, my heart says Kapawi.

My brain says Sacha or La Selva.

I would expect that the farthest you go, the more wildlife you can expect to see. I know it's not a zoo, I'm talking about species observation frequencies. Perhaps my reasonning is flawing. Is it possible that animal in more populated areas become less shy (tamer?) and are easier to spot?

I'm also concerned by the oil industry in the north. I've read that in Sacha Lodge (for example) you can hear the drilling at night. Is it really that bad? Besides a slightly less-than-perfect experience, does it drive away the animals?

What do you knowledgeable people think? What would you suggest I choose?

Thanks!

Fred

 

[ChrisM]

I did the same research for our September 2007 trip to Galapagos and the Amazon. I can only speak to La Selva. I was told that the further you are from the Colombian border, the better from a safety perspective. I just looked up Kapawi, pretty far south so it should be OK. We stayed at La Selva and there is a shotgun armed patrolman at night. Not sure whether it made me feel better that they had one, or worse that they felt they needed to have one.... Note that there are US state dept warnings for traveling in the rea, might want to check Canadian sources. Of course, the odds of anything happening are remote. But it's there.

That said, La Selve was wonderful, and I wish we had done a week instead of 4 days. I don't know what the oil industry is like in Kapawi, but in La Selva/Sacha area it's prominent. You will see oil towns as you go down the Napo River. Then again, they've built schools and hospitals on that money. I didn't hear any oil activities, but there is a bit of light pollution at night from the oil operatiosn several miles away. At night, once the generators are off, the night animals and insects are overwhelming.

We saw lots of monkeys, a black agouti, that's about it as far as land animals go. Lots of insects, and frogs. hundreds of birds. Both Sacha and Selva are geared towards birders (but not obnoxiously so, it's actually quite interesting). We did see jaguar tracks that our guide told us were left the night before, but I'd venture to say that anywhere you go, seeing a jaguar will be a very rare occurrence. Dolphins, as far as I know, are in the big rivers. As you said, it's ot a zoo.

Getting to La Selva - 45 minute flight from Quito over the Andes, 2.5 hour ride down the Napo on motorised canoe, 20 minute hike through jungle, and 15 minute canoe ride across Lake Garzacocha. Pretty damn remote and an adventure in itself getting there. Sacha is basically the same, about a half mile up river from La Selva. Looks like Kapawi is two flights and some river.

Activities - hikes, bird watching, night hikes, parrot licks, fishing, kayaking, butterfly house, bird tower, hammocking.......

You get one local guide and one govt' trained guide. Also the opportunity to visit a local traditional family.

Accomodations - 10-12 huts set back from the lake. All have en suites. Fairly comfortable beds, and it's not as hot or as buggy as you might think. I actually used the blanket when it got cool at night. And ftr, neither I no my wife took any malarial meds. I read that short trips into this area, it was unnecessary. But bring bug spray.

Food was plentiful and delicious. Filtered water available 24-7. Electricity generated 6 am to 10 pm or so.

Cost - maybe the time of year, but our Fri to Mon stay was $698 /pp which did NOT include airfare (I think $200?). They are pretty strict about luggage to the jungle, since the planes are small (and the turbulence as you hit the cold air mass over the Andes from the warm Amazonian air is...,. interesting), I think it's 40#, but you have to check. they do weigh luggage.

Beer in the junge is very expensive, and not included (nor are sodas), so factor that into your cost. A large Pilsener is SIX DOLLARS (vs. $1.50 in Quito)

Feel free to PM or ask ay more questions. I had the same issues you did, and there really isn't a lot of information available on the various lodges.

I'd go back in a second

A couple pics:
Tree frog on night walk, 150 feet from lodge

Whiling away the afternoon over the lake

La Selva grounds - primary rainforest begins at the end of this walk, we saw the same group of tree monkeys commuting past this area on 2 of the 3 nights we were there, at the same time of day.

 

[MagicChicken]

Thanks for the review!

What do you know, a week stay would fit even better in our schedule

I'll let you know if I have some more questions.

Cheers!

Fred

 

[albert broccoli]

I was robbed at La Selva by gun toting bandits, along with about 14 other people, in 2004. In 2006, a similar robber occurred and the manager was killed.

This part of Ecuador is the subject of multiple goverment travel advisories. Here is a link to the Canadian one:

Travel Report for Ecuador

"Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada advises against all travel to the areas immediately bordering Colombia (namely both provinces of Carchi and Sucumbíos, with the exception of the city of Tulcán), and the town of San Lorenzo, located in the north of Esmeraldas province. Travel to and within these areas is dangerous due to the presence of drug traffickers, criminal organizations and refugees from Colombia, and to the risk of violence, including during demonstrations, kidnappings, armed assaults, and extortion. In March 2008, tensions between the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and the governments of Colombia and Ecuador led to an increase in the presence of military troops in the border region with Colombia. Canadian tourists and foreign oil workers have been held against their will as recently as May 2007 in these areas. There have been several reports of armed robberies at jungle lodges in the areas of Lower Rio Napo and Cuyabeno National Reserve."

La Selva is on the lower Rio Napo, on the border of the above-named provinces. Why any tour operator wouldn't tell you this is beyond me.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Besides those are some strange toes! I think we should boycott Ecuador for a number of simple reasons including their mismanagement of the Galapagos Islands, Harboring Terrorists, and backing the Venezuelan communist government! They are corrupt and are selling out to over fishing!

 

[albert broccoli]

Papa Bear, I agree the Galapagos Islands are mismanaged. What a shame they are administered by such to such a corrupt garbage heap of a third world government. I'm glad I saw the Islands when I did, because the fish are indeed disappearing there.

Regarding Ecuador, I don't know that I'd never go back or support a boycott. I don't think folks there are generally any different than anyplace else (other than petty theft being a national pastime) or that you can't have a good time there. Just don't be surprised if you are robbed, that's all.

 

[danclem]

Hi MagicChicken:

Our most recent trip to the Galapagos was last July. One thing you might want to consider is adding jungle time on to the end of your trip. We have been with several people who picked up bugs in "la selva" on pre-dive outings and were very green on dives.

Also, there is another side to what is going on in the Galapagos. From my perspective they are doing a decent job managing resources. Ecuador is not a wealthy country, and so far they have avoided turning the Galapagos into a for profit circus like a lot of other sensitive environmental sites around the world. They have even authorized the Sea Shephard to help reduce shark finning and other anti-environmental practices.

From my perspective the best way North Americans can help is by sending contributions to NGO's like the Galapagos Conservancy or Sea Shepard instead of bashing the government.

Have a super trip! It is an amazing part of the world.

¡Bien viaje!

Dan

 

[albert broccoli]

Ecuador | Sharks and other politicians | Economist.com

 

[ChrisM]

Ah, I'll stay out of the political debate.

Anyway, those are runners' toes. You oughta see the nails.......

I did state in my review that there were travel warnings. I've been to probably 30 + countries (stated only to indicate I am not naive about travel), and in my opinion it is the traveler's duty to discover the political/safety aspects of their destination. My travel pro also indicated that I should stay away from the northern provinces, which I believe are the ones you reference, so I am not sure about your last statement, I have also been to a number of places where there was violence.... 4 years ago, 3 years ago, etc. To me, that has no relevance to current conditions. I personally do not find two incidents of banditry (and one of murder) in the area anything to get up a dander about.

I am also aware that government warnings are the most conservative. If one were to believe all of them, they probably would never leave their own country (the current one posted also has much to do with the recent border incursion by Colombian forces to kill the FARC general in Ecuador, which tensions have since calmed). I love to travel, there are a few places I definitely would not go. Other places, I am willing to take reasonable chances for the experience.

Of course, I appreciate that your own experiences were probably frightening, and would cause you never to go back, understandable.

Anyway, that's just my .02 on the area and travel in general

 

[albert broccoli]

If my travel agent had told me that the hotel she was sending me to had been the target of at least two (that I know of; eye-witness accounts on the internet is all you're going get because the hotel isn't advertising their robbery rate) identical, major armed robberies resulting in fatality, inside of two years (pattern?); and if I had further known that my own goverment advised against travel to the location of the hotel because of those and other similar incidents, I would have chosen to go to a lodge in a different part of the country, ie Kapawi, which was actually our first choice at the time but which we passed on because of scheduling reasons.

La Selva is isolated, in a volatile part of the country, and there is no nearby police or military presence. When we were robbed, it took two days for the police to show up.

I know of another incident in the Cuyobeno national reserve where a boat load of tourists was pulled over to shore and made to spread out all their gear and clothing on the ground for some bandits to loot.

If, knowing this, a person still wants to visit, that's fine. We all evaluate risk differently. I'm just putting the information out there.

By the way, the hotel rooms have no door locks or safes and when you arrive the manager advises that guests put all valuables into the hotel safe. This fact is apparently known to the local bandits as both robberies targeted this safe, located in the manager's office. Very efficient that way. The only guest who came out of it smiling declined to put his loot in the safe. So there you go.