5-day Cuyabeno Birdwatching

• The adventure begins at 8:00 AM at Hotel D’ Mario’s restaurant in Lago Agrio. Whether you arrive by public bus, shuttle bus, or your own private transport, this is where we will meet. For those who prefer to fly, the nearest airport is located in Coca City. Be sure to check our transportation guide for more information.

• From Lago Agrio, we’ll drive about three hours in private transport, passing through secondary forests and small swamps, spotting unique birds along the way.

• At Tierras Orientales, we’ll have a box lunch before boarding a motorized canoe. We’ll travel about three hours downstream to “La Bocana,” where the Aguarico and Cuyabeno Rivers meet. Keep an eye out for pink river dolphins and enjoy learning about the primary and secondary forests from our guide.

• From there, it’s a 30-minute ride upriver to our partner lodge on the San Francisco Lagoon. Along the way, you’ll see plenty of flora and fauna, perfect for photos or binoculars.

• Once we arrive, you’ll have time to relax and settle in. After dinner, our guide will give a briefing on the days ahead, followed by a nighttime walk to spot nocturnal creatures like insects, spiders, tree snakes, and more.

Day 1: Arrival, First Animal Spotting & Into the Jungle After Dark

• At 6:00 am, we will take our paddle canoe to enjoy a quiet sunrise through rivers and lagoons near the lodge. We’ll search for bird species that are not commonly observed during daylight hours.

• After returning, you’ll have breakfast and a short break.

• Then, your guide will take you on an approximately three-hour walk through the forest, sharing insights about medicinal plants and how they’ve been used for generations. You’ll also learn about the connection between plants and wildlife. During this walk we will try to spot birds like antbirds, woodpeckers, wrens and many others that live in the lower parts of the canopy.

• As lunchtime approaches, we return to the lodge where lunch awaits us.

• In the afternoon, around 3:30 p.m., we’ll once again take the paddle canoe to explore Ceibo Lagoon near the lodge. This area is known for its unique blackwater ecosystem and Macrolobium trees, which support many plants, animals, and birds. We will navigate through the rivers in search of fish-eating birds like kingfishers and herons and take a short walk through the terra firme forest to look for tiny birds like manakins.

• After enjoying birdwatching in the afternoon, we head back to the lodge for dinner. At night, we set off on an adventure in search of caimans (a type of crocodilian) and bird species more active around this time like potoos, owls, and nightjars.

Day 2: Sunrise Birdwatching, Jungle Hike, Paddle Canoe Expedition & Nocturnal Birds

• Very early, around 5:30 a.m., we start our excursion in a motorized canoe, heading upstream on the Cuyabeno River for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. This is the ideal time to observe a wide variety of birds and other animals. 

• We’ll arrive at the “Saladero” (a clay bank rich in nutrients along the riverbank), where we can watch five species of colorful parrots and parakeets feeding on the clay to detoxify their bodies.

• After this magnificent morning, we return to the lodge for breakfast and a rest.

• Then, together with our guide, we will take our motorized canoe to navigate the Cuyabeno River until we reach “La Bocana.” Here, we can observe freshwater dolphins and enjoy beautiful landscapes. This is where the white waters full of sediments from the Aguarico River meet the black tannin-rich waters of the Cuyabeno River. Surrounded by sandy beaches, we’ll enjoy observing a variety of shorebirds such as skimmers, herons, and kingfishers. 

• Afterward, we return to the lodge for a delicious lunch.

• In the afternoon, at 4:00 pm, we will take our canoe to go to the Bird Observation Tower, which is built around a “Ceibo tree,” one of the largest in the area, with a height of 28 meters. From here, we’ll have a spectacular, panoramic view of the rainforest canopy and the tropical jungle, giving us the opportunity to hear and observe a wide variety of birds.

• Shortly after, we return to the lodge, where a delicious dinner awaits us.

Day 3: Parrot Clay Lick, Spotting Dolphins and Shorebirds & Bird Observation Tower

• Once again, we gear up for new adventures and the chance to spot more birds and animals to add to our checklist.

• We start the day with an early breakfast at 6:00 a.m., followed by a motorized canoe trip up the Cuyabeno River to reach the “Blackwater River,” a narrow, dark-water stream surrounded by lush vegetation. This area is home to wildlife species not commonly found near the larger rivers.

• We’ll navigate downstream in search of new experiences, enjoying a box lunch along the way.

• Afterward, we’ll take a trail through terra firme forest, where our guide will share valuable information, experiences, and knowledge.

• We’ll return to the lodge by canoe, arriving around 4:30 p.m. There, we’ll take a break and work on our checklist alongside our naturalist guide. Finally, we’ll enjoy dinner.

Day 4: Full Day Narrow River Navigation & Terra Firme Hike

• Enjoy one last early excursion into the forest or by canoe with your guide.

• Around 07:00 AM, we return to the lodge for breakfast and pack your bags for the return trip.

• Take a 3.5-hour canoe ride back to Tierras Orientales, with opportunities for animal sightings and soaking up the beauty of the Cuyabeno rainforest.

• From Tierras Orientales take the private bus for around 2 hours to Lago Agrio.

• We will arrive at approximately 1:30 p.m., either to take the public bus or the tourist bus back to Quito.

Day 5: Return to Civilization: Final Canoe Ride and Jungle Excursion