Yacuma Ecolodge

Overview

Description

Yacuma Ecolodge is an attractive ecolodge in true natural surroundings where we practice sustainable tourism that respects the people, the environment, and the economy of our host community. We strive to live in a natural environment that is as unspoiled and attractive as possible, work together with the community, respect their valuable culture and heritage, and offer hospitable services for our guests.

The Yacuma Protected Amazon Rainforest Reserve and Ecolodge are located in the Napo River area in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The Reserve spans more than 741 acres (300 hectares) of primary tropical jungle. With its richness in species and ecosystems, the Yacuma forest reserve is an extraordinary place for ecotourists and nature lovers.

Local guides will share their expertise as you traverse the diverse habitats of the reserve and learn about the medicinal and culinary properties of exotic plants. You can take hikes during the day, and there are more than six miles (10 km) of trails to choose from.

Bird watching:
More than 340 bird species live in the vicinity of the Yacuma reserve. Expert local guides will identify their songs and calls for you.

Wildlife viewing:
With luck, you will catch a glimpse of the wildlife that inhabits the area including monkeys, capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), and wild pigs, to name a few. However, it is important to know that it is often quite difficult to observe these extraordinary animals due to the simple fact that in the jungle there is a struggle for life, and everybody is hiding to survive.

Canoe trips and fishing:
Visitors can enjoy canoe trips on the natural lagoons in the area. There are plenty of opportunities for fishing.

Swimming and relaxing:
After a day of hiking, you have the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing swim in the Chontayacu, Sumino, or Napo Rivers. Or, simply relax in a hammock while listening to the sounds of the forest.

Gold panning:
Why not try gold panning on the Napo River as the local indigenous people do? We will take you to certain areas on the river banks where you can try your luck and search for gold!

Rooms

12 comfortable bungalows presented in the traditional Amazon style, built with materials harvested from the rainforest in a sustainable manner combined with modern materials. Our 24 rooms have solar-powered electricity and private facilities, and can accommodate a total of 56 people.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 14

Percentage of local employees: 70%

Yacuma project:

Yacuma Ecolodge is a joint ecotourism initiative of the Chontayacu rainforest community and Pamir Travel Group in Ecuador. Created in 1995, it provides employment opportunities through nature-based ecotourism. The goal at the outset of the Yacuma project was to create a viable ecotourism lodge that was wholly owned and operated by local Ecuadorians. To accomplish this, Pamir trained villagers in a broad range of activities including housekeeping, cooking, and guiding. Today, 15 families receive regular economic benefits from employment at the ecolodge.

Yacuma Ecolodge provides villagers with economic benefits from living in harmony with the forest in many ways. In addition to lodge management and employment, villagers work in sustainable agriculture and handicraft activities and sell non-timber forest products. During their visit to Yacuma Ecolodge, tourists will have the opportunity to discover the Yacuma protected forest reserve through the eyes of the Chontayacu indigenous community--a worthwhile experience!

Yacuma is a true ecolodge working towards sustainability and environmental protection:

• Solar energy is the basis for all of our lighting. All rooms, toilets, and gardens are illuminated with special bulbs powered by high-efficiency solar panels built in Ecuador by the Ecuadorean Engineering Company.
• The bungalows' foundations are made of iron elements which can be easily taken away if necessary. If we had built the complex with wood frames, then we would have needed to replace them every 12 months. By using iron, we avoid having to cut down big trees.

Chontayacu indigenous community school:

One of our most important projects, developed by the Pamir Group, is the Chontayacu indigenous community school. The school was built with durable materials and provided with comfortable furniture to make the kids' stay pleasant and enjoyable. Previously, they had to canoe on the Napo River for almost one hour to get to the nearest school--a dangerous and tiring trip. Now, we have almost 15 kids attending the school from the community and the nearby area. The Pamir Group pays for the school's teacher and provides regular medical assistance for local children and adults. In addition, a scholarship program was established for the best student who, after completing the elementary school curriculum, will receive full financial assistance for continuing his/her studies at a high school in Tena. Before this, the kids from the jungle never had such an opportunity.

Rates

$150 and up

Our rates cover full room and board and include:

• Transport from your hotel in Quito.
• Public transport from Quito to Yacuma and back.
• Lodging in the cabins.
• All meals at the ecolodge.
• Activities such as: visit to the indigenous community, expert native guides, canoe excursions, gold panning, hikes in our primary forest, tubing, kayaking, visit to the shaman, swimming, and piranha fishing.
• Government taxes.

• For more information about rates, please visit:

  • www.ecuadoramazonjunglelodge.com/rates-a-reservations.html (available in English).

  Getting There

  Nearest international airport: Quito (UIO)

  Nearest local/national airport: Tena

  Travel time to nearest airport: 2 hours

  Travel by road: Yacuma Ecolodge is a four hour drive from Quito. Drive along the beautiful route through Papallacta and Baeza until you arrive in the city of Tena. You will see plenty of exhilarating and scenic landscapes ranging from the highlands of the spectacular Andes to the lowlands of the upper basin of the Amazon River. From Tena, the journey continues for about an hour and 45 minutes until you reach San Pedro village, where our dug-out canoes will take you on a 30-45 minute trip to Yacuma Lodge, located in a magnificent plot of jungle.

  Travel by plane (not always available): There are flights every week on Monday and Friday from Quito to Tena. If you arrive in Tena by plane, we will pick up you at the airport, drive you to San Pedro village, and then take you by canoe to Yacuma Ecolodge.

  Additional Information

  Awards or Recognitions

  Yacuma Ecolodge has been honored with the "Land of the Light" award from the Universidad de Especialidades Turísticas. This recognition is given each year to tourism businesses that consistently support the growth and development of domestic tourism. By accepting the award, we reiterated our commitment to sustainable tourism, our goal of encouraging visitors to minimize environmental impacts, and our focus on preserving the region's natural assets for our own livelihood and for future generations.

  On December 3, 2010, Yacuma Ecolodge was recognized by Rainforest Alliance and Smart Voyager as one of the ecolodges in Ecuador developing great efforts and work for the conservation of the Yacuma Protected Rainforest Reserve and its support to the local Chontayacu Indigenous Community.

  Date This Information Was Provided

  December 2011.

Photos courtesy of Yacuma Ecolodge, Ecuador, for SustainableTrip.org.

• Yacuma Ecolodge Amazonia
• Amazon Ecolodge Ecuador
• Bat cave trekking
• Danish Girl dancing with community
• Amazon Ecuador American Testimony