Kapawi Ecolodge & Reserve

Overview

Description

Kapawi Ecolodge is the property of the Achuar indigenous people, who have formed a federation called the Achuar Nation of Ecuador. In 1993, they built a lodge in their territory using local materials and traditional techniques and using low-impact, environmentally-friendly technologies to create an exclusive, sustainable ecolodge.

Adventurers who visit Kapawi begin the day before dawn with a cup of coffee and some pastries. At the end of the day, they enjoy a peaceful dinner and can have a beverage at the bar while they discuss the next day’s plans with our guides. Meals at the hotel are prepared by our excellent culinary staff who have created a menu with classic light fare and typical Achuar dishes, all specially prepared for any specific dietary requirements.

The balconies are another spot where you can relax in a hammock or lounge chair while watching our special visitors - ducks, hummingbirds, egrets, and kingfishers. At night, you can listen to a chorus of frogs and the sounds of other nocturnal wildlife.

At Kapawi, we offer all of the comforts that can be found in the deep Amazonian region, as well as a boutique with handcrafts made by the Achuar people.

Rooms

19. The lodge consists of a line of cabins with single, double, triple, and suite accommodations. Each one has a large sleeping area and a private bath with warm water heated by solar panels - nearly all of the electricity for the lodge and the cabins is provided by solar panels.

Making a Difference

Percentage of local employees: 85%

Biodiversity conservation:

• We are committed to protect our 1,682,608 acres (681,218 hectares) of land, ratified in a 2010 agreement by the General Assembly of the Achuar Nation of Ecuador (NAE) and all of its communities.
• Territorial zoning maps of the hotel's area of influence were created with the communities to designate areas for ancestral activities such as fishing, hunting, and logging.
• We have a sustainability policy that directs staff and visitor's environmental stewardship and protection activities.

Poverty reduction:

• Kapawi creates jobs and gives priority to local community members - 85% of our staff members are Achuar.
• Each staff member undergoes an orientation and is included in our permanent training plan. They earn more than the legal minimum wage, are affiliated with the social security system, and have accident and life insurance policies.
• Although they are not primarily farmers, the local community provides the lodge with locally-grown produce.
• Income from the hotel goes to the communities on a quarterly basis, so that they can prepare their budgets and make allocations for health and education costs in particular. The rest of the money is for social projects and an emergency fund.
• The main cabin and the dining hall of the ecolodge are used as a community center.

Rates

$150 and up

For more information about rates, please visit:

• kapawi.com/en/programs-rates/prices.html (available in English).
• kapawi.com/es/programas-y-tarifas/precios.html (available in Spanish).

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Quito (UIO)

Nearest local/national airport: Shell Mera (PTZ)

Kapawi Ecolodge is located in the Achuar territory, near the junction of the Pastaza and Capahuari Rivers, near the national border with Peru. The Pastaza is a main tributary of the Amazon River and Capahuari is a minor one.

The first part of the adventure to Kapawi is on land across the spectacular "Avenida de los Volcanes" to the Amazonian region. There, staff from Kapawi will help you board a small airplane from which you can see the majestic Amazon basin, something that can only be fully appreciated from the air. We also offer premier air transport from Quito to Kapawi.

Additional Information

Awards or Recognitions

• Named as one of the "Best Hotels in Ecuador" by National Geographic in 2011.
• Winner of the United Nations Development Programme's Equator Prize in 2010.
• Named as one of the "Top 50 Ecolodges" in National Geographic Adventure magazine in 2009.
• A finalist in the Smithsonian Magazine Traveler Conservation Foundation's 2004 Sustainable Tourism Awards.
• Skal International - Professionnels du Turisme "Ecotourism Award" in 2002.
• Conservation International's "Ecotourism Excellence Award" in 2000.
• British Airways - Tourism for Tomorrow "Highly Recommended" award in 1998.

Additional Web sites

• www.best-ecolodges.com/central-america/ecolodges_ecuador (available in English). Kapawi Ecolodge & Reserve featured on Best Eco Lodges website.
• www.tribes.co.uk/countries/ecuador/accommodation/kapawi_lodge (available in English). Kapawi Ecolodge & Reserve's profile on Tribes Travel website.

Date This Information Was Provided

September 2011.

Photos courtesy of Kapawi Ecolodge & Reserve, Ecuador, for SustainableTrip.org.

• Kapawi Amazon Ecolodge & Reserve