Yarina Eco Lodge

Overview

Description

The Yarina Eco Lodge is on the banks of the Napo River, a major tributary of the Amazon, just 60 minutes in a motorized, covered canoe from the city of El Coca. The reserve is strategically situated in the middle of a forest that has the highest diversity of microhabitats in the lower Napo River area, which means that there are more species of plants, birds, reptiles, insects, and other animals per acre than in other surrounding sites.

The tropical rainforest has abundant plant and animal species such as monkeys, caimans, tapirs, capybaras, a variety of birds, and high plant diversity. These riches, along with the marvelous, local indigenous community, make Yarina Eco Lodge a special and unique destination to enjoy nature. The lodge was built using an architectural approach in harmony with the Amazonian forest and it has all the facilities necessary to make your stay in the natural forest comfortable, unforgettable, and pleasant.

We combine interesting and sustainable tourist attractions with high-quality service in the midst of a conserved tropical forest with the participation of the local people. Our commitment to the environment is real because for each tourist that comes to Yarina, 5% is used to support conservation, community development, and environmental education projects. We promote tours with small groups and personalized service that have low impacts on natural resources while promoting environmental awareness.

Rooms

25

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 16

Percentage of local employees: 80%

Yarina Eco Lodge is part of the Yuturi Conservation Group, which aims to promote sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, support for local communities, and contribute to the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals.

The executive arm for environmental and social areas is the Fundación San Carlos, an NGO that supports efforts to minimize environmental impacts from tourism and conserve the reserve’s biological diversity.

Yarina Eco Lodge has also begun monitoring tourism impacts using the Limits of Acceptable Changes Methodology, which has been approved for use in several protected natural areas in Ecuador such as the Galapagos, Cayambe-Coca, and Machalilla. This monitoring allows us to be pioneers in minimizing environmental impacts and verify if tourism is contributing to sustainable development.

Additionally, 5% of the cost of the tour to Yarina Eco Lodge is used to support conservation, community, and sustainable development projects.

Rates

$76 – 100

Our rates do not include bar expenses, tips, air fares, or ground transportation on the Quito-Coca-Quito route.

For more information about rates, please visit:

• www.yarinalodge.com/amazon-gallerie/deals-eng.html (available in English).
• www.yarinalodge.com/amazon-gallerie/deals-esp.html (available in Spanish).

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Quito (UIO)

Nearest local/national airport: Coca (OCC)

Distance, by land, to the nearest airport: 18.6 miles (30 km).

There are two ways to reach Yarina Eco Lodge, from Quito to the city of Cocas: by air (30 minutes) or land (6 hours). From Coca, take a boat on the Napo River (the only access route to the Lodge), reaching the Yarina Ecolodge and its ecological reserve in 60 minutes.

Additional Information

Additional Web sites

• www.yuturi.com (available in English, German and Spanish). The Yuturi Conservation Group website, a group of 100% Ecuadorian companies, including Yarina Lodge, dedicated to protecting and conserving the biodiversity of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Files

• Bird List - Yarina Ecological Reserve
• Perfil de Yarina Ecological Reserve
• Yarina Ecological Reserve Profile

Date This Information Was Provided

August 2011.

Photos courtesy of Yarina Eco Lodge, Ecuador, for SustainableTrip.org.