The Amazon rainforest has some of the largest remaining jungle wilderness areas on the planet. In those wild places, one can find flocks of colorful parrots and macaws, exotic toucans that troop through the jungle canopy, tapirs hiding in the undergrowth, bizarre insects, and trees that tower high overhead. That said, most of those wild areas continue to host a treasure trove of wildlife because they are so hard to access. This means that you can visit any number of lodges in the Amazon but not see as many animals or have a less authentic experience. For this reason, you have to be careful when picking an Amazonian ecolodge for your itinerary. When it comes to authenticity, one of the best lodges in any part of the Amazon is the Huaorani Ecolodge and the following are three reasons why this is the case:
- Remote and wild: There aren’t any roads that take you to the Huaorani Ecolodge. After a long drive or short plan ride, guests board a small boat and enter into one of the most remote and trackless jungles in eastern Ecuador, the lands of the Huaorani people. There might be a trail or two but you won’t find any roads, and very few people.
A Tapir on a camera trap at the Huaorani Ecolodge.
- Global Biodiversity hotspot: The rainforests of eastern Ecuador are known to possibly be the most biodiverse rainforests on Earth. It’s hard to say what you will see but with a patient, close eye, expect to see frogs, exquisite insects, colorful birds, and much more.
Collared Puffbird- one of more than 500 bird species that live near the Huaorani Ecolodge.
- Experienced, local guides: The Huaorani Ecolodge experience is made complete with comfortable lodging and the best guides you could ask for. The guides at the lodge are Huaorani people who grew up and learned how to survive in the rainforest. Their hearing, eyesight, and ability to read animal signs and trails is nothing short of incredible. If an animal can be found, they are the people to find it!
Put this unique lodge on your Ecuador itinerary for the most authentic, enriching jungle experience in the Amazon basin.
