Cuyabeno Reserve

SIONA LODGE 

Wildlife and Adventure 

The Siona Lodge is idyllically situated in one of the last unspoiled native environments in the Amazon Rain Forest , the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve . Ecuador designated the 603.380 square kilometres (2,329.7 sq mi) a protected wildlife zone since July 26 th , 1979. This positive step forward towards the preservation of part of the Amazon River Basin has allowed us to develop our lodge around the idea of low impact eco-tourism. Our hope is that by exposing you to the untouched natural beauty surrounding the lodge, you will understand and share that these resources should be enjoyed and preserved for future generations to come.

The Siona Lodge accommodates up to 20 people in four individual guest huts; each hut has 2 double bedrooms each with its own private bathroom and shower. Our spacious balconies with a hammock and lounge chairs, invite you to relax and enjoy your surroundings.

The heart of our Main Lodge is a spacious dining area. We take pride in our ability to prepare and serve gourmet cuisine in such an isolated location. We take great care to ensure fresh, local ingredients are the basis for our recipes so you will enjoy your dining experience as much as you do the unspoiled ambiance of the surrounding jungle. The dining area lounge is equipped with a fully stocked bar for you to enjoy any of your favourite after-dinner cocktails.

The Siona Lodge has the best and one of the single most distinctive locations in the reserve, allowing for picturesque sunsets viewed across the large freshwater lake. Much of the wildlife you will see is dependent on the unique ecosystem the lake supports allowing for some rare viewing opportunities.

Our lodge practices a policy of minimum environmental impact. Our solar energy system consumes no electricity from the power grid and is efficient enough to provide the lighting throughout the lodge. We encourage our guests to use natural oil lamps in place of battery powered flashlights and all refuse, both organic and inorganic, is bagged and taken out of the reserve regularly. Our bio digesters further allow us to minimize the impact of pollution by utilizing natural enzymes and bacteria to treat all wastewater coming from the lodge. Our belief in true eco-tourism is intended to make your stay as comfortable as possible while, at the same time, preserving Cuyabeno for all who wish to enjoy its beauty.

Only a few minutes walk from the lodge you will enter the primary forest that is the highlight of Cuyabeno and the Siona Lodge. The amazing plant and animal diversity can also be accessed by a canoe trip around the lake where you can see exotic trees and plants like orchids, bromeliads, gardenias and several species of bids ranging from hoatzins, macaws, and toucans to cormorants, tanagers, and Anhingas,king-fishers. The area is also abundant in reptile life such as yellow-spotted Amazon turtles, caimans, anacondas, and many other different snake species. With a little bit of patience, you may also be able to glimpse the uniquely evolved pink river dolphins, considered to be amongst the most intelligent of animals and possessing a well-known affinity for freshwater Amazon Jungle Rivers.

A visit to the Siona Indian Community is an integral part of any complete tour of the Cuyabeno Reserve. This ethnic group lives along the Cuyabeno River in a community named Puerto Bolivar. There you will be able to experience native culture as it has existed, unchanged, for millennia. The local Shaman will instruct you in some of their religious practices and explain their ancestral medicinal knowledge, passed down from ancestors whose intimate relationship and deep understanding of the natural resources and rhythms of the jungle are the basis for many of our modern pharmaceuticals. You will come away from this experience with a greater appreciation about what it means to live in concert with nature and the native intelligence and skill that allows for this kind of complete sustainability.

ABOUT CUYABENO RESERVE :

The Cuyabeno Reverse is a protected zone since 26 July 1979 with an area of 603.380 square kilometres (2,329.7 sq mi)

One of the principle objectives of the Cuyabeno Reserve is ongoing conservation of the Amazonian ecosystem- the most complex ecosystem in the world. This reserve is a complex of rivers, lagoons, and floating forest. This protected area is characterized by its high biodiversity and interrelationships between the species inhabiting the area. The Reserve's geomorphology is a consequence of the rivers carrying sediment and materials from the Andes, principally by the Aguarico River . The huge volume of water cascading down from the mountains maintains the naturally high water levels ensuring that the river is navigable all year round.

In the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve there are more than 10 monkey species, 500 bird spices, and an incredible record of 307 species of tree per hectare.

There are two seasons, dry and rainy.

The entrance is by fluvial (river) transport and is offered by the local communities with the coordination of the lodge and a highly trained, accredited guide.

Altitude

200- 280 metres

Climate

Humid tropical

Fees/Permits

The entrance to the reserve is $20.

Due to the emphasis on safety and training, there have not been any registered incidents inside the Cuyabeno Wildlife reserve in the more than 20 years of tourist operations.

Cuyabeno is one of the places with the most biodiversity in the world!