Luxury jungle experiences are not as readily available in Ecuador as they are in Peru. However, there are some very good lodges that are particularly interesting for birders. There are also some beautiful historic haciendas in the highlands. Other superb luxury eco-experiences can be had on a Napo River Cruise, or of course, a Galapagos Cruise. Each experience is sublime in its own way.

Sacha Lodge

Located in the heart of the Amazon basin, at 50 miles downstream from the town of Coca, and twenty minutes from the banks of the majestic Napo River. Sacha Lodge is idyllically situated on the banks of a tranquil lake, Pilchicocha, which used to form part of the Napo river itself. In this delightful setting, guests can pursue a whole range of activities, such as guided walks through a primary forest, canoe rides on undisturbed blackwater streams, view the rainforest canopy from a magnificent, 40-meter high tower and enjoy guided tours to one of the biggest butterfly farms in Ecuador.

La Selva Lodge

Located in the rainforest of Ecuador’s Rio Napo, about two hours downriver by fast dugout canoe from Coca. La Selva is one of the more easily reached destinations in the Amazon and ideal for the birder traveling alone, rather than as part of an organized bird tour. The Lodge has 17 cabins built in the traditional style, each with its own toilet and hot shower, all located on a hill overlooking a lake named Garzacocha (Heron) lake. Around this region, it is possible to find 14 species of monkeys, 600 of birds, 4.000 of fish and 15.000 species of plants.

Napo Wildlife Center

Napo Wildlife Center is one of the most beautiful Eco-lodges in the Ecuadorian Rainforest. This ecotourism project includes the conservation of approximately over 82 square miles (53,500 acres – over 21,400 hectares ) of the most pristine Amazon Rain Forest within the Yasuní National Park, an important UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the largest tract of tropical rainforest in Ecuador.