pure<\/strong> and looks more untouched by man the deeper you go in the wild jungle. It is primarily rainforest<\/b> and lies within the Napo moist forest ecoregion. The rivers are used as the main mode of travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cuyabeno is the second largest reserve<\/b> out of the 45 national parks and protected areas in Ecuador. There is no other national park in the Amazonian countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, or Bolivia with so many lakes and creeks, <\/b>so conveniently accessible as in Cuyabeno.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FACT<\/b>: Multiple indigenous communities are living in the Yasuni National Park. There are \u2018normal\u2019 communities, but there are also semi-contact and even non-contact indigenous tribes<\/b>. It is very interesting to learn and know how they make their living in this pristine forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\nYasuni Community interacting with travelers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nTransportation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Yasuni is located deep in the jungle, so it will take a long time to get there. You can take a flight or bus to Coca. <\/b>The bus to Coca will take around 9 to 10 hours from Quito, and the flight only 40 minutes. After reaching the town in Coca, it is a 2-hour ride to the river on a rocky road<\/b>. Once in the river, it will take some more time to go to one of the campsites. The campsite of Mandari Panga, for example, takes 1,5 hours by motorized canoe <\/b>if the river is high. If the river is low, it can take up to 4 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When going to Cuyabeno, you can take a bus going to Lago Agrio<\/b>. The bus takes up to 8 hours and departs from a few bus stations in Quito. Then from Cuyabeno, you can take a private transfer across the Cuyabeno bridge. This is the entry point into the Amazon Region, and from there, it takes about 2 hours over an asphalt road<\/b> to reach the wildlife reserve. Once in the reserve, a motorized canoe<\/b> is one way to move around more rapidly.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTravelers kayaking on a river in the Amazon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWildlife<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Seeing wildlife comes with being lucky<\/strong>. Of course, some animals are guaranteed to be seen in the Amazon, but if you are looking for specific species of wildlife, you will need to be lucky. Wildlife living in Yasuni consists primarily of land animals, while along rivers and lakes, both land and aquatic species can be found. Many land species go to the river<\/strong> to drink<\/strong> while water-dependent species come to the surface to breathe or feed<\/strong>, which is why the river is a good place to see many different animal species.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Cuyabeno there is more to see, some people say. Cuyabeno has a somewhat drier season, but it is not a rainless dry season, as opposed to Amazon areas further away from the equator. Cuyabeno has one of the highest biodiversity rates<\/b> in the world. It has a great number of species of animals and plants in the world per hectare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Patricia and Jonne went to Cuyabeno for a real Amazon experience. Want to know what species of wildlife they saw in Cuyabeno? Read Patricia’s blog here<\/em> and Jonne’s blog here<\/span><\/em>!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nAmazon Tucan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nPricing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Cuyabeno is cheaper<\/b> than Yasuni in general. This is also because it is closer to the city and easier to reach. Besides that, there is no other Amazon reserve or national park in South America that is as accessible and at such competitive prices<\/b> as the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPersonal Opinion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
I think it depends very much on what guests are looking to see and when they are going to the Amazon. Cuyabeno is cheaper<\/strong> and more accessible<\/strong> but also more crowded<\/strong> with bigger groups. On the other hand, Yasuni is more exclusive<\/strong> and pure<\/strong>, but that is also what you are paying for. In terms of wildlife, I think both places have their advantages, however, you just have to be lucky! You can go to both places and see nothing. I went to Yasuni National Park, and for me, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSee below a video of Indy’s experience at Yasuni National Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n