Lodge & Facilities of our Ecolodge

Waita Lodge & Facilities

We want to offer the finest exploration in the Rainforest with the Waita Amazon Lodge. The lodge is located on the Cuyabeno River (lower part of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve), with 7 cabins built in the traditional Indian style of the jungle. Each hut has 2 rooms that can be single, double and triple accommodation, twins, or matrimonial beds with mosquito nets to keep you safe from biting insects. All rooms have private bathrooms with showers. Each cabin has an area where you will be able to relax in the hammocks or sit to observe different species of birds and monkeys. Sit outside of your room and listen to the nocturnal and early morning songs of the Amazon.

In the main cabin you can try delicious meals at the dinning room area, take soft and strong drinks in a traditional bar, read some interesting books, or just rest in the hammocks overlooking a small lake. We provide daily nutritious meals during the trip and cater to vegetarians. Purified drinking water and soft drinks such as: coffee, hot chocolate or tea is available all day. Electricity is provided by solar panels for lighting and for recharging batteries 110 AC.

We provide rubber boots and life jackets at the lodge.

Important Information

Travel Documents –Don’t forget to bring your passport when travel into the Amazon Region.

Getting to TO WAITA LODGE –

Quito to Lago Agrio: 6 hours by bus, 55 minutes by plane (not included in tour)
Meeting time at Lago Agrio: 9:30 a.m.
Lago Agrio to Tierras Orientales: 2 hours by van
Tierras Orientales to Waita Lodge: 2.5 hours by motor canoe. (If the group is large, another canoe will carry your bags.)
Arrival at Waita Lodge: 5:30 p.m.

Included – Transportation from Lago Agrio to Lodge (van/bus and motorboat), snacks, meals, rubber boots, binoculars, rain ponchos, activities, guides, drinking water, coffee and tea station, biodegradable shampoo and soap.

Not Iincluded – Transport from any point to Lago Agrio and from Lago Agrio to final destination at the close of your itinerary, Observation Tower (USD 6), alcoholic beverages, gratuities.

Tips Recommendation – USD 5 per visitor, per day for kitchen staff and naturalist guides. USD 5 per visitor, per full program for skipper and local guides.
Please note that tipping is at your discretion, and that these are recommendations based on frequently asked questions from our guests.

The Rainforest – The area that we visit has a very marked dry season starting from December until March. The temperature in the Amazon rainforest is stable most of the year and typically ranges from 18 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius during the day. At night, temperatures can drop to 15 degrees.

Health Advice – The area you will be visiting incurs a minor risk of malaria, yellow fever or other tropical diseases. We recommend you visit your doctor prior to your trip in order to get the most up-to-date, personalized information and prevention if necessary. Waita Lodge provides a mosquito net around your bed so you can rest easy, and you should always have your insect repellent on hand when going on explorations. If you wear glasses or contacts, make sure to bring an extra pair. If you have significant allergies or chronic medical problems, kindly let us know during booking and please wear a medical alert bracelet.

While at the Lodge: Please use only the bottled water provided at the bar for drinking and washing your teeth. In case of a minor medical issue, all of our guides are trained in first aid (this is necessary in order to be a licensed guide). If necessary, there is a Doctor in Playas de Cuyabeno, 30 minutes away by motor canoe. If a serious medical situation were to arise, Petroamazonas oil company is 45 minutes away by boat, and they will assist us in an emergency evacuation if needed.

Group Size – To ensure a unique jungle experience and minimize our impact on the ecosystems we visit, it’s crucial to operate in small groups. We limit each expedition to a maximum of around 10 passengers, allowing our visitors to fully immerse themselves in the splendor of the jungle while promoting environmental sustainability.

Travel with children – Although there is no age restriction for travel to Waita Lodge, we recommend that children be over 5 years old. Expeditions with children are best done through a private tour to maximize comfort and enjoyment. Our guides are know how to ensure that our young explorers get the most out of this experience. Please note that children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Trail Difficulty – The level of difficulty of rainforest trails is hard to gauge because it depends on terrain, weather conditions and the physical fitness of each explorer. Please talk to your guide about your individual needs.

Electricity – The Lodge’s electricity is obtained through solar panels and a generator which is on from 18:00 p.m. until 22:00 p.m.

Waita Lodge & Facilities

At Waita Lodge, we offer the most authentic and private exploration of the Amazon rainforest. The Lodge is located on the banks of the Cuyabeno River in the lower part of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, with 7 cabins built in the traditional style of the jungle. Each cabin is divided into 2 rooms, with availability for single, double and triple accommodation. All rooms have private bathrooms, as well as a small porch outfitted with a hammock where you can relax and observe different species of birds and monkeys, and listen to the nocturnal and early morning songs of the Amazon.

The lounge area also has some hammocks where you can enjoy a good book or rest up while overlooking a small lake. Purified drinking water and a hot beverage station are available all day long (complimentary). Electricity is provided by solar panels for lighting and for recharging batteries 110 AC.

Please visit our small boutique for purchase of arts and crafts, t-shirts, caps and basic toiletries

Restaurant and Bar – Because the closest outside restaurant is 4 hours away, all meals are served at Waita Lodge Restaurant. Guests are treated to simple, delicious Ecuadorian home-cooking, tweaked to adapt to foreign palates. Wine or other alcoholic beverages can be purchased at the bar. In the planning of the menu, Chef Beto has incorporated ingredients grown by the local community, such as green plantain, cassava and papaya. We also offer local tropical fruits when in season, such as guava, caimito, arazá, madroña and orito (baby banana).

Let us know if you are vegan, vegetarian or other, as we are happy to cater to your dietary needs.

Sustainability – The term “sustainable travel” gets thrown around a lot, particularly in high-end travel operations, but the truth is, sustainable travel can only be achieved by foregoing certain modern luxuries that are incredibly polluting, such as air conditioning. At Waita, we have decided to do it right:

Sparse furniture. The beauty is in the surrounding forest.

Absolutely no air conditioning. The rooms are open-concept for adequate air circulation and mosquito nets keep insects away from our visitors.

Bathroom water is drawn from the river and filtered to remove most minerals. Its suitability has been certified by the Ministry of the Environment.

Gray and black water is filtered through a biodigester before returning to the soil, clean and safe. This is the same methodology used by local oil companies, and the most state of the art system employed at any of the lodges within Cuyabeno Reserve.

Shower water is not heated, as it is unnecessary at these temperatures.

Low wattage bulbs.

Power generator for electricity between hours.

Soon, the Lodge’s electricity will be generated by solar panels.

At Waita Lodge there is no telephone, television or WiFi. In addition to environmental considerations, this really helps our visitors disconnect. If an urgent message needs to be relayed, we will make sure to send a messenger out and the administrative offices will convey it.

Towels and bedding are only changed once our guests have checked out, unless there is a special circumstance.