Kapawi Ecolodge & Reserve is located in one of the most remote and well protected parts of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Deep in the nearly two million acres of the Achuar people’s territory, Kapawi is accessible only by air—flying in small planes over an unbroken green expanse of rainforest. Kapawi is an award winning eco-lodge noted for its comfort and quality of service, for its ecological design and sensitivity, and for its abundance of wildlife and rich biodiversity. Located in the territorial lands of an indigenous nation (6,000 people in 64 communities) still living as they have for generations and in intimate harmony with nature, Kapawi provides guests a range and depth of cultural experiences unmatched by any other rainforest lodges.

The Achuar are historically a nation of warriors with a firm commitment to preserve their territory and way of life, and to resist the encroachment of extractive industries and a western style of development.  The Kapawi lodge is an example of an alternative development path and is a key element in the Achuar strategy for protecting their lands. It brings revenue, training and a connection with potential allies from the outside world.

A visit to Kapawi is a truly authentic and unique experience but authenticity need not come at the expense of comfort! 19 fully screened cabins built in traditional Achuar style sit atop stilts over a lagoon full of stunning plant, bird and insect life. Fine dining, fusing international and Ecuadorian cuisine, and a well stocked bar and social area are enjoyed by guests supported by a staff eager to make your stay in Kapawi an unforgettable experience. An Achuar guide and a bi-lingual naturalist guide accompany each group on a wide variety of activities designed to reveal the mysteries and majesty of the rainforest and Achuar culture.

FEATURES

Kapawi accommodates up to 44 guests and was built in traditional Achuar style, all the cabins stand on stilts above a stunning lagoon full of plant and bird life. The lodge is made up of 19 double and triple cabins with private bathrooms and shower (hot water provided by solar heated portable shower bags), filtered water is also provided for drinking. To keep out any unwanted guests all the rooms are fully screened through the walls and floors and each bed has its own mosquito net. Every room is equipped with a locked security box. Electricity is provided by solar panels for lights and outlets (110 volts which can be used for charging computer or camera batteries). Each room has a wide outside covered deck, the perfect place to lie in your hammock and relax watching the myriad of bird species on the lagoon.

Kapawi Ecolodge & Reserve is built entirely using traditional Achuar architecture and fans out around the edge of a stunning lagoon of plant and bird life. The accommodations consist of 19 comfortable double guest rooms, each with private bath. A large dining room and a separate bar/library are centrally located and form the well used main social and meeting areas of the lodge.

A beautiful raised, wooden boardwalk, that winds its way from the river through the jungle to the lodge itself, ties all of the buildings together and also provides a viewing platform extending out into the lagoon. The boardwalk and the dining room veranda are great places for early morning bird watching while sipping freshly brewed coffee.
      

ACTIVITIES
 
The lodge offers a multitude of activities, so that with your guides and your group you can design a flexible program to suit your interests and activity level. Most itineraries include a visit to an Achuar community, where you will be invited into a home to experience Achuar hospitality and taste the famous manioc beer. Depending on your fitness levels there are a variety of hikes in the rainforest to learn about the flora, fauna and Achuar cosmology and culture. Your Achuar guide will delight and amaze you with all the different uses of the plants, from food to medicine, to building materials. If you are lucky enough to come across traditional Achuar foods you will have the opportunity to taste lemon ants or palm larvae, not for the faint hearted!
Kapawi lodge is a paradise for bird watchers and amateurs alike, more species of bird are found in the Kapawi area alone than in all of North America. Kapawi is on the banks of the Capahuari River, so you can fish for pirana, or take a traditional Achuar canoe or kayak to explore sleepy streams, thick with jungle foliage, you will feel a million miles from western civilization. For those of you who prefer less effort, slip into a rubber ring or swim and let the current carry you down stream, and there is no need to worry, the only wild life you are likely to encounter while in the river are the magical pink dolphins. Something not to be missed is the alfresco dinning experience in the forest, after a beautiful walk your guides will set up a delicious hot lunch for you in the forest beneath the jungle canopy.
Your day in Kapawi can start as early as 6:00am if you are keen to catch the animals and birds at their most active. If requested your Achuar guide will wake you with a knock on your cabin door. Hot drinks and light snacks are available before heading off for your early morning activities, but don’t worry, nothing too strenuous for first thing in the morning, just relax in the canoe as you are taken upstream bird watching or downstream to the clay lick where the parrots and macaws gather most mornings. The dawn light and the symphony of insect, bird and animal calls at this time of the morning will be etched into your memory forever.
The canoes will return you to the lodge in time for a big breakfast at 8:00am.
The morning activities depart at 9:30am. Depending on what you have arranged with your guides you will either return to the lodge at one for another delectable dinning experience or you may stay in the forest and lunch beneath the trees. Afternoon activities start at 3:00pm and you will return to the lodge by 5:00pm where you may choose to rest in your hammock with a glass of something delicious.
Each evening at 7:00 your guides will give a briefing in the bar detailing the activities for the next day.
A delicious dinner will be served in the dinning room at 7:30pm where you will be once more serenaded by the sounds of the forest and frogs in the lagoon as you dine.
For those who chose to there are additional night activities which start at 8:30. Either a gentle night hike along the self guided trail, spotting unbelievably stunning insects, frog, reptiles and with luck nocturnal monkey; night Caiman watching by canoe is defiantly a highlight, keep your eyes peeled for their orange eyes just above the surface of the water; Alternatively you can sit or by the fire in the hammock hut and hear talks on the rainforest and Achuar life.

• Easy path: Short hikes in the rainforest (up to 2h30 hours) on well-defined trails, visits to the Achuar communities, trips in canoes and excursions on raft and kayaks.
• Moderate path: Medium distance hikes in the rain forest (up to 4 hours) and sometimes crossing flooded areas.
• Difficult path: Demanding hikes of over 4 hours and in some cases all day or more, in poorly defined, hilly, and often flooded trails. Porters will carry food and supplies for longer expeditions. Excellent physical condition is required!