Ecuador Amazon: La Selva Lodge

After many years as a travel guide in Latin America, I’ve been to my share of jungle lodges. Definitely one of the best I’ve seen was La Selva Lodge, deep in the Amazon jungles of Ecuador.

Getting to La Selva isn’t easy, although that’s usually a good sign. The journey begins with a flight from Quito to Coca, followed by a 2.5 hour ride in a motorized dugout canoe along the Napo River, a 30 minute hike through the dense Amazon rainforest, and finally, a paddled canoe ride across a lagoon.
Just a few hours into our stay, we knew it had all been worthwhile. We’d already spotted 4 kinds of monkeys, seen a two-toed sloth up close, and added the hoatzin to our birding life lists-a proud feat by any birder’s standards.

While neither of us were thrilled with the 5:30 am wake-up calls, the early morning nature viewing and night paddles were incredible: 57 new birds identified including 6 owls, 7 types of new monkey species, tarantulas, frogs, mariposas, lizards…

Billed as an “upmarket rainforest eco-resort,” La Selva is run extremely well, from the meet and greet at Quito airport to the luxurious drinks and snacks we were served on arrival. This is a class act—no mean feat in the middle of the jungle. It even felt a little like home…that is, if home was a groovy palapa and bamboo hut set amidst the wild and unpredictable Amazon rainforest.

Staff are outstanding, their green credentials are impeccable, and the vegetable art with each cocktail of the day was…interesting. I guess the bartenders have lots of free time in the Amazon!