a
CONTENTS
4
Love life in Yasuní
5
Purpose of this guide
6
Yasuní Biosphere Reserve
10 Yasuní National Park
14 Waorani territory and peoples in isolation
18 The Yasuní-ITT Initiative
22 Tourism in Yasuní
30 Where to go b
1
GALÁPAGOS 1
GALÁPAGOS NATIONAL PARK
2
GALÁPAGOS MARINE RESERVE
PACIFIC COAST 3
GALERA SAN FRANCISCO MARINE RESERVE
4
MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK
5
MANGLARES CHURUTE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
6
MACHE CHINDUL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
7
SANTA CLARA ISLAND WILDLIFE REFUGE
8
MUISNE RIVER ESTUARY MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE
9
EL SALADO MANGROVES FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE
10
SANTA ELENA PENINSULA MARINE FAUNA WILDLIFE REFUGE
11
EL MORRO MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE
12
PACOCHE COASTAL MARINE WILDLIFE REFUGE
13
PARQUE LAGO NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
14
ARENILLAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
15
ISLA CORAZÓN AND FRAGATAS WILDLIFE REFUGE
16
CAYAPAS MATAJE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
17
ESMERALDAS RIVER ESTUARY MANGROVES WILDLIFE
PROTECTED AREAS OF ECUADOR
16 18
2 17 Esmeraldas 1
22
3
Pto. Baquerizo Moreno
20 8
Tulcán
23
6 Ibarra
41 Nueva Loja
24
o
0
36
Quito
W
25
Sto. Domingo
N E
35
29
15
27
S
42 26
28
37 Francisco de Orellana
REFUGE 18
LA CHIQUITA WILDLIFE REFUGE
19
ISLA SANTAY AND ISLA DEL GALLO NATIONAL RECREATION
Latacunga
Portoviejo
12
Tena
30
38
AREA 20
PAMBILAR WILDLIFE RESERVE
21
LOS SAMANES NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
Ambato
31
4 Guaranda
ANDES 22
EL ÁNGEL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
23
COTACACHI CAYAPAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
24
PULULAHUA GEOBOTANICAL RESERVE
25
PASOCHOA WILDLIFE RESERVE
26
ANTISANA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
27
EL BOLICHE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
28
COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK
29
LOS ILINIZAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
30
LLANGANATES NATIONAL PARK
31
CHIMBORAZO FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE
32
CAJAS NATIONAL PARK
33
PODOCARPUS NATIONAL PARK
34
YACURI NATIONAL PARK
13
CUYABENO FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE
36
CAYAMBE COCA NATIONAL PARK
37
LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
38
YASUNÍ NATIONAL PARK
39
SANGAY NATIONAL PARK
40
EL ZARZA WILDLIFE REFUGE
41
COFÁN BERMEJO ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
42
SUMACO NAPO GALERAS NATIONAL PARK
43
EL CÓNDOR BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
44
EL QUIMI BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
45
CERRO PLATEADO BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
39
19 Guayaquil
5
Macas
11 32
Pacific Ocean 7
Azogues Cuenca
Biosphere Reserves and Intangible Zones
Machala
44
14
AMAZON 35
9
Santa Elena
Riobamba
Babahoyo
21 10
Puyo
43
1
40 Zamora
Loja
33
34 100 km
3
6
2 5
1. Galápagos Biosphere Reserve 2. Yasuní Biosphere Reserve 3. Sumaco Biosphere Reserve
45
4. Podocarpus-El Cóndor Biosphere Reserve 5. Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone 6. Cuyabeno-Imuya Intangible Zone
4
Biosphere Reserves Intangible Zones 3
This reserve includes: • The Yasuní National Park (YNP), its primary purpose being the conservation of biodiversity.
Love life in Yasuní HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE YASUNÍ? You must have. In recent years, it’s probably the most talked-about protected area in Ecuador. Everybody is talking about it. But how many people really know the Yasuní? The Yasuní is one of the last areas of jungle that remain intact in Ecuador, the most biodiverse place on the planet. These extraordinary forests are the heritage of all Ecuadorians and one of the Earth’s life reserves. They are also home to peoples who have developed an intimate dialogue with the forests and who know them deeply.
• Waorani Territory (WT), home to the people that have lived in this land from time immemorial. • The Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone (TTIZ), created by the state to respect its residents’ decision to live in isolation and with their traditions.
This guide is an invitation to come to the Yasuní, to fall in love with it while travelling through its rivers, lagoons and meeting its people. In these pages you will find useful information for planning your next trip in the area. Let’s go. Pick up your sustainable tourism guide to Yasuní Biosphere Reserve (YBR) and get ready for a learning adventure.
PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE The aim of this guide is twofold: to contribute to an initial understanding of biodiversity, cultures, and the RBY’s current situation, also to invite travelers to visit, in this way contributing to its conservation. The first sections provide an overview of the YBR, the national park, Waorani territory and the Yasuní-ITT initiative. Then, we offer useful information and practical advise for planning your visit to the Reserve. Finally, the guide includes a list of legal tour operations in the Yasuní. The three maps in this guide contain general and touristic information about the region.
In recent decades, this magnificent region has had to deal with a complex combination of factors: oil and illegal timber extraction, the arrival of squatters and missionaries, and the accelerated growth of tourism. In order to address such issues, the Yasuní is seeking to find a way to make human activity compatible with the conservation of this natural and cultural treasure. Thus, a biosphere reserve was established in the territories between the Napo and the Pindoyacu rivers. 4
Inside a tierra firme forest
5
Canoe ride along a white water river
Troschel’s tree frog
Location: Orellana, Pastaza and Napo provinces. Size: 2 000 700 hectares (4 900 thousand acres). Altitude: 200-400 masl. Climate: warm humid, 25° C on average. the Napo and Curaray Rivers and other populated centers. The country’s authorities are still consulting with the residents and local governments in order to define the reserve’s territorial boundaries. Within the YBR live three indigenous nationalities –Waorani, Kichwa, and Shuar– and the Tagaeri, Taromenane, and other unidentified isolated groups, as well as mestizo and Afro-Ecuadorian settlers. In addition, beneath this fragile Reserve are large deposits of oil, a key element in the Ecuadorian economy, and this has generated social and environmental conflicts. Through sustainable and responsible tourism, you can help in the search for more autonomous subsistence alternatives for the region’s communities, taking advantage of the YBR’s major resource: its biodiversity.
In Ecuador there are four biosphere reserves: • Galápagos (created in 1984). • Yasuní (1989). • Sumaco (2002). • Podocarpus-El Cóndor (2007).
YASUNÍ BIOSPH ERE RESERVE
S
Where forest and man come together 6
ince 1976, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated areas of global relevance as “biosphere reserves” due to their ecosystems and landscapes. One of these is the Yasuní. There are more than 560 reserves in 109 countries. Other outstanding examples are the Brazilian Pantanal, the Paraná River delta, Hawaii, and the Serengeti-Ngorongoro in Tanzania. The YBR covers more than two-and-a-half million hectares (more than six million acres). Its nucleus is the homonimous National Park and the Waorani Territory. The YNP and WT share the Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone, where Ecuador’s remaining peoples in isolation have taken refuge. Furthermore, the Reserve also comprises the buffer zones of these areas, including the Kichwa communities on the shores of Pichicocha Lagoon
7
to Lago A
grio
to La go Ag rio
to Lago Agrio
SUMACO
uito
to Q ui
Q to
Indillama
CUYABENO
Pañacocha
FAUNA
El Edén
PRODUCTION
gu
Nap o
A
NATIONAL
Coca
Sucumbíos
Garzacocha
Napo
d oa sr xu
to
NAPO-GALERAS
o (Loret
Limoncocha Pompeya Ma
ro ad )
Baeza
LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
RESERVE
Tiputini
Napo to Quit
Loreto
o
Tiputini
PARK
Archidona
road
no Tivacu
Boca del Tiputini
Auca
Orellana
Tiputini
Nuevo Rocafuerte
Yasuní
YASUNÍ
po
Na
Tena
ar ico
Jatuncocha lagoon
Shirip un o
T
Y
NATIONAL hiñ
o
üino
Pu
yo
Tig
OR
Na s
WAORANI
IT ERR
PARK
to
Ta g a e r i Ta r o m e n a n e I n t a n g i b l e Z o n e Co
no na co
PERÚ
Cura ray
Lorocachi
Pavacachi
Pastaza Pind
Bob ona za
oya cu
Yasuní Biosphere Reserve boundary Provincial boundary Cu na
Oil block Waorani territory río Pasta za Tagaeri PastazTaromenane a Intangible Zone 8
YASUNÍ mb o
BIOSPHERE
N W
E S
RESERVE
10 km
Pto. Tigre
9
YASUNÍ NATIONAL PARK The apotheosis
of diversity
T
he Yasuní National Park is the largest protected area in continental Ecuador. Those visiting the Park will find an astonishing biodiversity, with various world records in richness of flora and fauna. The winding rivers draining the Park join with the great Napo River, the most important Amazon tributary beginning in Ecuador. Among these, the Tiputini, Nashiño, Yasuní, Tivacuno, Tigüino, and Cononaco stand out.
Ceibo and canopy of the Amazon forest
Not all YNP rivers are equal. Depending on the substrate where they originate, they can be white water or black water rivers. The first are born in the Andes, and carry sediments which provide the characteristic brownish color. One example is the Curaray River, the southern limit of the Park. On the other hand, the black water rivers and lagoons are born in the forest itself. Their dark, glistening, tea-like tone is due to tannins, pigments that rain washes from the forest’s litter layer.
DI V E R SI T Y
More than 1400 animal species thrive in the National Park. 150 species of amphibians, a world record; in the entire United States and Canada combined there are only 99 species. Almost 600 different birds; one third of the entire Amazonian avifauna. 169 mammals, including 12 monkeys; one out of three mammals of the Amazon basin.
Because of the rainfall regime in the Amazon, the river level varies a great deal during the year. Between March and November, the rivers overflow their banks and turn extensive areas into swamps. The ecosystem that exists depends on the type of river that floods an area: varzea if it is a white-water river, and igapó if it is a black-water river. The high areas that are not flooded are known as terra firme forest. 10
IN THE Y A S U N Í
More than 100 thousand insect species in one hectare (2.4 acres); a similar number exists in the whole of North America! In 50 hectares (120.5 acres) there can be up to 1,300 plant species. In a single hectare (2.41 acres) of the YNP there are more than 650 tree species! Añagucocha Lagoon and Napo Wildlife Center
11
Creation: november 1979. Extension: 982 000 000 (2 300 thousand acres). Ecosystems: tropical rain forest, flooded forests, swamps, rivers, lagoons. Given the extension and continuity of its forests, there are many species living in the YNP that have disappeared in disturbed areas. The powerful jaguars wander about the vegetation, while the fabulous harpy eagle soars above looking for its next meal of a spider monkey. Giant armadillos, giant anteaters, tapirs, titi monkeys‌ The selection of mammals is stupendous. As for birds species: five different macaws, six owls, seven toucans, two dozen hummingbirds, more than fifty ant birds, to name a few. The enumeration of animals in the Yasunà would be endless: the rainbow boa and the anaconda, the pink river dolphin and the Amazonian manatee, the giant paiche fish, and an endless variety of fish and insects.
Remember that seeing the Amazon’s fauna is not easy. Animals have developed a refined ability to hide. Thus, to discover these animals, you need to move softly and have a lot of patience and concentration, plus a good local guide. Most of the YNP has not yet suffered change due to human activities. Nevertheless, roads opened for oil exploration and exploitation towards the north and west have encouraged settlement, deforestation, intensive hunting, and illegal timber extraction. Furthermore, at least half of the YNP is sitted on top of important oil reserves and, on its edges, the agriculture frontier expands. In face of these realities, a number of communities have seen sustainable tourism as a promising alternative. Within the YNP and in its surroundings there are several places that can receive tourists. These include everything from simple to comfortable lodgings, with crafts shops, logistical facilities and trails leaded by local and specialised guides. 12
13 Squirrel monkey
Nocturnal monkey
Black water stream inside Waorani Territory
suggesting a long period of isolation from other Amazon societies. The tenacity with which they defend their independence won them the denigrating term aucas, which in Kichwa means “savages.” In recent decades, the Waorani have experienced dramatic changes linked to external colonization and other oil-activity related effects. Their nomadic and self-sufficient life-style has turned into one sedentary and dependent to economic agents beyond their control. Aggression against their way of life began at the end of the 19th century with rubber exploitation which enslaved thousands of indigenous people. After the Second World War, oil exploration began and the first Evangelical missionaries arrived. Their attempts to “civilize” the Waorani lead to violent episodes that marked them as a ferocious people in the Western psyche. Attempts to “pacify” the Waorani ended up with 80% of the population reallocated to a “protectorate” administered by the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL), a North American Evangelical organization. The cultural, social, and health repercussions are impossible
WAORANI TERRITORY
AND PEOPLE IN ISOLATION
W A place for building the future 14
ithin the YBR, indigenous societies have thrived for thousands of years. In times when the forest was continuous and without borders, their inhabitants traveled over extensive regions, including the one known today as the Yasuní. Now the YBR has some 2,500 Waorani residents, close to 1,000 Shuar, and at least 2,000 Kichwa, in addition to mestizo and Afro-Ecuadorian settlers. The Kichwa communities are located principally along the Napo and Curaray rivers and the Vía Auca, wherein Shuar communities are also settled. The Waorani settlements are scattered throughout most of the Reserve. Waorani people have a rich and magical oral tradition, handy for reconstructing their history. Their language, Wao Terero, has no close relationship with any other language, Waorani making feather headband
15
Rainbow boa
Creation: 1990. Extension: 612 thousand hectares (1400 thousand acres). Peculiarities: Ecuadorian state reserves the right to exploit or lease for exploitation the subsoil.
to gauge; polio, flu and hepatitis epidemics took many lives and continue to do so. Since the SIL was expelled from Ecuador (1981), a number of oil companies and other institutions have taken its place as an important actor shaping the region’s fate. During the 1990’s, the Waorani established the Waorani Nationality of Ecuador (NAWE, Spanish acronym) to represent them in dealings with the state, petroleum companies and the rest of society. In 1999, the Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone was established; this covers sections of the YNP and Waorani Territory. No activity –extractive or touristic–, is allowed if it would put at risk the peoples in isolation who live there. The Tagaeri (and other possible groups known as Oñamenani and Wiñatari) separated themselves from the Waorani in the 1960s. Since then, they avoid contact with strangers. Other peoples living in isolation are the Taromenane, whose history and current numbers are not well known.
Chronology of events in the area 19th century Rubber exploitation. 1937 Shell Oil enters the Ecuadorian Amazon. 1948 Shell Oil abandons operations after clashes with the Waorani. 1956 Five North American missionaries are speared to death on the Curaray River. 1981 The SIL is expelled from Ecuador. 1990 Waorani Territory is recognized. 1991 Maxus oil company begins operations. 1999 The TTIZ is established. 2002 Petrobras begins explorations. 2005 First conflicts with loggers. 2007 Yasuní-ITT campaign is launched.
The survival of the Yasuní peoples is complex and might be at risk. Until 2008, timber interests entered the YNP and the Intangible Zone illegally. Meanwhile, the oil and agriculture frontiers continue their expansion, which has contributed to the spread of viral diseases that could be fatal to isolated populations. Many Waorani communities continue to look for autonomous life options; some are betting on sustainable tourism. 16
Dawn in the Tiputini
17
Waorani elder man inside traditional shack
Maroon-tailed parakeet
THE YASUNÍ-ITT
INITIATIVE A life commitment
F
or more than a decade, social organizations and residents of the Amazon have urged the state to stop opening new oil production camps in natural reserves. In 2007, these demands came together in an innovative proposal that the Ecuadorian state presented to the world at the United Nations Assembly. The Yasuní-ITT Initiative proposes leaving underground relatively large deposits of heavy crude –some 850,000,000 barrels– found in the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini (ITT) petroleum block in the northeast of the YNP.
By leaving the ITT’s crude underground, Ecuador aims to: • Avoid pressure on the populations living in the area. • Conserve the extraordinary biological riches of its forests. • Avoid burning that oil and the impact that would cause on global climate change. It is estimated that the oil in the ITT would last for a mere couple of weeks in the global market. Is it worth sacrificing one of the most biodiverse corners of the planet for so little fuel? If billions of dollars need to be invested in compensating for carbon emissions, is it not more reasonable to avoid those emissions by leaving the oil underground? This is what Ecuador proposes to do. By not exploiting these reserves, Ecuador would forego some US$7 billion. Renouncing the exploitaTourists18 crossing a black water lagoon near Pilchicocha
19
tion of that resource represents a significant sacrifice for the country, as its economy relies largely on oil exports. For what the planet benefits, as a result of this decision (such as not producing 400,000,000 tons of carbon), Ecuador demands from the international community to compensate with 50% of the income it will not receive in the next twelve years (US $3.5 billion). This money will be deposited in a trust fund that will be used exclusively for health, education, reforestation, and management of protected areas. The trust fund, administrated by the United Nations Development Program, has been created. Nonetheless, despite the praise the proposal has inspired in various world forums, contributions remain scarce (only 1% has been received so far). If by December 2011 the funds demanded have not been met, the Ecuadorian government stands to go ahead with oil drilling in the ITT. Visiting the YBR and contributing to sustainability in the area is a way to contribute to the YasunĂ ITT Initiative. Community projects associated with sustainable tourism diminish dependence on oil companies. Sustainable tourism leaves a small ecological footprint in comparison with oil production and illegal timber extraction.
Your contribution, no matter how modest, can make a difference. In Ecuador, you can deposit your contributions into the account #526558-4, Banco del PacĂfico; in the United States, into the account #4533-6490, Wells Fargo Bank. Also, help spread the word, become part of campaigns, and encourage people and institutions in your country to contribute. For more information, visit:
http://yasuni-itt.gob.ec 20
21 Blue and yellow macaw
TOURISM in Yasuní living inside it
O
nly fifteen years ago, you had to organize an expedition to visit the Yasuní. Today, there are various community enterprises, communal and private, that offer an interesting choice of destinations, from those ideal for people looking for comfort and style to those for the more adventurous. In the YBR, attractions are related to biodiversity and culture; therefore, the values that should guide tourism are respect for the environment and social responsibility.
- There are also buses from and to Machala, Guayaquil, Santo Domingo, Loja, Riobamba, Ambato, Baños, Puyo, Tena, and Lago Agrio with the Baños, Putumayo, Loja, Jumandy, Quijos, and Pelileo bus companies. - The shortest route from Quito is through Loreto; you can also get there through Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja). - You can enter the western part of the YBR from Tena. A number of companies travel between Tena and several other cities, including more than 25 daily departures from Quito. By river. You can travel from Tena to Coca along the Napo River, though there is no regular public transport. There is public river transport from Coca to Nuevo Rocafuerte (13 hours), regularly at 7:30 (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday). The cost of a round trip is US $30. Tour operators provide river transport. By air. There are flights from Quito at the following times: Ícaro
1. Access: The main entry point is Coca (Francisco de Orellana), capital of the province of Orellana, by land, river, or air.
Boy with red piranha
By bus. Buses leave Quito’s Quitumbe Bus Terminal daily. Telephone: +593 (2) 3814 810. The one-way Quito-Coca ticket costs US$ 10. • Quito-Coca (Francisco de Orellana) Information
Lodging
Restaurant
Cooperativa Baños (4h00, 6h30, 7h30, 9h10, 10h15, 11h50, 13h30, 14h30, 18h00, 18h15, 19h00, 20h20, 21h10, 22h00, 22h50, 23h00) Coop. Loja (11h00, 22h15, 23h30) Coop. Putumayo (6h00, 16h00)
Excursion
Jungle excursion
Navigable river
Coop. Trans Esmeraldas (8h30, 20h20, 21h30) • Quito-Limoncocha
Bird-watching
Panoramic view
• Quito-Tigüino Coop. Baños (23h30) Coop. Putumayo (5h50, 12h40, 20h40) • Quito-Pompeya
Protected area
22
Handicrafts
Community tourism
Coop. Putumayo (19h45)
Aerogal
dep
ret
dep
ret
9h40
7h00 9h00 11h00 16h00
8h30 10h00 12h00 17h00
6h20 10h30 12h30* 15h50**
7h15 11h30 13h25* 16h45**
saturday
10h00 12h00
11h00 13h00
sunday
14h00
15h00
7h15 10h30 15h50 10h30
8h10 11h30 16h45 11h30
monday-friday
8h45
Canopy bridge in Sacha Lodge
*monday and friday; **except tuesday
Tickets costs between US $100 and $150 for a round trip. For more information visit airlines’ web sites. 2. Entering via Coca: - Coca (18,000 residents) has hospitals, hotels, banks, an airport, internet, information offices, first aid, tour operators, markets, and the offices of the YNP and the Ministry of Tourism. -Staying the night in Coca can cost around US $10 - $50 per night.
Hotels in Coca
Coop. Baños (17h30) Lagoon
Tame
ret
dep
El Auca La Misión Gran Hotel del Coca
2881 260 2880 544 2882 666
Heliconias 2882 010 Omaguas 2880 136 Pto. Orellana 2880 970
Río Napo Damaris El Ávila Bolívar Canoas Coca Henry Paúl
2880 872 2881 651 2882 206 2881 635 2882 094 2882 088 2880 301
Lojanita 2880 032 Oasis 2880 206 Safari Brisas del Napo 2882 128 San Fermín 2881 848
Santa María Unicornio William’s Amazonas
2880 097 2882 293 2881 201 2880 444
- Dial 06 first to make calls to Orellana Province.
3. To the YBR: - Entering the National Park and Waorani Territory on your own is not allowed. You must sign up for an excursion with an operator authorized by both the Tourism and Environment ministries. You can visit areas outside the Park and Waorani Territory on your own. - The YNP entry fee is US $2 ($0.50 for people with disabilities, senior citizens and children); to enter, you need a guide certified by the Ministry of Environment. 23
- The Napo river is the main entrance; on its banks various Kichwa communities and lodges can be found. You can visit various tributaries, such as the Indillama, always with an authorized tour. - By way of the Via Auca (Coca-Bataboro) various Waorani, Kichwa and Shuar communities can be reached, as well as along the Shiripuno, Tiguino, Tiputini and Cononaco rivers, from which you can enter the YNP and sectors of Waorani territory. This access is controlled by the state. - From Shell Mera you can take a small plane to the Waorani communities of Quehueiri’ono and Bameno, and to other landing strips on the banks of the Curaray River in the province of Pastaza. - Tours usually last between four and eight days; set aside at least five days to visit the Yasuní, taking into account one day to enter and another one to leave. - The only operator currently authorized by the MAE to enter the YNP is Enchanted Expeditions. Contact: De las Alondras N45-102, Quito. +593 (2) 3340 525 info@ enchantedexpeditions.com www.enchantedexpeditions.com 4. What should you take?
Rubber boots • light clothing: long sleeved shirts, slacks • bathing suit • cap or hat • sunglasses • biodegradable insect repellant • binoculars • photo and/or video camera • flashlight
24
• rechargeable batteries • water bottle • sealable plastic bags • mosquito net • first aid kit • accident insurance • yellow fever and hepatitis A, B, and C vaccine certificates • cash (beyond Coca, there are no banks). 5. Safety and health: - Avoid informal tourist operations that offer visits to Waorani Territory or the Intangible Zone, as these may be fly-by-night, careless operations with a negative impact on the YBR, its residents, and tourists. - On visiting the Intangible Zone, you could introduce common illnesses that are potentially fatal for persons who have had no contact with them. To enter their territories or participate in tours and fly-overs “in search” of these peoples is disrespectful of their decision to live in isolation and could result in clashes that put human life at risk. - Drinking water is limited; though rain forest rivers are generally clean, drinking from them may affect your stomach. Take plenty of drinking water and purification tablets as you will need to drink continuously in the heat. Avoid plastic disposable bottles. - Malaria, yellow fever, and leishmaniasis are occasionally found in the region. To enter the YNP you need yellow fever vaccination. To enter the Waorani Territory you also require typhus and hepatitis A, B and C vaccinations. It is recommended that you use a mosquito net and biodegradable repellent.
6. When to visit? - Any time of the year can be ideal, but between December and February the rivers are low and navigation might be difficult. In June and August, the rivers tend to be higher. 7. Communications - Telephone and internet access is limited except at Coca and Nuevo Rocafuerte. Cell phone signals are available in certain parts of the YBR, especially near Coca and some oil camps. A number of lodges have radios for communication and a few have internet. 8. Useful phone numbers in Coca: Yasuní National Park Office
2881 850
Provincial Office of the Ministry of Tourism
2881 583
Airport
2880 185
Port Office
2882 573
Police
2880 101
Francisco de Orellana Hospital
2880 139
Fire Department
2880 102
Provincial Government of Orellana
2880 148
National Telecommunications Council
2880 104
SUSTAINABLE AND CONSCIOUS TOURISM - Always use formal tour operators. We recommend that you select an operator based on environmental practices and their relationship with the communities: • solid and liquid waste disposal • energy sources and usage • architecture in harmony with surroundings and use of renewable materials • respect for environmental norms • does not capture or sell wild species • distributes income in equitable fashion • decent working conditions. - By avoiding and reporting bad practices you contribute to sustainable tourism in the Reserve. Report bad practices to national and regional environmental and tourist authorities (phone numbers above). - When you travel to Waorani Territory, make sure that your operator is authorized, either by NAWE or the communities you will visit. - Do not eat wild animal meat, either in restaurants or provided by guides; eating wild meat contributes to the extinction of vulnerable species. - Demand that guides do not bother wild animals in attempts to attract them: enjoy seeing the animals in their natural habitat and behaviour. - Contribute to community economic wellbeing by buying crafts made locally; always pay a fair price. - Do not take containers, batteries, or other disposable items; if you do, take them out with you.
- Dial 06 first to make calls to Orellana Province.
25
Black water lagoon in the Yasuní
What you should not miss: Paddle canoe ride At the river’s pace, you will see aquatic and terrestrial animals as they approach to refresh themselves in the water. Night time stroll Go out in search of nocturnal creatures, including caimans, insects, toads, monkeys, and owls. Salt licks These are sites where the ground is exceptionally rich in minerals, so animals go there to supplement their diet. There are no better places in the rainforest to observe animals which are normally aloof. Walk through the rain forest with local guides Nobody knows the rain forest better than the Waorani, Kichwa, and Shuar who have grown up and are part of cultures that developed there. A good local guide can make the difference between an enjoyable and an unforgettable walk. Canopy towers and walkways The towers are thirty or more meters high which means you can appreciate birds and primates like never before; they also offer a spectacular and new perspective on the forest. Bird watching at dawn To be able to appreciate fully the biodiversity of birds it is necessary to get up at dawn. The same applies for monkeys. Few efforts are more rewarding. Eating maito Maito is fish wrapped in plantain leaves and steamed over a wood fire or in holes in the ground; one of the Amazon’s most exquisite taste treats. Living in a community From sharing food to listening to stories and traditions from the voices of the elders, this is another way to learn about the rain forest and its culture. CICAME Museum, Pompeya This is the best on-site museum in the country, with a magnificent collection of archaeological pieces from the Amazon, some almost a thousand years old. Contact the Aguarico Vicariate. +593 (6) 2880 501 / vicapag@uio.satnet.net / http://aguarico.vicariato.net/ CICAME.html Toxi tour A tour through oil camps, abandoned and producing, helps to understand the Yasuní’s fragile social and environmental situation. 26
27
Two species of parakeets in a salt lick
road to Lago Agrio
LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
Qu
Coca
ito
CU
Pañacocha
Limoncocha Pompeya
YA B
Pañacocha
Sani
EN
O
FA
Garzacocha
Nueva Providencia
A
PR Yuturi Chiru Isla
OD
UC
San Vicente
Shinchi Chicta
Tiputini
Aguarico
TI
ON
RE
Nap o
SE
RV
Ma
E
Tiputini
s xu ad ro
Auca road
UN
Añangu Añangucocha
Napo
Boca del Tiputini
Llanchama
no Tivacu u ní Yas
Huiñame Onco
Tiputini Santa Rosa
Puerto Miranda Alta Florencia Ahuemuro
YASUNÍ
Santa Teresita
Nuevo Rocafuerte Jatuncocha
Quehueire Ono
PERÚ
Ñuneno
Shir ipu no
Nueva Golondrina
NATIONAL
Tigüino
Lumbaqui
Quito
Lago Agrio
El Chaco Papallacta
Caruhue Onco Na s
to
to Lago Agrio
Tig
üino
Mima Onco
Baeza
Quemperi Onco
nonaco Co
Coca
Bahuameno (Sandoval)
Dicaro
o hiñ
PARK
Loreto Archidona
Tena
Quito - El Coca 300 km mean duration: 8 hours
Provincial capital Town
Curaray
Community
Pavacachi
Yasuní Biosphere Reserve boundary
28
Main road Secondary road River
Lorocachi
N W
E S
10 km
YASUNÍ TOURISTIC MAP 29
walks through the rain forest, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe rides, visits to communities, camping, fishing, night walks, volunteer opportunities. Comunidad de Sani Isla. Roca E4-49 & Amazonas, Quito. +593 (2) 2558 881 / 2906 021 / info@ sanilodge.com / www.sanilodge.com US $627 - 1347 (4-8 days); US $396 - 847 (camping); doesn’t include air or bus fare.
LA SELVA JUNGLE LODGE on the banks of the Garzacocha Lagoon on the north bank of the Napo River. comfortable cabins, electricity, food, rain forest trails, guides, canopy tower, butterfly farm, jungle spa. jungle walks, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe rides, camping, fishing, night walks, natural treatments and spa. La Selva, a private company operating on land rented from El Pilche community. Mariana de Jesús E7-211 & La Pradera, Quito. +593 (2) 2545 425 / 2550 995 / info@laselvajunglelodge. com / www.laselvajunglelodge.com US $547 - 852 (3- 5 days), US $190 per extra day; 30% discount for Ecuadorians. Doesn’t include air or bus fare.
MANATEE AMAZON EXPLORER sail along the Napo and Aguarico rivers from Coca. comfortable cabins, electricity, food, guides, canoes on board. cruise along the Napo River, walks through the rain forest, fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe rides, visits to communities, visit a shaman, night walks. Advantage Travel Ecuador. Gaspar de Villaroel 1100 & 6 de Diciembre, Quito. +593 (2) 2448 985 / 2447 190 / info@advantagecuador.com / www.manateeamazonexplorer.com US $560 - 2833 (4 - 10 days); doesn’t include air or bus fare.
BATABURO LODGE on the Tigüino River, near the Bataburo and Tigüino communities, 27 km downriver from the bridge on the Auca road. comfortable cabins, electricity, food, rain forest trails, guides. rain forest walks, bird and fauna watching, canoe rides, visits to communities, fishing, camping, craft-making. Kempery Tours, in agreement with NAWE. Ramírez Dávalos 117 & Amazonas, ed. Tourismundial, of. 101, Quito. +593 (2) 2505 600 / 2226 583 / kempery@kempery.com / www.kempery.com US $295 - 335 (4 - 5 days); doesn’t include air or bus fare.
SACHA LODGE on the banks of the Pilchicocha Lagoon, in a 2,000 hectare (4,820-acre) private reserve on the south bank of the Napo River. comfortable cabins, diesel-generated electricity, food, rain forest trails, guides, canopy tower and walks, library, butterfly farm. walks through the rain forest, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe rides, fishing, night walks. Julio Zaldumbide & Valladolid, Quito. +593 (2) 2566 090/ 2509 504 / info@sachalodge.com / www.sachalodge.com US $547 - 690 (Ecuadorians), US $714 - 920 (foreigners) (4 - 5 days); doesn’t include air or bus fare.
YARINA ECOLODGE on the banks of the Napo River, 25 km east of
WHERE TO GO Tourism operations registered in the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador, by March 2011. where it is
what’s there
NAPO WILDLIFE CENTER on the banks of the Añangucocha Lagoon, on lands of the Añagu Kichwa community, at the south bank of the Napo River. comfortable cabins, solar energy, food, rain forest trails, guides, canopy tower, crafts for sale, satellite internet, library. walks through the rain forest, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe trips, visits to communities, night walks. Comunidad de Añangu. Río Yaupi & Mariana de Jesús, Quito. +593 (2) 6005 893 / 6005 819 / sales@napowildlifecenter.com / www.napowildlifecenter.com US $760 - 1520 (4-8 days); 20% discount for Ecuadorians; doesn’t include air or bus fare. FLOTEL LA MISIÓN travel by boat along the Napo River between Coca and Iquitos (Peru). comfortable cabins, electricity, food, guides, satellite internet. cruise along the Napo River, walks through the rain forest, fauna watching, canoe rides, visits to communities, visits to shamans, fishing, night walks, cruises to Iquitos (Peru) and Tabatinga (Brazil). Misión Orellana. 18 de Septiembre E4-76 & Amazonas, Quito. +593 (2) 2553 960 / info@ flotelamision.com / www.flotelamision.com US $740 - 840 (Ecuadorians), US $865 997 (foreigners) for 5 days; doesn’t include air or bus fare. SANI LODGE on the banks of the Chaullacocha Lagoon, in lands of the Sani Isla Kichwa community, at the north bank of the Napo River. comfortable cabins, solar energy, food, rain forest trails, guides, canopy tower, crafts for sale, library. 30
activities
contact
price
Coca, private 500-hectare (1,205-acre) reserve. comfortable cabins, electricity via generator, food, rain forest trails, guides. rain forest walks, bird and fauna watching, canoe rides, visits to communities, visits to shaman, fishing, night walks. Adventure Ecotours. Amazonas N24-240 & Colón, Quito. +593 (2) 2504 037 / 2503 225; Malecón s/n, Coca. +593 (6) 2880 619 / info@ yarinalodge.com / www.yarinalodge.com US $270 - 450 (3 - 5 days); doesn’t include air or bus fare. YAKU KAWSAY ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION CENTER on the Napo River in the Kichwa Nueva Providencia community. interpretation center, guides, crafts for sale. visits to communities, observe craft-making; tourism is just beginning. comunidad Nueva Providencia and Wildlife Conservation Society. Eloy Alfaro N37-224 & Coremo, Quito. +593 (2) 2249 763 / wcsecuador@wcs.org / www.yakukawsay.org not available. LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE north bank of the Napo River, Pompeya area. simple cabins, food, rain forest trails, guides. jungle walks, fauna and bird watching, canoe rides, visit to communities, night walks. Yasuní National Park Office, Coca. +593 (6) 2881 850. US$2 entrance fee.
Several indigenous communities along the Napo River margins are developing sustainable tourism projects, grouped in the Network of Tourism Initiatives of the Napo River Margins (REST, Spanish acronym). This network is consolidating. For more information, contact REST at Nuevo Rocafuerte: +593 (6) 2382 119 / 2382 108. Likewise, other organized communities within the YBR, like Quehueri’ono, are processing their Community Tourism Centre licence. More information at www.huaorani.com
For more information, visit: www.ecuador.travel.ec www.yasuni-itt.gob.ec www.turismo.gob.ec
www.ambiente.gob.ec www.descubreorellana.com www.unwto.org
31
Remarkable animal species of Yasuní This is a short list of the most remarkable fauna species that can be found in Yasuní. It is not a full list as the biodiversity of Yasuní is overwhelming. Enjoy completing your checklist!
Mammals Jaguar Puma Jaguaroundi Ocelot Bush dog Tayra Kinkajou South American coati Giant river otter South American tapir Collared peccary White-lipped peccary Red brocket deer Giant anteater Giant armadillo Southern two toed sloth White-bellied spider-monkey Pöppig’s woolly monkey Red howler monkey Monk saki monkey White-fronted capuchin Common squirrel monkey Pygmy marmoset Saddlebacked tamarin Yellow handed titi Lemurine night monkey Paca Amazon river dolphin Amazonian manatee Birds Great tinamou Undulated tinamou Anhinga Neotropic cormorant Cocoi heron Striated heron Green ibis King vulture Harpy eagle Crested eagle 32
Lined forest-falcon Speckled chachalaca Blue-throated piping-guan Salvin’s currasow Blue-and-yellow macaw Red-and-green macaw Scarlet macaw Black-headed parrot Maroon-tailed parakeet Mealy amazon Orange-winged amazon Squirrel cuckoo Crested owl Spectacled owl Great potoo Great-billed hermit Gray-breasted sabrewing Fiery topaz Pavonine quetzal Violaceous trogon Blue-crowned trogon Ringed kingfisher Amazonian motmot Great jacamar White-necked puffbird White-fronted nunbird White-throated toucan Many-banded aracari Chestnut woodpecker Crimson-bellied woodpecker Long-billed woodcreeper Great antshrike Cocha antshrike Brown-backed antwren Lunulated antbird White-plumed antbird Tropical kingbird Plum-throated cotinga Amazonian umbrellabird Bare-necked fruitcrow Golden-headed manakin Wire-tailed manakin Blue-backed manakin
Violaceous jay Lawrence’s thrush Paradise tanager Turquoise tanagar Magpie tanager Red-capped cardinal Crested oropendola Yellow-rumped cacique Reptiles Black caiman Spectacled caiman Smooth fronted caiman Rainbow boa Boa constrictor Emerald tree boa Common anaconda South American bush master Common lancehead Two striped forest pitviper Parrot snake Brown vine snake South American coral snake South American tortoise Yellow spotted river turtle Tegu lizard Amphibians South American bullfrog Brownbelly tree frog Zaparo rocket frog Amazon tungara frog Amazonian harlequin frog Mitred toad Amazonian horned frog Marbled tree frog Map tree frog Yasuni slender tree frog Amazon leaf frog Surinam frog Ecuadorian climbing salamander Linnaeus’ caecilian
Coordination: Juan Freile and Andrés Vallejo Texts: Juan Freile Editor: Andrés Vallejo Design: Esteban Garcés Maps: Susana Crespo and Pablo Cabrera English translation: Mary Ellen Feiweger English revision: Cathleen Hall Coordination, Ministry of Tourism: Mónica Burbano Montalvo Review: Ministry of Tourism: Office of Tourism Development and Facilitation, Office of Social Communication, Office of Regulation and Control, Office of Strategic Marketing, Orellana Provincial Office. Review: Ministry of the Environment: Orellana Provincial Office, Yasuní National Park, Program for Environmental and Social Reparation, Program for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve (MAE-MDG-F)
Acknowledgements: United Nations Development Program (UNDP), World Tourism Organizations (WTO), United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organization (UNESCO). Photo credits Pete Oxford: cover (tourist), 7 (lagoon), 10, 11, 14 (lagoon), 15 (waorani), 17 (snake), 18 (waorani and lagoon), 23. Murray Cooper: cover (monkeys), cover (parrots), 4, 7 (tourists), 12, 15 (monkeys), 18 (parrots), 20, 26. Roberto Espinosa: 16, 24. Oliver Dangles and Francois Nowicki/Biota Maxima: 22. Lucas Bustamante/Tropical Herping: cover (frog), 6. This document should be cited as follows: Ecuador Terra Incognita, 2011, Guide to Sustainable Tourism in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, Ministry of Tourism, Quito. © Ministerio de Turismo del Ecuador 2011 Produced by
d te ge u rib ar st f ch i D o e fre
Av. Eloy Alfaro N32-300 and Carlos Tobar Quito - Ecuador Telephones: +593 (2) 2507 560 / 555 / 559 Fax: +593 (2) 2507 565