Ya s u n i Wi l d e r n e s s Exploration 2012
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The Western Amazon is one of the last wilderness areas in the world, where are large tracts of intact forests remain. Indeed, it is still possible to walk continuously from southern Peru to southern Venezuela—a distance of 2,000 kilometers— without crossing a single road!!
The Lodge, with its comfortable, clean, environmentally harmonious accommodations and dedicated staff, will be your home base for unforgettable expeditions. ACTIVITIES
The privilege to be in the core of the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve and the Waorani Ethnic Reserve; is one of our trademark of Shiripuno Lodge. Indeed is the remotest Eco-friendly tourist facility today. To reach its pristine forest is needed to travel 155 km in one day!!! The Yasuni is settle in a unique biographical position at the crossroads of the Andes (Andean foothills), the Western Amazon, and the Equator; where the species richness of amphibian, bird, mammal, and vascular plant species reach global scale: diversity maxima. The Waorani People from the community of Neoneno has a legal agreement with Shiripuno Tour Operator to organize and run tourist activities inside their Reserve and sponsor the local developing of the Community by Responsible Tourism. Shiripuno Lodge is constantly training and creating job opportunities for the Waorani People, support them in transportation, medicine and educational materials.
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Natural History Hikes Birdwatching Catch & Release Fishing Night Walks Caiman Searching Community Visit
LODGING Our cabins, furnished with both single and double beds, accommodate up to three persons in one room. All rooms have private bathrooms and hammocks. No electricity is available; all lighted by candles, creating a perfect harmony with the sights and background sounds of the rainforest. Charging the batteries of cameras with solar-energy.
RESTAURANT During your stay at Shiripuno Lodge, you will be delighted by our cuisine. Three set menus daily, fresh baked bread, tropical fruit juices and a perfect balance between Ecuadorian and international food would make you feel at home. Vegetarian or other dietary meals are provided upon request.
DAY 01: Quito-Coca by airplane, from Coca We’ll travel 90 km south into the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve and Waorani Ethnic Reserve, by small bus “Chiva” to the Shiripuno Bridge (approx. 2:30 hrs). Box Lunch would be served on the site. Afterwards we’ll navigate 65 km downstream with a motorized canoe to reach the Shiripuno Lodge, the canoe journey will take approximately 4 hours depending on water levels. It will turn into your first experience with the wide diversity of wildlife of the Amazonian Rainforest. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge. DAY 02: Breakfast. We’ll navigate to start our morning hike (3-4 hrs.) Into pristine Rainforest along the Mirador Trail; the aim of this trail is to share with you scenic view of the Amazon Basin and show you millions of reason to preserve the Rainforest for future generations. The Waorani and the Naturalist guides will provide you information and explanations about the biodiversity of the Rainforest; and the medicinal plants use by indigenous people. This hike requires good physical condition. Lunch. In the afternoon catch-and-release Piranha Fishing along the Shiripuno River. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge.
DAY 03: Before breakfast. We’ll descend the Shiripuno River and listen the Rainforest waking up!!! Birds and mammals getting up!! Breakfast. Then we’ll go to a back-door trail to explore different type of forest and increase our chance to find more animals. Lunch. In the afternoon we will take the motor canoe and make an excursion into one of the small oxbow lake where it is possible to see different kinds of plants and animals such as; the bizarre bird Hoatzins. We will explore the Rainforest at night searching for nocturnal fauna. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge. DAY 04: After breakfast, navigate upstream to the Waorani Community; early canoe rides are great to surprises animals crossing the river such as Capybaras, Tapir or resting Caimans; birds such as Macaws and Toucans also can be seen from the canoe. At the Waorani Community you will see the effects of cultural expose by which are living all the different indigenous groups in the Amazon. The Waorani still keep most of their traditions such as: hunting with blowguns and poisoned darts, their unique language Wao Terero, the knowledge of the Rainforest and oral traditions. Responsible tourism brings revenues to all the families at different levels by selling handcrafts, canoe drivers, native guides, housekeeping, kitchen assistants and others activities. Lunch. We’ll continue the navigation upstream to the bridge where we are going to take the bus back to Coca (arrival at 16:30 approx.).
DAY 01: Quito-Coca by airplane, from Coca We’ll travel 90 km south into the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve and Waorani Ethnic Reserve, by small bus “Chiva” to the Shiripuno Bridge (approx. 2:30 hrs). Box Lunch would be served on the site. Afterwards we’ll navigate 65 km downstream with a motorized canoe to reach the Shiripuno Lodge, the canoe journey will take approximately 4 hours depending on water levels. It will turn into your first experience with the wide diversity of wildlife of the Amazonian Rainforest. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge. DAY 02: Breakfast. We’ll navigate to start our morning hike (3-4 hrs.) into pristine Rainforest along the Mirador Trail; the aim of this trail is to share with you scenic view of the Amazon Basin and show you millions of reason to preserve the Rainforest for future generations. The Waorani and the Naturalist guides will provide you information and explanations about the biodiversity of the Rainforest; and the medicinal plants use by indigenous people. This hike requires good physical condition. Lunch. In the afternoon catch-and-release Piranha Fishing along the Shiripuno River. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge. DAY 03: Before breakfast. We’ll descend the Shiripuno River and listen the Rainforest waking up!!! Birds and mammals getting up!! Breakfast. Then we’ll go to a back-door trail to explore different type of forest and increase our chance to find more animals. Lunch. In the afternoon we will take the motor canoe
and make an excursion into one of the small oxbow lake where it is possible to see different kinds of plants and animals such as; the bizarre bird Hoatzins. We will explore the Rainforest at night searching for nocturnal fauna. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge. DAY 04: Breakfast. We are going to spend an entire day in the Rainforest. We’ll hike on the el Saladero Trail; at the end of this trail there is a Forest Clay Lick, it is a location where mammals and birds with vegetable diet-base come to lick minerals all year round. We’ll have lunch in the middle of Rainforest. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge. DAY 05: After breakfast, navigate upstream to the Waorani Community; early canoe rides are great to surprises animals crossing the river such as Capybaras, Tapir or resting Caimans; birds such as Macaws and Toucans also can be seen from the canoe. At the Waorani Community you will see the effects of cultural expose by which are living all the different indigenous groups in the Amazon. The Waorani still keep most of their traditions such as: hunting with blowguns and poisoned darts, their unique language Wao Terero, the knowledge of the Rainforest and oral traditions. Responsible tourism brings revenues to all the families at different levels by selling handcrafts, canoe drivers, native guides, housekeeping, kitchen assistants and others activities. Lunch. We’ll continue the navigation upstream to the bridge where we are going to take the bus back to Coca (arrival at 16:30 approx.).
DAY 01: Quito-Coca by airplane, from Coca We’ll travel 90 km south into the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve and Waorani Ethnic Reserve, by small bus “Chiva” to the Shiripuno Bridge (approx. 2:30 hrs). Box Lunch would be served on the site. Afterwards we’ll navigate 65 km downstream with a motorized canoe to reach the Shiripuno Lodge, the canoe journey will take approximately 4 hours depending on water levels. It will turn into your first experience with the wide diversity of wildlife of the Amazonian Rainforest. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge. DAY 02: Breakfast. We’ll navigate to start our morning hike (3-4 hrs.) into pristine Rainforest along the Mirador Trail; the aim of this trail is to share with you scenic view of the Amazon Basin and show you millions of reason to preserve the Rainforest for future generations. The Waorani and the Naturalist guides will provide you information and explanations about the biodiversity of the Rainforest; and the medicinal plants use by indigenous people. This hike requires good physical condition. Lunch. In the afternoon catch-and-release Piranha Fishing along the Shiripuno River. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge. DAY 03: Breakfast. We take an easy hike to the El Misterioso Trail, where we are probably to find several species of primates. Lunch. Travel downstream to our next campsite. Dinner. We will take a night hike. Lodging in tents.
DAY 04: Breakfast. We will hike on the El Saladero Trail, where we are likely to encounter animals at the Forest Salt Lick as well as diverse plants and trees. Lunch. Travel downstream to our next campsite. Dinner. We will canoe at night to look for caimans. Lodging in tents. DAY 05: Breakfast. We take our final hike in the forest to view more wildlife. Lunch. In the afternoon, we return by motorized canoe to our first campsite or to the Lodge for our final night. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge. DAY 06: After breakfast, navigate upstream to the Waorani Community; early canoe rides are great to surprises animals crossing the river such as Capybaras, Tapir or resting Caimans; birds such as Macaws and Toucans also can be seen from the canoe. At the Waorani Community you will see the effects of cultural expose by which are living all the different indigenous groups in the Amazon. The Waorani still keep most of their traditions such as: hunting with blowguns and poisoned darts, their unique language Wao Terero, the knowledge of the Rainforest and oral traditions. Responsible tourism brings revenues to all the families at different levels by selling handcrafts, canoe drivers, native guides, housekeeping, kitchen assistants and others activities. Lunch. We’ll continue the navigation upstream to the bridge where we are going to take the bus back to Coca (arrival at 16:30 approx.).
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DAY 01: Quito-Coca by airplane, from Coca We’ll travel 90 km south into the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve and Waorani Ethnic Reserve, by small bus “Chiva” to the Shiripuno Bridge (approx. 2:30 hrs). Box Lunch would be served on the site. Afterwards we’ll navigate 65 km downstream with a motorized canoe to reach the Shiripuno Lodge, the canoe journey will take approximately 4 hours depending on water levels. We can find birds such as: Blue-and-Yellow Macaws, Scarlet Macaw, White-throated Toucan, Black-capped Donacobious, Orange-backed Troupial, Common Piping Guan, Magpie Tanager and others. Dinner and lodging DAY 02: Breakfast. We’ll wander in the primary forest trail net work behind the lodge and look for Army Ants Specialist such as Lunulated Antbird, White-plumed Antbird, Sooty Antbird; and give some visits to the different territories of the rare Wing-banded Antbird, Undulated Antshrike, Pearly Antshrike, Yellow-billed Jacamar; there will be time to observe Striped Manakin, Golden-headed Manakin. Lunch. In the afternoon: Visit to the Oxbow Lake. Search for the White-lored Antpitta, Long-billed Woodcreeper, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Chestnut-headed Crake. Dinner and lodging DAY 03: Breakfast. We’ll walk to the Mirador View will give us species from the canopy such as Brown Jacamar, Yellow-billed Nunbird, Yellow-bellied Tanager, Purple Honeycreeper, Spangled Cotinga, Black-tailed Tityra, Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher, Paradise Tanager and others. Along this trail, mixed flocks with Red-billed Scythebill, Rufous-tailed Antwren, Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper; There are territories of Coraya Wren, Ochre-striped Antpitta, Ash-throated Gnateater, Cinnamon Neopipo, Yellow-browed Antbird. Lekking site of Blue-backed Manakin, White-crowned Manakin.
DAY 04: Breakfast. Our next birding trail will be “El Misterioso Trail” a good birding trail with a lot of mixed flock with Yasuni Antwren, Redcrowned Ant-Tanager, Rio Suno Antwren, Ruddy Foliage-gleaner; territories for Thrush-like Antpitta, Ringed Antpitta, Banded Antbird, and others, it will keep us busy the entire day as we add more species to our list. Lunch in the forest. DAY 05: Breakfast. Birding along “Skucth Trail” and try for the Salvin’s Curassow, Ocellated Woodcreeper, Spotted Puffbird, Blacknecked Cotinga, Grayish Mourner, Long-winged Antwren and others. Lunch in the lodge. In the afternoon check for some of the vicinity species we have missed. DAY 06: Breakfast and birding along the river to get to the El Saladero trail and it leads to the forest clay lick, where sometimes there is a chance to find the Scarlet Macaw, Orange-cheeked Parrot, Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet. We will have lunch in middle of the Rainforest. DAY 07: After breakfast, navigate upstream to the Waorani Community; early canoe rides are great to surprises animals crossing the river such as Capybaras, Tapir or resting Caimans; birds such as Macaws and Toucans also can be seen from the canoe. At the Waorani Community you will see the effects of cultural expose by which are living all the different indigenous groups in the Amazon. The Waorani still keep most of their traditions such as: hunting with blowguns and poisoned darts, their unique language Wao Terero, the knowledge of the Rainforest and oral traditions. Responsible tourism brings revenues to all the families at different levels by selling handcrafts, canoe drivers, native guides, housekeeping, kitchen assistants and others activities. Lunch. We’ll continue the navigation upstream to the bridge where we are going to take the bus back to Coca (arrival at 16:30 approx.).
DAY 01: Quito-Coca by airplane, from Coca We’ll travel 90 km south into the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve and Waorani Ethnic Reserve, by small bus “Chiva” to the Shiripuno Bridge (approx. 2:30 hrs). Box Lunch would be served on the site. Afterwards we’ll navigate 65 km downstream with a motorized canoe to reach the Shiripuno Lodge, the canoe journey will take approximately 4 hours depending on water levels. It will turn into your first experience with the wide diversity of wildlife of the Amazonian Rainforest. Dinner and lodging at the Shiripuno Lodge. DAY 02 - 07: The remote Tropical Rainforest of the Shiripuno Lodge offers a unique opportunity to find a great number of species of the Amazonian Herpetofauna from tiny Glass Frogs (Cochranella sp.) resting on vegetation near to the water to the impressive Smoky Jungle Frogs (Leptodactylus pentadactylus) calling out from the river bank. Or bright colored Poison Frogs (Epipedobates sp.) can be found during the day calling from falling logs. The Tree Frogs (Hypsiboas sp.) get very active as the night comes especially next to an oxbow lake. Anoles can be found resting on small branches of scrubs near to the ground during the night. Forest Lizards can be encounter next to mud paddles, light gaps or forest interior. Smooth-fronted Caimans (Paleosuchus trigonatus), Yellow-spotted River Turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) or Golden Tegu (Tupinambis teguixin) are basking along the river on a sunny day.
The snakes such as Greenstriped Vine Snake (Oxybelis argenteus) happen during the day next to vines in the understory, Tiger Rat Snake (Spilotes pullatus) occurs in light gap, Common False Viper (Xenodon rhabdocephalus) on the floor litter in terra firme, Western Coral Snake (Micrurus spixii) at night after the rain, Fer-de-lance (Bothrops atrox) next to rivers during sunny days, or the Bushmaster (Lachesis muta) resting on big buttresses. Breakfast. Hike to the surrounding trails to hunt for day light species. Lunch. Dinner. Night walk to different forest swamps. DAY 08: After breakfast, navigate upstream to the Waorani Community; early canoe rides are great to surprises animals crossing the river such as Capybaras, Tapir or resting Caimans; birds such as Macaws and Toucans also can be seen from the canoe. At the Waorani Community you will see the effects of cultural expose by which are living all the different indigenous groups in the Amazon. The Waorani still keep most of their traditions such as: hunting with blowguns and poisoned darts, their unique language Wao Terero, the knowledge of the Rainforest and oral traditions. Responsible tourism brings revenues to all the families at different levels by selling handcrafts, canoe drivers, native guides, housekeeping, kitchen assistants and others activities. Lunch. We’ll continue the navigation upstream to the bridge where we are going to take the bus back to Coca (arrival at 16:30 approx.).
2:30 hours to the Shiripuno River. Downstream on the Shiripuno River for 4 hours to reach Shiripuno Lodge
Shiripuno Lodge could suggest you to bring only items that you are going to use in the forest; Truly there is not reason to carry all your larger suitcase. Keep in mind the following items: PERSONAL ITEMS • Long Trousers • Long Sleeves • Wind Jacket • Cap or Hat • T-Shirts • Shorts • Socks • Raincoat • Sunglasses • Bathing Suit • Insect Repellent • Personal First Aid Kit • Zip-lock Bags for wet cloths • Soap & Shampoo ( Biodegradable!!!) TECHNICAL ITEMS • Camera with Extra Memory Card • Spare Camera Batteries and charger • Flashlight with Rechargeable Batteries • Binoculars ( 8 X 32 or 10 X 42 ) • Notebook and Pencil COMMUNITY ITEMS ( Optional: for the community children) • 50 Pages Notebooks • Crayons • Pencil • Markers • Rulers • Tooth Brush and • Tooth Paste How do I to get to Shiripuno Lodge? In a 30 minutes flight from Quito to Coca (Francisco de Orellana), or an 8 hours night Bus ride from Quito. Our staff will meet you in Coca at the Hotel Auca or at the Airport. We start our trip at 10:30 AM. We will drive you along the Auca Road for
Important Travel Information US citizens need a current passport to travel to Ecuador that is valid for at least six months past your return date. Residents of other countries should inquire as to the most current travel requirements. You are advised to carry traveler’s insurance which, at a minimum, covers both equipment loss and medical evacuation coverage. Overall, the risk of disease, including malaria, is exceedingly low, but you need to consult with a physician or other medical professional to discuss the risks. At a minimum, a Yellow Fever and Hepatitis A, B vaccination is needed to enter Yasuni Biosphere Reserve and you must present proof of vaccination prior at the start of the trip. The Ecuadorian Government had created the Intangible Zone that spans nearly 3,000 square miles (758,051 hectares) is designed to protect the core territory of a Waorani family group known as the Tagaeri and Taromenane, the last two known groups of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation in Ecuador.
The Shiripuno Research Center Volunteering Programs consists of 4 and 8 weeks in the Waorani Community and in the forest with a whole series of activities and work assignments. Our Goals: - To teach English to the Waorani School - To create the Yasuni Wildlife Inventory - To create educational material for local schools - To keep track of 20 km of trails - To download photos from Trap-Cameras - To create 50 km of trails - To built a volunteers facilities - To built a scientists facilities - To build a data base online!!!