Stay closer to the wild.

Forest bathing at its finest. Spend time with local guides, learn from the rhythms of the rainforest, and discover the ancestral traditions of the Siona people who call this land home.

Caiman Lodge sits on the banks of the Laguna Grande, the heart of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve and home of the elusive pink river dolphin. Accessible by canoe year-round regardless of season, our 40-person lodge was designed and built by two of Cuyabeno’s most experienced guides. Triple, quadruple, quintuple, and double rooms — each with its own private bathroom and hot water.

Our 3-, 4-, and 5-day programs are built around hands-on wildlife encounters and cultural exchange. You’ll hike ancient rainforest trails with bilingual naturalist guides, paddle quiet waterways teeming with monkeys, caimans, and exotic birds, swim in the lagoon at sunset, and visit a Siona community to learn about medicinal plants and ancestral knowledge. 
Between excursions, recover in our hammock area or take in the canopy from our seven-storey birdwatching tower with a sweeping view of the lagoon and the jungle.

Getting here from Quito. The easiest way to reach the lodge is the VIP overnight bus operated by TuVIPBus, which departs Quito’s Old Town at 10:00 PM and arrives in Lago Agrio in time for a hot breakfast at 8:00 AM. From there, your transport to the Cuyabeno Bridge is included in your package; our guides meet you at the river. Seats are $37 one-way; reserve ahead through TuVIPBus before your dates fill.

At the lodge, comfort meets sustainability: locally-sourced meals, personalised service for small groups, and assistance throughout your stay from a licensed naturalist guide, licensed canoe driver, and the Caiman Lodge crew.

Before or after your jungle stay. Quito’s Old Town is worth a day of exploring in its own right; colonial architecture, the Basilica del Voto Nacional, and the warmth of the Ecuadorian highlands. Our friends at CarpeDM Adventures run highly-rated walking tours, day trips, and multi-day adventures all over Ecuador from their base in Quito; an easy way to round out your trip with a few days in the highlands before you head home.