Napo Wildlife Center
The Napo Wildlife Center is an absolute must if you want to visit the Amazon during your tour of Ecuador. The quiet location makes it possible to spot plenty of special species. Moreover, by staying in this ecolodge you will contribute to this special nature reserve and its indigenous cultures.
From the Andes to the tropical rainforest
In Ecuador, the Andes, with its mountain and volcanic peaks, runs through the country like a backbone. Travelling from the Andes to the east, you will end up in the Amazon basin. A vast and impenetrable tropical rainforest. Deep in this immense nature reserve you will find the protected national park Yasuni. The Yasuni ecosystem is one of the most biodiverse natural areas in the world, with plant and animal species that are often found nowhere else in the world. In this paradise you will find the Napo Wildlife Center.
Sustainable initiative of the indigenous community
The ecologde is an initiative of the Kichwa Añangu community. This community has regarded the rainforest as its home for more than 500 years. The community started the project in 1998, which made them the first in Ecuador in the field of this form of 'community-based tourism'. The men and women of the Kichwa Añangu built the lodge together. Not a single tree has been cut down to make room for the buildings. They also used local materials as much as possible. This sustainable initiative ensures that the preservation of culture and nature has become of direct economic importance to the community. For example, the proceeds of the lodge are invested in education, health care and the use of renewable energy sources. The living conditions of the community have improved considerably because everyone now has access to medical care and education.
An unique experience
If you stay at the Napo Wildlife Centre as a guest, you will have an unique experience. With the guides, who grew up here and know the area like the back of their hand, you could not wish for better hosts of the rainforest. They use their ancient hunting techniques and almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the rainforest to search for the special animal life with you. The ecolodge has 20 spacious and very comfortably furnished guesthouses, so you don't have to make any concessions in terms of luxury and comfort.
Yasuni National Park
The Yasuni National Park covers an area of 9,823 km2 and is located south of the Napo River. This natural waterway originates in the Andes and eventually flows into the Amazon just north of the Peruvian city of Iquitos. The national park is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. For example, it is known as the site of most reptile species in the world. Although the national park covers only 0.15% of the total area of the Amazon rainforest, you can find as many as a third of all reptile species from the Amazon basin. There are 173 different species of mammals, 600 species of birds can be spotted and there are more than 4,000 plant species in the area of less than 10,000 km2. There are only nine areas in the world where this is the case.
Conserving nature and creating ambassadors
Unfortunately, the Yasuni National Park is under serious threat because of the oil that has been found there. With Sapa Pana Travel, we lovingly promote a sustainable initiative like Napo Wildlife Center, because it is committed to preserving this unique and extremely fragile ecosystem. At the same time, by welcoming guests, the lodge creates ambassadors who understand the enormous value of the national park and then promote it as much as possible, with the result that this area and its nature are preserved.
A stay at the Napo Wildlife Center
Napo Wildlife Center offers four- and five-day programmes that include all overnight stays, meals and excursions. Are you curious about the possibilities for a stay at the Napo Wildlife Center? Then take a look at the travel itinerary that we have put together for inspiration. If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact us. Call +31 73 610 62 04 or send an email to info@sapapanatravel.nl.