Huaorani Ecolodge

accommodations at the Lodge
all meals & drinks (except soft drinks and alcoholic beverages)
all activities
local Huaorani guide
bilingual naturalist guide
use of camping gear (for those exiting by canoe)
use of rain poncho (from Quito on)
use of rubber/Wellington boots up to sizes: European 44; American M 10.5 / F 12; British M 10 / F 9.5
use of umbrella (in cabin at Lodge)
biodegradable soap & shampoo

Transportation Quito - Shell - Quehueri’ono – Nenkepare campsite - Coca - Quito is US$300 (airport tax included).
transportation outside of the vicinity of the Lodge area
entrance fee to Huaorani Territory (US$10 per person)
soft drinks and alcoholic beverages
accommodations in Quito or Coca
transfers from and to airport in Quito
rubber/Wellington boots greater than sizes: European 44; American M 10.5 / F 12; British M 10 / F 9.5

What we strive for is that visitors will, through the unique experience of seeing the rainforest through the eyes of the people who live here, gain insights that will make you new allies in our common struggle to defend the rainforest.

Ecuador has the distinction of having the highest deforestation rate and worst environmental record in South America. Oil exploration, logging, and road building have had a disastrous impact on Ecuador's primary rainforests, which now cover less than 15% of the country's land mass. In total, between 1990 and 2005, Ecuador lost about 21.5% of its forest cover. The deforestation rate has increased by 17% since the close of the 1990s.

Just by being here, you help community-based ecotourism maintain a way of life for the Huaorani independent of gifts and handouts from oil companies. This venture links the Huaorani to tourism as an alternative means of income in their irreversibly-changed world, enabling them to preserve their culture, heritage, and traditions and at the same time conserve the land.

If you wish to contribute money to the Conservation in Action Foundation, please speak to the Lodge Administrator.

Transportation is not included but must be purchased from provider

Charter flight

From Quito to Shell in comfortable minibus, then by small aircraft to Quehueri'ono. Same way back. Accommodation, transport, meals, guided excursions.

The extraordinary departures witness the pressure around Huaorani land and involve a different return to Quito - A river journey by canoe and an extra night camping. This costs an additional $120 pp plus the extra day. You travel from the lodge by canoe over 2 days to the Savage Road (Via Auca) then by road to Coca, where you fly back to Quito.

Transportation from Quito to Shell/Puyo and back is by small bus, from 4-5 hours each way, and the 40-minute chartered flights from Shell/Puyo to Quehueri'ono and back are via either a 3- or 5-seater Cessna.

Transportation around the Lodge is by foot and by poled, dugout canoe. Return to Quito on Extraordinary Programs is by dugout canoe, small bus and regular flights from Francisco de Orellana (Coca). Prevailing weather conditions may delay flights, and programs will adapt accordingly.

Chartered Airplane

Huaorani Ecolodge, opened in August 2007, provides accommodations for 10 people in a style harmonious with the surrounding environment and the Huaorani culture.

Huaorani Ecolodge is situated in terra firma rainforest (forest that is never flooded) an hour walk from the community of Quehueri'ono, in the northwestern part of the Territory. You are in a comfortable and secure setting consisting of five Huaorani-style, palm-thatched cabins named after the Huao communities along the Shiripuno River, constructed of local wood, within which are fitted luxury modern tents. All cabins have a pair of twin beds, a private bathroom equipped with a shower and flush toilet, and a porch with comfortable chairs. You are provided with environmentally-friendly soaps and shampoos.

The dining area has a bar as well as a shop that sells all those toiletries you forgot and other sundries. The whole area is covered with traditional Huaorani-style palm thatching and comfortably seats 20 people at five tables.

There is a Casa de Hamacas (Hammock House) on the edge of the Shiripuno River for those few occasions when you are not engaged in activities away from the Lodge.

The Lodge is committed to minimizing negative impacts on the area as well as involving local community members: thus, wood from trees and in areas chosen by a forest engineer in consultation with the Huaorani was used for construction and the Lodge location was determined based on its distance from Quehueri'ono; Huaorani were involved in its construction and are the predominant employees; produce is bought locally; there are plans to create a laundry service in Quehueri'ono to increase local employment; biodegradable products are used in housekeeping services as well as in the bathrooms; buildings are lit via solar panels, which also power the shortwave radio, refrigerator and water pump; and a bio-filter renders all waste products either recyclable or harmless before being discharged into the river.

3 Nights Jungle Lodge

5 or less

10

Since the discovery of oil in the 1960s, the Huaorani have been forced to deal with the presence of oil companies and other outsiders on the land they have called home for at least a thousand years.

Huaorani leader Moi Enomenga, made famous by articles in the New Yorker magazine and as the principle character in Joe Kane's Savages (1995), as well as in an NBC television documentary telling of his struggle to protect Huaorani land from oil companies, believes that ecotourism is a means by which his people can receive an income while maintaining the integrity of their culture and conserving their rainforest territory.

Moi EnomengaMoi is currently the president of the Ecotourism Association of Quehueri`ono, which represents five communities on the upper Shiripuno River, and has signed an agreement with Tropic to develop this joint venture for the next ten years.

Tropic - Journeys in Nature is an award-winning company committed to the principles of sustainability. Tropic has been supporting indigenous campaigns since its inception with income generated by ecotourism programs and with donations from former clients, foundations and other supporters. Tropic has developed a close relationship with the Huaorani beginning in 1994, and with its guidance, but under Huaorani control, has developed a joint venture to bring visitors to this remarkable territory. Tropic facilitates the sales, marketing and management of this venture until such time as the Huaorani choose and are able to take over all aspects of this conservation and tourism program.

In 1956, when the Huaorani became the last of Ecuador's indigenous peoples to be contacted by missionaries, their territory extended from the Napo River in the north to the Curaray River in the south. After the missionaries, the oil companies came looking for new reserves as the global demand for fossil fuels increased. The Huaorani live on top of one of Ecuador's largest oil deposits and since its discovery have been forced to deal with the presence of oil companies and other outsiders on the land they have called home for at least a thousand years.

Numbering approximately 2,400 individuals, the Huaorani maintain a largely traditional lifestyle living directly in and from the rainforest. Nowadays, their territory - some 680,000 ha/1.7 million acres -- is only about one third the size of their traditional land, and they have no oil or mineral rights. The first official Huaorani protectorate was created in 1983, and the current much larger Huaorani Ethnic Reserve was established in 1990, at which time they formed the Organización de Nacionalidad Huaorani de la Amazonía Ecuatoriana (ONHAE) to defend their interests, and in 2007 changed the name to Nacionalidad Waorani del Ecuador (NAWE).

You will have both a local Huaorani guide and a trained bilingual naturalist guide on all excursions.

None

As the name implies, the Amazon rainforest gets a lot of rain, essential for its growth and ultimately for the exceptional level of biodiversity. Biodiversity is often defined by ecologists as the "totality of genes, species, and ecosystems of a region", i.e.,

genetic diversity: diversity of genes within a species;
species diversity: diversity among species in an ecosystem;
ecosystem diversity: diversity of ecosystems.
It´s not the heat.

This region's climate is classified as Tropical and Humid, with annual temperatures between 23-25.5ºC/ 73-78ºF, humidity between 70-90%, and annual rainfall up to 3000 mm/118 in! Though it can rain on any given day, in general the months from November through February are defined as the "dry" season and the months of March through October as the "wet" season; around here, the months of May to July are the wettest.

Due to the proximity to the Equator, seasonal variations in day length are not as dramatic as in the temperate zones, the 12-hour day varying little throughout the year and the average temperature fluctuating little throughout the "seasons".

Nights in this part of the Amazon are not always hot and humid, and the early morning hours can be quite cool.

Tropic, Journeys in Nature

WHERE ARE THE ANIMALS: "Where are the animals?" many ask when they first arrive, but the rainforest does not provide easy views of its wildlife, unlike the open African savanna. Many animals are camouflaged, and the forest foliage creates such a dense wall of green that it takes patience and a practiced eye to be rewarded with a sighting. To make things more difficult, many creatures remain perfectly still in the forest shade or high in the dense canopy when they hear you coming, and many are nocturnal or crepuscular (active at dawn or dusk).

To find food, or to avoid becoming it, requires care and discretion. Many insects, frogs and other small animals are masters of camouflage, and predators are accustomed to being very patient, lying immobile and almost invisible for long periods of time.

During a stay as brief as a few days, the odds of seeing larger animals such as monkeys, peccaries, or agoutis are low; to help increase them, try the following tips:DRESS in dark clothing, since light colors stand out and give away your presence.MOVE slowly and quietly; if you move like a predator, you may be rewarded with a “prey” sighting.STOP, listen and look, from the ground up to the canopy. Often a rustle of leaves or a slight movement gives away the presence of a lizard, bird or small mammal.BINOCULARS are essential to see high into the canopy and deep into the foliage, though the level of light at any given time makes a huge difference in what can be made out.With PATIENCE AND LUCK, you never know what you may discover.

The vegetation is endlessly fascinating, however, with different types and species of plants galore, from towering canopy trees to ground cover, from a variety of palm trees to vines and creepers that wind their way up and around. Adding to the mélange are the epiphytes, plants that grow on other plants, creating a myriad of microhabitats for the tiny denizens of the rainforest. Even if you do not see a large number of creatures, their signs are everywhere, including gnawed fruit, nesting holes, and leaves chewed in many patterns. Smells and sounds too contribute to the assurance that, while seemingly invisible, the rainforest's inhabitants are no doubt getting a good look at you.

KEYS: You are provided with a key to your room.

SECURITY: Give the Administrator any valuables to keep in the lock box should you be concerned.

MONEY: All bar and shop purchases are noted on your tab and are payable on the last evening of your visit (cash only please); if you think you might want to buy some artisanry from the Huaorani, be sure to take cash on your Community Visit.

ELECTRICITY: Is provided via solar panels for radio operation, with limited availability for recharging batteries (using your equipment), and we are working on expanding the solar system (neat trick, eh?) to include all lighting, refrigeration and water pumps.

SAFETY (RAIN FOREST): Although there are some fear-inspiring creatures, the odds of encountering any are extremely rare; it's the biting insects such as sand flies, sweat bees, tabana flies and mosquitoes that are more likely to "bug" you, so wear insect repellant.

BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS are provided in each cabin. Please use only these products and let someone know if you need more.

MEDICAL ATTENTION: We have first aid kits and the Administrator and naturalist guides are trained in First Aid. If necessary, a helicopter can be arranged for evacuation.DRESS is informal. Footwear is recommended for any time you are out of your cabin; the rubber boots provided are best for the trails as there can be substantial mud (and ant columns). Depending on how sensitive you are to heat and insect bites, lightweight long- or short-sleeve cotton shirts and trousers or shorts are appropriate for the trails or canoe trips.

SMOKING is strictly prohibited in the cabins and Lodge due to the highly flammable construction materials, but is allowed on the paths between the cabins. Also, please do not smoke on the trails or in the canoes, and dispose of your cigarette butts in a receptacle.TIPS: Please do not tip any staff member or guide.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: Avoid tripods! If not using digital, high-speed film is recommended, e.g., 400 ASA, together with a flash (it's dark beneath the rainforest canopy). A wide-angle and a large telephoto lens are useful for birds; for best results with insects, a lens with macro facility is handy. Have some plastic bags available to protect your equipment.

BINOCULARS are essential to fully appreciate the birdlife.THE SHOP sells mostly those toiletries that you’ve forgotten, as well as insect repellant, anti-fogging clothes, water bottles, etc.

BOOKING CONDITIONS FOR TROPIC


THE NATURE OF THE TRIPS

Tropic specializes in trips that run mostly in remote or developing areas. You must be aware of the possible dangers of this type of travel (e.g. limited medical facilities in some areas, mountain and river travel, non standard accommodation), and that conditions can mean a greater risk of discomfort, sickness, theft, natural disaster, etc.


HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Make sure you have sufficient supplies of any prescription medicine, it might be wise to bring a small personal first aid kit, including any patent medicines your prefer. You are the responsible for taking all necessary health precautions before and during your trip. It is the client's responsibility to ensure they seek professional medical advice before travelling and to take all necessary health precautions and preventative measures.


CHILDREN AND INFANTS

The risks of taking children on a trip are entirely the responsibility of the adults accompanying them.


RESPONSIBILITY

TROPIC Ecological Adventures Cia. Ltda. acts only as agent for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by surface, air or water, by whatever means of transport whether it be mechanical, non-mechanical or animal and assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, death, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle or other means of transport or for any reason whatsoever or through the act of default of any hotels, carrier, boat, restaurant, company or person rendering any of the services included on the trip, or any other circumstances beyond their direct control.

Tropic and or its agents accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to the delay or changes in air schedules, loss of (or damage to) baggage or any article belonging to the passenger, sickness, personal health, weather, strikes, fires, explosions, earthquakes, floods, epidemics, conditions of trails, river levels, road conditions, transportation delays, wars, accidents, chance, acts of God, force majeure or other causes. Any and all such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the passenger, as tour rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated.

PRICE

The prices quoted may be subject to surcharges on the following: currency fluctuation, aircraft fuel costs, local transport costs, dues, taxes or fees for services such as landing taxes or embarkation, or dis-embarking fees at ports or airports, governmental actions. We will absorb amounts up to 2% of the trip cost. Amounts over this will be passed on to you, though if this means more than a 10% increase on your trip cost you are entitled to cancel your booking and claim a full refund, providing that such a claim is made within 7 days of notification.

CANCELLATION FEES

If cancellation is received before 120 days prior to the excursion date the first deposit will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.

If cancellation is received between 119 and 60 days prior to the excursion date the first and the second deposit will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.

If cancellation is received between 59 or less days prior to the excursion date: 100% of the full cost.