Hi,
A few years ago I visited Reserva Faunística Cuyabeno (see below) in Ecuador hoping to get a rich experience of the Amazon and see great wildlife and otherwise meet authentically indigenous people. Although I have nothing to compare it to, I actually had a great experience and saw much wildlife and stayed at a nice lodge, etc. The only drawback was that the indigenous community did not really care to talk with foreigners. I am guessing this is the rule rather than the exception in the non-commercialized Amazon, but I could be wrong (feel free to correct me if I am wrong).
Anyway, I chose Reserva Faunística Cuyabeno over Peru’s Iquitos for logistical reasons, basically convenience. Without going into any details but rather sticking to the basics here, did I miss out on anything ‘big’? In other words, whether I visit Reserva Faunística Cuyabeno, Iquitos’ surroundings or for that matter Yasuni National Park (also in Ecuador-see below), am I more or less supposed to get a comparable experience in terms of how rich the scenery is, how much wildlife I can see, how well I can interact with the indigenous communities, etc.? I guess I am just trying to figure out if Reserva Faunística Cuyabeno was a good choice for ‘experiencing’ the Amazon. I realize the Amazon is huge, but I want to know if my choice was a good one. Thanks.
Yasuni National Park (also located in Pastaza province): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuni_National_Park
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
Brief overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuyabeno_Wildlife_Reserve
Additional information: http://wikitravel.org/en/Cuyabeno_Wild_Life_Reserve
Ecuador’s Amazon vs Peru’s Amazon: Do You Have a Preference?
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In Ecuador, check out the newly established Joco Tours list (http://www.jocotoursecuador.com/en/)of lodges and reserves. It's mainly for birdwatching but I'm sure there are other things to do. The rate on the website is without a guide and you have to arrange your own travel there unless you ask for one of their tour options. They were aided by the World Land Trust charity with the lodges. My prerefence for the Amazon is the Tahuayo Lodge (http://thinkjungle.com/amazon-jungle-tours/tahuayo-lodge/) 150 km from Iquitos in the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo reserve. You're given a private guide and the wildlife is outstanding. I camped in the forest with a guide for a couple of weeks and was amazed. I travelled around Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela and this was my favoured Amazon experience.
"I guess I am just trying to figure out if Reserva Faunística Cuyabeno was a good choice for ‘experiencing’ the Amazon. I realize the Amazon is huge, but I want to know if my choice was a good one."
Why? Do you plan on making another visit? Or are you just doing some kind of research for a blog or guidebook?
Click on the screen name of the OP and you wil see hundreds of posts in a similar vein. Either you are correct in your assumptions mlgb or this individual is just a general PITA..
Or both! I think he/she is writing something, maybe it's a school research project or a book. Often the questions are about comparisons and focused on visual and architectural evaluations. When challenged, he/she says she is "researching".
I loved Coca, el Puyo & Cuyabeno in that particular order, if You have time you could go to Guayaquil or Quito for a day or two both places I found them spectacular, even is on the same country, it looks like like your visiting a foreign country.
If you add Galápagos Islands forget about it, is an amazing place.