yasuní national park - Ministerio de Turismo

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CONTENTS
4
Love life in Yasuní
5
Purpose of this guide
6
Yasuní Biosphere
Reserve
10 Yasuní National Park
14 Waorani territory and
peoples in isolation
18 The Yasuní-ITT Initiative
22 Tourism in Yasuní
30 Where to go
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1
GALÁPAGOS
1
GALÁPAGOS NATIONAL PARK
2
GALÁPAGOS MARINE RESERVE
PACIFIC COAST
3
GALERA SAN FRANCISCO MARINE RESERVE
4
MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK
5
MANGLARES CHURUTE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
6
MACHE CHINDUL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
7
SANTA CLARA ISLAND WILDLIFE REFUGE
8
MUISNE RIVER ESTUARY MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE
9
EL SALADO MANGROVES FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE
10
SANTA ELENA PENINSULA MARINE FAUNA WILDLIFE
REFUGE
11
EL MORRO MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE
12
PACOCHE COASTAL MARINE WILDLIFE REFUGE
13
PARQUE LAGO NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
14
ARENILLAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
15
ISLA CORAZÓN AND FRAGATAS WILDLIFE REFUGE
16
CAYAPAS MATAJE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
17
ESMERALDAS RIVER ESTUARY MANGROVES WILDLIFE
PROTECTED AREAS
OF ECUADOR
16
18
2
17 Esmeraldas
1
22
3
Pto. Baquerizo
Moreno
20
8
Tulcán
23
6
Ibarra
41
Nueva Loja
24
o
0
36
Quito
W
25
Sto. Domingo
N
E
35
29
15
27
S
42
26
28
37
Francisco
de Orellana
REFUGE
18
LA CHIQUITA WILDLIFE REFUGE
19
ISLA SANTAY AND ISLA DEL GALLO NATIONAL RECREATION
Latacunga
Portoviejo
12
Tena
30
38
AREA
20
PAMBILAR WILDLIFE RESERVE
21
LOS SAMANES NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
Ambato
31
4
Guaranda
ANDES
22
EL ÁNGEL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
23
COTACACHI CAYAPAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
24
PULULAHUA GEOBOTANICAL RESERVE
25
PASOCHOA WILDLIFE RESERVE
26
ANTISANA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
27
EL BOLICHE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
28
COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK
29
LOS ILINIZAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
30
LLANGANATES NATIONAL PARK
31
CHIMBORAZO FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE
32
CAJAS NATIONAL PARK
33
PODOCARPUS NATIONAL PARK
34
YACURI NATIONAL PARK
13
CUYABENO FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE
36
CAYAMBE COCA NATIONAL PARK
37
LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
38
YASUNÍ NATIONAL PARK
39
SANGAY NATIONAL PARK
40
EL ZARZA WILDLIFE REFUGE
41
COFÁN BERMEJO ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
42
SUMACO NAPO GALERAS NATIONAL PARK
43
EL CÓNDOR BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
44
EL QUIMI BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
45
CERRO PLATEADO BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
39
19
Guayaquil
5
Macas
11
32
Pacific Ocean
7
Azogues
Cuenca
Biosphere Reserves and Intangible Zones
Machala
44
14
AMAZON
35
9
Santa Elena
Riobamba
Babahoyo
21
10
Puyo
43
1
40
Zamora
Loja
33
34
100 km
3
6
2
5
1. Galápagos Biosphere Reserve
2. Yasuní Biosphere Reserve
3. Sumaco Biosphere Reserve
45
4. Podocarpus-El Cóndor
Biosphere Reserve
5. Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone
6. Cuyabeno-Imuya Intangible Zone
4
Biosphere
Reserves
Intangible
Zones 3
This reserve includes:
• The Yasuní National Park (YNP), its primary
purpose being the conservation of biodiversity.
Love life
in Yasuní
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE YASUNÍ? You must have. In recent years,
it’s probably the most talked-about
protected area in Ecuador. Everybody
is talking about it. But how many people really know the Yasuní?
The Yasuní is one of the last areas
of jungle that remain intact in Ecuador,
the most biodiverse place on the planet.
These extraordinary forests are the heritage of all Ecuadorians and one of the
Earth’s life reserves. They are also home
to peoples who have developed an intimate dialogue with the forests and who
know them deeply.
• Waorani Territory (WT), home to the people that
have lived in this land from time immemorial.
• The Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone
(TTIZ), created by the state to respect its residents’ decision to live in isolation and with
their traditions.
This guide is an invitation to come to the
Yasuní, to fall in love with it while travelling
through its rivers, lagoons and meeting its
people. In these pages you will find useful
information for planning your next trip in the
area. Let’s go. Pick up your sustainable tourism guide to Yasuní Biosphere Reserve (YBR)
and get ready for a learning adventure.
PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE
The aim of this guide is twofold: to contribute to an initial understanding of biodiversity, cultures, and the RBY’s current situation,
also to invite travelers to visit, in this way
contributing to its conservation. The first
sections provide an overview of the YBR,
the national park, Waorani territory and the
Yasuní-ITT initiative. Then, we offer useful
information and practical advise for planning your visit to the Reserve. Finally, the
guide includes a list of legal tour operations in the Yasuní. The three maps in this
guide contain general and touristic information about the region.
In recent decades, this magnificent region has had to deal with a complex combination of factors: oil and illegal timber
extraction, the arrival of squatters and missionaries, and the accelerated growth of
tourism. In order to address such issues, the
Yasuní is seeking to find a way to make human
ac­tivity compatible with the conservation of
this natural and cultural treasure. Thus, a biosphere reserve was established in the territories
between the Napo and the Pindoyacu rivers.
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Inside a tierra firme forest
5
Canoe ride along a white water river
Troschel’s tree frog
Location: Orellana, Pastaza and Napo
provinces.
Size: 2 000 700 hectares (4 900 thousand acres).
Altitude: 200-400 masl.
Climate: warm humid, 25° C on average.
the Napo and Curaray Rivers and other populated
centers. The country’s authorities are still consulting with the residents and local governments in
order to define the reserve’s territorial boundaries.
Within the YBR live three indigenous nationalities –Waorani, Kichwa, and Shuar– and the
Tagaeri, Taromenane, and other unidentified isolated groups, as well as mestizo and Afro-Ecuadorian
settlers. In addition, beneath this fragile Reserve
are large deposits of oil, a key element in the Ecuadorian economy, and this has generated social and
environmental conflicts. Through sustainable and
responsible tourism, you can help in the search
for more autonomous subsistence alternatives for
the region’s communities, taking advantage of the
YBR’s major resource: its biodiversity.
In Ecuador there are four
biosphere reserves:
• Galápagos (created in 1984).
• Yasuní (1989).
• Sumaco (2002).
• Podocarpus-El Cóndor (2007).
YASUNÍ BIOSPH ERE RESERVE
S
Where
forest and
man come
together
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ince 1976, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) has designated areas of global
relevance as “biosphere reserves” due to their
ecosystems and landscapes. One of these is the
Yasuní. There are more than 560 reserves in 109
countries. Other outstanding examples are the
Brazilian Pantanal, the Paraná River delta, Hawaii,
and the Serengeti-Ngorongoro in Tanzania.
The YBR covers more than two-and-a-half million
hectares (more than six million acres). Its nucleus is
the homonimous National Park and the Waorani Territory. The YNP and WT share the Tagaeri-Taromenane
Intangible Zone, where Ecuador’s remaining peoples
in isolation have taken refuge. Furthermore, the Reserve also comprises the buffer zones of these areas,
including the Kichwa communities on the shores of
Pichicocha Lagoon
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to Lago A
grio
to
La
go
Ag
rio
to Lago Agrio
SUMACO
uito
to Q
ui
Q
to
Indillama
CUYABENO
Pañacocha
FAUNA
El Edén
PRODUCTION
gu
Nap
o
A
NATIONAL
Coca
Sucumbíos
Garzacocha
Napo
d
oa
sr
xu
to
NAPO-GALERAS
o
(Loret
Limoncocha
Pompeya
Ma
ro
ad
)
Baeza
LIMONCOCHA
BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
RESERVE
Tiputini
Napo
to Quit
Loreto
o
Tiputini
PARK
Archidona
road
no
Tivacu
Boca del Tiputini
Auca
Orellana
Tiputini
Nuevo
Rocafuerte
Yasuní
YASUNÍ
po
Na
Tena
ar
ico
Jatuncocha
lagoon
Shirip
un
o
T
Y
NATIONAL
hiñ
o
üino
Pu
yo
Tig
OR
Na
s
WAORANI
IT
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PARK
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Ta g a e r
i Ta r o m e n a n e I n t a n g i b l e Z o n e
Co
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na
co
PERÚ
Cura
ray
Lorocachi
Pavacachi
Pastaza
Pind
Bob
ona
za
oya
cu
Yasuní Biosphere
Reserve boundary
Provincial boundary
Cu
na
Oil block
Waorani territory
río Pasta
za
Tagaeri
PastazTaromenane
a
Intangible Zone
8
YASUNÍ
mb
o
BIOSPHERE
N
W
E
S
RESERVE
10 km
Pto. Tigre
9
YASUNÍ
NATIONAL
PARK
The apotheosis
of diversity
T
he Yasuní National Park is the largest protected area in continental Ecuador. Those
visiting the Park will find an astonishing
biodiversity, with various world records in
richness of flora and fauna. The winding rivers draining the Park join with the great Napo River, the most
important Amazon tributary beginning in Ecuador.
Among these, the Tiputini, Nashiño, Yasuní, Tivacuno, Tigüino, and Cononaco stand out.
Ceibo and canopy of the Amazon forest
Not all YNP rivers are equal. Depending on the substrate where they originate, they can be white water or
black water rivers. The first are born in the Andes, and
carry sediments which provide the characteristic brownish color. One example is the Curaray River, the southern
limit of the Park. On the other hand, the black water rivers
and lagoons are born in the forest itself. Their dark, glistening, tea-like tone is due to tannins, pigments that rain
washes from the forest’s litter layer.
DI V E R SI T Y
More than 1400 animal species thrive in the National Park.
150 species of amphibians, a world record; in the entire United States and Canada combined there are only 99 species.
Almost 600 different birds; one third of the entire Amazonian
avifauna.
169 mammals, including 12 monkeys; one out of three mammals of the Amazon basin.
Because of the rainfall regime in the Amazon, the
river level varies a great deal during the year. Between
March and November, the rivers overflow their banks
and turn extensive areas into swamps. The ecosystem
that exists depends on the type of river that floods an
area: varzea if it is a white-water river, and igapó if it is a
black-water river. The high areas that are not flooded are
known as terra firme forest.
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IN THE Y A S U N Í
More than 100 thousand insect species in one hectare (2.4
acres); a similar number exists in the whole of North America!
In 50 hectares (120.5 acres) there can be up to 1,300 plant species.
In a single hectare (2.41 acres) of the YNP there are more than
650 tree species!
Añagucocha Lagoon
and Napo Wildlife Center
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Creation: november 1979.
Extension: 982 000 000 (2 300 thousand acres).
Ecosystems: tropical rain forest, flooded forests, swamps, rivers, lagoons.
Given the extension and continuity of its
forests, there are many species living in the
YNP that have disappeared in disturbed areas. The powerful jaguars wander about the
vegetation, while the fabulous harpy eagle
soars above looking for its next meal of a
spider monkey. Giant armadillos, giant anteaters, tapirs, titi monkeys… The selection
of mammals is stupendous. As for birds species: five different macaws, six owls, seven
toucans, two dozen hummingbirds, more
than fifty ant birds, to name a few. The enumeration of animals in the Yasuní would be
endless: the rainbow boa and the anaconda,
the pink river dolphin and the Amazonian
manatee, the giant paiche fish, and an endless variety of fish and insects.
Remember that seeing the Amazon’s
fauna is not easy. Animals have developed
a refined ability to hide. Thus, to discover
these animals, you need to move softly and
have a lot of patience and concentration,
plus a good local guide.
Most of the YNP has not yet suffered change
due to human activities. Nevertheless, roads
opened for oil exploration and exploitation towards
the north and west have encouraged settlement, deforestation, intensive hunting, and illegal timber extraction. Furthermore, at least half of the YNP is sitted on top of important oil reserves and, on its edges,
the agriculture frontier expands.
In face of these realities, a number of communities
have seen sustainable tourism as a promising alternative. Within the YNP and in its surroundings there are
several places that can receive tourists. These include
everything from simple to comfortable lodgings, with
crafts shops, logistical facilities and trails leaded by local
and specialised guides.
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Squirrel monkey
Nocturnal monkey
Black water stream inside Waorani Territory
suggesting a long period of isolation from other Amazon societies. The tenacity with which they defend
their independence won them the denigrating term
aucas, which in Kichwa means “savages.”
In recent decades, the Waorani have experienced dramatic changes linked to external colonization and other oil-activity related effects. Their
nomadic and self-sufficient life-style has turned into
one sedentary and dependent to economic agents
beyond their control.
Aggression against their way of life began at the
end of the 19th century with rubber exploitation which
enslaved thousands of indigenous people. After the
Second World War, oil exploration began and the first
Evangelical missionaries arrived. Their attempts to “civilize” the Waorani lead to violent episodes that marked
them as a ferocious people in the Western psyche.
Attempts to “pacify” the Waorani ended up with
80% of the population reallocated to a “protectorate”
administered by the Summer Institute of Linguistics
(SIL), a North American Evangelical organization. The
cultural, social, and health repercussions are impossible
WAORANI TERRITORY
AND PEOPLE IN ISOLATION
W
A place for
building the
future
14
ithin the YBR, indigenous societies have
thrived for thousands of years. In times when
the forest was continuous and without borders, their inhabitants traveled over extensive regions,
including the one known today as the Yasuní.
Now the YBR has some 2,500 Waorani residents,
close to 1,000 Shuar, and at least 2,000 Kichwa, in
addition to mestizo and Afro-Ecuadorian settlers. The
Kichwa communities are located principally along the
Napo and Curaray rivers and the Vía Auca, wherein Shuar communities are also settled. The Waorani settlements are scattered throughout most of the Reserve.
Waorani people have a rich and magical oral tradition,
handy for reconstructing their history. Their language, Wao
Terero, has no close relationship with any other language,
Waorani making feather headband
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Rainbow boa
Creation: 1990.
Extension: 612 thousand hectares (1400 thousand acres).
Peculiarities: Ecuadorian state
reserves the right to exploit or
lease for exploitation the subsoil.
to gauge; polio, flu and hepatitis epidemics took many lives and continue
to do so. Since the SIL was expelled
from Ecuador (1981), a number of oil
companies and other institutions have
taken its place as an important actor
shaping the region’s fate.
During the 1990’s, the Waorani established the Waorani Nationality of
Ecuador (NAWE, Spanish acronym)
to represent them in dealings with the
state, petroleum companies and the
rest of society.
In 1999, the Tagaeri-Taromenane
Intangible Zone was established; this
covers sections of the YNP and Waorani
Territory. No activity –extractive or touristic–, is allowed if it would put at risk
the peoples in isolation who live there.
The Tagaeri (and other possible groups
known as Oñamenani and Wiñatari) separated themselves from the Waorani in the
1960s. Since then, they avoid contact with
strangers. Other peoples living in isolation
are the Taromenane, whose history and current numbers are not well known.
Chronology of events in the area
19th century Rubber exploitation.
1937 Shell Oil enters the Ecuadorian
Amazon.
1948 Shell Oil abandons operations
after clashes with the Waorani.
1956 Five North American missionaries are speared to death on the
Curaray River.
1981 The SIL is expelled from Ecuador.
1990 Waorani Territory is recognized.
1991 Maxus oil company begins
operations.
1999 The TTIZ is established.
2002 Petrobras begins explorations.
2005 First conflicts with loggers.
2007 Yasuní-ITT campaign is
launched.
The survival of the Yasuní peoples is
complex and might be at risk. Until 2008,
timber interests entered the YNP and the Intangible Zone illegally. Meanwhile, the oil and
agriculture frontiers continue their expansion,
which has contributed to the spread of viral
diseases that could be fatal to isolated populations. Many Waorani communities continue to
look for autonomous life options; some are betting on sustainable tourism.
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Dawn in the Tiputini
17
Waorani elder man
inside traditional shack
Maroon-tailed parakeet
THE YASUNÍ-ITT
INITIATIVE
A life commitment
F
or more than a decade, social organizations and residents of the Amazon
have urged the state to stop opening
new oil production camps in natural reserves.
In 2007, these demands came together in
an innovative proposal that the Ecuadorian state
presented to the world at the United Nations
Assembly. The Yasuní-ITT Initiative proposes
leaving underground relatively large deposits of
heavy crude –some 850,000,000 barrels– found
in the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini (ITT) petroleum block in the northeast of the YNP.
By leaving the ITT’s crude underground,
Ecuador aims to:
• Avoid pressure on the populations living in
the area.
• Conserve the extraordinary biological riches
of its forests.
• Avoid burning that oil and the impact that
would cause on global climate change.
It is estimated that the oil in the ITT would last
for a mere couple of weeks in the global market.
Is it worth sacrificing one of the most biodiverse
corners of the planet for so little fuel? If billions of
dollars need to be invested in compensating for
carbon emissions, is it not more reasonable to avoid
those emissions by leaving the oil underground?
This is what Ecuador proposes to do.
By not exploiting these reserves, Ecuador would
forego some US$7 billion. Renouncing the exploitaTourists18
crossing a black water lagoon near Pilchicocha
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tion of that resource represents a significant sacrifice for the country, as its economy relies largely on oil exports. For what
the planet benefits, as a result of this decision (such as not producing 400,000,000
tons of carbon), Ecuador demands from
the international community to compensate with 50% of the income it will not
receive in the next twelve years (US $3.5
billion). This money will be deposited in a
trust fund that will be used exclusively for
health, education, reforestation, and management of protected areas.
The trust fund, administrated by the
United Nations Development Program,
has been created. Nonetheless, despite
the praise the proposal has inspired in
various world forums, contributions remain scarce (only 1% has been received
so far). If by December 2011 the funds demanded have not been met, the Ecuadorian government stands to go ahead with oil
drilling in the ITT.
Visiting the YBR and contributing to
sustainability in the area is a way to contribute to the Yasuní ITT Initiative. Community
projects associated with sustainable tourism diminish dependence on oil companies.
Sustainable tourism leaves a small ecological footprint in comparison with oil production and illegal timber extraction.
Your contribution, no matter how modest,
can make a difference.
In Ecuador, you can deposit your contributions into the account #526558-4, Banco
del Pacífico; in the United States, into the
account #4533-6490, Wells Fargo Bank.
Also, help spread the word, become part of
campaigns, and encourage people and institutions in your country to contribute.
For more information, visit:
http://yasuni-itt.gob.ec
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Blue and yellow macaw
TOURISM in Yasuní
living inside it
O
nly fifteen years ago, you had to organize an expedition to visit the Yasuní.
Today, there are various community
enterprises, communal and private, that offer an interesting choice of destinations, from
those ideal for people looking for comfort and
style to those for the more adventurous.
In the YBR, attractions are related to biodiversity and culture; therefore, the values
that should guide tourism are respect for the
environment and social responsibility.
- There are also buses from and to Machala,
Guayaquil, Santo Domingo, Loja, Riobamba, Ambato, Baños, Puyo, Tena, and Lago Agrio with the
Baños, Putumayo, Loja, Jumandy, Quijos, and
Pelileo bus companies.
- The shortest route from Quito is through Loreto; you
can also get there through Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja).
- You can enter the western part of the YBR
from Tena. A number of companies travel between Tena and several other cities, including
more than 25 daily departures from Quito.
By river. You can travel from Tena to Coca along
the Napo River, though there is no regular public transport. There is public river transport from
Coca to Nuevo Rocafuerte (13 hours), regularly
at 7:30 (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday).
The cost of a round trip is US $30. Tour operators
provide river transport.
By air. There are flights from Quito at the following times:
Ícaro
1. Access:
The main entry point is Coca (Francisco de
Orellana), capital of the province of Orellana,
by land, river, or air.
Boy with red piranha
By bus. Buses leave Quito’s Quitumbe Bus
Terminal daily. Telephone: +593 (2) 3814 810.
The one-way Quito-Coca ticket costs US$ 10.
• Quito-Coca (Francisco de Orellana)
Information
Lodging
Restaurant
Cooperativa Baños (4h00, 6h30, 7h30, 9h10,
10h15, 11h50, 13h30, 14h30, 18h00, 18h15,
19h00, 20h20, 21h10, 22h00, 22h50, 23h00)
Coop. Loja (11h00, 22h15, 23h30)
Coop. Putumayo (6h00, 16h00)
Excursion
Jungle excursion
Navigable river
Coop. Trans Esmeraldas (8h30, 20h20, 21h30)
• Quito-Limoncocha
Bird-watching
Panoramic view
• Quito-Tigüino
Coop. Baños (23h30)
Coop. Putumayo (5h50, 12h40, 20h40)
• Quito-Pompeya
Protected area
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Handicrafts
Community tourism
Coop. Putumayo (19h45)
Aerogal
dep
ret
dep
ret
9h40
7h00
9h00
11h00
16h00
8h30
10h00
12h00
17h00
6h20
10h30
12h30*
15h50**
7h15
11h30
13h25*
16h45**
saturday
10h00
12h00
11h00
13h00
sunday
14h00
15h00
7h15
10h30
15h50
10h30
8h10
11h30
16h45
11h30
monday-friday
8h45
Canopy bridge in Sacha Lodge
*monday and friday; **except tuesday
Tickets costs between US $100 and $150 for a round
trip. For more information visit airlines’ web sites.
2. Entering via Coca:
- Coca (18,000 residents) has hospitals, hotels,
banks, an airport, internet, information offices,
first aid, tour operators, markets, and the offices
of the YNP and the Ministry of Tourism.
-Staying the night in Coca can cost around US
$10 - $50 per night.
Hotels in Coca
Coop. Baños (17h30)
Lagoon
Tame
ret
dep
El Auca
La Misión
Gran Hotel
del Coca
2881 260
2880 544
2882 666
Heliconias 2882 010
Omaguas
2880 136
Pto. Orellana 2880 970
Río Napo
Damaris
El Ávila
Bolívar
Canoas
Coca
Henry Paúl
2880 872
2881 651
2882 206
2881 635
2882 094
2882 088
2880 301
Lojanita
2880 032
Oasis
2880 206
Safari Brisas
del Napo
2882 128
San Fermín 2881 848
Santa María
Unicornio
William’s
Amazonas
2880 097
2882 293
2881 201
2880 444
- Dial 06 first to make calls to Orellana Province.
3. To the YBR:
- Entering the National Park and Waorani
Territory on your own is not allowed. You
must sign up for an excursion with an operator authorized by both the Tourism and
Environment ministries. You can visit areas
outside the Park and Waorani Territory on
your own.
- The YNP entry fee is US $2 ($0.50 for people
with disabilities, senior citizens and children);
to enter, you need a guide certified by the
Ministry of Environment.
23
- The Napo river is the main entrance; on its
banks various Kichwa communities and lodges can be found. You can visit various tributaries, such as the Indillama, always with an
authorized tour.
- By way of the Via Auca (Coca-Bataboro)
various Waorani, Kichwa and Shuar communities can be reached, as well as along the Shiripuno, Tiguino, Tiputini and Cononaco rivers,
from which you can enter the YNP and sectors
of Waorani territory. This access is controlled
by the state.
- From Shell Mera you can take a small plane
to the Waorani communities of Quehueiri’ono
and Bameno, and to other landing strips on
the banks of the Curaray River in the province of Pastaza.
- Tours usually last between four and eight
days; set aside at least five days to visit the
Yas­uní, taking into account one day to enter
and another one to leave.
- The only operator currently authorized
by the MAE to enter the YNP is Enchanted Expeditions. Contact: De las Alondras
N45-102, Quito. +593 (2) 3340 525 info@
enchantedexpeditions.com
www.enchantedexpeditions.com
4. What should you take?
Rubber boots • light clothing: long
sleeved shirts, slacks • bathing suit •
cap or hat • sunglasses • biodegradable insect repellant • binoculars •
photo and/or video camera • flashlight
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• rechargeable batteries • water bottle • sealable plastic bags • mosquito
net • first aid kit • accident insurance
• yellow fever and hepatitis A, B, and
C vaccine certificates • cash (beyond
Coca, there are no banks).
5. Safety and health:
- Avoid informal tourist operations that offer
visits to Waorani Territory or the Intangible
Zone, as these may be fly-by-night, careless operations with a negative impact on the
YBR, its residents, and tourists.
- On visiting the Intangible Zone, you could
introduce common illnesses that are potentially fatal for persons who have had no contact with them. To enter their territories or
participate in tours and fly-overs “in search”
of these peoples is disrespectful of their decision to live in isolation and could result in
clashes that put human life at risk.
- Drinking water is limited; though rain forest rivers are generally clean, drinking from
them may affect your stomach. Take plenty of
drinking water and purification tablets as you
will need to drink continuously in the heat.
Avoid plastic disposable bottles.
- Malaria, yellow fever, and leishmaniasis are
occasionally found in the region. To enter
the YNP you need yellow fever vaccination.
To enter the Waorani Territory you also require typhus and hepatitis A, B and C vaccinations. It is recommended that you use a
mosquito net and biodegradable repellent.
6. When to visit?
- Any time of the year can be ideal, but between December and February the rivers are
low and navigation might be difficult. In June
and August, the rivers tend to be higher.
7. Communications
- Telephone and internet access is limited
except at Coca and Nuevo Rocafuerte. Cell
phone signals are available in certain parts of
the YBR, especially near Coca and some oil
camps. A number of lodges have radios for
communication and a few have internet.
8. Useful phone numbers in Coca:
Yasuní National Park
Office
2881 850
Provincial Office of
the Ministry of Tourism
2881 583
Airport
2880 185
Port Office
2882 573
Police
2880 101
Francisco de Orellana
Hospital
2880 139
Fire Department
2880 102
Provincial Government
of Orellana
2880 148
National Telecommunications
Council
2880 104
SUSTAINABLE AND
CONSCIOUS TOURISM
- Always use formal tour operators. We recommend that you select an operator based
on environmental practices and their relationship with the communities: • solid and liquid
waste disposal • energy sources and usage
• architecture in harmony with surroundings
and use of renewable materials • respect for
environmental norms • does not capture or
sell wild species • distributes income in equitable fashion • decent working conditions.
- By avoiding and reporting bad practices
you contribute to sustainable tourism in the
Reserve. Report bad practices to national
and regional environmental and tourist authorities (phone numbers above).
- When you travel to Waorani Territory, make
sure that your operator is authorized, either
by NAWE or the communities you will visit.
- Do not eat wild animal meat, either in restaurants or provided by guides; eating wild
meat contributes to the extinction of vulnerable species.
- Demand that guides do not bother wild
animals in attempts to attract them: enjoy
seeing the animals in their natural habitat
and behaviour.
- Contribute to community economic wellbeing by buying crafts made locally; always
pay a fair price.
- Do not take containers, batteries, or other disposable items; if you do, take them
out with you.
- Dial 06 first to make calls to Orellana Province.
25
Black water lagoon in the Yasuní
What you should not miss:
Paddle canoe ride
At the river’s pace, you will see aquatic and
terrestrial animals as they approach to refresh themselves in the water.
Night time stroll
Go out in search of nocturnal creatures, including caimans, insects, toads, monkeys, and
owls.
Salt licks
These are sites where the ground is exceptionally rich in minerals, so animals go there
to supplement their diet. There are no better
places in the rainforest to observe animals
which are normally aloof.
Walk through the rain forest with local guides
Nobody knows the rain forest better than the
Waorani, Kichwa, and Shuar who have grown
up and are part of cultures that developed there.
A good local guide can make the difference between an enjoyable and an unforgettable walk.
Canopy towers and walkways
The towers are thirty or more meters high which
means you can appreciate birds and primates
like never before; they also offer a spectacular
and new perspective on the forest.
Bird watching at dawn
To be able to appreciate fully the biodiversity of birds
it is necessary to get up at dawn. The same applies
for monkeys. Few efforts are more rewarding.
Eating maito
Maito is fish wrapped in plantain leaves and
steamed over a wood fire or in holes in the ground;
one of the Amazon’s most exquisite taste treats.
Living in a community
From sharing food to listening to stories and traditions
from the voices of the elders, this is another way to
learn about the rain forest and its culture.
CICAME Museum, Pompeya
This is the best on-site museum in the country, with
a magnificent collection of archaeological pieces
from the Amazon, some almost a thousand years old.
Contact the Aguarico Vicariate. +593 (6) 2880 501 /
[email protected] / http://aguarico.vicariato.net/
CICAME.html
Toxi tour
A tour through oil camps, abandoned and producing,
helps to understand the Yasuní’s fragile social and environmental situation.
26
27
Two species of parakeets in a salt lick
road to Lago Agrio
LIMONCOCHA
BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
Qu
Coca
ito
CU
Pañacocha
Limoncocha
Pompeya
YA B
Pañacocha
Sani
EN
O
FA
Garzacocha
Nueva
Providencia
A
PR
Yuturi
Chiru Isla
OD
UC
San Vicente
Shinchi Chicta
Tiputini
Aguarico
TI
ON
RE
Nap
o
SE
RV
Ma
E
Tiputini
s
xu
ad
ro
Auca
road
UN
Añangu
Añangucocha
Napo
Boca del
Tiputini
Llanchama
no
Tivacu
u ní
Yas
Huiñame Onco
Tiputini
Santa Rosa
Puerto Miranda
Alta Florencia
Ahuemuro
YASUNÍ
Santa Teresita
Nuevo
Rocafuerte
Jatuncocha
Quehueire Ono
PERÚ
Ñuneno
Shir
ipu
no
Nueva Golondrina
NATIONAL
Tigüino
Lumbaqui
Quito
Lago Agrio
El Chaco
Papallacta
Caruhue Onco
Na
s
to
to Lago Agrio
Tig
üino
Mima Onco
Baeza
Quemperi Onco
nonaco
Co
Coca
Bahuameno
(Sandoval)
Dicaro
o
hiñ
PARK
Loreto
Archidona
Tena
Quito - El Coca 300 km
mean duration: 8 hours
Provincial capital
Town
Curaray
Community
Pavacachi
Yasuní Biosphere
Reserve boundary
28
Main road
Secondary road
River
Lorocachi
N
W
E
S
10 km
YASUNÍ
TOURISTIC
MAP
29
walks through the rain forest, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe rides, visits
to communities, camping, fishing, night walks,
volunteer opportunities.
Comunidad de Sani Isla. Roca E4-49 & Amazonas, Quito. +593 (2) 2558 881 / 2906 021 / info@
sanilodge.com / www.sanilodge.com
US $627 - 1347 (4-8 days); US $396 - 847
(camping); doesn’t include air or bus fare.
LA SELVA JUNGLE LODGE
on the banks of the Garzacocha Lagoon on
the north bank of the Napo River.
comfortable cabins, electricity, food, rain forest trails, guides, canopy tower, butterfly farm,
jungle spa.
jungle walks, bird and fauna watching, salt
lick visits, canoe rides, camping, fishing, night
walks, natural treatments and spa.
La Selva, a private company operating on
land rented from El Pilche community. Mariana
de Jesús E7-211 & La Pradera, Quito. +593 (2)
2545 425 / 2550 995 / info@laselvajunglelodge.
com / www.laselvajunglelodge.com
US $547 - 852 (3- 5 days), US $190 per
extra day; 30% discount for Ecuadorians.
Doesn’t include air or bus fare.
MANATEE AMAZON EXPLORER
sail along the Napo and Aguarico rivers
from Coca.
comfortable cabins, electricity, food, guides, canoes on board.
cruise along the Napo River, walks through
the rain forest, fauna watching, salt lick visits,
canoe rides, visits to communities, visit a shaman, night walks.
Advantage Travel Ecuador. Gaspar de Villaroel 1100 & 6 de Diciembre, Quito. +593 (2) 2448
985 / 2447 190 / [email protected] /
www.manateeamazonexplorer.com
US $560 - 2833 (4 - 10 days); doesn’t
include air or bus fare.
BATABURO LODGE
on the Tigüino River, near the Bataburo and
Tigüino communities, 27 km downriver from
the bridge on the Auca road.
comfortable cabins, electricity, food, rain forest trails, guides.
rain forest walks, bird and fauna watching,
canoe rides, visits to communities, fishing,
camping, craft-making.
Kempery Tours, in agreement with NAWE. Ramírez Dávalos 117 & Amazonas, ed. Tourismundial,
of. 101, Quito. +593 (2) 2505 600 / 2226 583 / [email protected] / www.kempery.com
US $295 - 335 (4 - 5 days); doesn’t include air
or bus fare.
SACHA LODGE
on the banks of the Pilchicocha Lagoon,
in a 2,000 hectare (4,820-acre) private reserve
on the south bank of the Napo River.
comfortable cabins, diesel-generated electricity, food, rain forest trails, guides, canopy
tower and walks, library, butterfly farm.
walks through the rain forest, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe rides, fishing, night walks.
Julio Zaldumbide & Valladolid, Quito. +593
(2) 2566 090/ 2509 504 / [email protected] /
www.sachalodge.com
US $547 - 690 (Ecuadorians), US $714 - 920
(foreigners) (4 - 5 days); doesn’t include air or bus fare.
YARINA ECOLODGE
on the banks of the Napo River, 25 km east of
WHERE TO GO
Tourism operations registered in the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador, by March 2011.
where it is
what’s there
NAPO WILDLIFE CENTER
on the banks of the Añangucocha Lagoon,
on lands of the Añagu Kichwa community, at
the south bank of the Napo River.
comfortable cabins, solar energy, food, rain
forest trails, guides, canopy tower, crafts for
sale, satellite internet, library.
walks through the rain forest, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe trips, visits
to communities, night walks.
Comunidad de Añangu. Río Yaupi & Mariana de Jesús, Quito. +593 (2) 6005 893 /
6005 819 / [email protected] /
www.napowildlifecenter.com
US $760 - 1520 (4-8 days); 20% discount
for Ecuadorians; doesn’t include air or bus fare.
FLOTEL LA MISIÓN
travel by boat along the Napo River between Coca and Iquitos (Peru).
comfortable cabins, electricity, food, guides, satellite internet.
cruise along the Napo River, walks through
the rain forest, fauna watching, canoe rides,
visits to communities, visits to shamans, fishing, night walks, cruises to Iquitos (Peru) and
Tabatinga (Brazil).
Misión Orellana. 18 de Septiembre E4-76
& Amazonas, Quito. +593 (2) 2553 960 / info@
flotelamision.com / www.flotelamision.com
US $740 - 840 (Ecuadorians), US $865 997 (foreigners) for 5 days; doesn’t include air
or bus fare.
SANI LODGE
on the banks of the Chaullacocha Lagoon,
in lands of the Sani Isla Kichwa community, at
the north bank of the Napo River.
comfortable cabins, solar energy, food, rain forest
trails, guides, canopy tower, crafts for sale, library.
30
activities
contact
price
Coca, private 500-hectare (1,205-acre) reserve.
comfortable cabins, electricity via generator,
food, rain forest trails, guides.
rain forest walks, bird and fauna watching,
canoe rides, visits to communities, visits to shaman, fishing, night walks.
Adventure Ecotours. Amazonas N24-240
& Colón, Quito. +593 (2) 2504 037 / 2503 225;
Malecón s/n, Coca. +593 (6) 2880 619 / info@
yarinalodge.com / www.yarinalodge.com
US $270 - 450 (3 - 5 days); doesn’t include
air or bus fare.
YAKU KAWSAY ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION CENTER
on the Napo River in the Kichwa Nueva
Providencia community.
interpretation center, guides, crafts for sale.
visits to communities, observe craft-making; tourism is just beginning.
comunidad Nueva Providencia and Wildlife Conservation Society. Eloy Alfaro N37-224
& Coremo, Quito. +593 (2) 2249 763 / [email protected] / www.yakukawsay.org
not available.
LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
north bank of the Napo River, Pompeya
area.
simple cabins, food, rain forest trails, guides.
jungle walks, fauna and bird watching,
canoe rides, visit to communities, night
walks.
Yasuní National Park Office, Coca. +593
(6) 2881 850.
US$2 entrance fee.
Several indigenous communities along the Napo River margins are developing sustainable tourism projects,
grouped in the Network of Tourism Initiatives of the Napo River Margins (REST, Spanish acronym). This network
is consolidating. For more information, contact REST at Nuevo Rocafuerte: +593 (6) 2382 119 / 2382 108. Likewise, other organized communities within the YBR, like Quehueri’ono, are processing their Community Tourism
Centre licence. More information at www.huaorani.com
For more information, visit:
www.ecuador.travel.ec
www.yasuni-itt.gob.ec
www.turismo.gob.ec
www.ambiente.gob.ec
www.descubreorellana.com
www.unwto.org
31
Remarkable animal species of Yasuní
This is a short list of the most remarkable fauna species that can be found in Yasuní. It is
not a full list as the biodiversity of Yasuní is overwhelming. Enjoy completing your checklist!
Mammals
Jaguar
Puma
Jaguaroundi
Ocelot
Bush dog
Tayra
Kinkajou
South American coati
Giant river otter
South American tapir
Collared peccary
White-lipped peccary
Red brocket deer
Giant anteater
Giant armadillo
Southern two toed sloth
White-bellied spider-monkey
Pöppig’s woolly monkey
Red howler monkey
Monk saki monkey
White-fronted capuchin
Common squirrel monkey
Pygmy marmoset
Saddlebacked tamarin
Yellow handed titi
Lemurine night monkey
Paca
Amazon river dolphin
Amazonian manatee
Birds
Great tinamou
Undulated tinamou
Anhinga
Neotropic cormorant
Cocoi heron
Striated heron
Green ibis
King vulture
Harpy eagle
Crested eagle
32
Lined forest-falcon
Speckled chachalaca
Blue-throated piping-guan
Salvin’s currasow
Blue-and-yellow macaw
Red-and-green macaw
Scarlet macaw
Black-headed parrot
Maroon-tailed parakeet
Mealy amazon
Orange-winged amazon
Squirrel cuckoo
Crested owl
Spectacled owl
Great potoo
Great-billed hermit
Gray-breasted sabrewing
Fiery topaz
Pavonine quetzal
Violaceous trogon
Blue-crowned trogon
Ringed kingfisher
Amazonian motmot
Great jacamar
White-necked puffbird
White-fronted nunbird
White-throated toucan
Many-banded aracari
Chestnut woodpecker
Crimson-bellied woodpecker
Long-billed woodcreeper
Great antshrike
Cocha antshrike
Brown-backed antwren
Lunulated antbird
White-plumed antbird
Tropical kingbird
Plum-throated cotinga
Amazonian umbrellabird
Bare-necked fruitcrow
Golden-headed manakin
Wire-tailed manakin
Blue-backed manakin
Violaceous jay
Lawrence’s thrush
Paradise tanager
Turquoise tanagar
Magpie tanager
Red-capped cardinal
Crested oropendola
Yellow-rumped cacique
Reptiles
Black caiman
Spectacled caiman
Smooth fronted caiman
Rainbow boa
Boa constrictor
Emerald tree boa
Common anaconda
South American bush master
Common lancehead
Two striped forest pitviper
Parrot snake
Brown vine snake
South American coral snake
South American tortoise
Yellow spotted river turtle
Tegu lizard
Amphibians
South American bullfrog
Brownbelly tree frog
Zaparo rocket frog
Amazon tungara frog
Amazonian harlequin frog
Mitred toad
Amazonian horned frog
Marbled tree frog
Map tree frog
Yasuni slender tree frog
Amazon leaf frog
Surinam frog
Ecuadorian climbing salamander
Linnaeus’ caecilian
Coordination: Juan Freile and Andrés Vallejo
Texts: Juan Freile
Editor: Andrés Vallejo
Design: Esteban Garcés
Maps: Susana Crespo and Pablo Cabrera
English translation: Mary Ellen Feiweger
English revision: Cathleen Hall
Coordination, Ministry of Tourism: Mónica Burbano Montalvo
Review: Ministry of Tourism: Office of Tourism Development and Facilitation,
Office of Social Communication, Office of Regulation and Control, Office of
Strategic Marketing, Orellana Provincial Office.
Review: Ministry of the Environment: Orellana Provincial Office, Yasuní
National Park, Program for Environmental and Social Reparation, Program for
the Conservation and Sustainable Management of the Natural and Cultural
Heritage of the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve (MAE-MDG-F)
Acknowledgements: United Nations Development
Program (UNDP), World Tourism Organizations (WTO),
United Nations Education, Science,
and Culture Organization (UNESCO).
Photo credits
Pete Oxford: cover (tourist), 7 (lagoon), 10, 11, 14 (lagoon),
15 (waorani), 17 (snake), 18 (waorani and lagoon), 23.
Murray Cooper: cover (monkeys), cover (parrots), 4, 7 (tourists), 12,
15 (monkeys), 18 (parrots), 20, 26.
Roberto Espinosa: 16, 24.
Oliver Dangles and Francois Nowicki/Biota Maxima: 22.
Lucas Bustamante/Tropical Herping: cover (frog), 6.
This document should be cited as follows:
Ecuador Terra Incognita, 2011, Guide to Sustainable Tourism in the Yasuní
Biosphere Reserve, Ministry of Tourism, Quito.
© Ministerio de Turismo del Ecuador 2011
Produced by
d
te ge
u
rib ar
st f ch
i
D o
e
fre
Av. Eloy Alfaro N32-300 and Carlos Tobar
Quito - Ecuador
Telephones: +593 (2) 2507 560 / 555 / 559
Fax: +593 (2) 2507 565