About Us

La Selva Amazon Ecolodge has 32 dedicated staff members divided between the lodge and our office in Quito. Most of the staff has been working at the lodge for almost 2 decades and many of them are born and raised in the area. We work closely with the local community Pilchi and offer both training and work to the young men and women in this community.

Columbus Travel Group bought La Selva in November 2011 and has converted the property into a premium ecolodge in the Amazon Jungle. The work with this first phase of transformation started in late March 2012 and it is now complete.

Columbus Travel Group was founded by Kjetil Haugan and has become one of the major travel companies in Ecuador. Kjetil Haugan is a Norwegian citizen and has been in Ecuador for 17 years. Together with his wife Jessica, they have developed La Selva Amazon Ecolodge into a very special place.

Columbus Travel Group consists of: Haugan Cruises (www.haugancruises.com), Columbus Travel Ecuador and Columbus Travel Peru (www.columbusecuador.com) and Palmazul Artisan Designed Hotel & Spa (www.palmazulecuador.com). They also own a foundation for volunteer work (www.ecuadorvolunteers.org) and two major language schools in Ecuador (www.ecuadorschools.com).