La Selva Amazon Lodge

Wonderful lodge I ended up here after multiple changes to my itinerary so I was not sure what to expect - I was incredibly imp... read moreI ended up here after multiple changes to my itinerary so I was not sure what to expect - I was incredibly impressed. The lodge aligns flights with the Coca pick up and canoes so that is great - would have been great if my agent told me if the changes but it all worked out. You are checked in at Quito and greeted at Coca and ushered onto a bus and then eventually onto a motorised canoe for a 2 hour journey down the river. It is then a 20 minute paddle canoe to the lake where the lodge is perched! It is a gorgeous place with a fantastic layout from the dining area and the jetties to the rooms. I was in room 14 which I could not fault except for the noisy people upstairs - get a room with no one above you is my tip if you want peace. My guides - Dan and Henry were lovely. So patient and helpful at all times. We did everything that I had hoped to do and my dream of seeing a sloth was met thanks to some other guides who knew I was hoping to see one. The food is magnificent and the bar has everything you could want. We went out for a whole day one day and the box lunch was roasted chicken and veggies! No crappy sandwich. There are early starts but you can rest... I ended up here after multiple changes to my itinerary so I was not sure what to expect - I was incredibly impressed. The lodge aligns flights with the Coca pick up and canoes so that is great - would have been great if my agent told me if the changes but it all worked out. You are checked in at Quito and greeted at Coca and ushered onto a bus and then eventually onto a motorised canoe for a 2 hour journey down the river. It is then a 20 minute paddle canoe to the lake where the lodge is perched! It is a gorgeous place with a fantastic layout from the dining area and the jetties to the rooms. I was in room 14 which I could not fault except for the noisy people upstairs - get a room with no one above you is my tip if you want peace. My guides - Dan and Henry were lovely. So patient and helpful at all times. We did everything that I had hoped to do and my dream of seeing a sloth was met thanks to some other guides who knew I was hoping to see one. The food is magnificent and the bar has everything you could want. We went out for a whole day one day and the box lunch was roasted chicken and veggies! No crappy sandwich. There are early starts but you can rest in the middle of the day before going out again. All of the staff were super friendly and I would totally recommend La Selva Lodge. The return journey was as painless as the way in. A great place to stay. More read less

Memorable Rain forest experience La Selva is a wonderful lodge to stay at. The staff are so helpful and welcoming, the cabin was so lovely and ... read moreLa Selva is a wonderful lodge to stay at. The staff are so helpful and welcoming, the cabin was so lovely and the food was delicious. We went out 2x a day either on walks in the rainforest or out in canoes- We had the most knowledgeable guides, Julio and Dario who taught us so much about the widelife and the birds. One day we went up to a tower overlooking the forest and saw over 25 spies of birds, several species of monkeys and frogs to name just a few. Whether you are walking in the forest or canoeing down the river at sunset, the experience is magical and we truly left with a greater appreciation for conservation of the rainforest.

La Selva is a real find! read less

Nice place Amazon La Selva Lodge: Very nice stay. Better food & internet than most Quito & Lima hotels that I hav... read moreAmazon La Selva Lodge: Very nice stay. Better food & internet than most Quito & Lima hotels that I have stayed over last month, despite being in the Amazons. Helpful staff. Good knowledgeable guide. Fabulous Observation Tower over trees’ canopy. I did not have massage but those who had were very satisfied. Nice ambiance in the hotel. Nice rooms. No air conditioning, but adequate fans. Again, very nice meals. During hikes, few animals/birds/reptiles to see, but again, that is Amazon. read less

Amazing experience!!! After researching several options, my husband and I decided to stay at La Selva Lodge to enjoy the Amazonas an... read moreAfter researching several options, my husband and I decided to stay at La Selva Lodge to enjoy the Amazonas and the Yasuni area. We went with no expectations just open to enjoy it all. From the moment we arrived to Coca to the last day, La Selva lodge staff were AMAZING. Very generous and made us feel welcome at all times.
We had a beyond great experience at the lodge. Our guide Paul was great, we learned a lot from him!!! The people who worked at the lodge from the nearby community are a great source of knowledge as well and very nice! We had a great time enjoying the nature in many stages, rainy, dry and hot, clear skies, cloudy, etc, which completed our experience. There are other amenities such as outdoor yoga, massages, fishing Piranhas, swimming, or just lounging and reading a great book with the sounds of the jungle! This is a place to definitely relax and enjoy!
The food was great, the cocktails very yummy and completely worth it to include it in your visit to Ecuador! read less

Amazing Amazon Retreat Lovely, luxurious Accommodation. Staff are absolutely fantastic couldn’t ask for better service. The only diff... read moreLovely, luxurious Accommodation. Staff are absolutely fantastic couldn’t ask for better service. The only difficulty is getting anything dry due to humidity, if you get rained on. It can rain hard! Take quick dry light clothing. La Selva Lodge has A great variety of Activities and the Spa is so relaxing. read less

A magical privilege I was in La Selva in October 2019, but to this day I still dream of the jungle I experienced there. In the fir... read moreI was in La Selva in October 2019, but to this day I still dream of the jungle I experienced there. In the first couple of months I had very frequent dreams at night, seeing the birds and the trees, jaguars and monkeys. My actual experience was not too far from these dreams. I saw the most spectacular nature I could ever have wished for, and I was deeply touched to see the animals I've known of since childhood, in their natural habitat. Alligators, anaconda, monkeys (ti-ti monkey <3 ), turtles, parrots, toucans, spiders and insects and some of the other guests saw a jaguar! Most of all, it was a huge impression to see and feel how the jungle with all of its life, is a massive organism, where everything is in harmony. How foolish the norms of civilization seems, when standing still in this paradise. Even the dangerous aspects of life seem to have their place, without violating the harmony. Now the ecolodge experience was equally magical! -Wonderful people there -I feel so lucky to have had Paul as our guide -everything he showed & told us was captivating. Enrique (Pajarito!) was with us on our jungle walks and the canoe, he too was amazing. Across the lagoon he was able to identify the types of monkeys (not visible from the distance), just from the movement of the trees, to mention but one of our guides expert knowledge.... I was in La Selva in October 2019, but to this day I still dream of the jungle I experienced there. In the first couple of months I had very frequent dreams at night, seeing the birds and the trees, jaguars and monkeys. My actual experience was not too far from these dreams. I saw the most spectacular nature I could ever have wished for, and I was deeply touched to see the animals I've known of since childhood, in their natural habitat. Alligators, anaconda, monkeys (ti-ti monkey <3 ), turtles, parrots, toucans, spiders and insects and some of the other guests saw a jaguar! Most of all, it was a huge impression to see and feel how the jungle with all of its life, is a massive organism, where everything is in harmony. How foolish the norms of civilization seems, when standing still in this paradise. Even the dangerous aspects of life seem to have their place, without violating the harmony.
Now the ecolodge experience was equally magical! -Wonderful people there -I feel so lucky to have had Paul as our guide -everything he showed & told us was captivating. Enrique (Pajarito!) was with us on our jungle walks and the canoe, he too was amazing. Across the lagoon he was able to identify the types of monkeys (not visible from the distance), just from the movement of the trees, to mention but one of our guides expert knowledge.
In the beautiful dining area (where all meals were beautiful and delicious), we always felt at home, with the hearty greetings of Juanito and Bernardo -I will never forget this!
Also our hostess with the mostess was so helpful and friendly -unfortunately I don't remember her name. Last but not least, on our last night I had the best massage ever, just at the edge of the jungle. The masseuse had serious skills!
In just 4 days, this place really left its imprint on me. Going back to Coca in the morning (5am) with the canoe, was a very poetic and magical farewell. Hopefully I will have the honor to go back to Amazonia -I'm forever humbled & enchanted! Anyway, I lost my Aries zodiac patch in my room! Maybe I need to go back and get it! More read less