The parrots are Amazing I give LaSelva a (5) excellent rating, for our trip in September 2019. I considered a 4, but I think we ne... read moreI give LaSelva a (5) excellent rating, for our trip in September 2019. I considered a 4, but I think we need to think about the obstacles they face there (location) when rating them. Was everything always perfect, No, but good gracious your in the Amazon jungle. Did we feel safe there, YES. Did we have a fabulous naturalist (Daniel) YES. Did we have a fabulous native guide, YES. Our rooms were clean and our beds were comfortable. The food was always GREAT. The fresh fruit at breakfast was beyond good. The cocktails were always good. We had massages in the spa and they were very reasonably priced and the therapist was VERY GOOD. The outings each day were fun, educational and challenging. We saw a lot of wildlife, but don't expect them to be abundant and easily visible. Most are camouflaged to fit into the wild, so it is a mission to find them. That is where the native guide is extremely helpful. We saw howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, the worlds smallest species of monkeys, parrots beyond belief at the salt lick, even one being eaten by a boa constrictor, bats, turtles, my husband caught a parana in the lagoon, poison dart frogs, rainforest frogs, turkey birds and many others. The lodge is one of the most remote available to stay in. The motorized canoe ride is long, but they made it very pleasurable with some refreshments and actually... I give LaSelva a (5) excellent rating, for our trip in September 2019. I considered a 4, but I think we need to think about the obstacles they face there (location) when rating them. Was everything always perfect, No, but good gracious your in the Amazon jungle. Did we feel safe there, YES. Did we have a fabulous naturalist (Daniel) YES. Did we have a fabulous native guide, YES. Our rooms were clean and our beds were comfortable. The food was always GREAT. The fresh fruit at breakfast was beyond good. The cocktails were always good. We had massages in the spa and they were very reasonably priced and the therapist was VERY GOOD. The outings each day were fun, educational and challenging. We saw a lot of wildlife, but don't expect them to be abundant and easily visible. Most are camouflaged to fit into the wild, so it is a mission to find them. That is where the native guide is extremely helpful. We saw howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, the worlds smallest species of monkeys, parrots beyond belief at the salt lick, even one being eaten by a boa constrictor, bats, turtles, my husband caught a parana in the lagoon, poison dart frogs, rainforest frogs, turkey birds and many others. The lodge is one of the most remote available to stay in. The motorized canoe ride is long, but they made it very pleasurable with some refreshments and actually any day we could get on it was welcomed, as the speed created a breeze that normally wasn't found in September, 91 degree average temp with 90 percent humidity, that is probably the hardest part. Bring good binoculars, they provide a water bottle with cold water filing stations (needed !!) bring deet free bug repellent (needed) some chap stick. My suggests for improvement to the management: I understand why they don't have air conditioning (effects on the environment) and the ceiling fan was good, but the rooms are pitched and the ceilings very high. For us spoiled Americans, I think a small investment in a couple of fans on stands per room would be a great idea and it makes a huge difference. The manager rounded up one fan she could loan to me, and it made a world of difference and I am grateful for it. You also had to request a blow dryer, no more than they cost, just put one in each room. It was fun getting to know other people who were at the lodge, I would take out the gift shop area and make a larger casual/bar seating area. We loved going in and having a cocktail in the afternoon and sitting in the small area they provided, but it could be larger, and therefore sell more drinks and increase revenue for the lodge. Also keep the bar open more consistently, say during the after noon breaks between trips, not everyone wants to rest. They were good about opening it up but we had to go find someone. Also possibly move the gift shop area downstairs near the office, so you can purchase something anytime and have more available. We like to spend money, get souvenirs but the selection was limited. Have more larger size womens t-shirts and more items withe LaSelva logo, it is a cool place and I would have liked more items to take home. They have to travel almost 3 hours to get supplies, wash the linens, etc. so that is why I give them an excellent, the challenges they face to give us a great experience is more then you realize. We were there when they had the pump issue and it wasn't a huge deal because it was only a few hours without water, but anything beyond that with no water could be devastating, so keeping a spare pump, or parts and someone who knows how to work on it is beyond beneficial, hopefully that was a very isolated incident. I would recommend LaSelva to anyone who wants to witness the Amazon, without too much discomfort. Complements to all the staff !!! More read less

Unbelievable Experience Start to Finish It takes impeccable service for me to take the time to write a review, and the service at LaSelva Lodge exceed... read moreIt takes impeccable service for me to take the time to write a review, and the service at LaSelva Lodge exceeded my expectations across the board. We came here on our honeymoon, as visiting the Amazon jungle has always been on my bucket list, and from the moment you arrive you are fully immersed. It's beautiful, clean, amazing food, beautiful comfortable rooms, amazing forest walks and canoe rides, friendly and helpful staff, plus they give you the ability to customize your trip and cater to your specific wants/needs. I've honestly never had a better experience on a vacation. Our naturalist guide was Julio Rojas and our local guide was Tio Jose. The two of them together were fantastic at spotting birds and finding wildlife in the jungle. I'm an avid outdoorsman and very comfortable in the forest and Julio picked up on that immediately and took us deep into the jungle to give us a 'full dose' (our full dose included a hot lunch on the canoe, chicken with a cranberry sauce, but still... lol). They never took the easy way out, and both were invested in us having the experience we paid for. Both men are close to 60 years old and they took my wife and I, 31 and 32 on a strenuous 4-5 mile hike, up hill off trail, in the heat and humidity without flinching. They took the time to get to know us and find... It takes impeccable service for me to take the time to write a review, and the service at LaSelva Lodge exceeded my expectations across the board. We came here on our honeymoon, as visiting the Amazon jungle has always been on my bucket list, and from the moment you arrive you are fully immersed. It's beautiful, clean, amazing food, beautiful comfortable rooms, amazing forest walks and canoe rides, friendly and helpful staff, plus they give you the ability to customize your trip and cater to your specific wants/needs. I've honestly never had a better experience on a vacation.
Our naturalist guide was Julio Rojas and our local guide was Tio Jose. The two of them together were fantastic at spotting birds and finding wildlife in the jungle. I'm an avid outdoorsman and very comfortable in the forest and Julio picked up on that immediately and took us deep into the jungle to give us a 'full dose' (our full dose included a hot lunch on the canoe, chicken with a cranberry sauce, but still... lol). They never took the easy way out, and both were invested in us having the experience we paid for. Both men are close to 60 years old and they took my wife and I, 31 and 32 on a strenuous 4-5 mile hike, up hill off trail, in the heat and humidity without flinching. They took the time to get to know us and find out what we were there to see and experience, and they made that the focus of our outings.. Most guests are probably older and more into birdwatching than we were, and I'm sure it's extremely rare for them to have guests that want a full dose, but they did it anyways. You can tell Julio and Jose really love their jobs and they deserved more of a tip then we could ever have given them. The faint sounds that Tio can pick up in the jungle are absolutely incredible and the love that Julio has for the forest, including plants/ animals and local people, is contagious. Hats off to both of them for making our trip of a lifetime truly a trip of a lifetime. Simply amazing! More read less

Serene setting Our family had an amazing adventure at the La Selva Amazon Ecolodge & Spa. We were guided on activities t... read moreOur family had an amazing adventure at the La Selva Amazon Ecolodge & Spa. We were guided on activities twice daily including an observatory 38 meters up in the canopy, piranha fishing, night time caiman spotting, canoeing and jungle trekking. The food was first rate and the grounds are pristine. In the lodge area we did not see any mosquitoes but were fortunate to see some capuchin and squirrel monkeys as well as many birds. I highly recommend the lodge for comfort and proximity to one of the most biodiverse jungles on the planet. Would definitely return and was perfect for our ages of 8 to 73. read less

La Selva for the win! The La Selva EcoLodge is a gem in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest! My wife and I stayed for four nights and... read moreThe La Selva EcoLodge is a gem in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest! My wife and I stayed for four nights and it was one of the best vacation experiences of our lives. The staff are incredibly helpful and the environment is spectacular. The natural beauty of the surroundings is breathtaking. The room is well maintained and the accommodations are impressive given the hotel’s location and distance to civilization. The nature guides are experienced and entertaining. We saw multiple types of monkeys, tropical birds, and so much more! The meals are impeccable and the bar service fantastic! Our personal guide, David, was top notch! He comes highly recommended! Our trip was organized by #GreenAdventuresEcuador! More read less

Vacation at La selva lodge Just finishing 3 days at the amazing lodge la selva.
This vacation was perfection : the service was kind, th... read moreJust finishing 3 days at the amazing lodge la selva.
This vacation was perfection : the service was kind, the accomadation was beautiful and the guides were so nice. We’ve seen so many different animals and beautiful nature.

We recommend it highly!!! read less

Unparamounted Experience When you think of sleeping in the thick of the Amazon Rainforest, I promise that you won’t be able to imagine ... read moreWhen you think of sleeping in the thick of the Amazon Rainforest, I promise that you won’t be able to imagine just how enjoyable and luxurious that experience can be. You’ll just have to see for yourself and I have a feeling you won’t be disappointed. A big thanks to La Selva and all of its staff for their hospitality, sustainability and immense knowledge of the seemingly infinite surrounding jungle. read less