Fantastic guides brought the jungle to life! My wife and I spent 6 days / 5 nights at La Selva Jungle Lodge as part of our honeymoon. While the lodge acco... read moreMy wife and I spent 6 days / 5 nights at La Selva Jungle Lodge as part of our honeymoon. While the lodge accommodations and meals were wonderful, the real highlight of our time there was learning about the plants and animals of the jungle. Our guide, Omar, was outstanding. A native of Quito, he spoke perfect English, and for 6 days he kept our attention as he explained all about the diversity of the jungle, and always had interesting things to say about the plants and the animals. Not only on our walks and paddles, but also at meals.

But we didn't go to La Selva for the food or the lodging -- we went to experience the biodiversity of the "lungs of the planet" and Omar was the perfect teacher! You can find great lodging and great food in many places, but there is only one Amazon. If you get the chance to go to La Selva, my wife and I highly recommend bilingual Omar & native Dario as exceptional guides -- we learned far more from them than we'd ever imagined. Muchas gracias, amigos! (We were there Jan. 20-25, 2020). More read less

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

Great and amazing experience! We learned about La Selva while booking a trip to the Galapagos - DO IT! It is well worth the experience. Wh... read moreWe learned about La Selva while booking a trip to the Galapagos - DO IT! It is well worth the experience. What an adventure - but a completely different type compared to the Galapagos. We boarded the motorized canoe in Coca, got handed a boxed lunch and a heavy duty rain poncho and took off for a 2 hr, 50 mi ride down the Napo River. It rained on the way. I would've liked a few minutes at the beginning to get better organized; it was tough to keep the rain poncho secure during the trip plus check out the generous lunch offerings. We disembarked, then portaged 100 ft or so to a regular canoe. The beauty of the jungle was amazing. We stayed in Nov, at the beginning of the wet season. Both nights we saw lightning (one night a few claps of thunder were right overhead - cool in a rainforest!), had rain overnight. Our room overlooked the lake. There's no glass windows - only screens - no a/c, only ceiling fans and my husband, who runs warm, was always comfortable. Hikes happen in the early morning and late afternoon, following the habits of the animals. We had a private naturalist and guide - Heidel (sp) and Henry - they were amazing, patient and thoroughly explained what we were seeing. Henry's abilitiy to spot even the tiniest frog or mushroom was amazing. The food was top notch. Even... We learned about La Selva while booking a trip to the Galapagos - DO IT! It is well worth the experience. What an adventure - but a completely different type compared to the Galapagos.

We boarded the motorized canoe in Coca, got handed a boxed lunch and a heavy duty rain poncho and took off for a 2 hr, 50 mi ride down the Napo River. It rained on the way. I would've liked a few minutes at the beginning to get better organized; it was tough to keep the rain poncho secure during the trip plus check out the generous lunch offerings.

We disembarked, then portaged 100 ft or so to a regular canoe. The beauty of the jungle was amazing.

We stayed in Nov, at the beginning of the wet season. Both nights we saw lightning (one night a few claps of thunder were right overhead - cool in a rainforest!), had rain overnight. Our room overlooked the lake. There's no glass windows - only screens - no a/c, only ceiling fans and my husband, who runs warm, was always comfortable.

Hikes happen in the early morning and late afternoon, following the habits of the animals. We had a private naturalist and guide - Heidel (sp) and Henry - they were amazing, patient and thoroughly explained what we were seeing. Henry's abilitiy to spot even the tiniest frog or mushroom was amazing. The food was top notch. Even on the morning we departed (leaving at 6 AM), we were offered a full breakfast, including fresh cooked eggs, sausage - anything we would've wanted. Everyone was always very gracious and welcoming.

The peace, beauty, jungle noises were restorative to my soul and returning to Coca and then Quito to begin our Galapagos cruise was a bit of culture shock, compared to what we had just experienced. I hope to return sometime when I can stay longer.

One caveat - ALL our clothes got damp, even those in the suitcase, stored in the closet. Pack them in dry bags and keep that sealed. But don't let that deter you from a great adventure! More read less

An Amazing Rainforest Adventure We enjoyed our boat rides on the Napa River going to and from La Selva. The motorized canoe is steady and tra... read moreWe enjoyed our boat rides on the Napa River going to and from La Selva. The motorized canoe is steady and travels fast. It is piloted by a skilled driver who knows exactly where the sandbars are both above and below the water. On our way to the resort we saw dark clouds and a wall of rain ahead. The boat stopped and we were given heavy ponchos that covered us completely. The rest of our luggage had already been placed in heavy plastic bags so nothing got wet. Don’t worry about the weather ~ the staff will take care of you. Our trip back was sunny and smooth. Both times we saw amazing trees and spoonbills & egrets fishing on the sandbars. We also saw barges of heavy equipment used by the oil companies that have mineral rights in places along the river. The resort fits perfectly into its surroundings. The lodge holds a reception area, an open-air restaurant & bar, and an observation platform. There were no mosquitoes or other insects to bother us around the lake. We only needed to put on insect repellent when we went into the jungle. Large fans kept us cool and we always had access to water coolers and tea and coffee. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. The food was plentiful and delicious. It included a huge breakfast buffet each morning and then three course meals or buffets at lunch... We enjoyed our boat rides on the Napa River going to and from La Selva. The motorized canoe is steady and travels fast. It is piloted by a skilled driver who knows exactly where the sandbars are both above and below the water. On our way to the resort we saw dark clouds and a wall of rain ahead. The boat stopped and we were given heavy ponchos that covered us completely. The rest of our luggage had already been placed in heavy plastic bags so nothing got wet. Don’t worry about the weather ~ the staff will take care of you. Our trip back was sunny and smooth. Both times we saw amazing trees and spoonbills & egrets fishing on the sandbars. We also saw barges of heavy equipment used by the oil companies that have mineral rights in places along the river.

The resort fits perfectly into its surroundings. The lodge holds a reception area, an open-air restaurant & bar, and an observation platform. There were no mosquitoes or other insects to bother us around the lake. We only needed to put on insect repellent when we went into the jungle. Large fans kept us cool and we always had access to water coolers and tea and coffee. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. The food was plentiful and delicious. It included a huge breakfast buffet each morning and then three course meals or buffets at lunch and dinner. The staff took allergies and food preferences into account. At breakfast and dinner we sat with our small group (5) and our interpretative guide. This allowed us to plan our day and talk about what we had seen. The tiny gift shop has an excellent booklet on birds and common mammals that are seen around the lodge.

Our room was lovely. It was fully screened and had a private balcony and a modern washroom. The overhead fan did a great job of keeping us cool at night. While it is hot and humid in the daytime we actually appreciated the comforter over night.

The quality of the interpretive naturalist guides and the local guides make the programs at La Selva world class. Omar and Darwin were our guides. This partnership provides a great balance. Omar had an encyclopedic knowledge of the flora and fauna and Darwin had incredibly sharp eyes and the local expertise needed to help us spot wildlife. The programs start early in the morning, provide you with free time during the heat of the day, and then resume in the late afternoon. This pattern matches the activity of wildlife. We went on day & night hikes, canoe rides, visited a local Kichwa village and climbed the 35 m observation tower. Free time can be spent catching piranha, practicing yoga, relaxing at the spa, socializing with other guests, kayaking around the lake, or napping.

In our four days at La Selva we saw 55 different species of birds well enough for us to identify them on our own and 19 species of animals. We didn’t even try to keep track of the number of species of insects and plants. We could easily have doubled the length of our stay and continued to have new experiences. More read less

Perfection We had a magical 5 days in the Amazon at La Selva. The location was second to none- completely surrounded by n... read moreWe had a magical 5 days in the Amazon at La Selva. The location was second to none- completely surrounded by nature and nothing else. The food and drinks were excellent, the rooms were comfortable and the adventures were once-in-a-lifetime. Our naturalist guide Paul and local guide Dario were amazing in every way-spotting wildlife with superhuman powers and teaching us so much about this beautiful jungle. All COVID precautions were top notch. We could not recommend any more highly! More read less

Eco-reserve Accommodations are wonderful. It is situated on a lagoon near the Yasuni national park. The food is superb and... read moreAccommodations are wonderful. It is situated on a lagoon near the Yasuni national park. The food is superb and plentiful. The Naturalist is knowledgeable and does a wonderful job explaining the fauna and flora. The staff are efficient and available. Rooms were always clean and prepared when we return from an outing.
Highly recommend without any hesitation. read less