RFI: Ecuador – which lodge at Cuyabeno, Mindo, Eastern slope
Hello,
I am thinking of going independently to Ecuador for last minute.
My idea is to spend 3-4 nights at the eastern slopes, 4 nights in Cyuabeno and 4-5 nights in Mindo area.
I do not have budget for expensive lodges like San Isidro, and I might better spend it on a private guide in Cuyabeno. Yasuni is harder to get to, usually much more expensive (except for Mandari Panga and lodges west of the park, and I want to avoid all cultural programs) and most importantly, it seems Cuyabeno is better for photography angles. Maybe I am wrong.
Regarding Cuyabeno, I am trying to decide between:
1) Waita lodge (they have zero culture all wildlife 5 days programme and are more remote), but I am not sure if I will not miss out on some important species, notably the black caiman and some dendrobatidae. According to the lodge, there is lower chance only for dolphins compared to Laguna Grande.
2) Any Laguna Grande lodge, where i would choose based on price for a private guide, or, if too expensive (sometimes it is up to 250 USD/d), based on other stuff like group size, if they have a canopy tower etc.
Do you have any experience with those?
Regarding eastern slopes, most of reports I found do San Isidro, Guango etc., which are out of my reach. I would love to see the tapir and the bear, but on the other hand it does not feel like I want to spend 2-3 days dedicated to that instead of getting 40 new frog species elsewhere. As this is the last minute, I did not have much time to study this part yet (and I would probably start with it), but if you have any tips as of where to go to see species different to the Amazon proper, I will gladly hear them. I would like to focus on Dendrobatidae as well (obviously not too compatible with the bear), as I do not feel I would get as lot of them in Cuyabeno, if any at all.
For western slopes, I would go probably to Mindo, possibly stay 3 nights in Yellow house or similar establishment (if there is such), not sure if I will be able to visit Bellavista if I do not stay there, but that would probably be best for crepuscular and maybe even diurnal mammals. Some nights I would spend on herping tours, and at least once I would like to try the lake for frogs. Also there are supposedly guaranteed armadillost in Las Tangaras, not sure if that is true, iNat data do not support that, but anyway, in Mindo there are many reserves and one could probably always find something to do.
I might try to go to Maquipucuna, but for a day visit only, and not sure if it is not too early in the season to see the bears.
In the meantime, I hope to get a lot of toucans, hummingbirds and hopefully macaws as well (even though Yasuni would arguably be much beter for those).
Also, quite importantly, once again I am not sure if to bring 100 – 400 or 150 -600 (on a DX body). On Madagascar, I was quite glad I had 150 – 600, but it is heavy, not sure how slippery walks I will undertake (as opposed to October Madagascar) plus it forces me to go quite greatly over carry-on weight.
I will be greatful for any tips or corrections :).
Thank you. 🙂
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Andrea Ghidoni
Hi Asanoth, please contact me on whatsapp +39 3755899449, I’m organizing an ecuador trip rn in collaboration with Photo wildlife tours.