Ecuador - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 606

territory, although only five percent
of the population lives here in oil towns
and remote indigenous communities.
However, due to oil exploration and
improved roads, the population is
expanding fast. Sadly areas of pristine
jungle remain as under threat here as
elsewhere in South America.
he Northern Oriente offers the most
spectacular opportunities for visitors to
encounter an array of flora and fauna
in primary rainforest. The highlights
are two huge protected areas - Parque
Nacional Yasuní and the Reserva
Faunística Cuyabeno . Unfortunately,
reaching these unforgettable wildernesses
usually involves travelling through the
forgettable hubs of Lago Agrio or Coca .
For those with limited time seeking an
accessible experience, more pleasant
towns of Tena , Puyo and Macas are
surrounded by secondary rainforest
with chances to stay with indigenous
communities . The higher elevation of
these towns makes white-water rafting
and kayaking popular activities in rapids
tumbling down to the Amazon basin.

pristine forests of the Cuyabeno Reserve .
More worryingly, the infiltration of
Colombian FARC guerrillas along the
border just 21km to the north makes this
a dangerous area . A FARC leader and
16 rebels were killed in a bombing raid
just north of Lago Agrio in March 2008
and two tourists were kidnapped (and
released) in 2012. It's best not to hang
around waiting for a tour; book from
Quito and consider flying in or out to
avoid spending time in the area. If you
are staying in Lago Agrio, don't wander
from the centre (most hotels, restaurants
and tourist agencies are located along
Av Quito), and take care at night. At
the time of writing, the British Foreign
Office advises travellers to avoid Lago
Agrio and all areas in Succumbios
Province bordering Colombia.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane The airport is located 4km east of Lago Agrio.
TAME (9 de Octubre, at Orellana; T 06 283 0113) has a
morning flight Mon-Sat from Quito ($70 one-way). Take
a taxi to the town centre ($3) unless your tour operator
has arranged a transfer.
By bus The bus station is 2km northeast of the town
centre.
Destinations Quito (hourly; 8hr); Tena and Puyo (overnight).

6

LAGO AGRIO
LAGO AGRIO , also known as Nueva Loja,
was used by Texaco in the 1960s as a base
for oil exploration in the Oriente and
takes its name (meaning “sour lake”)
from the company's original headquarters
in Texas. The town epitomizes the
power struggle between oil companies
keen to get their hands on the “black
gold” underneath the jungle and tour
operators keen to preserve the once

ACCOMMODATION
D'Mario Av Quito 1-171 T 06 283 0172. A popular option
with bar, cable TV, swim ming pool, a/c and free internet.
Breakfast included. $27
Gran Colombia Av Quito 265 T 06 283 1032. Well-
equipped but rathe r ch aracterless rooms with fans (a/c
extra) and cable TV. $28

RESERVA FAUNÍSTICA CUYABENO
This beautiful reserve (admission $20)
of unique flooded rainforest spreads out
over 6000 square kilometres east of Lago
Agrio, extending to the Peruvian border.
It contains an astonishing biodiversity
of plants, trees, mammals and aquatic
wildlife. Meandering down the Río
Aguarico, a tributary of the Amazon,
through huge areas of inundated forest
and passing countless lagoons, is
unforgettable. Pink freshwater dolphins ,
white and black caiman , giant otters and
many species of monkeys are commonly

THE ROAD TO LAGO AGRIO
The bus ride from Quito to Lago Agrio
(8hr) is long and arduous and you might
consider flying. If you take the bus, it
makes sense to break the journey up with
visits to Papallacta (see p.581) and San
Rafael Falls , Ecuador's largest waterfalls.
These are located three hours after Baeza,
2.5km along a trail from the main road
(ask the bus driver). You should allow
yourself about one hour thirty minutes to
walk down to the falls and back.