The Upper Amazon Basin - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 345

Ecuador Amazon Expeditions , Av. República de El Salvador 970,
Quito, /fax [phone], a

branch of Metropolitan Touring, operates Flotel Orellana and is one
of the best and most responsible ecotour operators in the Oriente.

2-2464-780 (in the US 800-527-2500),

La Selva Jungle Lodge , surpassing even Ecuadorian standards
of first-class ecotourism, is praised worldwide as one of the best pro-
jects of its kind. Years of experience and a good deal of integrity are
the deciding factors here. You would be hard-pressed to find a better
ecotourism project than this.

Less than three hours down the Río Napo fromCoca, La Selva is next
to a pretty lake, Lago de Garzacocha. The lodge uses kerosene lamps
and natural showers, relying very little on generators and fossil fuels.
Individual cabins use indigenous designs and local materials, and
they include mosquito netting and private baths. The common facili-
ties, including the reception area, bar, and adjacent dining room, are
simple and rustic, but very comfortable. The cuisine, like the archi-
tecture, incorporates local recipes into international-style meals.

Owners Eric andMagdalena Schwartz, who opened La Selva in 1985,
work with the local Quichua people to hire professional, high-quality
guides. For many years, the Schwartzes have operated a commercial
butterfly farm, the first in the region to sell to botanical gardens in
the United States. In 1992 they created the Neotropical Field Biology
Institute, which invites scientists from around the world to carry out
research. If you're interested, inquire ahead about their more primi-
tive camping facilities and overnight stays deeper in the jungle.

Dugout-canoe rides are a part of daily activity, and nature hikes are
varied. The observation tower in the forest canopy is remarkable -
even if you're afraid of heights. Bird-watchers love the lodge - more
than 500 species of birds have been sighted in the area. It's no wonder
La Selva Jungle Lodge won the World Congress on Tourism and the
Environment Award in 1992.

La Selva Jungle Lodge, 6 de Diciembre 2816, Quito, 2-2550-995 or

2-2554-686, /fax [phone], [e-mail], www.

laselvajunglelodge.com. $$$-$$$$

Continuing down the Río Napo and away from Coca, the Oriente
changes in character. “Civilization” retreats as nature advances.
Eventually, after crossing the tiny black-water paradise of Lago de
Pilchicocha, you arrive at your destination. Sacha Lodge , tucked be-
neath a blanket of rainforest on a 3,200-acre private reserve, is truly a
special treat in a unique paradise. It is also one of the better examples