One of the best areas to visit the Amazon is Cuyabeno. It has an enormous diversity in landscapes, small rivers and lakes with excellent bird-watching opportunities as well as abundant wildlife sightseeing. There is the choice between basic cabins for the more adventurous or a more comfortable lodge for your stay. 
Cuyabeno is a National Wildlife Reserve, located in the north-eastern part of Ecuador, in the province of Sucumbios. The reserve protects more than 600.000 hectares of mostly intact flooded forests. It is part of a Pleistocene Refuge, one of several areas of Amazon rainforest that survived the last Ice Age, making Cuyabeno one of the ‘hot spots’ of biodiversity on earth. Various lake systems are found within the reserve, hiding an interesting flora of ‘Igapo’ forests with its special ‘Macrolobium’ trees, as well as an amazing fauna, with species such as fresh water dolphins, caimans, Amazon manatees, otters, and giant catfish. Small tribes of indigenous people, mainly Cofanes, Sionas and Secoyas, inhabit the area. Cuyabeno is a special place; its diverse jungle offers good wildlife seeing opportunities and excellent birding, considering that this area is among the most beautiful birding-sites of the whole Amazon. The Cuyabeno Reserve entrance is reached by boat from Lago Agrio in 2-3 hours. A comfortable 40 minutes flight from Quito will take you to the oil town of Lago Agrio, capital of Sucumbios.