Yasuní biosphere reserve. ECUADOR

a

CONTENTS

4

Love life in Yasuní

5

Purpose of this guide

6

Yasuní Biosphere Reserve

10 Yasuní National Park

14 Waorani territory and peoples in isolation

18 The Yasuní-ITT Initiative

22 Tourism in Yasuní

30 Where to go b

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GALÁPAGOS 1

GALÁPAGOS NATIONAL PARK

2

GALÁPAGOS MARINE RESERVE

PACIFIC COAST 3

GALERA SAN FRANCISCO MARINE RESERVE

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MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK

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MANGLARES CHURUTE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

6

MACHE CHINDUL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

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SANTA CLARA ISLAND WILDLIFE REFUGE

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MUISNE RIVER ESTUARY MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE

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EL SALADO MANGROVES FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE

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SANTA ELENA PENINSULA MARINE FAUNA WILDLIFE REFUGE

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EL MORRO MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE

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PACOCHE COASTAL MARINE WILDLIFE REFUGE

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PARQUE LAGO NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

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ARENILLAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

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ISLA CORAZÓN AND FRAGATAS WILDLIFE REFUGE

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CAYAPAS MATAJE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

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ESMERALDAS RIVER ESTUARY MANGROVES WILDLIFE

PROTECTED AREAS OF ECUADOR

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2 17 Esmeraldas 1

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3

Pto. Baquerizo Moreno

20 8

Tulcán

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6 Ibarra

41 Nueva Loja

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o

0

36

Quito

W

25

Sto. Domingo

N E

35

29

15

27

S

42 26

28

37 Francisco de Orellana

REFUGE 18

LA CHIQUITA WILDLIFE REFUGE

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ISLA SANTAY AND ISLA DEL GALLO NATIONAL RECREATION

Latacunga

Portoviejo

12

Tena

30

38

AREA 20

PAMBILAR WILDLIFE RESERVE

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LOS SAMANES NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

Ambato

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4 Guaranda

ANDES 22

EL ÁNGEL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

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COTACACHI CAYAPAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

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PULULAHUA GEOBOTANICAL RESERVE

25

PASOCHOA WILDLIFE RESERVE

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ANTISANA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

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EL BOLICHE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

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COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK

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LOS ILINIZAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

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LLANGANATES NATIONAL PARK

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CHIMBORAZO FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE

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CAJAS NATIONAL PARK

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PODOCARPUS NATIONAL PARK

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YACURI NATIONAL PARK

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CUYABENO FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE

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CAYAMBE COCA NATIONAL PARK

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LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

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YASUNÍ NATIONAL PARK

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SANGAY NATIONAL PARK

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EL ZARZA WILDLIFE REFUGE

41

COFÁN BERMEJO ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

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SUMACO NAPO GALERAS NATIONAL PARK

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EL CÓNDOR BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

44

EL QUIMI BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

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CERRO PLATEADO BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

39

19 Guayaquil

5

Macas

11 32

Pacific Ocean 7

Azogues Cuenca

Biosphere Reserves and Intangible Zones

Machala

44

14

AMAZON 35

9

Santa Elena

Riobamba

Babahoyo

21 10

Puyo

43

1

40 Zamora

Loja

33

34 100 km

3

6

2 5

1. Galápagos Biosphere Reserve 2. Yasuní Biosphere Reserve 3. Sumaco Biosphere Reserve

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4. Podocarpus-El Cóndor Biosphere Reserve 5. Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone 6. Cuyabeno-Imuya Intangible Zone

4

Biosphere Reserves Intangible Zones 3

This reserve includes: • The Yasuní National Park (YNP), its primary purpose being the conservation of biodiversity.

Love life in Yasuní HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE YASUNÍ? You must have. In recent years, it’s probably the most talked-about protected area in Ecuador. Everybody is talking about it. But how many people really know the Yasuní?

The Yasuní is one of the last areas of jungle that remain intact in Ecuador, the most biodiverse place on the planet.

These extraordinary forests are the heritage of all Ecuadorians and one of the Earth’s life reserves. They are also home to peoples who have developed an intimate dialogue with the forests and who know them deeply.

• Waorani Territory (WT), home to the people that have lived in this land from time immemorial.

• The Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone (TTIZ), created by the state to respect its residents’ decision to live in isolation and with their traditions.

This guide is an invitation to come to the Yasuní, to fall in love with it while travelling through its rivers, lagoons and meeting its people. In these pages you will find useful information for planning your next trip in the area. Let’s go. Pick up your sustainable tourism guide to Yasuní Biosphere Reserve (YBR) and get ready for a learning adventure.

PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE The aim of this guide is twofold: to contribute to an initial understanding of biodiversity, cultures, and the RBY’s current situation, also to invite travelers to visit, in this way contributing to its conservation. The first sections provide an overview of the YBR, the national park, Waorani territory and the Yasuní-ITT initiative. Then, we offer useful information and practical advise for planning your visit to the Reserve. Finally, the guide includes a list of legal tour operations in the Yasuní. The three maps in this guide contain general and touristic information about the region.

In recent decades, this magnificent region has had to deal with a complex combination of factors: oil and illegal timber extraction, the arrival of squatters and missionaries, and the accelerated growth of tourism. In order to address such issues, the Yasuní is seeking to find a way to make human ac­tivity compatible with the conservation of this natural and cultural treasure. Thus, a biosphere reserve was established in the territories between the Napo and the Pindoyacu rivers.

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Inside a tierra firme forest

5

Canoe ride along a white water river

Troschel’s tree frog

Location: Orellana, Pastaza and Napo provinces.

Size: 2 000 700 hectares (4 900 thousand acres).

Altitude: 200-400 masl.

Climate: warm humid, 25° C on average. the Napo and Curaray Rivers and other populated centers. The country’s authorities are still consulting with the residents and local governments in order to define the reserve’s territorial boundaries.

Within the YBR live three indigenous nationalities –Waorani, Kichwa, and Shuar– and the Tagaeri, Taromenane, and other unidentified isolated groups, as well as mestizo and Afro-Ecuadorian settlers. In addition, beneath this fragile Reserve are large deposits of oil, a key element in the Ecuadorian economy, and this has generated social and environmental conflicts. Through sustainable and responsible tourism, you can help in the search for more autonomous subsistence alternatives for the region’s communities, taking advantage of the YBR’s major resource: its biodiversity.

In Ecuador there are four biosphere reserves: • Galápagos (created in 1984).

• Yasuní (1989).

• Sumaco (2002).

• Podocarpus-El Cóndor (2007).

YASUNÍ BIOSPH ERE RESERVE

S

Where forest and man come together 6

ince 1976, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated areas of global relevance as “biosphere reserves” due to their ecosystems and landscapes. One of these is the Yasuní. There are more than 560 reserves in 109 countries. Other outstanding examples are the Brazilian Pantanal, the Paraná River delta, Hawaii, and the Serengeti-Ngorongoro in Tanzania.

The YBR covers more than two-and-a-half million hectares (more than six million acres). Its nucleus is the homonimous National Park and the Waorani Territory. The YNP and WT share the Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone, where Ecuador’s remaining peoples in isolation have taken refuge. Furthermore, the Reserve also comprises the buffer zones of these areas, including the Kichwa communities on the shores of Pichicocha Lagoon

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to Lago A

grio

to La go Ag rio

to Lago Agrio

SUMACO

uito

to Q ui

Q to

Indillama

CUYABENO

Pañacocha

FAUNA

El Edén

PRODUCTION

gu

Nap o

A

NATIONAL

Coca

Sucumbíos

Garzacocha

Napo

d oa sr xu

to

NAPO-GALERAS

o (Loret

Limoncocha Pompeya Ma

ro ad )

Baeza

LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

RESERVE

Tiputini

Napo to Quit

Loreto

o

Tiputini

PARK

Archidona

road

no Tivacu

Boca del Tiputini

Auca

Orellana

Tiputini

Nuevo Rocafuerte

Yasuní

YASUNÍ

po

Na

Tena

ar ico

Jatuncocha lagoon

Shirip un o

T

Y

NATIONAL hiñ

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üino

Pu

yo

Tig

OR

Na s

WAORANI

IT ERR

PARK

to

Ta g a e r i Ta r o m e n a n e I n t a n g i b l e Z o n e Co

no na co

PERÚ

Cura ray

Lorocachi

Pavacachi

Pastaza Pind

Bob ona za

oya cu

Yasuní Biosphere Reserve boundary Provincial boundary Cu na

Oil block Waorani territory río Pasta za Tagaeri PastazTaromenane a Intangible Zone 8

YASUNÍ mb o

BIOSPHERE

N W

E S

RESERVE

10 km

Pto. Tigre

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YASUNÍ NATIONAL PARK The apotheosis

of diversity

T

he Yasuní National Park is the largest protected area in continental Ecuador. Those visiting the Park will find an astonishing biodiversity, with various world records in richness of flora and fauna. The winding rivers draining the Park join with the great Napo River, the most important Amazon tributary beginning in Ecuador.

Among these, the Tiputini, Nashiño, Yasuní, Tivacuno, Tigüino, and Cononaco stand out.

Ceibo and canopy of the Amazon forest

Not all YNP rivers are equal. Depending on the substrate where they originate, they can be white water or black water rivers. The first are born in the Andes, and carry sediments which provide the characteristic brownish color. One example is the Curaray River, the southern limit of the Park. On the other hand, the black water rivers and lagoons are born in the forest itself. Their dark, glistening, tea-like tone is due to tannins, pigments that rain washes from the forest’s litter layer.

DI V E R SI T Y

More than 1400 animal species thrive in the National Park.

150 species of amphibians, a world record; in the entire United States and Canada combined there are only 99 species.

Almost 600 different birds; one third of the entire Amazonian avifauna.

169 mammals, including 12 monkeys; one out of three mammals of the Amazon basin.

Because of the rainfall regime in the Amazon, the river level varies a great deal during the year. Between March and November, the rivers overflow their banks and turn extensive areas into swamps. The ecosystem that exists depends on the type of river that floods an area: varzea if it is a white-water river, and igapó if it is a black-water river. The high areas that are not flooded are known as terra firme forest.

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IN THE Y A S U N Í

More than 100 thousand insect species in one hectare (2.4 acres); a similar number exists in the whole of North America!

In 50 hectares (120.5 acres) there can be up to 1,300 plant species.

In a single hectare (2.41 acres) of the YNP there are more than 650 tree species!

Añagucocha Lagoon and Napo Wildlife Center

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Creation: november 1979.

Extension: 982 000 000 (2 300 thousand acres).

Ecosystems: tropical rain forest, flooded forests, swamps, rivers, lagoons.

Given the extension and continuity of its forests, there are many species living in the YNP that have disappeared in disturbed areas. The powerful jaguars wander about the vegetation, while the fabulous harpy eagle soars above looking for its next meal of a spider monkey. Giant armadillos, giant anteaters, tapirs, titi monkeys‌ The selection of mammals is stupendous. As for birds species: five different macaws, six owls, seven toucans, two dozen hummingbirds, more than fifty ant birds, to name a few. The enumeration of animals in the Yasuní would be endless: the rainbow boa and the anaconda, the pink river dolphin and the Amazonian manatee, the giant paiche fish, and an endless variety of fish and insects.

Remember that seeing the Amazon’s fauna is not easy. Animals have developed a refined ability to hide. Thus, to discover these animals, you need to move softly and have a lot of patience and concentration, plus a good local guide.

Most of the YNP has not yet suffered change due to human activities. Nevertheless, roads opened for oil exploration and exploitation towards the north and west have encouraged settlement, deforestation, intensive hunting, and illegal timber extraction. Furthermore, at least half of the YNP is sitted on top of important oil reserves and, on its edges, the agriculture frontier expands.

In face of these realities, a number of communities have seen sustainable tourism as a promising alternative. Within the YNP and in its surroundings there are several places that can receive tourists. These include everything from simple to comfortable lodgings, with crafts shops, logistical facilities and trails leaded by local and specialised guides.

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13 Squirrel monkey

Nocturnal monkey

Black water stream inside Waorani Territory

suggesting a long period of isolation from other Amazon societies. The tenacity with which they defend their independence won them the denigrating term aucas, which in Kichwa means “savages.”

In recent decades, the Waorani have experienced dramatic changes linked to external colonization and other oil-activity related effects. Their nomadic and self-sufficient life-style has turned into one sedentary and dependent to economic agents beyond their control.

Aggression against their way of life began at the end of the 19th century with rubber exploitation which enslaved thousands of indigenous people. After the Second World War, oil exploration began and the first Evangelical missionaries arrived. Their attempts to “civilize” the Waorani lead to violent episodes that marked them as a ferocious people in the Western psyche.

Attempts to “pacify” the Waorani ended up with 80% of the population reallocated to a “protectorate” administered by the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL), a North American Evangelical organization. The cultural, social, and health repercussions are impossible

WAORANI TERRITORY

AND PEOPLE IN ISOLATION

W A place for building the future 14

ithin the YBR, indigenous societies have thrived for thousands of years. In times when the forest was continuous and without borders, their inhabitants traveled over extensive regions, including the one known today as the Yasuní.

Now the YBR has some 2,500 Waorani residents, close to 1,000 Shuar, and at least 2,000 Kichwa, in addition to mestizo and Afro-Ecuadorian settlers. The Kichwa communities are located principally along the Napo and Curaray rivers and the Vía Auca, wherein Shuar communities are also settled. The Waorani settlements are scattered throughout most of the Reserve.

Waorani people have a rich and magical oral tradition, handy for reconstructing their history. Their language, Wao Terero, has no close relationship with any other language, Waorani making feather headband

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Rainbow boa

Creation: 1990.

Extension: 612 thousand hectares (1400 thousand acres).

Peculiarities: Ecuadorian state reserves the right to exploit or lease for exploitation the subsoil.

to gauge; polio, flu and hepatitis epidemics took many lives and continue to do so. Since the SIL was expelled from Ecuador (1981), a number of oil companies and other institutions have taken its place as an important actor shaping the region’s fate.

During the 1990’s, the Waorani established the Waorani Nationality of Ecuador (NAWE, Spanish acronym) to represent them in dealings with the state, petroleum companies and the rest of society.

In 1999, the Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone was established; this covers sections of the YNP and Waorani Territory. No activity –extractive or touristic–, is allowed if it would put at risk the peoples in isolation who live there.

The Tagaeri (and other possible groups known as Oñamenani and Wiñatari) separated themselves from the Waorani in the 1960s. Since then, they avoid contact with strangers. Other peoples living in isolation are the Taromenane, whose history and current numbers are not well known.

Chronology of events in the area 19th century Rubber exploitation.

1937 Shell Oil enters the Ecuadorian Amazon.

1948 Shell Oil abandons operations after clashes with the Waorani.

1956 Five North American missionaries are speared to death on the Curaray River.

1981 The SIL is expelled from Ecuador.

1990 Waorani Territory is recognized.

1991 Maxus oil company begins operations.

1999 The TTIZ is established.

2002 Petrobras begins explorations.

2005 First conflicts with loggers.

2007 Yasuní-ITT campaign is launched.

The survival of the Yasuní peoples is complex and might be at risk. Until 2008, timber interests entered the YNP and the Intangible Zone illegally. Meanwhile, the oil and agriculture frontiers continue their expansion, which has contributed to the spread of viral diseases that could be fatal to isolated populations. Many Waorani communities continue to look for autonomous life options; some are betting on sustainable tourism.

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Dawn in the Tiputini

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Waorani elder man inside traditional shack

Maroon-tailed parakeet

THE YASUNÍ-ITT

INITIATIVE A life commitment

F

or more than a decade, social organizations and residents of the Amazon have urged the state to stop opening new oil production camps in natural reserves.

In 2007, these demands came together in an innovative proposal that the Ecuadorian state presented to the world at the United Nations Assembly. The Yasuní-ITT Initiative proposes leaving underground relatively large deposits of heavy crude –some 850,000,000 barrels– found in the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini (ITT) petroleum block in the northeast of the YNP.

By leaving the ITT’s crude underground, Ecuador aims to: • Avoid pressure on the populations living in the area.

• Conserve the extraordinary biological riches of its forests.

• Avoid burning that oil and the impact that would cause on global climate change.

It is estimated that the oil in the ITT would last for a mere couple of weeks in the global market.

Is it worth sacrificing one of the most biodiverse corners of the planet for so little fuel? If billions of dollars need to be invested in compensating for carbon emissions, is it not more reasonable to avoid those emissions by leaving the oil underground?

This is what Ecuador proposes to do.

By not exploiting these reserves, Ecuador would forego some US$7 billion. Renouncing the exploitaTourists18 crossing a black water lagoon near Pilchicocha

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tion of that resource represents a significant sacrifice for the country, as its economy relies largely on oil exports. For what the planet benefits, as a result of this decision (such as not producing 400,000,000 tons of carbon), Ecuador demands from the international community to compensate with 50% of the income it will not receive in the next twelve years (US $3.5 billion). This money will be deposited in a trust fund that will be used exclusively for health, education, reforestation, and management of protected areas.

The trust fund, administrated by the United Nations Development Program, has been created. Nonetheless, despite the praise the proposal has inspired in various world forums, contributions remain scarce (only 1% has been received so far). If by December 2011 the funds demanded have not been met, the Ecuadorian government stands to go ahead with oil drilling in the ITT. Visiting the YBR and contributing to sustainability in the area is a way to contribute to the YasunĂ­ ITT Initiative. Community projects associated with sustainable tourism diminish dependence on oil companies.

Sustainable tourism leaves a small ecological footprint in comparison with oil production and illegal timber extraction.

Your contribution, no matter how modest, can make a difference.

In Ecuador, you can deposit your contributions into the account #526558-4, Banco del PacĂ­fico; in the United States, into the account #4533-6490, Wells Fargo Bank.

Also, help spread the word, become part of campaigns, and encourage people and institutions in your country to contribute.

For more information, visit:

http://yasuni-itt.gob.ec 20

21 Blue and yellow macaw

TOURISM in Yasuní living inside it

O

nly fifteen years ago, you had to organize an expedition to visit the Yasuní.

Today, there are various community enterprises, communal and private, that offer an interesting choice of destinations, from those ideal for people looking for comfort and style to those for the more adventurous.

In the YBR, attractions are related to biodiversity and culture; therefore, the values that should guide tourism are respect for the environment and social responsibility.

- There are also buses from and to Machala, Guayaquil, Santo Domingo, Loja, Riobamba, Ambato, Baños, Puyo, Tena, and Lago Agrio with the Baños, Putumayo, Loja, Jumandy, Quijos, and Pelileo bus companies.

- The shortest route from Quito is through Loreto; you can also get there through Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja).

- You can enter the western part of the YBR from Tena. A number of companies travel between Tena and several other cities, including more than 25 daily departures from Quito.

By river. You can travel from Tena to Coca along the Napo River, though there is no regular public transport. There is public river transport from Coca to Nuevo Rocafuerte (13 hours), regularly at 7:30 (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday).

The cost of a round trip is US $30. Tour operators provide river transport.

By air. There are flights from Quito at the following times: Ícaro

1. Access: The main entry point is Coca (Francisco de Orellana), capital of the province of Orellana, by land, river, or air.

Boy with red piranha

By bus. Buses leave Quito’s Quitumbe Bus Terminal daily. Telephone: +593 (2) 3814 810.

The one-way Quito-Coca ticket costs US$ 10.

• Quito-Coca (Francisco de Orellana) Information

Lodging

Restaurant

Cooperativa Baños (4h00, 6h30, 7h30, 9h10, 10h15, 11h50, 13h30, 14h30, 18h00, 18h15, 19h00, 20h20, 21h10, 22h00, 22h50, 23h00) Coop. Loja (11h00, 22h15, 23h30) Coop. Putumayo (6h00, 16h00)

Excursion

Jungle excursion

Navigable river

Coop. Trans Esmeraldas (8h30, 20h20, 21h30) • Quito-Limoncocha

Bird-watching

Panoramic view

• Quito-Tigüino Coop. Baños (23h30) Coop. Putumayo (5h50, 12h40, 20h40) • Quito-Pompeya

Protected area

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Handicrafts

Community tourism

Coop. Putumayo (19h45)

Aerogal

dep

ret

dep

ret

9h40

7h00 9h00 11h00 16h00

8h30 10h00 12h00 17h00

6h20 10h30 12h30* 15h50**

7h15 11h30 13h25* 16h45**

saturday

10h00 12h00

11h00 13h00

sunday

14h00

15h00

7h15 10h30 15h50 10h30

8h10 11h30 16h45 11h30

monday-friday

8h45

Canopy bridge in Sacha Lodge

*monday and friday; **except tuesday

Tickets costs between US $100 and $150 for a round trip. For more information visit airlines’ web sites.

2. Entering via Coca: - Coca (18,000 residents) has hospitals, hotels, banks, an airport, internet, information offices, first aid, tour operators, markets, and the offices of the YNP and the Ministry of Tourism.

-Staying the night in Coca can cost around US $10 - $50 per night.

Hotels in Coca

Coop. Baños (17h30) Lagoon

Tame

ret

dep

El Auca La Misión Gran Hotel del Coca

2881 260 2880 544 2882 666

Heliconias 2882 010 Omaguas 2880 136 Pto. Orellana 2880 970

Río Napo Damaris El Ávila Bolívar Canoas Coca Henry Paúl

2880 872 2881 651 2882 206 2881 635 2882 094 2882 088 2880 301

Lojanita 2880 032 Oasis 2880 206 Safari Brisas del Napo 2882 128 San Fermín 2881 848

Santa María Unicornio William’s Amazonas

2880 097 2882 293 2881 201 2880 444

- Dial 06 first to make calls to Orellana Province.

3. To the YBR: - Entering the National Park and Waorani Territory on your own is not allowed. You must sign up for an excursion with an operator authorized by both the Tourism and Environment ministries. You can visit areas outside the Park and Waorani Territory on your own.

- The YNP entry fee is US $2 ($0.50 for people with disabilities, senior citizens and children); to enter, you need a guide certified by the Ministry of Environment.

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- The Napo river is the main entrance; on its banks various Kichwa communities and lodges can be found. You can visit various tributaries, such as the Indillama, always with an authorized tour.

- By way of the Via Auca (Coca-Bataboro) various Waorani, Kichwa and Shuar communities can be reached, as well as along the Shiripuno, Tiguino, Tiputini and Cononaco rivers, from which you can enter the YNP and sectors of Waorani territory. This access is controlled by the state.

- From Shell Mera you can take a small plane to the Waorani communities of Quehueiri’ono and Bameno, and to other landing strips on the banks of the Curaray River in the province of Pastaza.

- Tours usually last between four and eight days; set aside at least five days to visit the Yas­uní, taking into account one day to enter and another one to leave.

- The only operator currently authorized by the MAE to enter the YNP is Enchanted Expeditions. Contact: De las Alondras N45-102, Quito. +593 (2) 3340 525 info@ enchantedexpeditions.com www.enchantedexpeditions.com 4. What should you take?

Rubber boots • light clothing: long sleeved shirts, slacks • bathing suit • cap or hat • sunglasses • biodegradable insect repellant • binoculars • photo and/or video camera • flashlight

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• rechargeable batteries • water bottle • sealable plastic bags • mosquito net • first aid kit • accident insurance • yellow fever and hepatitis A, B, and C vaccine certificates • cash (beyond Coca, there are no banks).

5. Safety and health: - Avoid informal tourist operations that offer visits to Waorani Territory or the Intangible Zone, as these may be fly-by-night, careless operations with a negative impact on the YBR, its residents, and tourists.

- On visiting the Intangible Zone, you could introduce common illnesses that are potentially fatal for persons who have had no contact with them. To enter their territories or participate in tours and fly-overs “in search” of these peoples is disrespectful of their decision to live in isolation and could result in clashes that put human life at risk.

- Drinking water is limited; though rain forest rivers are generally clean, drinking from them may affect your stomach. Take plenty of drinking water and purification tablets as you will need to drink continuously in the heat.

Avoid plastic disposable bottles.

- Malaria, yellow fever, and leishmaniasis are occasionally found in the region. To enter the YNP you need yellow fever vaccination.

To enter the Waorani Territory you also require typhus and hepatitis A, B and C vaccinations. It is recommended that you use a mosquito net and biodegradable repellent.

6. When to visit?

- Any time of the year can be ideal, but between December and February the rivers are low and navigation might be difficult. In June and August, the rivers tend to be higher.

7. Communications - Telephone and internet access is limited except at Coca and Nuevo Rocafuerte. Cell phone signals are available in certain parts of the YBR, especially near Coca and some oil camps. A number of lodges have radios for communication and a few have internet.

8. Useful phone numbers in Coca: Yasuní National Park Office

2881 850

Provincial Office of the Ministry of Tourism

2881 583

Airport

2880 185

Port Office

2882 573

Police

2880 101

Francisco de Orellana Hospital

2880 139

Fire Department

2880 102

Provincial Government of Orellana

2880 148

National Telecommunications Council

2880 104

SUSTAINABLE AND CONSCIOUS TOURISM - Always use formal tour operators. We recommend that you select an operator based on environmental practices and their relationship with the communities: • solid and liquid waste disposal • energy sources and usage • architecture in harmony with surroundings and use of renewable materials • respect for environmental norms • does not capture or sell wild species • distributes income in equitable fashion • decent working conditions.

- By avoiding and reporting bad practices you contribute to sustainable tourism in the Reserve. Report bad practices to national and regional environmental and tourist authorities (phone numbers above).

- When you travel to Waorani Territory, make sure that your operator is authorized, either

by NAWE or the communities you will visit.

- Do not eat wild animal meat, either in restaurants or provided by guides; eating wild meat contributes to the extinction of vulnerable species.

- Demand that guides do not bother wild animals in attempts to attract them: enjoy seeing the animals in their natural habitat and behaviour.

- Contribute to community economic wellbeing by buying crafts made locally; always pay a fair price.

- Do not take containers, batteries, or other disposable items; if you do, take them out with you.

- Dial 06 first to make calls to Orellana Province.

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Black water lagoon in the Yasuní

What you should not miss: Paddle canoe ride At the river’s pace, you will see aquatic and terrestrial animals as they approach to refresh themselves in the water.

Night time stroll Go out in search of nocturnal creatures, including caimans, insects, toads, monkeys, and owls.

Salt licks These are sites where the ground is exceptionally rich in minerals, so animals go there to supplement their diet. There are no better places in the rainforest to observe animals which are normally aloof.

Walk through the rain forest with local guides Nobody knows the rain forest better than the Waorani, Kichwa, and Shuar who have grown up and are part of cultures that developed there.

A good local guide can make the difference between an enjoyable and an unforgettable walk.

Canopy towers and walkways The towers are thirty or more meters high which means you can appreciate birds and primates like never before; they also offer a spectacular and new perspective on the forest.

Bird watching at dawn To be able to appreciate fully the biodiversity of birds it is necessary to get up at dawn. The same applies for monkeys. Few efforts are more rewarding.

Eating maito Maito is fish wrapped in plantain leaves and steamed over a wood fire or in holes in the ground; one of the Amazon’s most exquisite taste treats.

Living in a community From sharing food to listening to stories and traditions from the voices of the elders, this is another way to learn about the rain forest and its culture.

CICAME Museum, Pompeya This is the best on-site museum in the country, with a magnificent collection of archaeological pieces from the Amazon, some almost a thousand years old.

Contact the Aguarico Vicariate. +593 (6) 2880 501 / vicapag@uio.satnet.net / http://aguarico.vicariato.net/ CICAME.html Toxi tour A tour through oil camps, abandoned and producing, helps to understand the Yasuní’s fragile social and environmental situation.

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27

Two species of parakeets in a salt lick

road to Lago Agrio

LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

Qu

Coca

ito

CU

Pañacocha

Limoncocha Pompeya

YA B

Pañacocha

Sani

EN

O

FA

Garzacocha

Nueva Providencia

A

PR Yuturi Chiru Isla

OD

UC

San Vicente

Shinchi Chicta

Tiputini

Aguarico

TI

ON

RE

Nap o

SE

RV

Ma

E

Tiputini

s xu ad ro

Auca road

UN

Añangu Añangucocha

Napo

Boca del Tiputini

Llanchama

no Tivacu u ní Yas

Huiñame Onco

Tiputini Santa Rosa

Puerto Miranda Alta Florencia Ahuemuro

YASUNÍ

Santa Teresita

Nuevo Rocafuerte Jatuncocha

Quehueire Ono

PERÚ

Ñuneno

Shir ipu no

Nueva Golondrina

NATIONAL

Tigüino

Lumbaqui

Quito

Lago Agrio

El Chaco Papallacta

Caruhue Onco Na s

to

to Lago Agrio

Tig

üino

Mima Onco

Baeza

Quemperi Onco

nonaco Co

Coca

Bahuameno (Sandoval)

Dicaro

o hiñ

PARK

Loreto Archidona

Tena

Quito - El Coca 300 km mean duration: 8 hours

Provincial capital Town

Curaray

Community

Pavacachi

Yasuní Biosphere Reserve boundary

28

Main road Secondary road River

Lorocachi

N W

E S

10 km

YASUNÍ TOURISTIC MAP 29

walks through the rain forest, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe rides, visits to communities, camping, fishing, night walks, volunteer opportunities.

Comunidad de Sani Isla. Roca E4-49 & Amazonas, Quito. +593 (2) 2558 881 / 2906 021 / info@ sanilodge.com / www.sanilodge.com US $627 - 1347 (4-8 days); US $396 - 847 (camping); doesn’t include air or bus fare.

LA SELVA JUNGLE LODGE on the banks of the Garzacocha Lagoon on the north bank of the Napo River. comfortable cabins, electricity, food, rain forest trails, guides, canopy tower, butterfly farm, jungle spa. jungle walks, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe rides, camping, fishing, night walks, natural treatments and spa.

La Selva, a private company operating on land rented from El Pilche community. Mariana de Jesús E7-211 & La Pradera, Quito. +593 (2) 2545 425 / 2550 995 / info@laselvajunglelodge. com / www.laselvajunglelodge.com US $547 - 852 (3- 5 days), US $190 per extra day; 30% discount for Ecuadorians.

Doesn’t include air or bus fare.

MANATEE AMAZON EXPLORER sail along the Napo and Aguarico rivers from Coca. comfortable cabins, electricity, food, guides, canoes on board. cruise along the Napo River, walks through the rain forest, fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe rides, visits to communities, visit a shaman, night walks.

Advantage Travel Ecuador. Gaspar de Villaroel 1100 & 6 de Diciembre, Quito. +593 (2) 2448 985 / 2447 190 / info@advantagecuador.com / www.manateeamazonexplorer.com US $560 - 2833 (4 - 10 days); doesn’t include air or bus fare.

BATABURO LODGE on the Tigüino River, near the Bataburo and Tigüino communities, 27 km downriver from the bridge on the Auca road. comfortable cabins, electricity, food, rain forest trails, guides. rain forest walks, bird and fauna watching, canoe rides, visits to communities, fishing, camping, craft-making.

Kempery Tours, in agreement with NAWE. Ramírez Dávalos 117 & Amazonas, ed. Tourismundial, of. 101, Quito. +593 (2) 2505 600 / 2226 583 / kempery@kempery.com / www.kempery.com US $295 - 335 (4 - 5 days); doesn’t include air or bus fare.

SACHA LODGE on the banks of the Pilchicocha Lagoon, in a 2,000 hectare (4,820-acre) private reserve on the south bank of the Napo River. comfortable cabins, diesel-generated electricity, food, rain forest trails, guides, canopy tower and walks, library, butterfly farm. walks through the rain forest, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe rides, fishing, night walks.

Julio Zaldumbide & Valladolid, Quito. +593 (2) 2566 090/ 2509 504 / info@sachalodge.com / www.sachalodge.com US $547 - 690 (Ecuadorians), US $714 - 920 (foreigners) (4 - 5 days); doesn’t include air or bus fare.

YARINA ECOLODGE on the banks of the Napo River, 25 km east of

WHERE TO GO Tourism operations registered in the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador, by March 2011. where it is

what’s there

NAPO WILDLIFE CENTER on the banks of the Añangucocha Lagoon, on lands of the Añagu Kichwa community, at the south bank of the Napo River. comfortable cabins, solar energy, food, rain forest trails, guides, canopy tower, crafts for sale, satellite internet, library. walks through the rain forest, bird and fauna watching, salt lick visits, canoe trips, visits to communities, night walks.

Comunidad de Añangu. Río Yaupi & Mariana de Jesús, Quito. +593 (2) 6005 893 / 6005 819 / sales@napowildlifecenter.com / www.napowildlifecenter.com US $760 - 1520 (4-8 days); 20% discount for Ecuadorians; doesn’t include air or bus fare.

FLOTEL LA MISIÓN travel by boat along the Napo River between Coca and Iquitos (Peru). comfortable cabins, electricity, food, guides, satellite internet. cruise along the Napo River, walks through the rain forest, fauna watching, canoe rides, visits to communities, visits to shamans, fishing, night walks, cruises to Iquitos (Peru) and Tabatinga (Brazil).

Misión Orellana. 18 de Septiembre E4-76 & Amazonas, Quito. +593 (2) 2553 960 / info@ flotelamision.com / www.flotelamision.com US $740 - 840 (Ecuadorians), US $865 997 (foreigners) for 5 days; doesn’t include air or bus fare.

SANI LODGE on the banks of the Chaullacocha Lagoon, in lands of the Sani Isla Kichwa community, at the north bank of the Napo River. comfortable cabins, solar energy, food, rain forest trails, guides, canopy tower, crafts for sale, library.

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activities

contact

price

Coca, private 500-hectare (1,205-acre) reserve. comfortable cabins, electricity via generator, food, rain forest trails, guides. rain forest walks, bird and fauna watching, canoe rides, visits to communities, visits to shaman, fishing, night walks.

Adventure Ecotours. Amazonas N24-240 & Colón, Quito. +593 (2) 2504 037 / 2503 225; Malecón s/n, Coca. +593 (6) 2880 619 / info@ yarinalodge.com / www.yarinalodge.com US $270 - 450 (3 - 5 days); doesn’t include air or bus fare.

YAKU KAWSAY ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION CENTER on the Napo River in the Kichwa Nueva Providencia community. interpretation center, guides, crafts for sale. visits to communities, observe craft-making; tourism is just beginning. comunidad Nueva Providencia and Wildlife Conservation Society. Eloy Alfaro N37-224 & Coremo, Quito. +593 (2) 2249 763 / wcsecuador@wcs.org / www.yakukawsay.org not available.

LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE north bank of the Napo River, Pompeya area. simple cabins, food, rain forest trails, guides. jungle walks, fauna and bird watching, canoe rides, visit to communities, night walks.

Yasuní National Park Office, Coca. +593 (6) 2881 850.

US$2 entrance fee.

Several indigenous communities along the Napo River margins are developing sustainable tourism projects, grouped in the Network of Tourism Initiatives of the Napo River Margins (REST, Spanish acronym). This network is consolidating. For more information, contact REST at Nuevo Rocafuerte: +593 (6) 2382 119 / 2382 108. Likewise, other organized communities within the YBR, like Quehueri’ono, are processing their Community Tourism Centre licence. More information at www.huaorani.com

For more information, visit: www.ecuador.travel.ec www.yasuni-itt.gob.ec www.turismo.gob.ec

www.ambiente.gob.ec www.descubreorellana.com www.unwto.org

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Remarkable animal species of Yasuní This is a short list of the most remarkable fauna species that can be found in Yasuní. It is not a full list as the biodiversity of Yasuní is overwhelming. Enjoy completing your checklist!

Mammals Jaguar Puma Jaguaroundi Ocelot Bush dog Tayra Kinkajou South American coati Giant river otter South American tapir Collared peccary White-lipped peccary Red brocket deer Giant anteater Giant armadillo Southern two toed sloth White-bellied spider-monkey Pöppig’s woolly monkey Red howler monkey Monk saki monkey White-fronted capuchin Common squirrel monkey Pygmy marmoset Saddlebacked tamarin Yellow handed titi Lemurine night monkey Paca Amazon river dolphin Amazonian manatee Birds Great tinamou Undulated tinamou Anhinga Neotropic cormorant Cocoi heron Striated heron Green ibis King vulture Harpy eagle Crested eagle 32

Lined forest-falcon Speckled chachalaca Blue-throated piping-guan Salvin’s currasow Blue-and-yellow macaw Red-and-green macaw Scarlet macaw Black-headed parrot Maroon-tailed parakeet Mealy amazon Orange-winged amazon Squirrel cuckoo Crested owl Spectacled owl Great potoo Great-billed hermit Gray-breasted sabrewing Fiery topaz Pavonine quetzal Violaceous trogon Blue-crowned trogon Ringed kingfisher Amazonian motmot Great jacamar White-necked puffbird White-fronted nunbird White-throated toucan Many-banded aracari Chestnut woodpecker Crimson-bellied woodpecker Long-billed woodcreeper Great antshrike Cocha antshrike Brown-backed antwren Lunulated antbird White-plumed antbird Tropical kingbird Plum-throated cotinga Amazonian umbrellabird Bare-necked fruitcrow Golden-headed manakin Wire-tailed manakin Blue-backed manakin

Violaceous jay Lawrence’s thrush Paradise tanager Turquoise tanagar Magpie tanager Red-capped cardinal Crested oropendola Yellow-rumped cacique Reptiles Black caiman Spectacled caiman Smooth fronted caiman Rainbow boa Boa constrictor Emerald tree boa Common anaconda South American bush master Common lancehead Two striped forest pitviper Parrot snake Brown vine snake South American coral snake South American tortoise Yellow spotted river turtle Tegu lizard Amphibians South American bullfrog Brownbelly tree frog Zaparo rocket frog Amazon tungara frog Amazonian harlequin frog Mitred toad Amazonian horned frog Marbled tree frog Map tree frog Yasuni slender tree frog Amazon leaf frog Surinam frog Ecuadorian climbing salamander Linnaeus’ caecilian

Coordination: Juan Freile and Andrés Vallejo Texts: Juan Freile Editor: Andrés Vallejo Design: Esteban Garcés Maps: Susana Crespo and Pablo Cabrera English translation: Mary Ellen Feiweger English revision: Cathleen Hall Coordination, Ministry of Tourism: Mónica Burbano Montalvo Review: Ministry of Tourism: Office of Tourism Development and Facilitation, Office of Social Communication, Office of Regulation and Control, Office of Strategic Marketing, Orellana Provincial Office.

Review: Ministry of the Environment: Orellana Provincial Office, Yasuní National Park, Program for Environmental and Social Reparation, Program for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve (MAE-MDG-F)

Acknowledgements: United Nations Development Program (UNDP), World Tourism Organizations (WTO), United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organization (UNESCO).

Photo credits Pete Oxford: cover (tourist), 7 (lagoon), 10, 11, 14 (lagoon), 15 (waorani), 17 (snake), 18 (waorani and lagoon), 23.

Murray Cooper: cover (monkeys), cover (parrots), 4, 7 (tourists), 12, 15 (monkeys), 18 (parrots), 20, 26.

Roberto Espinosa: 16, 24.

Oliver Dangles and Francois Nowicki/Biota Maxima: 22.

Lucas Bustamante/Tropical Herping: cover (frog), 6.

This document should be cited as follows: Ecuador Terra Incognita, 2011, Guide to Sustainable Tourism in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, Ministry of Tourism, Quito. © Ministerio de Turismo del Ecuador 2011 Produced by

d te ge u rib ar st f ch i D o e fre

Av. Eloy Alfaro N32-300 and Carlos Tobar Quito - Ecuador Telephones: +593 (2) 2507 560 / 555 / 559 Fax: +593 (2) 2507 565