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• Three trips to Cuyabeno, Tucan Lodge keeps bringing me back

  971mihaio,Mar 13, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Quick summary - Beautiful lodge experience in the heart of the Cuyabeno Reserve - Very flexible tours, especially with the private option - Friendly local staff and excellent food - Strong conservation focus and community involvement - Surprisingly good satellite internet for longer stays or remote work Just came back from my third trip to the Cuyabeno Reserve. I first visited Cuyabeno in 2017, when I was lucky enough to have Gilver as my guide during a group tour at a different lodge. From the outset, the nature and peacefulness struck me. From paddling on the river to hiking through the jungle, I was mesmerized by the place. Gilver's knowledge and love for the place just amplified the beauty of it even more. I left back then with the clear idea that I would come back. In 2025 I returned, this time to Tucan Lodge, as I had found out he was now a part owner and lodge manager there. Based on my previous experience with him, I knew for me this was the place to go. Tucan Lodge impressed me in all accounts. Outside of the default group tours they offer, you can also choose a private tour option with the flexibility to build your experience in whatever way you would want, be it more hiking, paddling, more activities during the night, exploring deeper into the jungle, or even camping. They will work with you to always find a suitable activity to your liking and adapt accordingly based on weather conditions, even last minute. The lodge itself is homey, well set up, and offers a variety of accommodation options, from the more budget-friendly dorms option (a great setup for larger friend groups) to the more upscale suites (private, comfortable rooms with amazing views directly into the jungle). If you do choose to spend some more time here (even in group tours you most of the time have an optional activity you could choose to do), you have ample options to relax. From the well-placed relaxation area with views of the river, to perhaps grabbing a refreshing jungle beer in the restaurant, or having a walk around the middle of the garden in search of the many hummingbirds visiting the premises. Food is very tasty and plentiful. They provide more of everything they have to offer at every meal. They cater to dietary restrictions, and you will always get a tasty meal. For in-between meals, or if looking for a boost of energy, there is locally sourced coffee, hot chocolate, or tea, free and unlimited at all times. Personal tip: I would always add a bit of honey, it gives a great combined aroma. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive to all your needs. They always seem to have a smile on their faces and are always on hand to offer help with any wish you might have. Big shoutout to Eduardo, it felt like he was reading my mind some days, offering me a beer or the likes :). The staff is almost exclusively from the local community, which makes it even more special. To me Tucan Lodge is truly a special place. Outside of the fact that it is located in the spectacularly beautiful Cuyabeno Reserve, you can feel in everything they do how much they love the place and how they are trying to give back to it. They are conservation-focused at their core, from the eco-friendly systems they use to the community-focused hiring practices. For myself, after my 2025 trip, mostly focused on camping and deeper jungle exploration, I returned in 2026 as a "digital nomad". I stayed at the lodge for 16 days, working during the weekdays, with jungle trips only very early in the morning and late at night, and full days on the weekends. Satellite internet worked amazingly, the staff took care of all my needs (snacks, drinks, adapting to clean my room only at my availability), and I could enjoy working from nature for once, instead of my classic concrete city jungle. The ability to get a private guide allowed me to take advantage of all the free time I had to the maximum, an absolute perfect match. It was as relaxing as it could be, I will definitely do it again. Few tips: Having a private tour gives you better chances at spotting wildlife. If that is your main goal, do consider it. While never a guarantee, less noise, flexibility with time of the day, and location choice does increase your odds of seeing more. That doesn't mean you won't see amazing things in a group. In 2017 I was on a group tour and saw plenty. But in terms of odds, going private will raise them, and that is one of the reasons I went private both times since. Bring binoculars and a good flashlight. Those will make spotting infinitely easier. Come in with the right expectations. This is not a zoo, you won't always see the animals up close. To some degree, that's the beauty of nature. You don't know what you will see, where and when. You never know what's behind the next corner. There's beauty all around, from the amazing adaptation of the walking palm in search of sunlight, to the symbiosis between the lemon ant and the Duroia hirsuta tree, the azure blue color of a tinamou egg, to the superb mating dance of manakins, and of course the occasional views of some of the big animals. Wildlife highlights I personally saw during my trips: - 9 species of monkeys - anacondas - tapirs (twice, both closer than 10m away) - river dolphins - giant otters - sloths - 4 types of tarantulas - approximately 10 species of snakes - jaguarundi - more than 100 species of birds - many many others Can't wait to be back.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Incredible Place with Amazing Staff

  markvR5628TC,Mar 2, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Few experiences in my life have truly impressed me the way Tucan Lodge did. From the moment we arrived, it was clear this was something special. Nestled in a breathtaking stretch of the Amazon rainforest, the scenery feels almost surreal, like something out of a documentary rather than real life. Considering the lodge is located in such a remote part of the jungle, I was genuinely surprised by how well-maintained and comfortable the rooms are. Every detail is thoughtfully cared for. The staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcome; ensuring every request is met with warmth and professionalism. Also, they brew their own local beer right at the lodge — and it’s fantastic. Beyond the exceptional hospitality, Tucan Lodge offers an incredible range of activities, so there’s never a dull moment. We opted for a tailor-made experience and embarked on a two-day jungle trek deep into a rarely explored area of the Amazon. It was an unforgettable adventure that felt truly off the beaten path. I cannot recommend Tucan Lodge highly enough. It’s a rare place that exceeds expectations in every way. I only wish more people could experience this extraordinary corner of the world for themselves.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Solo 3D/2N wildlife tour!

  jamesmG3442VY,Feb 23, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  I had a great time at Tucan Lodge with Carlos. His ability to spot animals in the jungle, and his friendliness is unmatched. He was quite amazing. And his laugh was sooooo jolly! The food seemed very authentic, which was fantastic. The serving sizes were good, and only once did I ask for more, and it was provided without delay! The room was great. I had the Conga hut, and I loved having no walls on 2 sides of it. Jungle in my room was my favorite! Of the group that arrived on the same day as I, I was the only one that stayed for 3D/2N (the others had reserved for 4D/3N), but the staff provided transportation for me back to civilization and helped me get on the correct bus. No hassles! During my stay, I saw a sloth, monkeys, pink dolphins, birds birds birds, caimans, and during the night time jungle walk owls, spiders, and frogs.

• Great time in the jungle

  lauravX6765AF,Jan 8, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We had an amazing time in the Jungle with our crazy guide Carlos. He knew a lot about the jungle. We did a 3 day-4 night tour. De accommodation was lovely (spacious 3 person room with good mosquito nets, a nice bathroom - hot water as well) and the food was really good! Staff was super friendly, you could ask them any questions. Also there is a variety of activities: jungle walks (day and night), cacao, chocolate, bread workshops, community visit and boat excursions. Tucan Lodge is a lodge run by local community. Would recommend!

  

• Highlight of my South America trip. MUST DO

  Nicola T,Oct 16, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  I visited toucan lodge as part of my solo South America trip and it was the HIGHLIGHT of my whole time. I did 4 days 3 nights and wished I could’ve stayed forever. I was traveling alone but was surrounded by fantastic people from start to finish and made friends for life. The bus journey from Quito I was a bit anxious about but it was perfectly fine the bus had AC I slept most of the way and we stopped off for toilet breaks more than enough times. Towards the end of the journey we stopped off at a lovely little area with showers toilets etc and was provided a lovely breakfast tea coffee and juice and met some lovely locals and this is the final part where you have WiFi. We then moved on. On arrival to the cuyabeno reserve we were greeted by all the fantastic guides and introduced into our groups that we would be with throughout the visit and given our guide Paul who was the best! and boarded a boat down the river immediately seeing incredible wildlife ! Monkeys anacondas and much more. We arrived to toucan lodge which was absolutely beautiful and sat down all one big group ( it was full ) and served a beautiful fresh lunch with juice and given a talk about our stay we were made to feel like one big family and then we were showed into our rooms. I was in a shared room of 6 it wqs big clean had a bathroom with toilet and shower and a small area to hang up washing etc. it was a big bed with a mosquito net and fans and I slept really comfortably every night. The whole lodge is incredible you learn about how they grow all their own produce and there’s tea coffee water and fresh hot chocolate available 24/7 There’s a hammock area, and an area at the front to dive into the river equipped with paddle boards etc for the down time. We had such fun here bonding with everybody. As for the activities they were amazing, I have a few issues with mobility so I stayed home for the large hike but I visited the indigenous village which was absolutely incredible, my favourite part was going to the Laguna every night watching the sun set seeing pink river dolphins and everyone having a swim with music on it was perfect. The food was great and they accommodated for all different dietary requirements So much more to say honestly can’t fault it Paul is the most fantastic guide all the staff were amazing I will be returning for sure!

• Increíble!

  alexeB2537HG,Sep 18, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Fantastic experience, great staff and a hilarious guide. Brilliant knowledge of the jungle and ability to keep everybody happy.

• Toucan Lodge Trip!!

  aliceeX958UN,Sep 11, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  the trip was excellent! we saw loads of animals and got to swim, kayak, watch the sunset, hike, make chocolate & coffee and visit a shaman!!! the lodge itself is very beautiful and made for a lovely time! we made lots of friends and had an unforgettable experience!

  

  

  

  

• Close-to-perfect experience - with occasional annoying noise from groups

  V9217SCdavidd,Aug 29, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Cuyabeno Tucan Lodge is one of the best lodges in Cuyabeno even though it is not a luxury lodge. We organized our trip independently through their website, we stayed 4 nights in a suite which was amazingly comfortable and clean, which does not seem to be the general standard across all Cuyabeno lodges. Our guide, Carlos, a co-owner of the lodge, was an interesting, knowledgeable and thoughful guy, with whom it was fun to spend time together. The food was tasty, hearty and made with full care by the kitchen team, the activities were interesting and exciting, both on land and water. We were grateful that the Lodge organized and split the incoming people in a way that larger groups and families/couples could take the activities separately. This is important because the Lodge seems to be popular with larger backpacker groups, and this is the only problem from the perspective of individual travellers. During our stay we met a group of 12-14 people from a US university and although we didn't really interact, they were decent, educated and respected the place where they were. The same was less evident in the case of an Australian group, and absolutely not the case for a girls-only Dutch group led by some influencer, some of whom were quite simple and/or hungry for companionship, at least based on what they were howling around at 11pm, directing some of their attention to the male staff, after a volume of beers that their otherwise able bodies found hard to process. All in all, this was a minor inconvenience compared to what we experienced, and based on what Carlos told and showed us, the lodge is setting up now a separate location (transforming another lodge they have bought) to accommodate larger groups. This will be a perfect solution for everyone. Possibly useful to know: Tucan Lodge only organizes a private bus from/to Quito. Based on what we read, we flew to El Coca and stayed 1 night before our jungle trip at the otherwise forgettable Cuyabeno River Lodge which organized the transport from and to the airport. This was one of the best decisions ever - all other guests we talked to said that the bus trip is simply terrible and long (13-17 hours) due to the congested roads. We cannot personally comment but consider flying.

• Amazing

  988archier,Aug 21, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  It was an amazing experience with loads of wildlife great people and great guides who knew everything u needed too know with animals plants nature

• It was the best experience

  V9240XEgabrielaz,Aug 7, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Beautiful experience! We're only here for four days, but we're definitely coming back. The tranquility, knowing the jungle, is definitely beautiful!

  

  

  
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