No roads, logging or oil exploitation
Access only by air
5 000 Km2
4.500 Achuars
60 Indigenous communities
Over 540 bird species

LODGING

 The lodge accommodates up to 50 visitors with double and triple accommodations and was built in accordance to the Achuar concept of architecture.

Kapawi is the largest community-based project ever developed in Ecuador. It was developed and built in co-ownership with the private enterprise, Canodros S.A.. Kapawi was created to provide a high standard service in one of the remotest and most pristine areas of the south east of Ecuador, away from oil exploitation and other destructive practices.

At the moment up to 70% percent of all the employees that work at the lodge are Achuar. Canodros also buys products and services for the lodge in the nearby communities. Tourists give a contribution of US $10 dollars as an entrance fee. For these communities their main income comes from ecotourism.

Kapawi has also provided a launching platform for the Achuar as it has brought the area to the attention of many people from non governmental organizations that invested money and time to develop projects to reinforce the structure of the FINAE organization and developing different projects parallel to ecotourism such as: health, communications, transportation,and education for the entire Achuar territory.

RAINFOREST PLANTS

A tropical rain forest is characterized by its lack of grasses and sedges between the trees, the dense forest, the forest floor, with the reduction of shrub-like plants, herbaceus plants and vines because of the lack of light. A mild irony of nature in the tropics is that, though there are more tree species than anywhere else many are sufficiently similar so that one can meaningfully describe as a “typical tropical tree.” Leaves of tropical plants are characteristically oval and unlobed and they often possess sharply pointed ends, called drip tips, which help to facilitate the runoff of rainwater

Red, orange and yellow flowers are associated with bird-pollinated plants (particularly by hummingbirds), while blue and lavender flowers are commonly bee-pollinated. Some trees produce conspicuous fragrant white flowers that attract bats or moths at night. Small white and yellow flowers are mostly pollinated by bees, beetles, flies and butterflies. Of course, while various insects are more attracted to particular colors and odors, any flower could be visited by any insect if it has nectar.

RAINFOREST BIRDS

During the past seven years, 530 species have been recorded in the Kapawi area. This number includes the seasonal migrants from Patagonia or North America. Though everyone wants to see toucans, macaws and parrots, these and many others birds cannot be seen until they fly out across a river or other forest gap or gather in the mornings at our parrot saltlick. However, many hawks, kingfishers, orioles, flycatchers and anis can be easily spotted or you can walk in the forest to look for shy and inconspicuous antbirds, tinamous, manakins, and puffbirds. And once in a while even a harpy eagle or fiery topaz hummingbird may present itself as a rare surprise!

BIRDWATCHING

Kapawi is a great place for birding. In ten days you can get a list of almost 400 species. The river islands often have Horned Screamers and Orinoco Geese. Muscovy Ducks are more prevalent here than at any other place and they are even in the Kapawi Lagoon. Pavonine Quetzals nest on the Kapawi-Montalvo trail as is the Rofous Potoo, and there are also Black-necked Red Cotingas, Pearly Antshrikes and Pheasant Cuckoos. Brown Jacamars are more numerous in Kapawi than at any other place you have been; ditto for Ecuadorian Cacique and Olive Oronpedola. There are many Blue-throated Piping Guans, Herons and Egrets. A Black Bushbird often hangs out near the cabañas and Red Fan Parrots are on the Capahuari river. You can see and hear Plumbeous Antbird, Dusky-throated Antbird, Dot-backed Antbird or Buff-breasted Wren.
Other bird of exceptional interest featured in Kapawi are Salvin´s Currasow, Buckley´s Forest-falcon, Sapphire Quail-dove, Blue-winged Parrotlet, Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, Black-billed Cuckoo, White-chested Puffbird, Spotted Puffbird, Tawny-throated Leaftosser, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Orange-eyed Flycatcher, Moriche Oriole and the most amazing thing is that you yourself can see and record new species on the islands!

KAPAWI LODGE