www.ecuadors.org

Geo · Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1

Has anyone been to Napo Wildlife Center in Yasuni National Park?

Hilary · Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 3

The accommodations are nice, clean and comfortable. The guides have an amazing knowledge of the forest, medicinal plants and specially birdlife. The excursions have a strong focus on birdwatching.

Good luck,
Hilary

Tahlia · Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 7

Just returned from an all-too-short, but wildlife-sighting packed 3 nights at Napo Wildlife Center. It was an outstanding operation. We had great guides (a "local" guide and a "naturalist" guide) who made a great team spotting, identifying, and informing us about everything from giant millipedes, poison dart frogs, tent-making bats, monkeys, Amazon forest dragons and caiman to some 100 species of birds. They provided interesting information about the ecosystems we traveled through as well as indigenous knowledge such as medicinal and utilitarian uses of plants. They worked tirelessly to be sure we were at prime wildlife sites at the best times, i.e. early morning as well as evenings. During the quieter times of the afternoons we had leisure time to swim in Anangu Lake or relax in the hammock on our cabana deck. As for your concern about the wildlife being all distant specks in a spotting scope, we had many, many satisfying close encounters every day. We did use a scope in the canopy tower to gain better views of a sloth, perched white-throated toucans, an ivory-billed arazazi and green oropendula, among others, but during our long rides in dugout canoes and walking along trails, we found our eyes and small binoculars full of eye-popping sights. The bizarre-looking hoatzin are around you almost all the time, snail kites were seen at close range about every 20 feet, assorted kingfishers and woodpeckers abounded, noisy parrots, macaws and parakeets often flew over us, I could go on and on about the birds, primates, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies, leaf cutter ants, walking sticks and other amazing insects. The biodiversity combined with the setting and service makes for a nature lover's paradise.

Enjoy your trip!
Tahlia