THE ORIENTE

Best for: wildlife, culture, rafting

DURATION: 3–10 days ROUTE: Quito • Baeza • Coca or Lago Agrio; Baños • Tena • Misahuallí; Loja • Zamora WHY GO? To stay in lodges offering all-inclusive packages in some of the most biodiverse places on earth. WHEN TO GO? Driest months Oct to Feb, but expect rain at any time

Reaching the Amazonian lowlands in the north of the country often requires a river boat trip after a flight or road journey from Quito or Baños. The highway from Quito passes Papallacta and descends to Baeza, a kayaking and rafting centre, before heading north-east past Ecuador’s highest waterfall, San Rafael. Further south, the Baños to Tena road is also truly spectacular, decorated with tunnels and waterfalls. A paved road gives access to the whole Amazonian region, from Lago Agrio in the north to Zamora in the south.

Local lodges are reasonably comfortable, providing three good meals a day, high-quality guides and a wide range of activities (birdwatching, jungle treks, canopy walkways, boat trips). Many are associated with local communities.

The two main areas of interest are the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, reached from Lago Agrio, and the Yasuní National Park and Río Napo, reached from Coca. Both zones offer opportunities to see wildlife. Another popular area is around Tena – also a kayaking and rafting centre – and Misahuallí, one of the original starting points for jungle tours. Although many parts of the Oriente are competing with oil exploration, ecotourism is fighting hard to keep areas pristine.

The spectacular 150m San Rafael waterfall is the tallest in Ecuador One to gush over