Kapawi Ecolodge, Ecuador

by Shirley Moskow

Hidden in the remote Amazon Basin rainforest, Kapawi Ecolodge and Reserve offers jungle luxury while protecting the environment and providing jobs for the indigenous Achuar people, who are partners in the community-based ecotourism project.

GETTING THERE: Soar by plane over the Andes from Quito and through the Avenue of Volcanoes, then board a motorized dug-out canoe on the Pastaza River to get to Kapawi village.

HELPING HANDS: After thirty years of forest decimation by oil and logging companies, the Achuar can no longer subsist by hunting.The tour company Canodros employs the Achuar, who will assume lodge ownership by 2011.

JUNGLE NIGHTS: Kapawi village consist of twenty indigenous-style, solar-powered stilt cottages with verandahs overlooking a lagoon.Modern indoor plumbing is ecologically sensitive, waste is disposed of responsibly, and water is naturally filtered.Ecuadorian meals emphasize local ingredients and natural foods.

THE WILD SIDE: Achuar guides and an English-speaking translator can take you fishing, kayaking, and birdwatching.Nature hikes protect animal and plant habitats.

MEMORABLE EXCURSION: Visit a nearby Achuar community, where life goes on much as it has for centuries.If you’re lucky, the shaman will welcome you to his hut.