Choose from the following activities at La Selva:
Hiking the Matapalo Trail: This trail was named after the Spanish Strangler Fig, one of many remarkable trees which are found during this short introductory walk. Your native and naturalist guides will start to share with you part of their knowledge about flora and fauna of the tropical rain forest.
Night Walk: A flashlight and a camera are the only things you need to enjoy all of the insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals that you might see during an hour walk in the darkness of the forest.
Night Canoe Ride in Garzacocha Lagoon: With the help of a spotlight, take out a paddle canoe in the lagoon looking for caimans, boas, bats, owls, night mammals and more nocturnal wildlife. If the sky is clear, you might have the chance to do some star gazing.
Chaguamango Trail: This trail begins at the lodge and finishes at the edge of the lake. At the end of the walk, head back to the lodge by canoe. If lucky, you might see big troops of squirrel monkeys approaching the water, allowing you to take great photos of wildlife.
Charapa Traoil: This trail lasts about one and a half hours, starts at the butterfly farm and ends on the edge of the lake. It's a wonderful loop that begins with a walk, returning to the lodge by canoe. Along the way we will try to sight different groups of mammals, monkeys and birds that in the afternoon hours get close to the lakeshore to look for food. Apart from a clear afternoon, you can also enjoy a beautiful sunset from the canoe.
Observation Tower: A 20 minute walk will lead you to the tower. This construction will allow us to be 120 feet above the forest floor to enjoy the canopy of the tropical rain forest. Observing with a telescope will enable us to see birds from the canopy, and maybe even monkeys or sloths.Your native guide will show you some of the medicinal plants that natives still use and the naturalist will provide information about the ecology and natural history as well.
Parrot Clay Lick: Visit the most biologically diverse spot on Earth, the Yasuni National Park. A 20 minute canoe ride plus a 15 minute walk will bring you back to the Napo River. A motorized canoe ride lasting 10 minutes will let you enjoy one of the most amazing displays of the wild world. Hundreds of parrots and parakeets will approach the treetops and later come down to a clay bank to eat the soil rich in minerals. It is essential to have binoculars to enjoy the experience.
Once you identify the different species of parrots and parakeets, your naturalist guide will provide a lot of interesting information about the behavior of these spectacular birds. The motorized canoe ride lasts approximately 30 more minutes of birdwatching along the river banks.
Butterfly Farm: Learn about the biology of the butterflies of the region. The farm will show you each of the different stages of the butterfly complemented with interesting information provided by your naturalist guide. You will not want to leave the butterfly flying area without taking your best photos of our colorful butterflies.
Sacha Hugra Trail: A unique experience - walk through an amazing section of primary forest for about 4 to 5 hours. You might have the chance to find the biggest mammals of the rain forest. A healthy rainforest makes you feel the energy of nature like no other place on the planet. The biggest and probably oldest threes of our resources can be found here, be amazed with their size and beauty.
Leoncillo Lagoon: A two hour canoe ride around Garzacocha Lagoon is where you will see birds and maybe a huge troop of the nomads of the forest. Disembark on one of the sides of the lagoon and try to spot the leoncillo, the smallest monkey in the world. The pygmy marmoset is one of the most exotic species of primates of Amazonia, and with some luck, you will also see it here at La Selva.
Following their innovative spirit, La Selva Lodge is building a new spa. This new and unique concept will blend the beauty and tranquility of the rain forest with the most relaxing therapies. Their new spa will transport you to a secret place where you will feel rejuvenated and in contact with your inner spirit.
During this reconstruction process they will continue to offer massage services in the privacy of your suite. Reflexology, Jacuzzi, facial massages and exfoliation will become available once again upon completion of the new facilities.
Inspired by the natural beauty and essence of the Amazon, indulge yourself with our innovative and traditional crafted treatments provided by our highly qualified massage therapist. Just like the Amazonian paradise, we realize that each guest that visits La Selva is very unique. We want to offer therapies tailored especially to your wants and desires. Our massages are designed to restore vitality, health and wellness. These treatments also activate the reflexes to help improve circulation and to infuse well-being, so that you, our exceptional guest can exit one of our massages re-energized and refreshed.
Complete Massage
Guides are a vital part of the team at La Selva Ecolodge. English-speaking naturalist guides accompany you on all excursions, and their expertise in finding and spotting wildlife can make or break the visit for you. That’s why they hire the best guides in the Amazon! Every group is assigned not one, but two guides. The first is a bilingual English/Spanish speaking naturalist guide, who will be the group’s leader, educate you about animals and plants and be responsible for the group’s safety and enjoyment. The second guide is a native guide: a member of a local community who has grown up in the jungle. Although most of them don’t speak English as fluently as our naturalist guides, their knowledge of the Ecuadorian Amazon is unparalleled.
Naturalist Guides
Not just anyone can be a guide at La Selva Lodge. All guides are licensed by the National Park.
This is a lengthy, demanding process which requires that the guides have professional-level knowledge not only about the flora and fauna, but also safety procedures and park policies.
The guides speak a variety of languages and have different skills according to their individual backgrounds. Some of the guides are great with children, other specialize in birdwatching groups, and other specialize in botany, herpetology or other scientific disciplines. Here are some of the prerequisites for being a naturalist guide at La Selva Lodge: