Walking and exploring

There are about 25 kms of walking trails in and around the reserve. Some are loop trails within the reserve, and other trails go further away.
Apart from the trails there are many tracks. Some take you up to 1600 m asl and involve a few days of walking and exploring! An unforgettable experience!
Professional local guides are available. They take you even off the tracks and inform you about the forest and its history.

Birding

Located in the foothills of the Andes, the reserve has as well species from the lowlands as from the Andes. Up to now we recorded more than 350 species and the number is still growing every month. Among them are many range-restricted species.
For a change, you will not hear Southern Lapwings, Tropical kingbirds, Smooth-billed Anis, House Wrens or other degraded habitat species.
You can download the complete Bird List of the reserve and around.
Or look at the Bird list on Ebird to see what other visitors have found.

One of the most intriguing birds of the reserve is the Nocturnal Curassow (Nothocrax urumutum). This species is difficult to see in other places due to hunting pressure. In our reserve they are frequently encountered close to the lodge. You can hear the bird during most nights.
Some other sought-after species in the reserve are Salvin’s Curassow, Chestnut-headed Crake, Grey-winged Trumpeter, Napo Screech-owl, Buff-tailed Sicklebill, Pavonine Quetzal, Collared Puffbird, Spot-winged and Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, Fulvous Antshrike, Hairy-crested Antbird, Spectacled Bristle-tyrant, Foothill Elaenia, Black-&-white and Golden-winged Tody-flycatcher, Grey-tailed Piha, Fiery-throated Fruiteater, Foothill Schiffornis, Musician Wren and Fulvous Shrike-Tanager.

If you like the bird sounds, you can download them from the website of Xenocanto.

Canopy platforms and treehouse

The reserve has 3 platforms.
Platform 1 – 18 m above ground – has a beautiful view towards the east. On clear days you can see the radio masts of Orito (25 km).
Platform 2 – 23 m above ground – has complete views over the surrounding canopy and has a tree house. Staying overnight is possible.
Platform 3, at only 6 metres above ground, and on the highest point of the reserve, not only has views over the sub-canopy, but one can check easily the activity on the ground. Camera traps have revealed visits of jaguar, margay, trumpeters, deer, opossums and nocturnal curassows. Staying overnight is possible.

Night excursions

On the night walk our local guide will take you out in the forest often well away from the marked trails. You will encounter typical nocturnal animals such as Kinkajous (Potus flavus), Olingos (Bassaricyon alleni), Pacas (Cuniculus paca), Night monkeys (Aotus), Band-bellied Owls (Pulsatrix melanota), etc..