The Ecuadorian Amazon covers an area of 120,000 km2 on the western rim of the Amazon basin and much of it is still blanketed by exuberant tropical rainforest.
Among Amazonia’s many attractions are its great floral and faunal diversity, a variety of intact ethnic cultures and large, protected natural reserves like the Yasunà National Park, declared by UNESCO a biosphere reserve forming part of Ecuador’s large national system of protected areas. The main touristic route is the Napo River, one of the large tributaries of the mighty Amazon.
The Amazon ecosystem, particularly the tropical rainforest, is considered one of the richest and most complex plant and animal biomes in the world. Many important chemical compounds for pharmaceuticals evolved here and many are surely yet to be discovered. Being the largest forested region on the planet, the Amazon is also exceedingly important as the biggest producer of oxygen. The variety of macro and micro habitats is staggering, from swampy oxbow lakes to seemingly endless rolling terra firme forest.
With the long-term goal of preserving such critical natural and cultural diversity, our group of lodges has banded together to promote low impact, high quality responsible tourism in an environmentally friendly and socially responsible way, creating a sustainable model for generations to come. |