Yarina Ecolodge

Overview

Description

Yarina Ecolodge is in a private ecological reserve in the middle of a tropical rainforest with abundant plant and animal species such as monkeys, caimans, tapirs, capybaras, a variety of birds, and high plant diversity. These riches, along with the marvelous, local indigenous community, make Yarina Ecolodge a special and unique destination to enjoy nature. The lodge was built using an architectural approach in harmony with the Amazonian forest and it has all the facilities necessary to make your stay in the natural forest comfortable, unforgettable, and pleasant.

We combine interesting and sustainable tourist attractions with high-quality service in the midst of a conserved tropical forest and featuring the participation of the local people. Our commitment to the environment is real because for each tourist that comes to Yarina, 5% is used to support conservation, community development, and environmental education projects. We promote tours with small groups and personalized service that have low impact on natural resources while promoting environmental awareness.

Rooms

25

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 25

Percentage of local employees: 88%

Yarina Lodge is part of the Yuturi Conservation Group, which aims to promote sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, support for local communities, and contribute to the fulfillment of the millennium objectives.

The executive arm for environmental and social areas is the Fundación San Carlos, an NGO that supports efforts to minimize environmental impacts from tourism and conserve the reserve’s biological diversity.

Yarina Ecolodge has also begun monitoring tourism impacts using the Limits of Acceptable Changes Methodology, which has been approved for use in several protected natural areas in Ecuador such as the Galapagos, Cayambe-Coca, and Machalilla. This monitoring allows us to be pioneers in minimizing environmental impacts and verify if tourism is contributing to sustainable development.

Additionally, 5% of the cost of the tour to Yarina Ecolodge is used to support conservation, community, and sustainable development projects.

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Quito (UIO)

Nearest local/national airport: Coca (OCC)

Distance, by land, to the nearest airport: 18.6 miles (30 km).

There are two ways to reach Yarina Lodge, from Quito to the city of Cocas: by air (30 minutes) or land (6 hours). From Coca, take a boat on the Napo River (the only access route to the Lodge), reaching the Yarina Ecolodge and its ecological reserve in 45 minutes.

Additional Information

Additional Web sites

• www.yuturiconservationgroup.com (available in English, German and Spanish). The Yuturi Conservation Group Web site, a group of 100% Ecuadorian companies, including Yarina Lodge, dedicated to protecting and conserving the biodiversity of the tropical-humid Amazon in Ecuador.

Date This Information Was Provided

August 2009.

Photo courtesy of Yarina Ecolodge, Ecuador, for SustainableTrip.org.