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The 50-bed Kapawi Lodge is located on the Pastaza River close to the Peruvian border in one of the most pristine and isolated parts of the Amazon Basin. Access is only by air, with the nearest town a 10-day walk away. Kapawi Lodge is a partnership between a private company and the Achuar, a local tribe of Amazonian Indians.
Kapawi consists of 20 rooms arranged in doubles and triples and was created in accordance with the Achuar concept of architecture –without a single metal nail! Environmentally friendly methods such as solar energy, biodegradable soaps and rubbish recycling are also used. The rooms are located on the edge of Kapawi Lake, and every room has a wide terrace with a hammock. All rooms are screened with insect netting, and the beds are furnished with individual mosquito nets. Each room has its own private bathroom with flush toilet and sun-heated showers, and low voltage solar-powered electricity. A tasty combination of international and Ecuadorian food is served in the dining room, with an emphasis on local products. Soft drinks, snacks, and tea and coffee are available all day. A well-stocked library is open all day, and a small boutique stocks essential items as well as handicrafts.
Being so remote there is a great variety of wildlife in the surrounding rainforest, and visitors are given an insight into the flora and fauna of the rainforest and the life of the Achuar by a naturalist guide and an Achuar guide from the local community. The area is home to about 540 species of birds and 200 mammal species. It is possible to see pink dolphins, giant otters, caiman, tapirs, capybaras, various species of monkeys including squirrel and howler monkeys, and more! Kapawi Lodge does not offer fixed excursions, but multiple choices and flexibility. There are visits to Achuar communities, river canoeing, birdwatching and rainforest hikes. The rainforest hikes range from short easy walks of up to 3 hours on well-defined trails, to demanding treks of many hours.