|
| Introduction
| Nueva Loja | Cuyabeno
Reserve |
| Limoncocha Reserve | Lago
Agrio Lake |
| Santa Cecilia | Imuya
| Dureno | Puerto Bolívar
|
| Gastronomy | Map of Sucumbíos,
Ecuador |
The Edge
of the Amazon
Sucumbíos, which borders Colombia to the north, is characterized
by its humid, tropical climate. In addition to being home to some
of the Amazon’s most impressive and expansive ecological reserves,
such as Cuyabeno, with their incredible flora and fauna, Sucumbíos
was the first Ecuadorian province to be exploited for oil. Sucumbíos’
capital, Lago Agrio, is a popular gateway to the Amazon region and
has accommodations to suit all tastes and budgets.
Nueva Loja (Lago Agrio)
Also referred to as Lago Agrio, this town is a popular gateway to
the jungle for those looking to unlock its secrets. With an ample
selection of hotels, the town bustles with tourists as locals engage
in trade. As Ecuador’s first oil well was dug here, Nueva Loja
was originally an oil boom town. However, with the rise of ecotourism
in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Nueva Loja has become a popular departure
point for several travel agencies running tours to the various natural
reserves of the Amazon.
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Cuyabeno
Wildlife Reserve
Located in northeastern Sucumbios, Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve covers
an area of 655,781 hectares and is situated between the San Miguel
and Aguarico River basins. Its main attractions are its tropical
forests, its lakes, such as Zancudococha, and the large number of
bird species, many of which are in danger of extinction, which thrive
within its boundaries. A great variety of mammals, reptiles, and
fish are also present in the Reserve. Cuyabeno also has a significant
caiman reserve, which can be reached from the Aguarico and Cuyabeno
rivers.
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Limoncocha
Biological Reserve
This protected area is comprised
of Lake Limoncocha and its surrounding areas and its main attractions
are its lush primary and secondary forests. However, with over 350
species of birds and an uncountable number of reptile and mammal
species thriving within its boundaries, Limoncocha’s principal
attraction is its wildlife. Thousands come here each year just to
get a glimpse of the black caimans that thrive in abundance. The
reserve can be reached from Nueva Loja.
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Lago
Agrio Lake
This lake, situated a few kilometers from Nueva Loja, is a good
spot for fishing and for spotting crocodiles.
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Santa Cecilia
Santa Cecilia, located 13 km from Nueva Loja, is a large area of
primary forest with an abundance of dragon blood trees. The sap
of these trees is famous for its healing properties.
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Imuya
On the Lagartococha river, in northeastern Sucumbíos, you
can find many small floating islands constantly adrift in the heart
of the Amazon.
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Dureno
Dureno, on the banks of the Aguarico River, is most famous for being
the home of the Cofan tribe. These indigenous peoples live in houses
made from native materials and are sought-after jungles guides today.
Using responsible tourism to generate revenue which allows the tribe
to maintain its community and rainforest from encroachment, Cofan
guides take tourists into seldom visited areas of the Amazon which
are especially rich in wildlife and natural beauty. Many of the
Cofan’s river and rain forest tours start in Tarapoa.
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Puerto
Bolívar
Natives of the Siona community here are famous for their handicrafts.
They weave baskets, head dresses, shigras (bags), and hammocks,
as well as necklaces made from seeds and ceramics decorated with
natural vegetable dyes.
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Cuisine
Capibara meat,saíno, turtle, guanta, crocodile meat, and
boa meat are common ingredients in Amazonian dishes. Fish such as
peiche, catfish, bocachico, and piranha are also popular. To cleanse
their pallet, most natives of the area wash down their meal with
chicha, a drink made from fermented yucca, banana, and the fruit
of the chonta tree.
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Map of Sucumbíos, Ecuador |
|
|
 |
Province's Capital |
 |
Road |
 |
Cities |
 |
Ethnic Group |
 |
Cayambe-Coca |
 |
Cuyabeno |
 |
Limoncocha |
|
TOP
| Introduction
| Nueva Loja | Cuyabeno
Reserve |
| Limoncocha Reserve | Lago
Agrio Lake |
| Santa Cecilia | Imuya
| Dureno | Puerto Bolívar
|
| Gastronomy | Map of Sucumbíos,
Ecuador |
|
Amazon
