The Best Jungle Eco-Lodges in Ecuador

The churning waters of Ecuador’s High Andes region collide with the thick Amazonian rainforest at Hamadryade Lodge, which makes it the perfect place to go whitewater rafting, tubing and canoeing. The lodge’s five spacious bungalows, decked out with wall-to-wall windows, look out on the crystal-clear pool and river below. They are filled with luxurious details including Italian linen, waterfall showers and hand-woven hammocks. If you want to stay landlocked, check out the Hamadryade’s jungle hikes, visits to the AmaZOOnico animal rescue center, or Ecuadorian cooking classes.

Deep in Ecuador’s Amazon River Reserve, about a four-hour drive from Quito, you’ll find the Grand Selva Lodge in the Yasuní National Park. Raft the river, hike up waterfalls or check out the lodge’s guided tours, where you’ll see unforgettable wildlife like squirrel monkeys, leaf cutter ants and pink toe tarantulas. The ecofriendly resort takes the environment seriously, with an on-site potable water plant and sustainably harvested wood furniture.

Just down the Napo, the Sacha Lodge is hidden on the shores of the blackwater Lake Pilchicocha. As you eat breakfast on the deck, you’ll spot otters diving into the water, monkeys howling in the treetops and caimans peeping their heads out of the cool waters. Each of the Sacha’s 26 rooms has floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the jungle below, and some suites have direct views from the shower, too.