Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge Reviews

Anna 2025.12.09

     

I have mixed feelings about our four-day stay here. Overall, the place is very nice, and the staff are clearly committed to providing the highest standard of service. The food was excellent and plentiful. I rate the standard of the rooms highly – you have to consider that this is a park and the Amazon jungle. Guide speaks English well, but the rest of the staff only speak Spanish. My biggest disappointment was the guide's involvement – ​​I felt that some of the activities were just meant to tick off the planned items. The guide's involvement seemed lacking, and he often looked bored. I felt the guide didn't care about finding animals. He often mentioned what animals could be found, but we didn't see any. I understand that it is nature and the guide has no influence on where the animals are at a given moment, but I did not see that he cared about actually showing the participants as much as possible All planned activities were completed, but they weren't in the order listed on the website, making some days very boring and others terribly intense and inappropriate for the participants. I consider it irresponsible to take us on a trip to the metal observation tower (the highest point in the area) where a storm was approaching – thunder roared, lightning flashed, and our hair was electrified. Several walks took place almost around the houses (in the garden) without going deeper into the jungle. Anaconda back trial was a tiring hike where we didn't encounter any animals. The highlight was making a fan out of palm leaves. At the very end, on the way back, there were a few monkeys. The tour in the Amazon village was generally an interesting experience, but for me, it was too long and tedious. I was disappointed by the limited animal diversity – overall, we encountered a few species of monkeys, birds, and butterflies. The macaws on the additional clay lick were amazing and it was the greatest experience . The Amazon jungle is an amazing place, I sincerely recommend such an experience, but I'm not convinced that Sinchi Wayra is the right place for animal watching.

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.12.09

Dear Anna

Thanks a lot for your honesty and for sharing this extensive review, that will help us to consistently improve our services. And I'm sorry that you were having a bad experience with us.

We'll follow up with the guide and investigate what was happening there.

For sure I agree with you, that climbing the canopy tower during a thunderstorm is not acceptable and not according to our safety protocol. I‘m glad that you didn’t have a serious incident.

Also while wildlife can easily hide in the dense rainforest, the experienced eyes and ears of our guides are able to uncover many of them. There should be always something to see.

The English skills is something we are constantly working on, but we‘ll focus more on this in future.

We‘ll get together with the whole team and see what improvements we can work on, to consistently provide a safe and rich wildlife experience to our guests.

Should you ever be again in our region, let us know and we are happy to show you that we can do it better.

All the best,
The Gualinga family🍃

Anna G 2025.12.08

     

Verified

Mixed feelings Overall, the place is very nice, and the staff are clearly committed to providing the highest standard of service. The food was excellent and plentiful. I rate the standard of the rooms highly – you have to consider that this is a park and the Amazon jungle. Guide speaks English well, but the rest of the staff only speak Spanish. My biggest disappointment was the guide's involvement – ​​I felt that some of the activities were just meant to tick off the planned items. The guide's involvement seemed lacking, and he often looked bored. I felt the guide didn't care about finding animals. He often mentioned what animals could be found, but we didn't see any. I understand that it is nature and the guide has no influence on where the animals are at a given moment, but I did not see that he cared about actually showing the participants as much as possible. All planned activities were completed, but they weren't in the order listed on the website, making some days very boring and others terribly intense and inappropriate for the participants. I consider it irresponsible to take us on a trip to the metal observation tower (the highest point in the area) where a storm was approaching – thunder roared, lightning flashed, and our hair was electrified. Several walks took place almost around the houses (in the garden) without going deeper into the jungle. Anaconda back trial was a tiring hike where we didn't encounter any animals. The highlight was making a fan out of palm leaves. At the very end, on the way back, there were a few monkeys. The tour in the Amazon village was generally an interesting experience, but for me, it was too long and tedious. I was disappointed by the limited animal diversity – overall, we encountered a few species of monkeys, birds, and butterflies. The macaws on the additional clay lick were amazing and it was the greatest experience . The Amazon jungle is an amazing place, I sincerely recommend such an experience, but I'm not convinced that Sinchi Wayra is the right place for animal watching.

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.12.08

Dear AnnaThanks a lot for your honesty and for sharing this extensive review, that will help us to consistently improve our services. And I'm sorry that you were having a bad experience with us.We'll follow up with the guide and investigate what was happening there.For sure I agree with you, that climbing the canopy tower during a thunderstorm is not acceptable and not according to our safety protocol. I‘m glad that you didn’t have a serious incident.Also while wildlife can easily hide in the dense rainforest, the experienced eyes and ears of our guides are able to uncover many of them. There should be always something to see.The English skills is something we are constantly working on, but we‘ll focus more on this in future.We‘ll get together with the whole team and see what improvements we can work on, to consistently provide a safe and rich wildlife experience to our guests.Should you ever be again in our region, let us know and we are happy to show you that we can do it better.All the best,The Gualinga family🍃

Frances D 2025.12.07

     

Verified

Exceeded Expectations! We spent 4 days/5 nights in this wonderful lodge. We learned so much about the culture, flora, and fauna of this area. Toucan! Macaws! Monkeys! Ants! Parrots! And much, much more. Sinchi Wayra made us (from Alabama) feel at home. The food was delicious and varied, the cabins spacious and comfortable. Thank you, Edwin for sharing your home with us. Best wishes to you and your family.

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Edgar Dalrymple 2025.12.05

     

An amazing family run business that will educate you as you tour the Amazon. A beautiful lodge on the Rio Napo. They are very dedicated to conservation of the Amazon.

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.12.06

Thank you, Edgar! Your kind words inspire us to keep sharing the Amazon’s beauty and importance with others.

The Gualinga family 🍃

Floor Albers van der Linden 2025.12.03

     

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.12.06

Thank you Floor for your review.

The Gualinga family 🍃

MARK P 2025.11.30

     

Verified

Brilliant Amazon Lodge on the Napo River. While in Ecuador we were attempting to book an affordable lodge in the Yasuni National Park, we started looking at Sinchi Wayra that appeared to be half the price of other lodges and offering the same experiences. We are a couple in our early 60's and had six weeks to "backpack" around Ecuador in October/November 2025. We finally made the booking, not quite believing it could possibly be how they described it, for this price. AMAZING, we had a fantastic time for 5 days/4 nights. We made our own (cheap) way to El Coca with a local coach via Quito all the way from Mindo in one day. Great price and great views from the windows on a a long coach day! 2 hours from Mindo to Quito, 8 hours to El Coca. Most people tend to take the internal flight, but the coach was perfect for us. We spent two nights in El Coca, just chilling with a relaxed day. We visited the Museum on the port at 9am before taking the boat downriver at 10am, only because it's closed on a Monday!!! The boat is included in the package price to the lodge which is 2.5 hours downriver. The lodge was brilliant, we ate well, had three guided tours a day and they have a pet monkey called Ceci who is delightful. We saw so many animals and birds, even the elusive sloth and river dolphins, at a distance. The lodge really did feel 5* BUT, don't expect air conditioned luxury. The electricity goes off at 10pm, so charge your phone early! the showers have good clean water, but it's cold, think refreshing. You can certainly wash your clothes in the sink, but it's difficult to get them dry in the humidity. You need to put them out in the sunshine and get them in before the rain! The food is excellent, the people are lovely, but speak limited English. The tour guide was with us for the whole 5 days and spoke very good English, with us from breakfast, on all the tours and with us for the evening meal. You do have a few hours downtime every day, when you can write up your diary and chill in a hammock. We were disappointed when our time was up and we had to come back up river to continue our holiday in the Andes. So if you can put up with cold showers, no air conditioning, limited electricity (but very good WiFi when it's working!), not even ceiling fans, but plenty of shade. Book Sinchi Wayra, thank me afterwards!

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.12.06

Thank you so much, Mark, for sharing your detailed experience! We're thrilled you had such a memorable time with us and Ceci will surely miss you! The Gualinga family 🍃

Arjan Otten 2025.11.24

     

In October-November 2025, we stayed 10 nights at the Sinchi Wayra Yasuni Lodge. A truly wonderful experience! We stayed with an incredibly hospitable Kichwa family, where we felt right at home. It's situated in a beautiful spot on the Napo River, with every comfort you could wish for. We had an excellent guide (Eddy) and a very varied and delicious food. We saw a tremendous number of unique animals and plants, thanks in part to our guide. This lodge is a truly beautiful example of ecotourism, contributing to the preservation of the rainforest and Kichwa culture. A must for nature lovers!

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.12.06

Thank you, Arjan, for your heartfelt words! We're so happy you enjoyed your stay and the beauty of the rainforest with us.

The Gualinga family 🍃

Arjan O 2025.11.24

     

Verified

One of the best experiences we ever had! In October-November 2025, we stayed 10 nights at the Sinchi Wayra Yasuni Lodge. A truly wonderful experience! We stayed with an incredibly hospitable Kichwa family, where we felt right at home. It's situated in a beautiful spot on the Napo River, with every comfort you could wish for. We had an excellent guide (Eddy) and a very varied and delicious food. We saw a tremendous number of unique animals and plants, thanks in part to our guide. This lodge is a truly beautiful example of ecotourism, contributing to the preservation of the rainforest and Kichwa culture. A must for nature lovers!

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.12.06

Thank you, Arjan! We're thrilled you enjoyed your stay and connected with our family, nature, and culture. Eddy will be delighted to hear your kind words. The Gualinga family 🍃

maarten de bruin 2025.11.18

     

Recommended..!! What a fantastic small indigenous family-run ecolodge. Never seen so much wildlife in the jungle before(monkeys, birds, butterflys, anaconda). Eddie (eagle eyes), also part of the family, our english speaking guide was superb, he showed us all these increadeble creatures, at day and nighttime. He has much knowledge to share. His mother Margerita guided us as well (in spanish) and tought us a lot about the local trees and plants. The family is so unbelevable welcoming. Excellent food and staff!. Overall, our time (10 days) at Sinchi Wayra Yasuni Lodge exceeded all expectations. Muchas gracias!

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.12.06

Thank you, Maarten, for your wonderful words! We're thrilled you enjoyed your time with Eddie, Margarita, and all the amazing wildlife.

The Gualinga family 🍃

Jagannath B 2025.11.12

     

Verified

Moderate food, polite service, family venture, poor fauna sighting Rooms are accessible by monkeys even when it is closed since there is big gap between the walls and ceiling. Rooms are far away from dining place. No light in the road even when generator operates for a limited hour.

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.12.06

Thank you, Jagannath, for your feedback. We’re sorry for the inconveniences and encourage you to contact our customer service to address your concerns.

The Gualinga family 🍃

Lisa I 2025.11.02

     

Verified

A truly unforgettable and heartwarming experience! We were absolutely thrilled with our stay at Sinchi Wayra Lodge – everything was perfect from start to finish. The family running the lodge is incredibly kind, welcoming, and attentive; they made us feel at home from the very first moment. The guided tours were absolutely amazing! We got to see so many animals and birds that we never would have spotted on our own – a huge thank-you to our wonderful guides for sharing their deep knowledge and passion for nature with us. The food was outstanding – every meal was delicious and freshly prepared with love. For us personally, the portions and number of meals were a bit too much (we would have been perfectly happy with half!), but everything tasted fantastic. Our room was simple yet completely comfortable and exactly what we were hoping for – an authentic experience close to nature. We wholeheartedly recommend Sinchi Wayra Lodge to anyone who values wildlife, genuine hospitality, harmony, and authenticity. Thank you again for everything we were able to experience and enjoy – we send our warmest greetings to the entire Sinchi Wayra family!

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.12.06

Lisa, thank you for sharing such thoughtful words! We're overjoyed to hear your stay was so special. Warmest wishes from all of us.

The Gualinga family 🍃

Ryan Davidson 2025.10.21

     

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.10.23

Thank you, Ryan! We're so glad you had a great experience. Your support means the world to us 😊.

The Gualinga family

kelgeoguy 2025.10.21

     

Verified

Great experience! A lovely experience deep in the jungle! Highlights: -Amazing creatures (butterflies, monkeys, anteaters, river otters, etc.) -Beautiful nature -Great people (guides, service) -Good food -Fun activities (hikes, piranha fishing, visiting the community) The accommodations were good, but rustic - no AC, hot water, etc. I thought that it added to the experience and didn't find that it bothered me too much. It cooled down nicely at night and a cool shower after a day in the jungle felt nice.

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.10.27

Thank you, Kel, for sharing your wonderful experience! We're thrilled you enjoyed the jungle, its incredible wildlife, and connecting with the community. Your kind words mean a lot to us!The Gualinga family 🍃

Sam Shuman 2025.10.20

     

My brother and I just got back from the Sinchi Wayra lodge and highly recommend to anyone looking to visit Yasuni. From start to finish the guides and hosts (run by the Gualinga family) were incredibly kind, friendly, accommodating, and knowledgeable. We did the 5 day tour which consisted of three meals a day with typically 3 course meals (food was great), a day tour or two, and stays in an eco lodge which was also fantastic. Our main guide, Eddy, was incredibly knowledgeable about the forest and local Kichwa culture. He was always open and available to go on impromptu hikes on top of leading our daily planned tours, whether piranha fishing or going to visit the nearby community. Highly recommend!!

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.10.23

Thank you, Sam! We're so glad you and your brother had a wonderful experience with us. Eddy and the team loved hosting you—your kind words mean the world. 🌿

The Gualinga family 🍃

Valori H 2025.10.17

     

Verified

Wonderful family run ecolodge Stayed here with myself and 2 teens. Everyone was very welcoming, they served amazing food and even if some picky teens don’t go hungry that’s saying something. Jessica was very sweet. We loved the pet monkey Cece! Mauro and Sergio brought us on some great hikes and adventures. They both have eagle eyes! The night hike was very fun even if we did spot 6 tarantulas! On a rainy afternoon we were able to water paint with natural colors. Would recommend this quiet lodge at a great price!

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.10.27

Thank you, Valori, for sharing your lovely experience! We're so glad you and your teens enjoyed the adventures, Cece, and special activities like painting. Hope to welcome you back someday! 🌿 The Gualinga family 🍃

Mark P 2025.10.15

     

Verified

Luxurious, budget lodge on Napo River Currently in day 2 of 5 days at this lodge and we are the only customers here. Feels like private lodge, private guides and it's wonderful. Can't believe it's not fully booked! It's half the price of the other lodges, we paid $840 each for 4 nights/5 days. I think the other lodges claim to be 4 or 5 star with fans in your bedroom. This markets itself as less luxurious, hence the price difference. But we are in the actual national park, on the side of the river Napo. The electricity supply is turned on and off during the day, and off at 10pm every evening. The showers are cold water only, perfect in the sweaty heat. Food so far has been fantastic, home made juice, plenty of water, tea, coffee and a large beer is $5. The pet monkey, Ceci, is so cute, she massages your head and nibbles on your fingers, while you pet her she "purrs" like a kitten. In the first two tours we have seen at least 5 species of monkeys, numerous birds and jaguar tracks in the mud. Butterflies everywhere, bananas and mangoes growing in the garden. As a backpacker, travelling on a budget, the Amazon lodges are so expensive, we were quoted $1900 each for 5 days at 3 different luxury lodges, all 2 hours downriver of Coca. This one is 2 and a half hours downriver and it's amazing. If you can live with cold showers and the electricity supply being turned off occasionally, book here and have the real jungle experience, with all the usual tours, boat rides up and down river, chance to see dolphins and fish for piranha, you won't regret it. Surprisingly WiFi is also very good when the power is on. See the animals, relax to the sound of the jungle, eat well and come back refreshed.

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.10.27

Thank you so much, Mark, for this heartfelt and detailed review! We're thrilled you're enjoying the real jungle experience and Ceci's charm. Wishing you many more unforgettable adventures here!The Gualinga family 🍃

Marc O 2025.10.13

     

Our stay was perfect. This is truly a family project — every step from building, cooking, preparing, and running the tours is handled by the family. Our initial communication and planning of the whole trip, including the activities, was absolutely impeccable. Norwin took a lot of time to answer all our many, many questions. He was one of the main reasons we initially chose Sinchi Wayra. The whole family is so welcoming and puts tremendous effort into the small details to make you feel comfortable. The cabins are spacious and clean with proper mosquito nets, and we had daily housekeeping that even prepared the mosquito nets for us. The food was very good and pleasantly varied. We also really appreciated the effort they put into the conservation of the jungle. They work hard to ensure you can do every activity you’d like with flexibility. For example, we added an extra day to do a long hike (8 hours) deep into the jungle, which was awesome. While they mention that individual activities might include up to 12 people, we were almost always in groups of just 2 or 3, which was great because we had plenty of time with our guide and could go at exactly the pace we wanted. Special highlights were the visit to the community and the long hike. You are still very much in the middle of the jungle, so you will see some wildlife including spiders and monkeys around (and sometimes inside) the facilities. However, that’s a given for the location, and the staff is very helpful and understanding when it comes to dealing with an unwanted visitor. A highlight is Sesi, the pet monkey, who likes to get very close to the guests and it’s even possible to pet her. We’d also like to give a special shout-out to Robinson, Tamia, and Jessica, who were so nice and helpful throughout everything. However, the by far best part was our guide Mauro. We were so lucky to have him. He was incredibly nice, extremely knowledgeable, and spotted so many animals that we would have never seen without his help. He also gave us deep insight into his culture and about life in the jungle. We definitely recommend choosing Sinchi Wayra if you’d like to visit Yasuni.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.10.23

Thank you so much, Marc, for sharing your incredible experience! Hearing how much you enjoyed every detail, from the cabins to the hike, truly warms our hearts. Wishing you many more adventures!

The Gualinga family 🍃

Angela Tseng 2025.09.17

     

If you're looking for an intimate, communal experience in the Amazon jungle, Sinchi Wayra is for you. I spent lovely 5 days under the care of Jessica, Margarita, Luisa, Robinson, boat captain Freddie, guide Pajarito and more. From jungle monkey spotting (6 kinds!), swimming in an Amazon lake, using medicinal plants, tracking tapir and gray river dolphins, preparing traditional foods, making chocolate from scratch, to an unforgettable panoramic sunset on an 100-floor-tall observation tower - it was a taste of life in the most biodiverse hotspot. The lodge's pets - a one-foot-tall black dusky titi monkey (look it up) named Ceci, a friendly cat, and 3 eager pups, provided entertainment and companionship during my down time. The chef made tasty vegetarian meals (creamy soups, delicious veggies, and lentil/quinoa cakes) for my diet. This is not mass tourism, but a one-of-a-kind experience in one of the most precious communities in the world.

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.10.23

Thank you, Angela, for sharing your heartfelt experience! 🌿 It’s wonderful to hear that you embraced the magic of the Amazon and felt at home with our family.

The Gualinga family 🍃

Angela 2025.09.17

     

Verified

Research No Further and Book! If you're looking for an intimate, communal experience in the Amazon jungle, Sinchi Wayra is for you. I spent lovely 5 days under the care of Jessica, Margarita, Luisa, Robinson, boat captain Freddie, guide Pajarito and more. From jungle monkey spotting (6 kinds!), swimming in an Amazon lake, using medicinal plants, tracking tapir and gray river dolphins, preparing traditional foods, making chocolate from scratch, to an unforgettable panoramic sunset on an 100-floor-tall observation tower - it was a taste of life in the most biodiverse hotspot. The lodge's pets - a one-foot-tall black dusky titi monkey (look it up) named Ceci, a friendly cat, and 3 eager pups, provided entertainment and companionship during my down time. The chef made tasty vegetarian meals (creamy soups, delicious veggies, and lentil/quinoa cakes) for my diet. This is not mass tourism, but a one-of-a-kind experience in one of the most precious communities in the world.

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.10.23

Thank you, Angela, for sharing your amazing experience with us! We're thrilled you enjoyed the adventures, community, and nature's wonders. We'll make sure the team, including Ceci, gets your kind words. 🌿

The Gualinga family 🍃

Enguerran Gollot 2025.09.07

     

We spent 4 days in Sinchi Wayra. The indigenous family was so carrefull with us. This lodge is perfect balance between nature, adventure, calm and comfort. Lodge service is much more intimate and tailor made than other bigger lodges.

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Reply from Sinchi Wayra Yasuní Lodge 2025.10.23

Thank you, Enguerran, for such a heartfelt review! We're thrilled you enjoyed the personalized experience and connection with nature at Sinchi Wayra. You're always welcome back! 🌿

The Gualinga family 🍃