Gaia Amazon eco lodge — Hotel in Ahuano

My husband and I, and our two teens (17 and 19) visited Gaia Lodge for a 4 day/ 3 night stay. One of our main goals for the trip was to experience the Amazon jungle and see wildlife. This trip did not disappoint. There were monkeys that passed right over and through the lodge almost daily, and we had sweet little bats roosting for the day right under the eves outside our cabin. Waking up to the calls of so many tropical birds was a delight for any birdwatcher. Each day we had several outings with our Kichwa guide, Klever. He was an expert at finding wildlife, helping us see so many species, from caiman to poison dart frogs. He helped us feel safe as well. He also walked us through the step-by-step process of picking cacoa, drying it, roasting it, grinding it, mixing it with cinnamon and milk, and eating it over fresh fruit. It was the best chocolate I have ever had in my entire life. We travelled often by canoe to different sites, giving us a chance to view wildlife from the Napo river. The hikes were also a much appreciated outing to keep my teens active and engaged. We learned about native plants, ate some ants that tasted like lemon, and he showed us how they make crowns and body paint from the native trees and seeds. Even though it was outside of our wildlife focus, meeting with other Kichwa artists and seeing how they make pottery or balsa wood sculptures was such a treat. I also will mention that the food was excellent and plentiful. I am a vegetarian, and they accommodated my diet beautifully, even stopping in the mountains to pick up freshly grown mushrooms...amazing. Everything is so fresh and organic, that you feel healthier after your stay in the lodge. The lodge's location has a beautiful view, and, if you must, there is wifi connection at the main lodge. I did extensive research on the lodges in and around this area, and for all you get at the Gaia Lodge, it is an excellent value for the cost. I would stay here again in a heart beat. I do suggest you bring your own poncho and binoculars. Rubber boots are used on all the hikes so be sure to bring plenty of long socks to wear in them. I brought a small garbage bag in my luggage, and I used it to put my shoes in at night (because no shoes are meant to be in the actual rooms). That way I wasn't scared that something crawled into my shoes during the night. They had a laundry service which we took advantage of because we were changing into fresh clothes after the outings. Surprisingly, I thought there would be tons of mosquitos, but I think I saw maybe 3 (end of May). I think because the ecosystem is so intact and healthy, there are plenty of creatures like bats and spiders to eat the mosquitos. Even the dining area had no mesh screen around it... it was wide open, and mosquitos were no problem at all. I didn't use bug spray once. This may be different at another time of year. Everyone is very friendly. We opted for a $120 transfer fee direct from Quito. They picked us up at our hotel and drove us directly to the lodge. For a family of 4, this made for a very smooth trip. The drive itself is amazing, seeing waterfalls, glaciers, and volcanic peaks, but it is a curvy, twisty, narrow road. For my family, that made the adventure even...

Gaia Amazon Lodge & Spanish School is a magical place. With my girlfriend we've spent there 2 weeks, and we only wished we could have stayed longer!

Rooms are comfy, spacious and neat. Ours was, like most of the cabins, a double bedroom with a private bathroom and a private deck overlooking the rain forest. In the mornings we would simply stay in the hammock outside, watching little monkeys and colorful birds. Unforgettable experience! Rooms are well-protected with a special net, so no bugs get inside, even if you're in the middle of the jungle. To our great surprise, there were almost no mosquitoes. Apparently, it is because Gaia Amazon Lodge is on the hill and next to the cold part of river Napo, and mosquitoes prefer lower and warmer places.

The food was soo delicious! Gaia's Lodge chef is doing a really great job transforming local products into amazing dishes. Probably the best thing about it is that not only they taste great, but they are super healthy too. Natural juices, tons of fruits and vegetables, delightful soups etc. It couldn't get better than that.

Everyday we did different thing from the wide range of activities offered by the lodge. We met indigenous families and learned about their habits and traditions, we went on the hikes in the rain forest, during which our guide was showing us different plants and animals. The guide in the Gaia Amazon Lodge is literally a walking encyclopedia. He could tell us names of all the birds, trees and flowers in Spanish and in English, describing their characteristics and properties. We came to conclusion that it is true that in the rain forest you can find everything, from natural medicines through nourishing food to natural beauty products or organic bug-repellents. We got to see an animal rescue center with birds, turtles, monkeys, ocelots, anacondas and many more. We got to go tubing in the river Napo, looked for gold and made our own chocolate from scratch. You can't get bored there.

Gaia Lodge also offers Spanish classes. We didn't take them, but we talked to some students and they were very satisfied. Their teacher was professional, funny, and available all the time, so it was more like an intensive immersion course for them. Still, they had enough time to enjoy all the activities. Being such a peaceful place in which you can easily concentrate, Gaia Lodge must be a perfect place to study Spanish.

One last thing to finish with. The staff of the Gaia Amazon Lodge really deserves to be mentioned here. They were always friendly, helpful, smiling and making our experience even better. The owner of this place, Agustin, looks after everyone and does everything to make sure all his guests are happy and satisfied.

To put it short, both thumbs up! A highly recommended place on our...

Not sure where/how to begin this review other than to just dive in. First of all, I would give this 20 stars out of 5! It had been a 'bucket list item' to visit/experience the Amazon river basin jungle. So, most fortunately, I found this place online a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, we booked just before the pandemic hit & we had to cancel twice. But Agustin, the owner, kept in touch with us & assured us that our deposits were still good & not to worry, that whenever we could make it down, they'd be ready for us. So we FINALLY made it. There are many lodges dotted around the area that are FAR FAR more expensive, actually, they are far beyond our budget. And something didn't quite seem right about being in a 'luxury resort' in the Amazon jungle. So this place certainly fit our budget. I was a bit concerned we'd be in some sort of 'shack' surrounded by bugs & mosquitos. BUT...to our joy & surprise, this place is just amazing. Super comfortable with all the things we needed minus all the things we did NOT need...a perfect balance. What brought this experience to an even higher level was the staff. Agustin, the owner, Paola, Pamee & Roberto, our guides & NIco, our super fun canoe driver, were all superheroes. Their excitement & enthusiasm for life & their love of people & their professions was palpable. So very welcoming, kind, helpful & generous. There was no doubt they LOVE what they do & they care for the communities & for their country & for the environment in which they live & work. The cooking staff were amazing as well. The 3 meals a day were just excellent, delicious & super healthy. We wanted to bring all of them home with us to help us learn to cook like they do! We did the 5 days/4 nights program. It was spectacular. Each day was chocked full of exciting, amazing activities. From long jungle treks through dense rainforest, to welcome dips in river pools surrounded by waterfalls to making our own CHOCOLATE! We did NOT want to leave this place. So peaceful & exciting at the same time. We had just been to the Galapagos Islands for 9 days before going to Gaia & I can tell you, while we loved the Galapagos Islands, we fell madly in love with this place as well. I think I almost liked it BETTER! Just could not get enough. Ecuador in general, stole our hearts. And this place just accentuated that feeling. We cannot say enough great things about this place & the staff here. A giant, "MUCHAS GRACIAS" to everyone there for making this bucket list item, one that will live forever in our hearts, minds & souls. Wishing all of you the energy, will & peace to carry on your work there preserving an extraordinary part...