Yasuni National Park (Ecuador)
Biodiversity Amazonified
Set amid the vast Amazon basin, Yasuni National Park in Ecuador spans over 10,000 km² of tropical wilderness teeming with life. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it’s one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, home to jaguars, giant otters, woolly monkeys, and more than 400 fish and 500 bird species.
Yasuni’s lush forests—ranging from uplands to swampy igapó and várzea—support a dizzying range of wildlife, including 13 primate species, Amazon river dolphins, South American tapirs, and endangered wattled curassows. With annual rainfall topping 3,400 mm and consistent 24–27 °C temperatures, the park’s ecosystems thrive year-round with minimal seasonal variation.
The park is also home to vibrant indigenous cultures, including the Kichwa, Waorani, Tagaeri, and Taromenane, whose ancestral territories lie woven through Yasuni’s heart. Community-led ecotourism initiatives, like the Napo Wildlife Center Ecolodge, integrate traditional Kichwa guardianship with lodging and guided exploration, helping fund conservation and livelihoods.
For travelers seeking wildlife immersion, Yasuni offers guided canoe trips along the Napo, night walks for poison dart frogs, birdwatching along forest trails, and visits to indigenous communities. Amid this awe-inspiring wildness, the park’s extraordinary diversity and cultural heritage invite guests to witness the Amazon as both living laboratory and sacred home.
