¿WHERE ARE YOU? Tourism in Sucumbios

Discover an authentic wildlife paradise.  Sucumbios with its privileged location the in Amazon basin is identified for its great natural richness and diversity.  This beautiful corner of the country is the cradle of cultural diversity, ethnicity, and a cultural mosaic of a mestizo town.
Places to visit: The city of New Loja or Lago Agrio (important center of petroleum activity); the Santa Cicilia settlement; The lake of Lago Agrio; The Petroglifos; the hamlet of the Cofanes; Chiritza; the lakes of Zancudococha; and Limoncocha.  It also offers other alternatives for diversion.

Handicrafts:  The woman of the Secoya, Siona, and Cofan transform the multicolored seeds into attractive necklaces and bracelets on the chambira string, a forest plant.  To add more color to their creations they use phosphorescent green beetles and small stones found in the rivers.  The handicrafts available include spears and knives made from chonta.  Some of the more popular handicrafts bought by tourists are blowing sticks with darts with antidote or poison.  The material used for textiles is the chambira.  Handbags are the articles elaborated mostly by woman.  In all of the Siona and Cofane communities, woman offer their handicrafts to tourists.

Botanic Center of Investigation
The Amazonian jungle offers a great amount and variety of flora, reason for which it is indispensible to promote environmental education, conservation of natural resources, and the scientific investigation of Amazonian flora.  The researchers interested in gaining knowledge from the center of investigation and environmental education, dedicate themselves with investigating the forest to save the different plant life of the region.

Nature

Lakes
Laguna Grande.  This lake is frequented by tourists and is part of the Cuyabeno river lacustrine system which has a total of 14 ponds whose levels depend on the rain period.

Lago Agrio Lake.  A few kilometers from Lago Agrio, this lake offers the possibility to fish and to observe lizards.

Julio Marin Lake.  It counts with stone paths, a scenic platform, port, dock, and a bridge that crosses a stream that feeds into the lake.  There are also row boats and peddle boats for visitors.  Along with this beautiful attraction there is a children’s park where kids can have a fun and memorable time.

Zancudocoha Lake.  The indigenous name of the lake is “soncora,” which for the Siona and the Secoya means “lake of the small fish.”  This is a largest and roundest black water lake of Amazonia.  It is possible to observe river life especially the river dolphin.

The Lagarto River Complex.  This zone forms part of a large complex of lakes and rivers.  It is possible to observe the river dolphin in the Lagarto river and occasionally manatees in the Maguana Imuya.  There is also a great amount of boisterous multicolored parrots.

The Grande Lake Reserve of Cuyabeno.  This is the most visited site where there is also the possibility to do community tourism.  It is possible to take a rowboat from the lakes and beaches of Cuyabeno into the jungle by navigating through the small black water rivers and then disembark on the great river to observe crocodiles and turtles.

San Rafael Waterfall.  The flow of the Quijos River produces a small rapid and three small cascades that create a majestic fall of 150 meters which is classified as one of the most impressive waterfalls of the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Cuyabeno River.  It goes through all of the Fauna Production Reserve of Cuyabeno.  The Siona have also settled on its edges.  By navigating the river you can observe the great amount of marshes and lakes.  The vegetation is as abundant as the fauna.  It is the most visited sector between the lakes of Cuyabeno and the beaches of Cuyabeno.  In rowboats it is possible to navigate small black water rivers to observe crocodiles and turtles.

Ancestral Medicine
The original culture has maintained an ancestral union with nature, being the protectors and experts of the secrets of the Amazon Jungle.  The indigenous show us how to survive in our environment, knowing that from it comes the wellbeing of the body and soul.  Observe the ways of “buen vivir,” or good living in harmony with the cycles of nature and the energy received from it to cure illnesses.  This knowledge comes along with the use of water and herbs; it is accomplished with the participation of shamans whom with rituals, music, and natural compounds can reestablish the lost equilibrium.

Community Tourism

Aguas Negras Community Tourism Center
This community belongs to the Kichwa Nationality, which have aimed to conserve nature and exploit natural resources in a sustainable manner.  Their efforts have allowed them to construct a center of handicraft interpretation.
This community offers tourists the services of: food, lodging in cabins, cultural exposure, tour guides, walks through different paths, from which various floras can be appreciated.