General Tour Information
ENTERING AND LEAVING ECUADOR: Ecuadorian authorities require a passport that is valid for at least six months after the date of your arrival in Ecuador. Visas are not required for U.S. and Canadian citizens. Tourist cards are prepared by your arriving airline.
ECUADOR MAP AND COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can view maps of Ecuador in the University of Texas series here. You can review the U.S. Department of State background notes on Ecuador here.
HEALTH: Ecuador is quite clean, and we will be exploring places that have been visited by Americans for some time. We suggest the following precautions for the mainland portion of the trip:
A malaria prophylaxis is important. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) currently recommend one of the following antimalarial drugs: mefloquine (Lariam®), doxycycline, or Malarone® for use in Ecuador. Please check with your physician to determine which type is best for you. Certification of yellow fever vaccination is not required unless you are entering Ecuador from a country where yellow fever is present (check with your local public health agency or the Centers for Disease Control for this list); if you are entering Ecuador from the US, this is not required. The CDC, however, is currently recommending yellow fever vaccination for travelers to Ecuador who plan to be outside of urban areas. You can review the latest CDC advisories here.
Biting insects are a minor problem, and some areas are delightfully insect free.
Quito sits at about 9,000 feet in elevation. On Day 2 of the tour, we may get as high as 10,000 feet.
Please note that La Selva is an isolated lodge. There are no local doctors and emergency evacuation procedures are certain to be slow and expensive. Please be sure you are in good physical condition before scheduling this trip.
CLIMATE: Quito has been called the city of eternal spring, and the climate there is crisp and cool with chilly nights and pleasantly warm days. Rain is possible, but sunburn is more likely. At La Selva in the Amazonian lowlands, we can expect occasional rain and warm, muggy days with cooler nights
ACCOMMODATION: The La Selva Lodge is simple. The cabins are constructed of bamboo and have screened windows. Each has two single beds with good mattresses and mosquito netting. Each has its own bathroom with sink, flush toilet and shower. Water is pumped directly from the lake into the cabins and is now heated with the addition of electricity in the bathrooms. The cabins are all separate and are connected by a common walkway to the bar and dining room. We should note that occasionally spiders, crickets, mice and tree frogs find their way into the bathrooms.
Meals at La Selva are wonderful, with lots of vegetables, great soups every night, various salads and splendid deserts to accompany the fresh meat, chicken and fish. Vegetarians are easily accommodated.
PACE OF THE TOUR: The condition of the trails at La Selva varies. Some are flat, others are hilly. When they’re dry, the trails are not difficult, although some of the boardwalks and bridges can be a little hazardous. When the trails are wet, they can be difficult. January is the driest period here and we hope for a visit with minimal rain. If we have a rainy period, the trails will be muddy and hill climbing will be difficult for the less agile. Please be prepared.
We use small canoes almost every day. It can be a bit awkward getting into or out of the canoes depending on water levels. We may have to climb small ladders. It may be useful to bring an inflatable cushion to sit on in the canoes. The seats have backs but are made of wood.
SMOKING: We request that you do not smoke in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group, if possible.
If any lodge, accommodation or location where the group is staying or is gathered has a more restrictive smoking policy than WINGS’ policy, the more restrictive policy will prevail.
GENERAL INFORMATION & CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read the WINGS General Information & Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Tours to La Selva will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Updated: March 2007