Liana Lodge

Reaching Liana Lodge means leaving the road behind. Guests land at Puerto Barantilla, where lodge staff meet them and take them downstream by motor canoe, arriving after about ten minutes on the water. There is no other way in. The lodge sits on the Arajuno river, a tributary of the Napo, beside sixteen hundred hectares of the Selva Viva reserve, land left undisturbed for over 30 years. Nine cabins line the bank, each with a private bathroom, a terrace, a hammock, and mosquito netting strung around the bed. Guides trained in the rainforest's plants and animals lead hikes through primary forest to a giant ceibo tree, a viewpoint over Anaconda Island and the Napo River, or the clear waters of the Río Rodríguez for a swim. A short canoe ride away is AmaZOOnico, a rescue centre for animals confiscated from wildlife trafficking, which the lodge has partnered with since the 1990s. Evenings settle into candlelight, with dinner served as a three-course menu and the bar mixing regional cocktails. You can hear the forest close in after dark on a guided night walk, when nocturnal wildlife stirs. Full board covers all three meals, built around fresh bread, tropical fruit, and regional dishes. The lodge has run on this stretch of river for more than 20 years.