From 2014 to 2016 I traveled through 16 countries of Latin America swapping my marketing skills in exchange for food and accomodation, and making videos to document good practices for a more responsible and sustainable tourism : a HopTour of Latin America. I stayed in touch with many of the tourism stakeholders I met on …
Dear friends, it has been already 3 weeks since my last newsletter!! Time continues to fly so quickly!! But I can imagine that for you as well, even more since summer arrived in the north hemisphere (in fact a bit too much in Europe as I heard?). Time for barbecues and “rosé” wine is back …
[Ecuador] After the capital, the Amazon rainforest and the Andes mountains, I changed completely of scenery to spend 10 days on the pacific coast of the country, or more exactly, in the central part of it, in the Manabí region. I visited three hotels/lodges: Pacoche – natural reserve & lodge, RioMuchacho – organic farm & lodge, and …
Pacoche, Shanti, Rio Muchacho, three ecolodges on the Pacific Coast Read More »
[Ecuador] On my way from Amazon to the Pacific coast, I spent a week at 3200m of altitude in the Ecuadorian Andes mountain range. Hiking, cheese tasting and an ecolodge with exemplary ecoliving practices (for more than 20 years), I’m like a fish in water. It’s nice to be back to a cooler and drier …
Black Sheep Inn, eco-living experience in the Andes Read More »
[Ecuador] I met Bastienne during the eco-tourism conference ESTC15 in Quito. With her husband, Pablo, they developped a great responsible tourism project near Tena at the entrance of the Amazon. Huasquila Lodge was the first hotel to open in Cotundo village and take up a sweet challenge, which was to develop the destination tourism attraction and offer …
Huasquila Lodge, reforestation and accessible tourism Read More »
I’m back from a 3 weeks tour of the ecuadorian amazon region during which I visited 5 different community-based tourism projects: discovery of kichwa culture and the tropical flora and fauna was a great part of the program. Thanks to the project I had the chance to live by the sides of local people and …
Day 350 : Community-Based Tourism in Ecuadorian Amazon Read More »
[Ecuador] Before to become a lodge, Yachana (which means in kichwa language « a place where to learn ») was above all a solid educational project (high school) developed for the youth of this isolated community in the Ecuadorian amazon. In 1995, Douglas was looking for a more sustainable model, and started the tourism project with the …
Yachana Lodge, education and opportunities for all Read More »
[Ecuador] After Shayari and Limoncocha, I’m welcomed in a 3rd kichwa community of the ecuadorian amazon, this time on the Napo river and at the nord-west entrance of the famous and vast Yasuni National Park. It’s a very improvised last-minute visit. I met, during a Rainforest Alliance meeting and training at Limoncocha, Otorino who offered me to come and stay …
Rio Indillama, Kichwa community in the Yasuni National Park Read More »
[Ecuador] After my visit at the Shayari community, I continued with a second community-based tourism center, the one of Limoncocha. This small village is located within an amazonian bioreserve and right next to the famous Napo River. Its lagoon is the ideal spot to observe caimans, frogs, birds… and some people say that there would …
[Ecuador] I started my tour of ecuadorian Amazonia with a beautiful experience within the kichwa community of Shayari (14 families, 97 people). I was welcomed during 3 days in the family of Fauster and Guillermo. They prepared me such a program of activities, very complete, delicious mix of tropical nature, kichwa culture and local gastronomy. …
Shayari, Kichwa community and rehabilitation of wild animals Read More »
