QUITO, Ecuador (October 20, 2009) – What do relaxing in Andean thermal hot springs, listening to Amazonian story tellers around a campfire, and kayaking with dolphins through towering mangroves all have in common? They are all featured tour experiences from three new adventure tour operators launched last month in Ecuador to meet the demands of travelers seeking to explore some of Ecuador’s hard-to-reach natural areas.

Although the tours themselves are one-of-a-kind, what is even more amazing about these new ventures is that they are managed by local community members…residents of the natural areas who are attempting to use tourism as a tool to protect the environment and preserve cultural traditions. The community ventures are part of a sustainable tourism initiative called the Global Sustainable Tourism Alliance (GSTA), a program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The concept is simple. An ecolodge in a healthy forest teeming with wildlife is increasingly more profitable than one that is deforested for low-yield agriculture. Therefore, if you can build the capacity of local residents to manage and benefit from ecotourism, you can create local economies that are dependent upon the preservation of natural resources rather than their extraction. Entire communities become outspoken ambassadors for conservation.

Tourism that makes dollars and sense.

For more details about these amazing new destinations…read on

The Secoya indigenous group of western Ecuador, known as the “People of 1,000 Colors”, are well documented as one the most spiritual and knowledgeable Amazonian tribes in the medicinal powers of native plants. It’s no surprise then that the Secoya have recently opened the doors to one of the most culturally unique lodges in the Amazon rainforest, the Secoya Lodge (www.secoyalodge.com), located on the borders of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve.

The Lodge helps the Secoya maintain their traditional way of life and fend off oil exploitation by petroleum companies, African Palm plantations, and illegal logging - all of which have devastated other parts of their territory. Tour packages provide visitors the opportunity to experience both authenticity of the Secoya culture, but also the biodiversity of the Amazon. Highlights of 2, 4, and 5-day Secoya Lodge itineraries include:

• Palm-thatched cabins on the mighty Aguarico River with sweeping views of the surrounding rainforest and large screened windows that immerse visitors in sights and sounds of nature

• Rainforest kayaking and hiking excursions that bring visitors close to a diversity of wildlife that includes 500+ birds, 10 species of monkeys (including the smallest primate in the Amazon).

• Cultural presentations and community visits that highlight the Secoya’s rich artistic traditions, folkloric storytelling, and sustainable agricultural techniques.

• The “Monkey Sundowner“, where guests enjoy a sunset cocktail in a boat in the Aguarico as monkey troops swing from tree to tree over the river bank.

Last month the Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve welcomed Oyacachi Adventure Tours (www.oyacachi.com), a small adventure company offering a new way to explore this spectacular region. Oyacachi, otherwise known as “the land of water”, which is easy to see why once you arrive in this small community deep within the highlands of the Andes. The Oyacachi valley features waterfalls, thermal hot pools, rivers and snow-capped Andean volcanoes. The tour company has developed exciting adventure tours that feature the best of the Incan / pre-Incan sites of interest and natural wonders through the valley. The tours also incorporate the artistic traditions of the local community such as their renowned wood-carving and totem poles. Tour packages include:

Oyacachi to El Chaco Trail 3-Day Trekking Tour – a world-class hiking experience
This multi-day trekking and camping tour follows 42 km of forest trails along an ancient Incan trade route. Experience an incredible cross section of diverse ecosystems as you drop from Andean highlands down to Amazonian lowlands.

Mountain Biking the Sierra to Amazon Trade Route
Ride an invigorating 20+ km downhill mountain bike ride that descends nearly 800 meters of altitude down a traditional Andes to Amazon Incan trail. Then change your “gears” by soaking in Oyacachi’s therapeutic thermal hot pools, where you can also visit nearby artisan workshops.

Oyacachi’s “Carbon Neutral” Community Tour
A fun and educational tour where clients visit the community’s reforestation project and river water-driven hydro-electric plant. Along the way, learn about the community’s cheese-making and trout farming traditions (which also includes some tasty samples)!  Finish your tour with a visit to the wood carving workshop and famous totem poles, where you can purchase a number of handcrafted souvenirs to take home.

NOTE: Watch for the “Ukuku Resort & Spa” opening mid-2010 in Oyacachi! This high-end, low-impact resort will use 100% renewable energy and will feature private thatched-roof bungalows, each with its own thermal pool!

Manglares Churute Mangrove Tours (www.mangroveadventure.com), launched last month, now provides an ideal “escape to nature” just 45 minutes from Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city. The half-day and full day boat and kayak tours appeal to business travelers, student groups, and international visitors who are looking for a perfect extension to any Galapagos Islands tour package.

Declared an internationally recognized RAMSAR wetland site in 1990, the Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve boasts a remarkable 5 types of mangroves, 450 plants species, 45 different mammals, and almost 300 bird species birds. Close encounters can be had with wildlife howler monkeys, 2-toed sloths, bottlenose dolphins, and the South American Coati.

Tours are led by knowledgeable local nature guides who point out wildlife and also explain the traditional crabbing activity of local fisherman, who can be seen hard at work during the boat tour.

Motorized boats with comfortable seats and sun shades feature quiet, environmentally friendly motors to ensure wildlife is not disturbed. Tourists also have the option to get into sturdy kayaks that allow them to penetrate even further into the maze of mangroves to see wildlife.

The full-day tour features a boat tour through the mangroves in the morning, a delicious crab lunch, and then a choice of either kayaking or hiking a short nature trail that is home to a resident howler monkey troop that always offer a great photo moment.