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Voykit pocket guide · Ecuador
Lago Agrio
Nueva Loja
Use Lago Agrio as a 1-night gateway to Cuyabeno or Yasuní, not a destination itself: fly from Quito, then lodge transfer.
Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja) is the Amazon gateway of northern Ecuador, founded in the 1960s as a Texaco camp. It has few sights of its own but is the practical base for Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve and Yasuní National Park. Most travellers fly in from Quito, sleep one night, then head to a jungle lodge.
- Country
- Ecuador
- Local name
- Nueva Loja
- Best months
- Aug–Feb (drier in the Amazon)
- Avoid
- Mar–Jul (heavy rain, muddy trails, more mosquitoes)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Bring small notes: $50 and $100 bills are often refused.
- Daily spend
- Budget $30–50 excl. bed · Mid $50–80 excl. bed · High $80+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro and Movistar (plus CNT) sell prepaid SIMs in malls and shops with a passport; Claro has the widest coverage.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · US plugs work without adapters.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% service often included; add a little for good service.; Galápagos naturalists and crew: US$10–20 per person per day in total, split per the boat's guidance.; Drivers and day guides: US$5–10 a day.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap in most places (Quito and Cuenca's water is treated but pipes vary); drink bottled or filtered.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the bowl; bus terminal toilets charge a few cents.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $1–2 |
| Set lunch (almuerzo) | $3–5 |
| Beer (bottle) | $1.50–2.50 |
| Taxi airport → town centre | $5 |
| Bus Quito → Lago Agrio | $10–15 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LGQ · Lago Agrio Airport
- Flights from Quito with Avianca; about 30 min
Typical fares
- Flight Quito → Lago Agrio (Avianca)
- about $80–120 one way (check)
- Taxi airport → town centre
- $5
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Taxis are the main option; most hotels arrange airport pick-up. Walking within the centre is fine in daylight.
See and do
Known for
- Gateway to Cuyabeno and Yasuní
- Lago Agrio Airport (LGQ)
- Oil-town history
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve | Organised lodge transfer, about 2 h by road then canoe | About 2.5 h |
| Yasuní National Park | Organised lodge transfer, about 3–4 h by road and river | About 4 h |
| Limoncocha Biosphere Reserve | Taxi or organised tour, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Near the airport
- Quick access for early lodge transfers; limited dining.
- Town centre (Av. Quito area)
- More hotels and eateries; 10 min by taxi from the airport.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Holaoh-la |
| Thank you | Graciasgrah-see-as |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?kwan-toh kwes-tah |
| Where is the bus station? | ¿Dónde está el terminal?don-deh es-tah el ter-mee-nal |
| I need a taxi | Necesito un taxineh-seh-see-toh oon tak-see |
| Help! | ¡Ayuda!ah-yoo-dah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; women often one cheek kiss; avoid: Skipping the greeting before a question
- Time: Allow for 'hora ecuatoriana' socially; avoid: Assuming tours leave late — they do not
- Photos: Ask people first; avoid: Photographing children without permission
- Dress: Layers in the Andes; avoid: Beachwear in city centres
Scams and watch-outs
- The northern border region has spillover from Colombia: avoid travel after dark and stick to organised tours.
- Mosquitoes are heavy year-round; bring DEET repellent and a mosquito net if your lodge doesn't provide one.
- Last flights from Quito may leave early; confirm the schedule with Avianca.
The northern border area has drug trafficking and crime; travel only with organised tours or guides who know safe zones. Avoid walking alone after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Lago Agrio yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gateway to Cuyabeno and Yasuní
- Lago Agrio Airport (LGQ)
- Oil-town history
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Lago Agrio, revision 5244353 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5244353
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Lago AgrioNueva Loja
Lléveme a esta dirección, por favor
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
The US embassy is in Quito; register travel plans with your embassy if going alone.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/lago-agrio). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.