Located only 40 Km from Guayaquil is the Churute Mangrove Ecological Reserve. Created in 1979, this protected mangrove and jungle area belongs to the National Patrimony of Nature Areas.

The Churute reserve offers excellent opportunities to people visiting Guayaquil to take a day tour to the area. You can visit the jungle with many birds, monkeys, sloths, plants, and flowers and take a canoe ride through the mangrove forest which is home to all kinds of wildlife, and even have an authentic lunch cooked and served locally. The Churute area is rich with farming and harvesting much of the local food found in Guayaquil, such as the Ecuadorian favorite: crabs. Yes, these tasty animals are hunted and gathered in the mangrove forest; not from the ocean like you might think.

Location: Churute National Park

Churute Mangroves

Sumary of activities:

  • Interpretative conference prior
  • Canoeing through the mangroves for about 1 hour 
  • Trekking through the forest
    • Waterfalls (in season)
    • Monkeys
    • Birds
    • Jungle
  • Lunch

Covered Canoe Churute Mangroves

What is included:

  • Entrance into the National Park
  • Transportation Inside the Park
  • Canoe Ride (approximately 1 hour)
  • Bilingual Guide for the tour
  • Bottled Water
  • Fresh Fruits
  • Typical Style Lunch
  • Transportation from Guayaquil to Reserve and back to Guayaquil (optional)

What to bring with you:

  • Clothing:

    • Sweater or Pull over
    • Fast drying clothes are better
    • Pants can be better than shorts (insects)
    • Shirts Long-sleeved
    • Hat (wide brim is better)
    • Good Tennis shoes or Hiking boots
    • Small Day Pack for excursions
    • Swimming suite (optional)

  • Equipment:
    • Bottle Water
    • Sun Block
    • Sun glasses
    • Insect Repellent (also taking vitamin B6 and B12 a week before the trip will help)
    • Camera
    • Binoculars for spotting birds and other animals.
    • Copy of your passport
    • Extra money for park permits, alcohol and soft drinks, and tips (US$)

view in Churute Mangroves

Transportation:

  • Private tour transportation from Guayaquil to location
  • By bus: from the terminal terreste in Guayaquil. Buses going East. You will need to tell the driver where to let you off on the highway.
  • About 1 hour east of Guayaquil

Itinerary Program for Churute:

You can start on any day at Churute!

Tour: Begin at the Interpretative Center prior to going into the park. This is where you will find information materials such as brochures, maps; water bottles and insect spray are available.

Big Tree Churute

On your way to the reserve you will see important crops such as: Rice Paddies, Banana Plantations, Coca, and Sugar farms. When you arrive in the reserve you will have a canoe trip (about 1 hour) on the different mangrove rivers, this tour aims to allow you to observe many species of birds and their interaction in this ecosystem. You will see the red mangrove species; learn about their geographical distribution, interaction, and adaptation, economic and ecological importance to this environment.

View of Churute

Later you will have a walk in the forest. Here you will observe animals such as howler monkeys, squirrels, various bird life. You will learn about the plants in the jungle; their medicinal value, and the differences between the endemic plants. It also may be possible to enjoy a refreshing swim in one of the waterfalls of the reserve depending on the season (only in the raining season).

Howler Monkey in Churute

Waterfall climbing Churute

* Aspects of this tour can change due to weather, seasons, park regulations, and any unforeseen situations. There are no guarantees to the animals or plants that you will be able to see in the reserve. The itinerary of this tour can be altered by the National Park, the guide, time-restrictions, etc.

Mud Girl Churute

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