Canopy Tower at Napo Wildlife Center

The Canopy Tower at the Napo Wildlife Center

The 120-ft. (36m) high canopy tower opened to guests in November 2004 and is a great way to experience the life above the forest floor. This is the second tower at the Napo Wildlife Center (the first is attached to the dining hall and allows great views of the lake). The canopy tower is located about 20 minutes from the lodge deep within the terra firme forest.

As you ascend the 12-story tower, you pass through different levels of the forest and emerge on top of a huge Ceiba tree. Here you cross onto a wooden platform that is actually built into the crown of the tree and experience the view formerly reserved only for the birds and monkeys.

The metal tower itself was constructed to the highest standards, galvanized, and carefully inspected by engineers. Safety is the priority, but so is ecological sensitivity. Most of the canopy towers in Ecuador encircle the tree with a scaffolding of wood. In addition to the obvious issues with using wood in the tropics, the weight of the scaffolding also compresses the roots of the tree that is encircled. We chose to do things differently, dug down below the roots of this Ceiba tree and put the cement base of the tower below the level of the tree roots – the result is that the tree is sustaining no damage from this tower. The platform in the top of the tree was constructed by tree platform specialists brought from Peru and incorporates bumpers to make sure that the platform does not scar the tree. From top to bottom, there is no finer canopy experience in Eastern Ecuador.

Flocks of colorful tanagers pass right through the canopy of the tree, Blue-and-yellow Macaws fly past, in nearby trees Spider and Howler monkeys search for fruit, two species of large toucans call in the early mornings and afternoons, and the life of the forest canopy opens before you (lucky guests have even seen both Harpy Eagles and Crested Eagles in a single morning!). Animals that are virtually impossible to see from the forest floor far below are suddenly right beside you, oblivious to your presence. The canopy tower opens a whole new world to guests of the Napo Wildlife Center. Many of the photos in the Wildlife Photo Slideshow were taken from this tower.

- 360-degree Panoramas from the top of the Canopy Tower -

Normal version (0.7 Mb QuicktimeVR file)
Extra large version (3.5 Mb QuicktimeVR file)

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