Petroleum activities during the 1980s and 1990s have negatively impacted this region and its people. Therefore, the community is open to ecotourism and other alternative uses of their fragile environment. The best way to access the Reserve from Quito is by taking a plane to Coca or Lago Agrio. Buses travel to these two destinations as well as directly to the town of Limoncocha. This large area in the rainforest protects three types of vegetation ranging from woodlands on dry soil to semi-permanently flooded forest.
Rubber boots are imperative for exploring the numerous wetlands, marshes, and swamps.
The main rivers traversing the Park are the Yasun , Tiputini, Cononaco, Nashi o, and the Curaray. The flora and fauna found in the park is varied. Visitors will encounter vegetation such as large cedars, laurel, chonta, and sangre de drago and numerous animals including tapirs, harpy eagles, and pumas. Yasun is mostly uninhabited, except for several Huaorani indigenous families who have lived within the park boundaries for generations. A large concentration of this indigenous group resides in the Huaorani Reserve created in 1991.