Amazon Wilderness in the heart of Ecuador

The joining point for this trip is our hotel in Quito, the Mercure Grand Hotel. You should meet your transfer driver in the lobby at 8.00am for your transfer to the airport. You must call our operator the day prior to your trip starting to reconfirm the pick-up time. The transfer driver will have your flight tickets and vouchers for your lodge stay. The flight over the Andes to the river port town of Puerto Francisco de Orellana, (or Coca) takes approximately 45 minutes. Here a local guide will meet you and transfer you to the town docks, where a covered motorized canoe will take you on a two-hour journey down the Napo River to the Sacha Lodge. The Napo River is the largest river in Ecuadorian Amazonia and as you cruise along the water it is easy to spot a number of shore birds including herons, kingfishers, spoonbills and ospreys. Upon arrival at Sacha Lodge’s 2000-hectare private reserve, you will walk along a raised boardwalk through dense forest to Pilchicocha Lake, where dugout canoes await to take you to the lodge. It is not unusual to see several species of monkeys and tropical birds along the way, including the ancient looking Hoatzin! The Hoatzin, one of the strangest living birds, is considered by many as a link with the first known bird, Archaeopteryx that became extinct millions of years ago. There is time this afternoon to take a walk, or swim, or to explore the surrounding jungle and its wildlife.

Over the next two days, you will be placed into small groups, and native guides will lead you on various excursions and activities. Most of our day, however, will be spent in the forest. Mornings start early; groups are usually on the trail by 6am. Not only is it cooler at this hour, but also animal and bird activity is at its peak. Most trails return you to the lodge for lunch, with ample time afterwards for a swim and an afternoon siesta before hitting the trails again. Your guides are a wealth of information with expert knowledge of the rainforest’s medicinal properties and the biology and ecology of the area. The activities are spread over a wide area of the reserve, allowing you to explore fascinating habitats. Some trails lead through forested areas with kapok trees towering above, whilst others take you across boardwalks through rich rainforest undergrowth and over the marshlands. You can paddle in dugout canoes along creeks and lakes where lianas, bromeliads and palm trees thrive and the possibility of sighting wildlife, from the tiny pygmy marmoset to pumas, is ever present. Night walks and canoe trips are also possible and offer the opportunity to see creatures that do not venture out during the day. Most often it is caimans (of the alligator family) and giant insects that are sighted at night! Other activities include a visit to Ecuador’s most accessible parrot lick, an exposed clay bank where brightly coloured parrots, macaws and parakeets gather in the early morning. Half an hour’s walk from the lodge is the observation tower. At over 40 metres high, it is above the rainforest canopy, and is probably the best place to view the area’s rich wildlife through the powerful telescope provided. You can plan on seeing the howler monkeys, and hopefully the three-toed sloth, and exotic birds with equally exotic names including Paradise Tanager, Spangled Cotinga or the Many-banded Aracari. Sacha Lodge is also home to one of the largest butterfly farms in Ecuador and is successfully breeding nearly forty local butterfly species, including the amazing and very large blue morph – a visit is a must.

You are transferred by boat back to Coca for your flight to Quito, where your trip ends upon arrival at Quito Airport. Normally flights arrive back in Quito at around 1pm; however, there is always a likelihood of your flight being delayed. This being the case you may wish to book an additional night's accommodation in Quito and also a transfer from airport to hotel. These should be booked at the same time you book your holiday. If you are planning to depart Quito today, we advise that you do not book to depart until at least after 4pm (16:00 hrs).