Ecuador's Amazon

Day 1 : Quito > Puerto Francisco de Orellana (Coca) > Sacha Lodge

Take a short flight from Quito over the Andes to the town of Coca – in fine weather the aerial views of some of the world’s highest volcanoes are spectacular. After enjoying a snack on arrival in Coca, you are equipped with life jackets and begin an interesting two-hour trip along the Rio Napo, one of the main tributaries of the mighty Amazon River. See traditional fishermen, jungle settlements and other river traffic ferrying people and supplies to remote jungle communities. On arrival at Sacha Lodge’s riverside dock, your luggage is collected and you begin a 20 minute jungle walk to meet your canoes, the final leg of your journey. You are then quietly paddled some 10 minutes across an extraordinarily beautiful black-water lake to the lodge. Check into your comfortable room, and after a late lunch and briefing on the activities, commence a short afternoon excursion.

Days 2 & 3 : Sacha Lodge

Over these two days you have a choice of activities that are tailored to your physical abilities and interests. Groups sizes are limited to eight guests, and each group has a local Kichwa native guide along with an expert English-speaking naturalist guide. Both will help reveal to you all the wonders of the Amazon jungle. Pay a visit to the butterfly house, and be enchanted by a myriad of colourful moths and butterflies that are bred here for your enjoyment.

A typical day at Sacha begins at sunrise in order to take advantage of the cool morning hours when the rainforest’s birds and animals are most active. In the afternoon, visits begin at around 3:00 pm and often continue into the evening, when the nocturnal insect and frog chorus begins. Wherever the destination, excursions proceed slowly, as the jungle vegetation and wildlife are unveiled and explained by your expert guides.

Activities are spread out over a wide area, allowing visitors to explore several distinct but equally fascinating habitats. Several trails lead through pristine forest where 50 metre high kapok trees tower above, and roots form huge buttresses to give trees support. Other trails follow strategically raised boardwalks in seasonally flooded forests, where walking on the ground would be nearly impossible during most of the year due to groundwater. One trail many choose to follow even leads across fallen tree trunks and a steel cable zip-line through rich swampland!

A favourite activity is to be paddled in dugout canoes along tannin-rich black-water creeks, where luxuriant lianas, orchids, bromeliads and palm trees thrive. And wherever an outing may lead, the possibilities of spotting animals – from the tiny pygmy marmoset to the magnificent ocelot or puma – are endless. For adventurous souls, the day does not necessarily end with dinner. Night walks and canoe trips often reveal creatures seldom seen during daylight. Reptiles such as chameleons along with giant insects and moths, rule the jungle after sunset.

Day 4 : Sacha Lodge > Coca > Quito

After breakfast, walk back to the river and perhaps enjoy a visit to the parrot clay lick close by (weather permitting). Here literally hundreds of colourful parrots spend time picking at the clay banks of the river, extracting essential minerals they require. At times very noisy, it is extremely colourful. Then head back upriver, passing a variety of cargo boats and water taxis that are an essential form of transport for the jungle communities.

On arrival in Coca, you are transferred to the airport for your flight back to Quito. Arrangements end on arrival at Quito Airport.