Ecuador Amazon Rainforest Tour - SACHA LODGE

30-minute flight from Quito to the city of Puerto Francisco de Orellana also known as El Coca, the starting point of your jungle tour in Ecuador. 

In Coca, transfer by private vehicle to Sacha's house downtown. 

Transfer to the pier to board a motorized canoe to travel down the Napo river (2 hours).

A 30-minute hike through the rainforest leads you to Lake Pilchicocha where you will be met by native workers that will paddle you across the lake to your final destination.

Arrival at Sacha Lodge at about 4pm.

Swim in Lake Pilchicocha, whose still black waters are home to many species of fish and animals.

Enjoy the scenery from the mini observation tower, an excellent opportunity to watch several species of birds common around the lodge. It is lso a great place to wait for the sunset.

Visit the butterfly house with your naturalist guide to marvel at the beauty of Amazonian butterflies and their exotic patterns and colors.

After dinner, your guide will take you on a night walk through the rainforest to encounter hundreds of nocturnal species.

You can also take a canoe to paddle out on the lake gliding on its calm waters lit by the southern stars. Spot the eyes of caimans glowing ghoulishly red in the torchlight, as the amphibious creatures float along the swampy shallows.

Overnight at Sacha Lodge.

Early morning walk on the Liana Chica trail to get to a canopy walk offering spectacular views of the rainforest from above and a chance to spot many different species of vibrantly colored birds that are most active in the morning.

Liana Chica is one of the rare self-standing rigid suspension canopy walk.

Two of the three towers have observation decks 40 feet apart (12 m) making towers accessible for everyone. The canopy walkway is 94-foot high (30 m) and 940-foot long (290 m), giving guests a 'birds eye view' of all the wonders and beauty the tropical rainforest has to offer

After the canopy, walk through terra firma and igapo forest habitats where native guides will explain many different species of medicinal plants that have been used in their culture for hundreds of years.

Further down the track, Liana Grande becomes the Higueron trail, which will take you through pristine primary forest with huge Kapok and Fig trees towering hundreds of feet above your head.

After lunch at Finca, you may choose to take a leisurely hike along the Rio Napo, or choose a little more challenging hike on the trail Leoncillo to try and spot the elusive dusky titi monkey.

Either way the trails will lead you back to the main boardwalk for your final hike and canoe ride back to the lodge.

After breakfast, start your hike on the Lagartococha trail, a great opportunit to learn more about the indigenous people and their relationship with the forest.

Learn about special trees believed to host the spirits of the ancestors of the local people, and listen to the stories of the mysterious 'dwende', the devil-man of the forest.

After arriving at lake Lagartococha, take a calm canoe ride through a natural swamp, where anacondas, caimans, and capybaras seem to coexist in peace.

On the other side of lake Largatococha a short walk will be the opportunity to spot capuchin or squirrel monkeys playfully jumping through the trees.

Paddle your canoe back across the lake and head back to the lodge for a refreshing dip in the lake, or a nice relaxing nap in your personal hammock on your private balcony.

After lunch, your native guide will teach you how to fish for the infamous razor-toothed piranha. Keep in mind that piranhas will never attack a person so swimming with them is perfectly safe and fun.

Around 3.30 pm you will venture on what many consider to be the best excursion of the area, a silent canoe ride through the flooded Amazonian forest, where you have good chances of being surrounded by troops of squirrel, capuchin, and howler monkeys. Keep your eyes peeled for the shy and elusive river otter as well as the incredibly well camouflaged three-toed sloth.

After your eye-popping ride through the flooded forest, you will get to Sacha's 135-foot tall (40 m) wooden tower built around an ancient Kapok tree. Get close up views of vibrantly colored birds using the powerful spotting scopes provided and relax to watch the sun set with an amazing view of Mount Sumaco, a nearby volcano. Depending on the visibility you might even catch the distant snow-covered caps of the Andes.

Leaving the tower at dusk will be an unforgettable experience. A canoe ride back through the flooded forest at night will be awe-inspiring. Listen to the symphony of frogs and insects as you glide through the narrow flooded forest trail, keeping your eyes open for caimans. Watch the several species of bats flying over your heads and listen to the many species of nocturnal birds and their eerie calls. 

After your mesmerizing canoe trip through the Amazon, you will get back to lake Pilchicocha with the welcoming lights of Sacha lodge. 

Early breakfast and departure from the lodge at 7.30am with an easy walk on the boardwalk to spot the monkeys one last time before your final departure. 

Arrival at Coca airport, check-in assistance and farewell with Sacha's team.