In the heart of the Amazon – Sani Lodge

Your 30-minute flight from Quito airport to the Amazon provides breathtaking views of the Eastern Andean Cordillera before reaching Coca, the primary oil harbor of the Amazon. After a brief introduction by your bilingual local guide, you'll head to the northern riverside of the Napo River. A 3-hour downstream canoe ride along the main tributary of the Amazon offers glimpses of ancestral communities, riparian forests, and a diversity of birds such as herons, vultures, swallows, macaws, toucans, and others. A packed lunch is provided onboard. Upon reaching Sani Isla's Kichwa community harbor, you'll take a 20-minute walk through a varzea forest (Amazonian flooded forest) to reach the Challuacocha blackwater creek. From here, you will embark on a short rowing canoe ride to Sani Lodge. Once you arrive, you can settle into your cabin and enjoy a welcome cocktail. Afterward, your guide will introduce the lodge facilities and explain the activities you can choose from for the rest of the day. These may include a walk or canoe ride to explore the nearby Oxbow lagoon, where you may spot primates, turtles, bats, or even giant otters if you're lucky. After dinner, you'll head out on a canoe excursion to look for small amphibians and black caimans.

After an early breakfast, you'll take a paddle canoe journey across the Challuacocha lagoon, watching for the curious hoatzin and listening to the melodious songs of the donacobius. The canoe will navigate through blackwater channels, home to a variety of monkey species and colorful birds like kingfishers, tanagers, caciques, and herons. After a short walk, you'll arrive at the base of a towering 36-meter (118-foot) kapok tree. Climb the observation tower for a spectacular view of the rainforest canopy, where you can spot vibrant bird species such as macaws, toucans, and parrots, as well as howler and woolly monkeys. After returning to the lodge for lunch, you'll have some free time to enjoy the lodge amenities such as wildlife watching from the dock, relaxing with a cold beverage at the bar, or lounging in hammocks. In the afternoon, join a guided nature walk through the terra firme and varzea, the two key Amazonian ecosystems in the area. Depending on the season and rainfall, you'll see a variety of plant life and perhaps some of the unique fauna adapted to these habitats. After dinner, you'll embark on a thrilling night walk to experience the symphony of nocturnal creatures such as amphibians and insects, and with some luck, you'll spot tarantulas or snakes.

After breakfast, you'll travel to the Napo River for a visit to the famous parrot clay lick at Yasuni National Park. Here, you'll witness hundreds of parrots, including species such as mealy Amazon, yellow-crowned, orange-winged, and blue-headed parrots, as well as dusky-headed parakeets, all feeding on the mineral-rich earth. Following this, your adventure continues with a hike through Yasuni, one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. On this hike, you might spot golden-mantled tamarins and spider monkeys, along with a variety of unique plants. Afterwards, visit the Sani Isla Community Center, where the women of the Sani Warmi Organization will introduce you to Amazonian Kichwa culture and medicinal plants. You'll also have the chance to participate in an Amazonian cooking class using local ingredients. Additionally, you'll be able to purchase handmade crafts that support the local community. Return to the lodge in the late afternoon, and take in the stunning Amazonian sunset from the bar or the dock.

On your final day, rise early to make the most of your last morning at the lodge. After breakfast, you'll take a canoe ride across the lagoon and then board a motor canoe for a 3-hour journey back to Coca. From there, you'll fly back to Quito, possibly enjoying aerial views of the Amazon and the volcanoes of the Eastern Andean Cordillera. You'll arrive in Quito in the afternoon.