Airport meeting in Coca, and transfer to Sacha's office where you will have a snack before boarding a covered motorized canoe for a 21/2 hour, 50-mile trip down the Rio Napo. During the ride it is easy to spot shore birds such as herons, kingfishers, spoonbills and ospreys. Upon arrival to Sacha's private reserve, guests will walk 20 minutes along a raised boardwalk through dense flooded palm forest where several species of monkeys are often sighted. (You will not have to carry your luggage!) The path leads to the blackwater Pilchicocha Lake, where you will go the rest of the way by dugout canoe. Upon arrival at approximately 3:45 pm, there will be an orientation followed by a jungle walk before dinner. Overnight Sacha Lodge.

Selected activities with naturalist guide as well as independent options. A typical day at Sacha begins at sunrise or earlier, taking advantage of the cool morning hours when the rainforest's animals are most active. Wherever the destination, our excursions proceed slowly in order to appreciate the fascinating details that our guides point out around you. You might begin the day paddling dugout canoes along tannin-rich black-water creeks and lakes, where luxuriant lianas, orchids, bromeliads and palm trees thrive, always with the possibility of spotting animals, from the tiny pygmy marmoset to the feared ocelot or puma. Then, you could board the motorized canoe for a short ride along the Napo River to visit the Providencia Community of Yasuni, learning about their jungle way of life and testing out their cooking techniques, stopping to watch the parrot disco of the clay lick along the way.

You will return to the Lodge in the late morning, in time for a 1PM lunch. In the time between lunch and your afternoon adventure, you are free to enjoy the Lodge, lounging on sun chairs with a book on the Balsa, or cooling off in the Lake Pool. Activities begin again between 3:00PM and 4:30PM and often continue into the evening, when the nocturnal insect and frog chorus begins. An afternoon excursion might see you trekking through pristine Terra Firme forest, where 150-foot kapok trees tower above and roots form huge buttresses to give trees support, your guide pointing out the crest owl territory and calling to the howler monkeys. You could then climb 94 feet (30 meters) up to the Canopy Walk, a 940-foot (275-meter) bridge across the treetops from where you can spot dozens of animals and birds.

Days at Sacha Lodge do not end with the fading of the light, or even with dinner. Night walks and canoe trips, with the aid of flashlights, often reveal creatures seldom seen during daylight. Caimans (of the alligator family) and giant insects rule the jungle after sunset. Please note that activities are subject to weather.

Overnight Sacha Lodge.

After breakfast, transfer by boat to Coca for your afternoon return flight to Quito.