Itinerary

DAY 01: TRANSFER TO COCA & KAYAKING ON THE CHALLUAYAKU RIVER

We depart in the morning from Quito for a 30-minute flight to the Amazon frontier town of Coca. From here, we board a motorized canoe on the Napo River to ride down this major tributary to the Amazon River. When we arrive at the entrance to the reserve on the Challuayaku River, we are greeted by a Kichwa family that lives in a traditional wood, bamboo, and thatch-roof house. After a safety briefing, we slip into our kayaks and paddle down the river for about 2 hours to reach our lodge on Challuacocha Lake. As we kayak, we keep an eye out for nesting golden orioles, toucans, blue morpho butterflies, and many other species of birds, as well as the occasional monkey family that gathers in the trees above. Once we reach the lake, we may be greeted by one of the Black Caimans - a formerly endangered crocodile species - that begin patrolling the lake in the late afternoon, as well as herons, parrots, and more. We settle in our lodge for the evening and enjoy a delicious, gourmet meal prepared by our Kichwa hosts. In the evening, we explore a nearby trail to learn about howler monkeys, bats, and other mammals that make up the incredible nocturnal wildlife of the Amazon basin. (L, D)

DAY 02: KAYAK IN THE CHALLUACOCHA LAKE & OBSERVATION TOWER

After a buffet breakfast, we board our kayaks and paddle to explore Challuacocha Lake. From the water, we will be able to observe a great variety of bird species, especially in the early morning. We reach a narrow tributary surrounded by vegetation, which we follow for a couple of kilometers while seeking out tiger herons, blue cotingas, black-capped donacobius, and other exotic bird species. We reach a small trail head where we leave our kayaks and go for our first jungle hike, to explore and search for wildlife while our experienced guides help to reveal the secrets of the forest around us. Here, we look for wood creepers, toucans, cragids, and others. Our trek will lead us back to our kayaks and back to our lodge in time for lunch. In the afternoon, we leave for another jungle hike that brings us to the observation tower. The tower is a 100-foot (30-meter) high platform built around a 500-year-old Ceibo tree. From this altitude we can appreciate the canopy of the Amazon, and our guides will point out dozens of exotic bird species as the sun sets over the horizon. Afterwards, we return to our lodge for another gourmet dinner. In the evening, we venture out to the lake for a closer look at the Black Caiman, a crocodile unique to the Amazon which can grow as long as 14 feet. (B, L, D)

DAY 03: KAYAKING IN PAÑACOCHA LAKE

After an early breakfast, we board a motorized boat and travel on the Napo River to the entrance of the Pañayucu River, which we follow until we arrive at Pañacocha Lake. Here, we begin to explore the Pañacocha Reserve by kayak. The Pañacocha Reserve features a network of waterways and lagoons encompassing 56,000 hectares, all of which is 100% Kichwa community owned and managed. We will search for wildlife along the main lake and other small lakes, such as Piguallicocha, where we are likely to find species of kingfisher, jacamar, trogons, potoos, hoatzin, anis, terns, hawks, and eagles. We will also keep an eye out for more species of monkeys and tropical plants that populate this lake ecosystem. Our main objective for the day is to spot the pink freshwater dolphin, which is an endangered species that has become extinct from many other Amazon tributaries. These intelligent animals grow to be up to 9 feet (3 meters) in length and are considered sacred by the local tribes, as there are tales of dolphins that have rescued human lives. In the late afternoon, we return to spend the evening at our jungle lodge. (B, L, D)

DAY 04: JUNGLE EXPLORATION HIKE & KICHWA COMMUNITY VISIT

After breakfast, we paddle to reach the Chorongo (Woolly Monkey) trail head and begin a hike to pristine primary forest within the Chuallacocha Reserve. We walk through dense jungle and cross muddy swamps on log bridges. Along the way our guides will help us spot bromeliads, heliconias, orchids, and other tropical flowers and trees. We will also learn about medicinal plants, taste edible fruits and insects, and discover how to weave traditional palm-fiber bags. If we choose to, we can get our bodies painted with achiote, a native plant. As for wildlife, we are likely to see cuckoos, tinamous, snakes, and much more. If we walk quietly and stay alert, it is also possible to see giant anteaters (with great luck), black-mantled tamarin monkeys, poison-dart frogs, and countless other surprises that the forest holds in store for you. In the afternoon, we visit a Kichwa indigenous community to find more about their way of life. We tour the local school, health center, and traditional thatch-roof homes, and learn about Kichwa customs in the preparation of foods - all the while seeing how your investment in this trip is making a positive impact on their way of life. (B, L, D)

DAY 05: PARROT CLAY LICK & RETURN TO QUITO

After an early breakfast, we board our motorized canoe to navigate the Napo River back to Coca. Weather and time permitting, we may stop on our way back to visit the Parrot Clay Lick within Yasuni National Park. The Clay Lick is an amazing gathering place of hundreds of parrots (4 different species) that use the clay to neutralize the toxins in many of the fruits and plants they eat. From here, we continue on to Coca and head to the airport for our afternoon flight back to Quito. (B)

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