CONTACT US
CALL 877.784.5400 TOLL FREE
(outside USA call +1.206.784.8111)
CONTACT US
CALL 877.784.5400 TOLL FREE
(outside USA call +1.206.784.8111)
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4D/3N - $845 double | $1,195 single
5D/4N - $1,035 double | $1,495 single
Flight Quito-Sacha-Quito included
Within the world's largest tropical rainforest sits the expansive Sacha Lodge. At Sacha, the Amazon is at your feet as you walk high along a 900-foot canopy and climb a 135-foot observation tower. Jungle adventure Ecuador tours don't get more exciting than this! Choose the unforgettable experience of visiting one of Ecuador's largest butterfly farms, take a canoe ride downriver to the Yasuni Clay Lick to witness dozens of parrots. Take a break from the hot Amazon sun with a refreshing swim in the lake or spend the afternoon along the river, fishing for piranha. For thrill seekers, there is nothing like flying through the forest on a zip-line. The really adventurous can take night walks and canoe rides to observe the mysterious nocturnal life of the Amazon.
Traveling in groups of six, you will be accompanied by both a naturalist and native guide. Having these two experts at your side make it possible to spot even the rarest creatures of the Amazon. The naturalist informs you about rainforest biology and ecology and translates for the native guide. The native guide explains the traditional uses of Amazon flora, including the local tree potion that acts as a natural Viagra. With an incredible array of activities, comfortable spacious cabins, and healthy delicious food, Sacha Lodge offers one of the top jungle experiences in Amazon Ecuador adventure travel. Traveling in groups of six, you will be accompanied by both a naturalist and native guide. Having these two experts at your side make it possible to spot even the rarest creatures of the Amazon. The naturalist informs you about rainforest biology and ecology and translates for the native guide. The native guide explains the traditional uses of Amazon flora, including the local tree potion that acts as a natural Viagra. With an incredible array of activities, comfortable spacious cabins, and healthy delicious food, Sacha Lodge offers one of the top jungle experiences in Amazon Ecuador adventure travel.
The lodgings at Sacha were carefully designed to offer comfort to travelers on Ecuador tours, yet preserve the environment and rainforest ambience. All of the cabins, with high thatched roofs and private shaded terraces, are constructed of traditional materials and are well concealed into the lush surroundings. Each of the twenty-six rooms, which include single, double and (upon request) triple accommodations, provides a private bathroom with flushing toilet and hot shower. All cabins are screened against insects and contain ceiling fans. During free time, visitors may overlook the jungle from hammocks and often report seeing such species as toucans, agoutis and monkeys right from their own cabins!
Guests may also enjoy a raised lookout above the lodge's main bar and lounge, which offers a scenic view of Pilchicocha Lake and excellent birdwatching opportunities.
Dates: Extra canoe charges may apply for non-operational days (operational days are Monday and Friday) for groups of less than 4 people. Please contact us for details.
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Guests are divided into small groups for Ecuador adventure travel activities, each of which is led by two guides. Raised in the area, the native guide has expert knowledge of the rainforest's medicinal and other useful plants, will often share stories from the local culture, and leads the way with eyes accustomed to spotting the jungle's hidden creatures. The bilingual naturalist who accompanies each group has been educated in the biology and ecology of the rainforest. Coming from different countries and backgrounds, the naturalists translate for the native guides as well as share their own scientific knowledge about any plants and animals you may encounter.
For birdwatchers, a bird specialist guide is provided upon request. These guides know the best spots for locating the difficult-to-find species and can easily identify species by both sight and sound. If ornithology is to be the focus of your trip, please be sure to request a bird specialist guide in advance to make sure he is there when you arrive! Back to Top |
Meals are prepared to please the international traveler on Ecuador tours, and three buffets each day offer a wide variety of tastes from which to choose. Vegetarians are more than welcome, and the chefs will be happy to cater to any special needs you may have upon request.
During at least one evening you will enjoy a barbecue at the outdoor lakeside dining area. And for those who would like a drink, the bar offers a wide variety of cocktails, liquors, wine and beer to enjoy after an active day. Back to Top |
A typical day of Ecuador adventure travel at Sacha begins at sunrise or earlier, in order to take advantage of the cool morning hours when the rainforest's animals are most active. Each group may decide wake-up and breakfast time on its own, as well as the difficulty and duration of their morning outings. In the afternoon, visits begin at around 3 PM and often continue into the evening, when the nocturnal insect and frog chorus begins.
Wherever the destination, these Ecuador tours proceed slowly in order to appreciate the fascinating details that guides point out around you. Activities are spread over a wide area and allow visitors to explore several distinct but equally fascinating habitats. Several trails lead through pristine terra firma forest, where 150-foot kapok trees tower above, and roots form huge buttresses to give trees support. Others 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 popular trail leads across fallen tree trunks with a steel cable zip-line through rich swampland. 
A favorite Ecuador adventure travel activity of lodge guests is to paddle dugout canoes along tannin-rich black-water creeks and lakes where luxuriant lianas, orchids, bromeliads and palm trees thrive. Wherever an outing may lead, the possibilities of spotting animals, from the tiny pygmy marmoset to the feared ocelot or puma, are endless.
During free time at the lodge, swimming and piranha fishing are also activities not to be missed, but don't worry! Piranhas are scavengers, and the guides will prove that swimming is perfectly safe. For adventurous souls on Ecuador tours, the day does not necessarily end 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. Back to Top |
A great diversity of species is found around Sacha Lodge, and we are sure that you will have the opportunity to see many fascinating creatures on Ecuador tours here. However, the wild is unpredictable and no two visits are ever the same. Monkeys are seen quite frequently, but how many of the eight species found here will cross your path? They range in size from the tiny half-pound pygmy marmoset to the noisy seventeen-pound red howler monkey. Night monkeys can be found in pairs, while squirrel monkeys can travel in groups of more than 150. And besides monkeys, there may be as many as sixty other species of mammals within the reserve (not including up to fifty species of bats). You may spot an anteater, a three-toed sloth or even an ocelot as you explore their natural habitat.
As for reptiles, be sure to take advantage of our night activities to look for one of Pilchicocha's resident spectacled caimans, often seen from canoes out on the lake and a highlight of Ecuador adventure travel. Sometimes the babies hide under the lodge dining room. A variety of lizards and snakes can also be found along the trails, if you move quietly and keep your eyes peeled. Several different boas, vine snakes and even the giant anaconda have been seen during many of excursions. There are a few poisonous snakes as well, but not to worry, since they try to stay out of people's way. Frogs, on the other hand, are much more common to see, from bulgy-eyed tree frogs to camouflaged leaf frogs to tiny colorful poison-dart frogs. So watch your step, day or night!
And then, of course, there are birds. In recent years Sacha Lodge has become a favorite destination of both professional and amateur ornithologists. So far, an incredible 587 different species of birds have been found here! This is a staggering number considering that approximately 900 species have been registered in the entire continental United States and Canada. In only four or five days, it is not uncommon for even the most casual birder to see over 250 species here. With only minimal effort you can expect to see dozens of colorful parrots, toucans, hummingbirds, tanagers, hawks and golden orioles to keep the avid bird enthusiasts occupied for days. Guides carry telescopes on all Ecuador tours. Be sure to keep your binoculars handy at all times!
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| Canopy Walk | |
A new and much anticipated addition to Sacha's activities is the 940-ft long canopy walkway. At approximately ninety-four feet above the ground, imagine exploring the rainforest up in the treetops. This sturdy walkway is fixed to the ground by three metal towers for stability, and offers an unbelievable opportunity to spot dozens of animals and epiphytes seldom seen from the ground. Thousands of colorful birds await to be spotted, and with some luck, you might even follow along with troops of monkeys as they forage through the forest canopy. Taking a leisurely walk above the trees on this incredible structure, to emerge even higher on the top of the towers surrounded by an endless sea of rainforest is an experience not to be missed.
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| The Kapok Tree | |
One of Sacha Lodge's original Ecuador adventure travel attractions and an all-time favorite of its guests is the famous 135-ft kapok observation tower. Situated on a hill and constructed around a giant kapok tree for stability, this tower allows guests another opportunity to climb into and above the rainforest canopy for a magnificent view of the surrounding area. This tower has been a delight for birdwatchers, where the specialist bird guides have on many occasions reported seeing over eighty species in a single morning. Noisy howler monkeys or the gentle three-toed sloth may also be seen, especially with the aid of a powerful telescope provided by your guides.
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| The Butterfly House | |
Sacha Lodge is home to one of the largest butterfly farms in Ecuador. Designed as a live exhibition conservatory, the Butterfly House is now successfully breeding nearly forty local butterfly species, an unforgettable sight on Ecuador tours. Guests will be shown how these beautiful insects are bred and raised, and later be free to wander through "the flying room" where hundreds of colorful butterflies flutter from flower to flower. Transparent glass-wing butterflies, spectacular blue morphs, striking tiger longwings, bright yellow swallowtails and giant nocturnal owl butterflies are only a few of the species you'll encounter here.
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| Yasuni Clay Lick | |
At a short distance from Sacha Lodge is Ecuador's most accessible parrot lick, an exposed clay riverbank where brightly colored parrots of several species gather in the early morning and a fascinating spot to visit on Ecuador tours. In ideal conditions (sunny and dry) hundreds of parrots will perch on and eat the exposed clay in a spectacular show of sound and color. The lick is located on the edge of Yasuni National Park, which may be reached from Sacha by a short canoe trip down the Napo River. Recently, the park service has set up blinds in order to watch the parrots up-close. If weather permits (the parrots won't be there in the rain), and you would like to enter the park to participate in this activity, the National Park entrance fee is US$15 per /person (subject to change, and payable at the lodge).
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| Birding | |
In recent years, Sacha Lodge has become a favorite destination for both professional and amateur ornithologists on Ecuador tours. So far 587 different species of birds have been identified here. This is a staggering number, considering that approximately 900 species have been registered in the entire continental United States and Canada. In only four or five days, it is not uncommon for even the most casual birder to see over 250 species here. With only minimal effort you can expect to see dozens of colorful parrots, toucans, hummingbirds, tanagers, hawks and oropendolas, keeping the avid bird enthusiasts endlessly occupied. Our guides carry telescopes to help make the most of birdwatching opportunities.
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