Sani Amazon Lodge
From $794
per personSani Lodge is a community owned ecolodge where you can see plenty of wildlife such as monkeys, caimans and macaws, and interact with the indigenous Kichwa people.
Part of the fun is getting there. It’s just a 30-minute plane ride from Quito to Coca, a motorized speedboat downriver on the Napo and finally a paddle dugout and you are deep in the jungle, surrounded by 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) of untouched rainforest. This is Sani Lodge, a delightful, eco-friendly scenerio, home to 1,500 species of trees, hundreds of climbing vines, orchids, 550 species of birds, 13 species of monkeys, as well as 1,000 species of butterflies. Run by the same native inhabitants that have lived here for eons, no more than 38 lucky guests are comfortably accommodated in 10 private, thatch-roofed cabins and 4 family size quarters, all with private facilities. Screened windows guarantee an insect-free environment while you sleep, plus electricity run on solar energy. For the more intrepid, the most comfortable camping arrangements are also offered via paddle dugout from the main lodge, equipped with fully-furnished tents on a platform under thatched roofs, adjacent showers and dry latrine, plus complete personnel at your service. At both locations, meals are always a culinary delight, prepared by our expert chefs.
*The itinerary may vary to meet weather conditions, regulations or unforeseeable circumstances, so as to guarantee you a delightful and worry-free experience.
DAY 1. TRAVEL TO AMAZON
Upon landing in Coca and greeted by your personable guide, you embark on a 2 ½-hour journey down Ecuador’s largest Amazonian tributary, the Napo, its banks bordered with native communities, as well as soaring herons, egrets and vultures, while enjoying your picnic lunch. Next it´s a 15-minute board walk through flooded forest, and 20-minute paddle canoe ride across glistening Challuacocha Lake to Sani Lodge. Our staff welcomes you with refreshing cold drinks and snacks before settling down in your cabins.
Late afternoon walk on nearby trails or a canoe ride in search of primates, birdlife and black caimans, surrounded by enormous cedar trees, striking orchids and other amazing flora. Back at the lodge our chef will delight you with a varied cuisine, catering to vegetarians as well as vegans. Briefings by our guides are hard to pass up when enjoying Ecuadorian beers, spirits and cocktails prepared by our imaginative bartender. (Lunch / Dinner)
DAY 2. FULL DAY ACTIVITIES
Morning paddle ride on Challuacocha Lake for 30 minutes followed by a short 10-minute walk to our 36-meter (108 foot) observation tower that embraces a gargantuan kapok tree. Over 565 species of birds have been recorded, so far, including a myriad of macaws, toucans, honeycreepers, tanagers, flycatchers, hummingbirds and, with a bit of luck, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys or sloths resting on the canopy. The tower gives you a unique perspective, opening up a whole new world of Amazon biodiversity that is often difficult, if not impossible, to see from the understory. We then backtrack to the lodge for lunch, followed by some downtime on a hammock or casual birding.
Next is a hike on the Chorongo (wooly monkey) or Coto (howler monkey) trail, fantastic terrain to discover the relationships among the different creatures and the role they play in this complex ecosystem. Orchids, vines and strangler figs embrace ancient trees; bromeliads are all over this fabulous tropical paradise.
Dinner is followed by an exploration of our black-water Oxbow Lake – one of the increasingly rare havens for the endangered black caiman, a large, up to 6 meters (18 feet) long South American crocodilian. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
DAY 3. FULL DAY ACTIVITIES
It’s an early breakfast after which we return to the Napo River and board our motor boat to visit a rare parrot clay lick at Yasuní National Park. View hundreds of these birds as they search for a gap to land and eat the earth that serves as a detoxifying agent. Species include Mealy Amazon, Yellow-crowned, Orange-winged and Blue-headed parrots. We then hike even deeper into this park – the most bio-diverse region on Earth! Here we might encounter more superb fauna, such as, Golden–mantled tamarins and Spider monkeys, Blue and yellow macaws and, with a bit of luck, a close encounter with White-lipped or Collared peccaries.
Afterwards, it´s a visit to the Sani Community Center to visit a native house for a taste of how a typical Kichwa family lives, enjoying food and drinks in this environmentally sustainable village. Remember, they will be just as much interested in you as you are in them!
Return to the lodge in the late afternoon for a well-deserved dinner, followed by a night walk to see varieties of insects, spiders and frogs come alive. Indeed, the jungle never sleeps! (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
DAY 4. DEPARTURE
After an early breakfast, it´s time to head back to Coca in time for your flight to Quito, with another opportunity to feast your eyes on the unfathomable expansiveness of the forest from high above. (Breakfast)
Tour Location
Sani Lodge accommodates a maximum of 38 guests (at the cabins), emphasizing quality rather than quantity, and thereby offering you a more intimate experience with the amazon rainforest. The lodge itself consists of ten private, thatch-roofed cabanas and 4 family size cabins, each with a private bathroom. The cabanas are spaciously designed for double or triple occupancy, and have screened in windows to guard against insects while you sleep. Electric lights at the lodge run from ecologically friendly solar energy. We provide mattresses, pillows and sheets, so you will not have to bring extra items. Our camping site is located 1 hour away from the Lodge, at the end of our Trail named Coto and near the Challuayaku stream of our Calluacocha black water lagoon. After arrival to the lodge and a warm welcome from our staff, you will depart to the camping site in a paddle canoe, along with your naturalist guide, a cook and a native guide who will camp with you during your stay. Our camping site offers an exhilarating experience for our more adventurous travelers. At this site you will be able to feel the energy and the vivacity of the Amazon Rainforest. We have built wooden platforms with thatched roofs where the tents are placed to offer extra shelter. Tents, mattresses, sheets, pillows and drinking water are all provided, but be sure to bring your own flashlight. Guests are welcome to use the shower and dry latrine located at the site. All meals are prepared by our chef to ensure high quality. The activities are the same as what is offered for guests staying at the lodge and are included in the price. Camping in the amazon is only made for those who want to be completely immersed in jungle life. *Camping site is available with a minimum of 3 passengers for 4 days / 3 nights or more.
2018 Rates (per person in USD)
| Type of Accommodation | 3 Days / 2 Nights | 4 Days / 3 Nights | 5 Days / 4 Nights |
| Double / Triple | $794 | $1,058 | $1,324 |
| Single | $953 | $1,270 | $1,589 |
| Camping | $470 | $500 | $600 |
*Prices subject to change without previous notice.
*Children under 5 years old stay free of charge, 5 to under 12 years old 50% discount, and 12 and up pay full fare.
*Extra activities: Parrot clay lick Yasuní National Park US$35 per person (pay at the lodge - cash only).
*Please note that the camping grounds are located in a different part of the reserve, about 1 hour from the main lodge.
Booking Policies
RESERVATIONS:
- A 30% deposit is required to confirm the booking.
- Balance payment is due one month before departure.
CANCELLATIONS:
- If cancellation occurs 6 months before departure, the deposit will be refunded.
- If cancellation is received 5 months before departure, 20% will be charged.
- If cancellation is made 3 months before departure, 50% will be charged.
- Full payment applies if cancellation is made 30 days or less before departure.
NOTE: Please check with us before cancelling a trip, so we can provide alternatives.