Ecuador | Birding the Amazon Rainforest Post-trip Extension

After breakfast, travel to the airport for a 45-minute flight to Coca, also known as Puerto Francisco de Orellana. The port city is the capital of the Orellana province and one of the country's gateways to exploring the Amazon. Upon arrival, head to Francisco de Orellana port for the two-hour boat ride down the Napo River - an important Amazonian tributary and the country's longest river. Enjoy a box lunch on the boat and look for birds along the way. After disembarkation, walk on a raised boardwalk to Pilchicocha Lake to board canoes for the final leg of the journey. Once check-in is completed, meet with the local guides and have an orientation to Sacha Lodge and its activities. A typical day begins at sunrise or earlier to take advantage of the cool morning hours when the rainforest animals are most active. Afternoon excursions begin between 3 and 4 p.m. and often continue into the evening, when the nocturnal insect and frog chorus begins. In between activities, there is time to freshen up, relax, or swim in the black water lake, home to many species of fish. Of the incredible 1,640-plus bird species registered in Ecuador, 600 (37 percent) have been seen at Sacha Lodge. That is almost 7 percent of the species found in the entire world! Enjoy observing birds at the mini tower and the butterfly house before dinner at the lodge. Species that are likely to be spotted in the Sacha Reserve include the prehistoric looking Hoatzin, Crested Owl, Red-bellied Macaw, Cinnamon Atilla, Crane Hawk, and American Pygmy Kingfisher. After dinner, accompany your guide on a night walk through the rainforest to view some of the hundreds of different species of animals that can only be found at night. Please note: the flight to Coca has a limit of 50 pounds per person for checked luggage.

Begin the day at the Yasuni National Park Parrot Lick and learn about the life and habits of the local parrot population. The parrot lick is an exposed clay bank where several different species, including Blue-headed Parrot, Cobalt-winged Parakeet, and Dusky-headed Parakeet, gather in the morning hours. When weather conditions are ideal (sunny and dry), the parrots can often be seen perching on and eating the exposed clay. This activity is strictly weather-dependent since the parrots do not appear when it rains. In case of rain, we will try to visit the lick the next day and activities will be substituted accordingly. In the afternoon, hike along the Liana Chica Trail, arriving at the canopy walk for spectacular views of the rainforest and many species of birds, such as Purplish Jacamar, Plum-throated Cotinga, Turquoise Tanager, and more. Designed to be a self-standing rigid suspension, the canopy walk is one of only a few in the world! Located within the private Sacha Reserve, two miles from the shores of the Río Napo and one mile from the lodge, the bird walk gives visitors the opportunity to get an up-close and personal view of the rainforest canopy and its inhabitants.

Depart from the lodge after breakfast, and begin the hike on Lagartococha Trail. This trail offers the chance to learn more about the indigenous communities of the region and their relationship with the forest. After arriving at Lake Lagartococha, take a tranquil canoe ride through a natural swamp, which is home to anacondas, caimans, and capybaras. After the canoe ride, a walk on the other side of Largatococha provides the opportunity to spot capuchin or squirrel monkeys playfully jumping through the trees. Return from the walk and head back to the lodge for a refreshing dip in the lake, or a nice relaxing nap in your personal hammock on your private balcony. After lunch, if desired, your local guide will teach you how to fish for the infamous razor toothed piranha. In the afternoon, embark on a silent canoe ride through the flooded Amazonian forest to spot the shy and elusive Giant River Otter, as well as the incredibly well camouflaged three toed sloth. After a ride through the flooded forest, arrive at Sacha's 135-foot wooden tower built around an ancient Kapok tree. View many bird species, such as Cream-colored Woodpecker, Opal-crowned Tanager, Green-backed Trogon, and Chestnut-eared Aracari. A canoe ride back through the flooded forest at night makes for a different sensory experience; listen to the symphony of frogs, insects, and nocturnal birds calling, see the glowing eyes of the caimans, and watch for the several species of bats flying overhead. Arrive back at Lake Pilchicocha to the welcoming lights of Sacha Lodge.

Spend another day birding and exploring the rainforests in and around the Sacha Reserve.

After breakfast, depart from the lodge and go on one last stroll around the boardwalk to the river. From there, embark on a two-hour canoe ride back to Coca for the 35-minute flight back to Quito. Upon arrival in Quito, connect with your international flight back to the U.S.