Win a Yachana Ecological Reserve Rain Forest Adventure*

4 Days. Your journey to Yachana Lodge begins at 2,800 meters above sea level in the city of Quito, capital of Ecuador, from where you will take a 30-minute flight over the Andes to the town of Coca. If the weather conditions are good, there will be breathtaking views of the Andes Mountains and the Amazon Rainforest below. Once you arrive in Coca, your guide will meet and assist you and remain with you during the incredible experience you will have at Yachana. From Coca, you will take a canoe for two and a half hours to the Lodge. During the journey you will be offered a box lunch. At the end of your stay at Yachana Lodge, your assigned guide will accompany you on your return to Coca.

Following are some of the activities that you will be able to participate in during your stay. Your guide will confirm the schedule of activities on the day of your arrival to the Lodge, always taking into account weather conditions and availability. In general, there are morning and afternoon activities along with optional activities at night (for viewing nocturnal animals) and at dawn (for bird watching).

Our guides aim to satisfy the desires of our guests; therefore, they are always ready and willing to visit places of interest. Activities such as jungle trekking that involve journeys on foot are scheduled several times during your stay depending on the interest of tourists and the Lodge’s scheduled activities and of course weather conditions.

-Visit to the Yachana Ecological Reserve, which is made up of 1,800 hectares (4,300 acres), which includes a ride in the new ranchera (our double-decker bus) from which you will have breathtaking views of the forest, a hike in the rainforest and an opportunity to discover the local wildlife (seven species of toucans in addition to parrots, owls and many more animals, other native birds, insects, serpents and spiders await you), as well as look at native plants and trees, including an introduction to an extraordinary selection of medicinal plants and their uses. If time permits, included is a visit to our biological research station where scientists are documenting hundreds of species of birds and animals in addition to studying the affects of human impact in the region.

-Visit to a lagoon inhabited by the hoatzin bird, where you will be able to observe life in the ecosystem of the black waters called Igapó. 

-Participate in a traditional cleansing ceremony conducted by a local medicine man and test your skills in the indigenous art of hunting using blowguns and spears.

-Visit to the Yachana Technical High School and organic farm where you will have time to spend with the students as you learn about their lives in the rainforest, the place they call home. You will see and have the option to participate in various micro-enterprise projects, as well as learn different skills such as weaving baskets using natural fibers found in the surrounding forest.

-Visit to the local community of Mondaña and its health clinic founded in 1997 by the Yachana Foundation to provide access to medical care to more than 8,000 local inhabitants in the region.

-Observe a family panning for gold. This is an activity that is still practiced by the poorest families of the Amazon region who will genuinely enjoy your company and the opportunity to teach you what they are doing. Afterwards, you can enjoy the adventure of going tubing in the Napo River all the way back to the Lodge.

-Stargazing from our fabulous deck next to the river.

-Spellbinding sunsets, viewed from two different lookout points.

-A visit to our butterfly house to learn about the true symbiosis and life cycle of the butterfly.

-Enjoy the beautiful botanical gardens that surround the Lodge and identify more than 100 species of plants with a photographic guide.

Optional Activities:

Daytime:

-Early morning observation of birds on an island in the river where we will encounter around 30 species of birds in an hour, including sparrow hawks.

-Other hikes through the forest upon request (time permitting).

Nighttime:

-Nocturnal jungle hikes to discover another world that only appears at night; the Scorpion Spider, with its 20 cm long antennae, serpents, frogs and other huge spiders await you.

-BBQ or bonfire on the banks of the Napo River

-Stargazing while navigating the Napo River by canoe (if weather conditions permit)

This list provides a general outline of the activities that Yachana offers.

However, on occasion, due to weather conditions or circumstances out of our control, some activities may be subject to change.

* Please take into account that although you can see wild animals in the area, Yachana Lodge cannot guarantee their presence during your visit due to their nature and normal instincts.

Included

-Taxes

-Transfer in and out of Coca

-Accommodation in Yachana Lodge

-3 daily meals; beverages with breakfast

-River transport Coca-Yachana Lodge-Coca

-Guided excursions with bilingual guides

-Rubber boots, rain ponchos and lifejackets

Not Included

-Airline ticket Quito-Coca-Quito (US$136.00 round trip per person and subject

to change without prior notice)

-Tips

-Beverages during lunch and dinner

-Alcoholic drinks and personal expenses.

-Credit cards: only Visa and MasterCard are accepted

INFORMATION ABOUT THE LODGE

Infrastructure

Each room has a private bathroom and hot water, as well as a balcony with a hammock.

Yachana Lodge has a beautiful, open dining area designed in the style of a typical Amazonian hut, with spectacular views of the Napo River where you can admire breathtaking sunsets.

Lodge Facilities and Provisions

-River transport along the Napo River in case of emergency

-Lifejackets

-Rain ponchos

-Rubber boots

-Walking sticks

-Biodegradable soap and shampoo

-Purified drinking water

-LED lighting and ceiling fan in each room

-Solar power (12V) during the day and 110V from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM

-First Aid and medical attention in the Mondaña Medical Clinic

-Safe for valuables

-Souvenir and gift shop

-Wireless Internet