La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat

PM: Arrival at the Quito International Airport you will be met by one of our La Selva representatives in the National Departure area. Here they will assist you with the check-in process and give you a short briefing about the journey. After a 30-minute commercial flight to Puerto Francisco de Orellana “El Coca”, our representative will transfer you by private transportation to the city’s main dock at the Napo River. The next two hours will be on a motorized canoe heading down river on what will be the beginning of an unforgettable experience in the tropical rainforest, the Amazon.

At the end of the motorized canoe ride, you will be dropped off at La Selva’s main dock and your first close encounter with the rainforest begins and the final leg of the trip to the lodge will be completed in a paddle canoe. The only thing you must take care of during this part of the trip is your carry-on and camera equipment, all other luggage will be transported by La Selva staff. The manager will be waiting to greet you with a refreshing juice, snacks and a short briefing with general information about your stay at La Selva.

One of the Naturalist Guides will give you the basic info about the tropical rainforest, the Amazon, and how La Selva operates. The idea is to begin your activities with background knowledge of the amazing place you have just arrived at.

Embark on a trail, given the Spanish name of the famous Strangler fig (Ficus sp), one of many remarkable trees that you can find on this short walk. Mahogany trees over 400 years old can be seen and your guides will share their knowledge of the flora and fauna. Due to the time of day, there is great natural light and the diurnal and nocturnal animals are beginning their daily transitional activities.

Tonight at the bar, you can find snacks and order cocktails from the bartender. Or, feel free to help yourself with limitless tea and coffee. Dinner will be served in the evening. Find your seat and get comfortable while our waiters serve you each course.

AM: Today breakfast is early as we rise before the sun to catch the best part of the day. After a 20-minute walk, the observation tower comes into sight. This amazing construction will allow you to climb 120 ft above the forest. Your Naturalist and Native guides will help you spot the colorful birds of the Amazon, maybe even certain primates.

On the way back from the tower there is the option of taking the Tucaneta Trail where your Native Guide can show you some of the medicinal plants still in use today and your Naturalist Guide will provide you with interesting info on the ecology and natural history of the Amazon.

PM: Enjoy lunch and re-fueling for the afternoon before we head out to begin our Charapa Trail. This trail goes on for about an hour beginning at the lodge and ending by the edge of the lagoon. It is a great loop where different mammals, monkeys and birds can be seen that come closer to the lagoon at this time looking for food. It is also perfect for witnessing an Amazonian sunset from the water in the canoe.

Before dinner this evening, with the help of a spotlight your guides will take you around the lagoon via canoe looking for nighttime wildlife. This is also a great opportunity for star gazing! Dinner will be served when you return to the lodge. Feel free to take some time to freshen up in your room beforehand.

AM: Today you will make your way back to the Napo River and take a motorized canoe ride to the clay licks, one of the most fascinating displays of the wild world. Hundreds of parrots and parakeets gather here to eat the mineral-rich soil, an important part of their diet. Binoculars are essential to capture the moment.

After the clay licks, we will take you to experience our Cultural Activity. An Amazonian Kichua woman will welcome you at their community centre to share their life of the Kichua’s in the Amazon. This is special because it is part of the Amazon you do not find on the maps and provides the special and unique opportunity to get to learn more about the people of the Amazon.

PM: After lunch, we embark on a fantastic walk that takes off from the lodge to the edge of the Garzacocha Lagoon. In the afternoon the light from the sun will come from behind most of the time, making this walk an amazing experience and the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this amazing forest. Groups of black-mantled tamarin monkeys can be spotted on this walk and some of our groups have even seen tapirs too.

Your Naturalist Guide is going to explain all the different creatures that can be found and our Native Guide is going to explain about all the different creatures that can be found and our Native Guide will show you some of the medical plants that they have been using for thousands of years. A canoe ride back to the lodge makes a great ending for this activity.

AM: Per your briefing the night before, you will have an early wake-up call, breakfast and departure from the lodge. The lodge staff will assist you with your checked luggage and the motorized canoe ride will head upstream back to Coca, where our representatives will take you to the airport to help you with your checked luggage and boarding passes.

PM: Arrival at the Quito International Airport you will be met by one of our La Selva representatives in the National Departure area. Here they will assist you with the check-in process and give you a short briefing about the journey. After a 30-minute commercial flight to Puerto Francisco de Orellana “El Coca”, our representative will transfer you by private transportation to the city’s main dock at the Napo River. The next two hours will be on a motorized canoe heading down river on what will be the beginning of an unforgettable experience in the tropical rainforest, the Amazon.

At the end of the motorized canoe ride, you will be dropped off at La Selva’s main dock and your first close encounter with the rainforest begins and the final leg of the trip to the lodge will be completed in a paddle canoe. The only thing you must take care of during this part of the trip is your carry-on and camera equipment, all other luggage will be transported by La Selva staff. The manager will be waiting to greet you with a refreshing juice, snacks and a short briefing with general information about your stay at La Selva.

One of the Naturalist Guides will give you the basic info about the tropical rainforest, the Amazon, and how La Selva operates. The idea is to begin your activities with background knowledge of the amazing place you have just arrived at.

Embark on a trail, given the Spanish name of the famous Strangler fig (Ficus sp), one of many remarkable trees that you can find on this short walk. Mahogany trees over 400 years old can be seen and your guides will share their knowledge of the flora and fauna. Due to the time of day, there is great natural light and the diurnal and nocturnal animals are beginning their daily transitional activities.

Tonight at the bar, you can find snacks and order cocktails from the bartender. Or, feel free to help yourself with limitless tea and coffee. Dinner will be served in the evening. Find your seat and get comfortable while our waiters serve you each course.

AM: Today breakfast is early as we rise before the sun to catch the best part of the day. After a 20-minute walk, the observation tower comes into sight. This amazing construction will allow you to climb 120 ft above the forest. Your Naturalist and Native guides will help you spot the colorful birds of the Amazon, maybe even certain primates.

On the way back from the tower there is the option of taking the Tucaneta Trail where your Native Guide can show you some of the medicinal plants still in use today and your Naturalist Guide will provide you with interesting info on the ecology and natural history of the Amazon.

PM: Enjoy lunch and re-fueling for the afternoon before we head out to begin our Charapa Trail. This trail goes on for about an hour beginning at the lodge and ending by the edge of the lagoon. It is a great loop where different mammals, monkeys and birds can be seen that come closer to the lagoon at this time looking for food. It is also perfect for witnessing an Amazonian sunset from the water in the canoe.

Before dinner this evening, with the help of a spotlight your guides will take you around the lagoon via canoe looking for nighttime wildlife. This is also a great opportunity for star gazing! Dinner will be served when you return to the lodge. Feel free to take some time to freshen up in your room beforehand.

AM: Today you will make your way back to the Napo River and take a motorized canoe ride to the clay licks, one of the most fascinating displays of the wild world. Hundreds of parrots and parakeets gather here to eat the mineral-rich soil, an important part of their diet. Binoculars are essential to capture the moment.

After the clay licks, we will take you to experience our Cultural Activity. An Amazonian Kichua woman will welcome you at their community centre to share their life of the Kichua’s in the Amazon. This is special because it is part of the Amazon you do not find on the maps and provides the special and unique opportunity to get to learn more about the people of the Amazon.

PM: After lunch, we embark on a fantastic walk that takes off from the lodge to the edge of the Garzacocha Lagoon. In the afternoon the light from the sun will come from behind most of the time, making this walk an amazing experience and the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this amazing forest. Groups of black-mantled tamarin monkeys can be spotted on this walk and some of our groups have even seen tapirs too.

Your Naturalist Guide is going to explain all the different creatures that can be found and our Native Guide is going to explain about all the different creatures that can be found and our Native Guide will show you some of the medical plants that they have been using for thousands of years. A canoe ride back to the lodge makes a great ending for this activity.

AM: Not all lodges can offer an exotic trip into the deep wilderness like where you are headed on this adventure. We will walk through the amazing Mandi forest for around 3 to 4 hours beginning at our main dock back at the Napo River. In this type of ecosystem, there are chances to find some of the biggest mammals of the rainforest, like peccaries or wild pigs, deer or tapir.

Eventually, we will reach the lagoon of Mandi Cocha. Here we get into a fibreglass canoe and paddle through the amazing Igapo Forest. This is a temporary flooded black water forest. Here we might see different species of birds and some of our extra lucky guests may encounter the elusive giant otter.

PM: After lunch today we visit the Garzacocha Lagoon and Ceiba Trail. This lagoon is one of the most beautiful in all the Ecuadorian Amazon. During this trip is when we have higher chances of spotting different species of monkeys and birds. Sometimes huge groups of squirrel monkeys join families of capuchin monkeys to look for food. Howler monkeys also like to spend the late afternoon around the lagoon and you can hear their tremendous calls echoing on the lake. We may even see the famous pygmy marmoset, which is the smallest monkey in the world. More wildlife that can be seen include the Hoatzin, a famous bird with a very strange appearance and adaptations, toucans, macaws, and many other species of birds.

This evening you have the option of a night walk, where we give you the chance to enjoy the creatures and sounds of the Amazon Jungle at night. Sometimes we can see amazing things during this activity. Make sure that you bring a flashlight for this fantastic experience. Our manager will provide you with all the necessary information about your departure procedure for the next morning before you enjoy your final dinner at the lodge. 

AM: Per your briefing the night before, you will have an early wake-up call, breakfast and departure from the lodge. The lodge staff will assist you with your checked luggage and the motorized canoe ride will head upstream back to Coca, where our representatives will take you to the airport to help you with your checked luggage and boarding passes.