Napo Wildlife Center

AM: Departing from Quito, a 30-minute flight to Coca will bring you over the eastern Andes mountain range. After landing during the mid-morning, a 5 min transfer will take you to “La Mision” Port, where you will embark on a comfortably covered motorboat. Here we will ride along the Napo River for about 2 hours while enjoying a box lunch and coffee, which is provided en route. 

PM: Along the way, you will have opportunities to spot birds like herons, kingfishers, and others. After arriving at Napo Wildlife Center’s entry dock, we disembark for a short break and to visit the restroom. Next, we take you on a majestic and peaceful 2-hour paddle canoe ride surrounded by trees and wildlife, paddling along a narrow creek that connects to the lake where the lodge is located.

There will be chances to see some species of monkeys as well as large birds like toucans, parrots, or even macaws. Late afternoon arrival to Napo Wildlife Center with an overwhelming view of the Añangu Lake will be accompanied by a welcome drink followed by a briefing from the local manager.

AM: Wake up for an early breakfast and an early start to reach the most accessible parrot clay licks in Ecuador, about 1 hour away from the lodge. Guests reach this destination just before parrot activity kicks off at the clay lick between 7:30 - 8:30 am to ensure the best viewing experience. A total of 11 species of parrots, parakeets, and macaws can be seen on a daily basis. Many other animals also visit on a less frequent basis. 

PM: Later, hike along a forest trail to visit the Kichwa Community of Añangu and share time with a family on one of their many activities. Enjoy lunch at Napo Cultural Center, where you share with people of the Kichwa community. Then return to the creek and hike through a Terra Firme Forest for about 30 minutes until we arrive at the second parrot clay lick. If the weather conditions permit, we will be able to find different species of parrots, parakeets, and even macaws.

When you arrive back at the lodge during the late afternoon or early evening, a delicious dinner will be awaiting you.

AM: After another early breakfast, we leave the lodge to experience an amazing view of the rainforest from a 36-meter tall canopy tower, a great way to see the hustle and bustle of life above ground level. This is the second tower at the Napo Wildlife Center, located about 30 minutes from the lodge deep within the Terra Firme forest. As you ascend the 12-floor tower, you pass through different levels of the forest and emerge at the top of a huge Ceiba tree.

Flocks of colorful tanagers pass right through the canopy of the tree. Blue-and-yellow macaws fly past while, in nearby trees, adorable spider monkeys search for fruit. Two species of large toucans call in the early mornings and afternoons, and the life of the forest canopy is laid out before you. Birds that are virtually impossible to see from the forest floor far below are suddenly right beside you, usually oblivious to your presence. The canopy tower opens a whole new world to guests of the Napo Wildlife Center! 

PM: Lunch is served at the lodge. Your afternoon can include discovering another Terra Firme trail, where we hike along primary forest to see the forest interior, possibilities of finding lizards, colorful manakins, or the unique and endemic Golden-mantled tamarin monkey. After the hike, explore the lake and creeks in a dugout canoe and enjoy a likely chance meeting with our local Giant otter family on the way.

AM: Your last day will entail an early departure and final 2-hour excursion canoeing back to the Napo River. The creek may reveal new sights of giant otters, monk saki monkeys, and rare birds along the way. Once we have reached the river, you will transfer to the motorized canoe to return the way you came. You will arrive in Coca after an approximately 2-hour boat ride to check-in for your Coca – Quito flight. Precise schedule to be announced according to departure details and arrangements. 

AM: This morning we will take a short flight from Quito to the town of Coca, lasting about half an hour. A short drive from the airport to "La Mision", the main port of Coca, will bring you to "the gateway to the Amazon" where Francisco de Orellana set sail in 1541.  

Our method of transportation will now be a comfortably covered canoe powered by twin outboard motors where we can enjoy a box lunch and coffee provided en route. This craft will take us downstream on the Napo River for about 2.5 hours to the Napo Wildlife Center welcome station. 

PM: Here we will take a short break and make use of the facilities before transferring to smaller canoes that are used instead of motorized vehicles to maintain the pristine landscape and habitats. Over the next couple of hours, we will paddle you up Añangu Creek to the Napo Wildlife Center lodge, which is situated on the bank of a tranquil lake amid a vast tract of primary rainforest where hunting is prohibited. On this canoe ride, you have high chance of spotting wildlife! Various species of monkeys, as well as large birds like toucans, parrots, and even macaws, can be seen. 

AM: After a buffet breakfast, experience life above the forest floor by visiting the 36-meter canopy tower. This tower is located about 30 minutes from the lodge and deep within the forest. Get an excellent sample of the 600+ species of birds recorded so far, with a close look at colorful tanagers, macaws, toucans, flycatchers, and even spider or howler monkeys feeding themselves on the nearby trees. The canopy tower opens up a whole new and exciting world to the guests of the Napo Wildlife Center.

PM: Return to the lodge for a typical Ecuadorian lunch. After lunch, there are many options to choose from for your afternoon activity. Climb the central tower for birdwatching, go kayaking, or simply relax in your hammock if that's more your speed.

You may choose to hike through the marvelous Terra Firme forest to discover the ecology and the role of plants in the complex world of the Tropical Rain-Forest. Vines, ancient trees, bromeliads, and orchids stand out in this impressive natural garden. After the hike, explore the surrounding lake and creeks for the chance to run into a Giant otter family. A delicious dinner awaits you in our lodge restaurant at 7:30 pm.

AM: This morning we will visit the best parrot clay licks in Ecuador!! An early start will allow us to see different creatures while paddling downstream on the Añangu creek as far as the welcome area. Then, we take the motorboat for a 10-minute ride for a beautiful view of thousands of parrots such as the amazon-mealy, blue-headed, and orange–cheeked, among others who land at the natural river-side formation to eat some clay.

Later, we return to the welcome area and start a short hike to the parakeets' clay lick. Here hundreds of cobalt-winged parakeets remain crowded in the trees waiting for the most confident members of the flock to decide it's the best time to get minerals from the clay. Marvel as they all take turns landing at this clay lick in a flurry of color and sound. 

PM: Lunch at Napo Cultural Center. In the afternoon, visit the interpretation area to learn about the traditions of the ancestral Kichwa community of Añangu through song, dance, and conversation. Then head back to the lodge late in the afternoon. You will be welcomed back with a refreshing fruit drink, and dinner following at 7:30 pm.

AM: This morning we will hike along the Tiputini trail. Enjoy the mixture of Terra-Firma and swamp forests while searching for more wildlife such as golden-mantled tamarins, white-faced capuchin monkeys, two and three-toed sloths, pigmy squirrels, and maybe even a carnivore's tracks on the forest floor.

PM: We return to the lodge for lunch and a well-deserved rest. In the afternoon, paddle canoes will take you deeper into areas of the surrounding creeks with more possibilities of seeing unique wildlife like the hoatzin. After dinner, we can all discuss and share our experiences of the community and Napo Wildlife Center.

AM: Early breakfast and last excursion canoeing back to the Napo River. The creek may reveal new sights of giant otters, monk saki monkeys, black-capped donacobius, and other birds. The motorized canoe will take you back to Coca for the flight back to Quito.

AM: Departing from Quito, a 30-minute flight will take you to the jungle town of Coca. Here the real adventure begins! After landing, our staff members will drive you to the Orellana port, where you'll get on board a motorized canoe that will take us to the welcoming area of the Napo Wildlife Center. During the 2 hour ride, you will have the opportunity to see some aquatic birds and nature surrounding the Napo River.

Upon arriving at the Napo Cultural Center, guests are welcomed with a nice and refreshing traditional drink and then shown to their cabins with stunning views of the wilderness and natural gardens bordering the lodge. Once settled into your new home located in the Kichwa Añangu community, you can discover what real life is like in the Amazon rainforest.

PM: In the afternoon, you can join us on a short walk to the Napo riverbank to enjoy a beautiful sunset on the beaches and natural islands of the Napo riverbank. Then, we'll return to the lodge to have a delicious traditional typical dinner at the restaurant. You are welcome to see how the meals are cooked by the chef since the kitchen area is open to visitors.

Optional: We get up early at 4:30 am, before the sun rises, to participate in one of the most ancient customs of the Kichwa Añangu community. The wayusa tea ceremony will energize the body and then follows the ritual of listening to Kichwa songs and meditating about life and important issues peacefully. Dream interpretation by the elders is possible.

AM: After a buffet-style breakfast at the restaurant, we'll visit the Canopy Observation Tower which proves to be a place where you'll experience life in the jungle atop the trees. The 36-meter Canopy tower is about 30 minutes from the lodge and is rooted deep in the forest. A place unlike any other! Get a close-up view of colorful birds such as tanagers, toucans, macaws, parrots, flycatchers, and some monkey species. As spider or howler monkeys feed on the fruits and seeds found in the nearby trees, you can compare things like your own appetite or family dynamics. 

PM: After visiting the Canopy tower, we'll go to the Napo Wildlife Center to have a delicious local lunch at the lodge's restaurant. Enjoy features like a 360° view of the Añangu Lake and surrounding nature. After lunchtime, you can choose from the many options the Napo Wildlife Center offers you: relaxing on the hammocks, reading a book, or climbing the dining room observation tower for birdwatching.

In the afternoon, you'll go hiking through a stunning terra-firme forest where you will discover this complex ecosystem. Living in the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador are vines, orchids, bromeliads, ancient trees, and incredible animals such as insects, spiders, mammals, birds, and monkeys. After the hike, you'll ride on the surrounding creeks by paddle-canoe to explore the aquatic wildlife. Dinner at the lodge at about 7:30 pm.

AM: Get up early in the morning to visit the most stunning parrot clay licks in the Amazon Jungle of Ecuador! First, we will paddle downstream on the Añangu creek until reaching the Kichwa Añangu community. Then, after a 10-minute ride on a motorized canoe, we'll arrive at the parrot clay licks where hundreds of magnificently colorful birds gather to lick the minerals contained in the soil that help them to digest the fruits and seeds that make up their diets. 

A short walk brings us to the parakeets' clay lick next. See hundreds of parakeets atop the trees waiting for the best time to eat the minerals and salt contained in the soil. Hungry ourselves by now, we will enjoy lunch that will be served riverside in the welcoming area. 

PM: In the afternoon, we'll visit the Interpretative Centre where the women of the community will welcome you. Learn about their customs and traditions while you enjoy the community's typical rituals and dances. Late in the afternoon, we'll go back to the Napo Wildlife Center lodge to have dinner and rest up for the next day's adventure.

AM: This morning we'll explore the terra-firme and swamp forests of the Tiputini trail in search of more wildlife such as monkeys, snakes, two and three-toed sloths, squirrels, and exotic plants and trees typical of the Tropical forest. 

PM: Then, we'll go back to the lodge to have lunch and rest in the rooms or the social areas. And in the afternoon, we'll paddle around in the surrounding creeks to explore the waters of Amazonia to meet with more unique wildlife.

Back to the lodge for another excellent meal. After dinner time, our staff members will play a video about the Kichwa Añangu community and the Napo Wildlife Center.

AM: After an early breakfast, we'll go the way we came back to Coca city. In this last excursion upstream on the Napo River, you may see some new sights of the Amazonia flora and fauna.

AM: A 30 minute flight from Quito to Coca over the eastern Andes mountain range is the beginning of this fantastic experience. After landing, a short 5 minute drive will bring you to the Coca port where you will take a comfortable covered motorboat ride along the Napo River. Approximately 2 hours later, and after spotting some birds along the way, we arrive at Napo Wildlife Center's first welcoming area which is complete with restroom facilities. 

PM: After arriving at Napo Wildlife Center's welcoming area, we will switch watercraft and take a magical and peaceful 2 hour dugout-canoe ride along a narrow creek where motorized vehicles are prohibited. The Añangu stream connects to the lake where the lodge is located. Along the way, we'll see our first hoatzins and get a taste for the diversity of the region, with birds perhaps including rufescent tiger-heron, sungrebe, red-bellied macaw, and green-and-rufous kingfisher. We reach our final destination by arriving at the lodge in the late afternoon. Enjoy your first night at the Napo Wildlife Center lodge. 

Please Note: These days can be extended as required by passengers.

AM-PM: One or two mornings, we will visit the very sturdy canopy tower which offers privileged access to a world apart from the rest of the rainforest. Three full days or more will only scratch the surface of the full range of avifauna in western Amazonia. Get a feel for the complexity of precious habitats and microhabitats within easy reach of the lodge. 

Flocks of oropendolas, aracaris, tanagers, and euphonias roam the canopy in search of fruit. Spangled and plum-throated cotingas sing from the treetops while raptors perch on vantage points to dry off in the morning sun. White-browed purpletufts and crowned slaty flycatchers compete for insects, numerous parrots and macaws fly by or drop in if there is a fruiting tree nearby, and many other species wander past (and through!) the towering tree.

Good forest trails offer access to another component of the avifauna with woodcreepers, antbirds, and tinamous are particularly well represented. We should be able to encounter the vocally striking screaming piha and the visually striking black-necked red cotinga. Keep your eyes peeled, cameras charged, and binoculars at the ready.

Please Note: These days can be extended as required by passengers.

AM-PM: One or two mornings, we will visit the very sturdy canopy tower which offers privileged access to a world apart from the rest of the rainforest. Three full days or more will only scratch the surface of the full range of avifauna in western Amazonia. Get a feel for the complexity of precious habitats and microhabitats within easy reach of the lodge. 

Flocks of oropendolas, aracaris, tanagers, and euphonias roam the canopy in search of fruit. Spangled and plum-throated cotingas sing from the treetops while raptors perch on vantage points to dry off in the morning sun. White-browed purpletufts and crowned slaty flycatchers compete for insects, numerous parrots and macaws fly by or drop in if there is a fruiting tree nearby, and many other species wander past (and through!) the towering tree.

Good forest trails offer access to another component of the avifauna with woodcreepers, antbirds, and tinamous are particularly well represented. We should be able to encounter the vocally striking screaming piha and the visually striking black-necked red cotinga. Keep your eyes peeled, cameras charged, and binoculars at the ready.

Please Note: These days can be extended as required by passengers.

AM-PM: One or two mornings, we will visit the very sturdy canopy tower which offers privileged access to a world apart from the rest of the rainforest. Three full days or more will only scratch the surface of the full range of avifauna in western Amazonia. Get a feel for the complexity of precious habitats and microhabitats within easy reach of the lodge. 

Flocks of oropendolas, aracaris, tanagers, and euphonias roam the canopy in search of fruit. Spangled and plum-throated cotingas sing from the treetops while raptors perch on vantage points to dry off in the morning sun. White-browed purpletufts and crowned slaty flycatchers compete for insects, numerous parrots and macaws fly by or drop in if there is a fruiting tree nearby, and many other species wander past (and through!) the towering tree.

Good forest trails offer access to another component of the avifauna with woodcreepers, antbirds, and tinamous are particularly well represented. We should be able to encounter the vocally striking screaming piha and the visually striking black-necked red cotinga. Keep your eyes peeled, cameras charged, and binoculars at the ready.

AM: Today we will make the journey back along the Añangu stream after breakfast, and head back up the Napo River to Coca for your return flight to Quito.