3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS
Day 1:
Arrival at Itamandi Ecolodge. We start our trip to Itamandi EcoLodge at the Arajuno bridge, where we will take a motorized canoe that goes upriver for 20 minutes to begin our great experience in the tropical forest. On this boat trip, you can appreciate the magic and beauty of the Amazon rainforest by traveling along a river that zigzags through the jungle like a giant snake, considered the main system of the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).
Once we arrive at the Itamandi EcoLodge pier area, our staff will welcome you. From there we will continue to relax in the lounge with a fresh tropical snack and a short briefing that will contain general information about the accommodation and activities, provided by one of our naturalist guides, and thus proceed to lunch.
Night walk (optional) A flashlight and camera are the most important tools on this nighttime excursion, allowing guests to hear and capture the nocturnal sounds of fishing bats, owls, some insects, tarantulas, toads, frogs, and possibly snakes. If the sky is clear, we could have the opportunity to observe a large number of stars. Dinner
Day 2:
Visit to the Clay Lick (according to the weather) Early in the morning we take a canoe ride for 15 upriver to visit the Saladero de Loros and appreciate a unique place where parrots and parakeets meet in order to obtain the minerals that will help them digest the fruits or seeds that have minutes consumed. Hundreds of parrots and parakeets will approach the treetops and then descend to the clay wall to eat this mineral rich soil. Binoculars are essential to enjoy this magnificent natural act.
Breakfast
After breakfast we go on a hike through the primary and secondary forest. This activity lasts about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
Lunch
Visit to the community In the afternoon it is time to enjoy a cultural activity. An Amazonian Kichwa community happened to us and we will learn about their way of life and the interaction they have with the forest. In this meeting, that part of the Amazon that is not found on maps will be shown: the Amazonian peoples in their daily lives. Part of our visit to the community consists of sharing the famous "chicha", a fermented yucca drink that has become part of their festivals and daily consumption. We are going to participate in the preparation of this drink and try some of the traditional dishes. We will end the visit with a traditional dance performed by the children of the community and we will also have time to buy some handicrafts made by the indigenous people of the area. This small company is very helpful in supporting the daily life of the indigenous peoples of the area.
Dinner
Day 3:
Breakfast
Departure and ride in a motorized canoe for 20 minutes to the Arajuno bridge.
4 Days / 3 Nights
Day 1:
Arrival at Itamandi Ecolodge. We start our trip to Itamandi EcoLodge at the Arajuno bridge, where we will take a motorized canoe that goes upriver for 20 minutes to begin our great experience in the tropical forest. On this boat trip, you can appreciate the magic and beauty of the Amazon rainforest by traveling along a river that zigzags through the jungle like a giant snake, considered the main system of the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).
Once we arrive at the Itamandi EcoLodge pier area, our staff will welcome you. From there we will continue to relax in the lounge with a fresh tropical snack and a short briefing that will contain general information about the accommodation and activities, provided by one of our naturalist guides, and thus proceed to lunch.
Night walk (optional) A flashlight and camera are the most important tools on this nighttime excursion, allowing guests to hear and capture the nocturnal sounds of fishing bats, owls, some insects, tarantulas, toads, frogs, and possibly snakes. If the sky is clear, we could have the opportunity to observe a large number of stars. Dinner
Day 2:
Visit to the Clay Lick (according to the weather) Early in the morning we take a canoe ride for 15 upriver to visit the Saladero de Loros and appreciate a unique place where parrots and parakeets meet in order to obtain the minerals that will help them digest the fruits or seeds that have minutes consumed. Hundreds of parrots and parakeets will approach the treetops and then descend to the clay wall to eat this mineral rich soil. Binoculars are essential to enjoy this magnificent natural act.
Breakfast
After breakfast we go on a hike through the primary and secondary forest. This activity lasts about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
Lunch
Visit to the community In the afternoon it is time to enjoy a cultural activity. An Amazonian Kichwa community happened to us and we will learn about their way of life and the interaction they have with the forest. In this meeting, that part of the Amazon that is not found on maps will be shown: the Amazonian peoples in their daily lives. Part of our visit to the community consists of sharing the famous "chicha", a fermented yucca drink that has become part of their festivals and daily consumption. We are going to participate in the preparation of this drink and try some of the traditional dishes. We will end the visit with a traditional dance performed by the children of the community and we will also have time to buy some handicrafts made by the indigenous people of the area. This small company is very helpful in supporting the daily life of the indigenous peoples of the area.
Dinner
Day 3:
Breakfast
Visit AmaZOOnico and Anaconda Island We take the canoe for around 40 minutes to visit "Anaconda Island". We can observe the prehistoric bird "Hoatzin", woolly monkeys, squirrel monkeys, just to name a few. We also visit a family in one of the indigenous communities to learn about their cultivation habits, medicinal plants, as well as the ancestral way of hunting with blowguns and handmade traps in the forest. On this trip a delicious box lunch will be provided.
After lunch we will head to the Amazoonico, which is protecting a number of different animals, some in danger of extinction. Amazónico is not a zoo, but a rescue center for Amazon animals in Ecuador. We can observe some animals in their natural environment at close range. After that we will return to Itamandi EcoLodge to enjoy the hotel facilities.
Dinner
Day 4:
Breakfast
Departure and ride in a motorized canoe for 20 minutes to the Arajuno bridge.
