◇ At the Quito International Airport, you will be met by one of our La Selva representatives in the National Departure area. Where 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 takes you to our office located along the Napo River pier in a private vehicle. 

The next two and a half hours will be spent in a motorized canoe heading down river on what will be the beginning of an unforgettable experience in the Amazon rainforest. We will provide you a box lunch and extra drinks for this part of the trip. 

The manager will be waiting to greet you with a refreshing beverage, snacks, and a short briefing about your stay at La Selva. 

◇ In the morning, After a 15-minute walk, the observation tower comes into sight, soaring an impressive 120 ft above the forest floor. Your Naturalist and Native guides, with the help of a sighting scope, will show to you colorful birds enjoying the canopy and maybe even certain primates. After another 30-minute walk from the tower, we reach Mandi Cocha. 

This small lake boasts different vegetation and landscapes, displaying the beauty of the flooded forest. With a little bit of luck, our guests might spot the famous giant otters that make their home nearby. This endangered species is difficult to find, but during this visit there’s a chance we might see them! 

◇ In the afternoon: Garza Cocha Lake, this lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in the Ecuadorian Amazon. This is one of several opportunities to spot several 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 lake. 
The hoatzin, a large unique bird found only in pristine Amazon environments, is very easy to spot. 

◇ In the night, All you need is a flashlight and your camera to see the jungle come alive at night. Amphibians, insects, reptiles, birds, and nocturnal mammals may be seen wherever your guides take you. 

◇ In the morning, After an early breakfast, you will make your way back to the Napo River and take a motorized canoe ride to the clay lick, 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 really capture the moment. 

◇ At the indigenous community of Pilchi you will learn about how the first nations of the Amazon lived dating back thousands of years, including how they dress, what they eat, how they cook, and the many ways they use what the forest provides in their daily lives – a truly unique, fascinating, and fun experience! 

Don’t be shy to ask them questions and be brave to try some of the traditional drinks and food! they love to share their ancestral knowledge and spread awareness about their culture and where they live.

◇ In the afternoon, Coto Tail is a fantastic walk that takes from the lodge to the edge of the Garza Cocha Lagoon. The light from the sun makes of this walk and amazing experience and the perfect opportunity to enjoy of the beauty of this amazing forest. 

Your naturalist is going to explain to you about all the creatures that you find, and our native guide will show to you some of the medicinal plants that they have been using from hundreds and even thousands of years. A canoe ride back to the lodge makes a fantastic ending for this activity. 

◇ In the morning, the Yasuní National Park is the largest protected area in Ecuador. On this adventure, we’ll visit a different clay lick where scarlet macaws and other species of parrots congregate to drink the sodium-rich water. You might even see mammals such as deer, wild pigs and even tapirs who come to drink water here! 

Afterward, there’s a nice walk through this incredible forest where you might find other species of primates that are unique to this area. The Yasuní National Park is also the home of the last uncontacted indigenous tribe of our country – but as they’re uncontacted, we won’t see them! 

◇ In the afternoon, the main creek that feeds into the Garza Cocha Lake is a beautiful place to paddle through. You will see the difference between the Terra Firme Forest and the swamp forest also known as moretal. Morete is one of the dominant species of plants in this ecosystem. 

This extremely tall palm is very important to many different species of animals and for the indigenous communities that use its fruit as an important source of energy.  

◇ Our manager will provide you with all of the necessary information about the departure procedure for the next morning, and our bartender will offer you a delicious farewell cocktail. 

◇ Embark on a captivating city tour of Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its well-preserved historic center.

◇ Explore Independence Square, marvel at the Church of La Compañia de Jesus and the church and monastery of San Francisco, savor a chocolate tasting, and venture to the Middle of the World for unique experiments and cultural insights.

◇ Discover the Equator Monument and Museo Etnográfico before visiting the Intiñan Museum, all culminating in an enriching journey back to your hotel.

◇ In the morning, the first spot to be visited is Kicker Rock, an impressive geological formation due to erosion. This is a nesting place of sea birds and a nice spot to take pictures while the vessels circumnavigate around the rock. 

The next attraction to see is Witch Hill, a tuff cone hill located south west from San Cristobal. This name comes from the Spanish name of the bird known in English as Vermilion Flycatcher. 

A dinghy ride will take passengers into amazing rock formations along the island shore. A white sand beach and crystal-clear waters are part of this enchanted location. Fantastic opportunity for snorkeling.  

◇ In the afternoon, you will be taken to Lobos Island, where a small population of blue-footed boobies, frigates, marine iguanas, and great frigate birds nesting can be observed. Snorkeling with sea lions in this calm bay is also part of the excursion. 

◇ Española Island will be explored today. You will have the chance to observe endemic wildlife such as the Hood-Mockingbird. This is the southernmost island in the Galapagos archipelago, and home to several wildlife species, including masked and blue-footed boobies. Spectacular views from the top of a cliff. 

In the morning, after breakfast, the first attraction to be seen is Gardner Bay that provides an excellent beach for swimming. Around the small islets nearby, snorkelers will find lots of fish and sometimes turtles and sharks. The bay is also frequented by colonies of sea lions which like to swim with you.  

Or visit the Osborn and Gardner islets that are amazing for underwater discovery. Snorkeling is a highlight on this visitor point. 

◇ In the afternoon, Point Suarez will be visited, which represents one of the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of species found along its cliffs and sand or pebble beach.  

◇ In the morning, after breakfast, Santa Fe Island will be visited, which is one of the most entertaining destinations for shore excursions in the Galapagos Islands. It has two trail choices for visitors, one of which takes you to the tallest Opuntia cactus in the Galapagos. While the other trail takes you into the highlands where land iguanas can be seen. After a long walk, the opportunity to swim in calm waters or snorkel with playful sea lions will be pretty tempting. 

◇ In the afternoon, visit the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, which is also known as Charles Darwin Research Station. This place has an information center, a museum, a library and a tortoise breeding station. In the tortoise breeding station, you can encounter tortoises of different subspecies, which are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats. The most popular inhabitant of this Station is probably the Lonesome George turtle, that already died in 2012. 

As part of your day, we will head towards the Highlands of Santa Cruz to admire the famous giant tortoises in the wild. It is impressive to see these endemic animals that give the name to the archipelago, Galapagos. Birdwatching is also one of the activities in the highlands, since this area is home of finches and other Galapagos birds. Finally we walk into lava caves to see the enormous lava flows that formed the islands before continuing back to the M/C Endemic.