4D/3N Getaway in the Ecuadorian Amazon

• Day 1: 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.
o 4:30 pm - Intro To The Rainforest One of the Naturalist Guides will give you 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 to.
o 5:00 pm - Matapalo Trail This trail was 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.
o 7:00 pm - Snacks At the bar you can find snacks and order cocktails from the bartender. Or, feel free to help yourself to limitless tea and coffee.
o 7:30 - Dinner Dinner will be served at this time. Find your seat and get comfortable while our waiters serve you each course.

• Day Two: Full Day of Activities
o 6:00 am - Wake Up Call
o 6:30 am – Breakfast
o 7:00 am - Observation Tower/Tucaneta or Mandi Forest 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. There is also the option of visiting the beautiful lagoon of Mandi Cocha. A hike of about 1 hour takes you to the lagoon where an Igapo Forest is present, meaning that the forest is temporarily flooded by black water. Different species of birds and even giant otters can be seen here.
o 1:00 PM – Lunch
o 4:30 pm - 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 been 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.
o 6:40 pm - Night Canoe Ride With the help of a spot light your guides will take you around the lagoon via canoe looking for nighttime wildlife. This is also a great opportunity for star gazing!
o 7:30 pm – Dinner

• Day Three: Full Day of Activities
o 6:00 am - Wake Up Call
o 6:30 am – Breakfast
o 7:00 - Parrot Clay Lick and Mandi Wasi 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 really 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 center 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 really get to learn more about the people of the Amazon.
o 1:00 pm – Lunch
o 4:30 pm- Garzacocha Lagoon and Ceiba Trail This is one of the most beautiful lagoons in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Here there are many chances to see monkeys and birds and sometimes families of squirrel monkeys join capuchin monkeys looking for food. The tremendous calls of the Howler monkeys can be heard in the afternoon and the smallest monkey in the world, the Pigmy Marmoset can be seen here too. Plenty of birds like the Hoatzin, toucans or macaws can also be seen flying overhead.
o 6:30 pm- Nocturnal Walk On a night walk 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 you bring a flashlight for this fantastic experience.
o 7:15 pm - Departure Briefing Our manager will provide you all the necessary information about your departure procedure for the next morning.
o 7:30 pm – Dinner

• Day Four: Departure Day
o 6:00 am - Wake Up Call
o 6:30 am – Breakfast
o 7:00 am - Departure for Coca In accordance to 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

Upon your arrival to the International Airport Mariscal Sucre in Quito, Ecuador, a La Selva representative will assist you through the check-in process for your 35 minute flight to the small town of Coca in El Oriente, or the Amazon. Once you are checked in you will receive a brief explanation as to what to expect for the rest of your trip until arrival. Upon landing at the airport in Coca, you will pass through baggage claim and then a La Selva representative will be waiting for you in order to lead you to the transportation that will ultimately take you to the river dock. Here a La Selva's motor canoe will be waiting for you to board with the guide and other La Selva representatives. You'll board with life jackets and along the way you'll be given a boxed lunch and there will be coolers filled with refreshing beverages to your liking. After this breathtaking ride down the river as your first introduction to the Amazon, staff will direct the motor canoe to La Selva's private boat landing. After you disembark there is a chance to use the restrooms and then from there La Selva staff will take care of all your luggage upon your arrival to the lodge. There is about a 10 minute walk to where more La Selva staff will be waiting your arrival in order to paddle you the rest of the way to the lodge in real authentic canoes made by the natives. This ride is about 20 minutes and finally opens up into the lagoon revealing La Selva Amazon Ecolodge & Spa on the other side.

At La Selva, your day is based on a wide variety of activities to your liking. One of these activities are daily excursions, on both land and water. Your group will always be accompanied by an English-speaking naturalist guide and indigenous guide while exploring the trails, lagoon and rivers of the Amazon rainforest in search of amazing wildlife. Among some of the activities La Selva has to offer are; birdwatching, hiking, observation tower, massages, canoe excursions, yoga by the water, and wildlife observation.

At La Selva we take great pride in the quality of the meals and beverages we present to our guests. Our talented chefs use fresh ingredients and local produce for daily meal preparation, promising a genuine experience in Ecuadorian and International gastronomy. It is our commitment to guests to be able to provide a memorable experience in the Amazon right down to the food and it is for this reason that we can accommodate any special diet whether a guest may be vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or kosher.