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Tour
Description: The
Manatee Amazon Explorer is the ideal vessel to explore the Rivers, Lakes
and Rainforest of the Amazon basin in Ecuador. This exploration trip is a
once in a lifetime opportunity to visit one of the remotest areas of the
Amazon. During the entire river program you will be accompanied by knowledgeable
Naturalist guides who will explain about the rivers and lakes,
the flora and fauna, the
locals and natives living along the rivers and their fascinating cultures
all while traveling in comfort on board this great vessel.
A day on the Manatee Amazon Explorer begins with breakfast
followed by a morning excursion by motorized canoe or by
foot. At times the guides will invite you for a
pre-breakfast excursion to take advantage of characteristics
of a specific area. Most mornings there will be an excursion
into the forest or along the waters in search of birds and
animals or to explore the forest. Lunch will be served on board (most days) followed
by yet another excursion for more exploration. In the evenings there will be
briefings by the guides who will follow up on the days'
activities and give
conferences on the flora, fauna and cultures of the area.
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Day 1
QUITO - FRANCISCO DE
ORELLANA (COCA) - AMAZON: Flight / Manatee Amazon Explorer / Napo
River / Yasuni National Park
AM - Depart from Quito in the morning (08:30 am)
on your flight to Francisco de Orellana (Coca), arriving at Coca at around 09:00.
The guides of the
Manatee Amazon Explorer will be waiting for you at
the airport to assist you with luggage and provide the transfer to the
port on the Napo River. From here you will board a motorized canoe
for a two hour ride downstream. During this scenic trip the guides will provide you with a box lunch and important
information about the region. Arrive at the vessel around noon.
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PM - Check into your cabin
on the Manatee Amazon Explorer
while we start navigating down the Napo River. As the vessel
continues to sail the entire afternoon we have time to relax, get to know the
onboard amenities and meet our fellow passengers on this trip. Enjoy
the changing sceneries of the Amazon rainforest on both sides of the vessel.
EVE - As the night falls we get our first live experience
with the Ecuadorian Amazon basin. All excursions during the entire
trip depend on the water levels of the rivers and lakes, which
fluctuate from season to season, climatic conditions, wildlife
behavior and accessibility to a location. We will disembark and
the guides will take us on
either a night hike through the forest or a canoe ride alongside the
shores of the rivers and lakes in search of nocturnal wildlife.
Dinner and overnight onboard.
(L, D.)
Day 2
AMAZON: Yasuni National
Park visit - Border with Peru
AM - Wake up in the middle of the Amazon
rainforest and be amazed by the sounds and sights at sunrise. After
breakfast we will disembark and by motorized canoe we explore one of the fantastic
tributaries of the Napo River that comes from the core of the Yasuní National
Park. We will slowly navigate upstream in search of the evasive
Giant River Otter and the timid Spider Monkey. Keep your cameras and
binoculars handy as we never know what and when we will see in the
forest and on the shores.
PM - Lunch will be served on board after our return from the excursion.
The Manatee will continue its
navigation down the Napo river to arrive near the international boundary with Peru.
EVE - In the evening hours there will be an excursion into
the Yasuní National Park where we will look for Capybaras, Caimans,
night birds and other wildlife. We may stay camping overnight to enjoy
the jungle at night.
(B, L, D.)
Day 3
AMAZON: Peruvian border & Cuyabeno
Wildlife Reserve
AM - After breakfast we leave the Manatee
for a morning excursion to observe the amazing Flora and Fauna of
the area. Our Naturalist guides will explain and teach us about the
plants, birds and wildlife
in the Yasuní National Park.
PM - The Manatee will navigate into the Aguarico
River, the largest tributary of the Napo River to get through the Cuyabeno
Wildlife Reserve, one of the highlights of our exploration. On our
way to Cuyabeno we will stop and make a visit at a Peruvian town where
we have a chance to meet local people.
EVE - Dinner and overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)
 Day 4
AMAZON: Cuyabeno Wildlife
Reserve - The Forest Dwellers
AM & PM - Today we will spend the entire
day at an Indian Community and its surroundings. Our visit will give as an idea of how
indigenous people live in the forest. At the community, a local guide,
accompanied by our expedition leaders, will enlighten us with the use
of plants for medicinal use and other purposes. After a walk we
stop at a local house where these true forest dwellers will bring into
the light their way of life and traditions. This will be an opportunity
to buy handicrafts made by the local people. There will be plenty of
traditional food and hospitality during the day.
EVE - Dinner and overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)
Day 5
AMAZON: Cuyabeno Wildlife
Reserve - Lagartococha
AM & PM - The remote area where we arrive
today is only accessible through the Lagarto (Alligator)
River, a black water river surrounded by freshwater mangroves (Coussapoa
trinervia), Macrolobium trees, and Palm trees adapted to flooding conditions.
Lagartococha (Alligator Lake) is not one but a system of lakes situated
along the Ecuadorian-Peruvian boundary.
This black water system is the home of the legendary Pink River Dolphins,
River Turtles, Black Caimans and the enigmatic Amazon Manatee. Moreover,
if we look at the vegetation on the shores, we may well see Red Howler
Monkeys, Three-toed Sloth, the leaf-eating bird locally known as Stinky
Turkey (Hoatzin) and other wildlife. The canoe trip upstream will reveal
the overwhelming beauty of this aquatic region.
EVE - Dinner and overnight on board or an
overnight in the forest could be arranged.
(B, L, D.)
Day 6
AMAZON: Navigation and
exploration along the Napo River
AM - As from this morning we have
reached the most distant point of our journey and we will begin the return to where we
initially boarded
the Manatee for the first time. There will be navigation
throughout most of the day so there will be plenty of time to relax and observe the Napo River banks,
the forest and perhaps some wildlife.
PM - Late in the afternoon, after a relaxed
morning, we will explore the Napo River banks and tropical river
islands in quest of birds like the ornamented Umbrella Bird, the
colorful Blue-Gray Tanagers, Kingbirds, Social Flycatchers and many
more.
EVE - Dinner and overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)
Day 7
AMAZON: Navigate the Napo
River -
Pañacocha
(Piranha Lake) Protected Forest
AM & PM - We will continue
to navigate upstream to arrive at the mouth of
the Pañayacu (Piranha River). After arrival, there will be a
canoe trip through the Piranha River to see the sights of this interesting
protected forest. There is a possibility to observe Pink River Dolphins,
the agile Common Squirrel Monkeys and much more.
The Piranha Lake area, contrary to Lagartococha, is an ecosystem flooded
by white waters. The rivers and lakes of this place are perfect habitat
for the infamous Piranha, the Water Monkey Fish (Arawana) and White
Caimans.
EVE - On this last evening there will be an
optional excursion to explore the forest and river banks. Farewell
dinner and overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)
Day 8
AMAZON - FRANCISCO DE
ORELLANA (COCA) - QUITO: Yasuni National Park - CICAME museum -
Flight
AM - The Manatee Amazon Explorer will arrive to the point were we started
our adventure. In the early morning we will visit the most accessible Parrot
and Parakeet clay licks in Ecuador. There are blinds or hides to watch
and enjoy this nature show from really up close. It is difficult to imagine hundreds,
sometimes thousands of parrots and parakeets coming all together at
once into the clay licks. This area is located inside of the Yasuní
National Park.
PM - Early afternoon visit of CICAME Archeological Museum that preserves
pottery from the Omagua Culture, one of the first forest pre-Columbian
residents of the Napo River basin. After the visit continue to the
city of Coca to take the flight back to Quito.
(B, L.)
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