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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 relaxing morning, we will explore the Napo
River banks and Tropical river islands in
quest of birds like the ornamental 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)
and 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.)
END OF SERVICES
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