Birding & Photography Tours
Around 180 species can be seen on a 4-day trip, one of the most extensive lists in the world. Whether you travel by vehicle or plane, the guide will meet you in the town of Coca. This is just a sample itinerary; if you have a specific interest, we suggest you hire a private local Spanish-speaking or bilingual ornithological guide.
Day 1
A three-hour motor canoe trip down the largest Ecuadorian tributary of the Amazon, the Napo River. During the journey, various bird species, such as herons, egrets, and vultures, can be spotted while enjoying a packed lunch. The journey continues with a short walk to Challwacocha Creek, where you will board paddle canoes for a trip through the primary flooded forest home of these specialties:
• Cocha antshrike
• Dot- backed antbird
• Silver antbird
• Plumbeous antbird
• American pygmy kingfisher
• Rufescent tiger heron
• Capped heron
Upon arrival, you will be served a welcome cocktail and snacks, followed by an introductory talk about the lodge and its facilities before settling into your cabin.
The guide will explain the activities for the rest of the day. One option is to walk along the nearby trails or take a canoe ride. During these activities, you will be able to watch:
• Wattled jacana
• Least bittern
• Agami heron
• Green and rufous kingfisher
• White-chinned jacamar
• Hoatzin
• Red-bellied, Chesnut-fronted, Blue & yellow macaw
• Cobalt-wing parakeet
• Mealy Amazon
• Capped heron
• Neotropic cormorant
• Anhinga
• Ringed kingfisher
• Orange-winged parrot
• Pale-vented pigeon
• Lesser kiskadee
• Least bittern
• Cream-colored woodpecker
• Spot-breasted woodpecker
• Red-capped cardinal
Our chef offers a wide variety of national and international cuisine for dinner. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available.
The last activity of this busy day is a canoe ride to watch
• Common pauraque
• Common potoo
• Black-crowned night heron
• Boat-billed heron
Day 2
After breakfast, experience the bird life on the tree tops from the 36-meter (118 ft.) observation tower. Your leaders will paddle on the Challwacocha Lake for 30 minutes, followed by a 10-minute walk to get there. Over 590 species of birds have been registered so far, including colorful birds such as macaws, toucans, honeycreepers, tanagers, flycatchers, hummingbirds, and the rare Harpy Eagle.
Mixed groups include
• Turquoise, Flame-crested, Opal-rumped and Opal-crowned tanagers
• Golden & Orange-bellied euphonias
• Green & Purple honeycreepers
• Lemon-throated barbet
• Spangled & Plum throated Cotinga
• Great potoo
• Great jacamar
• Crested eagle
Once the treetop activity is over, we head down to spend the rest of the day in the understory, searching for antbirds and manakins.
• Lunulated antbird
• Fulvous antshrike
• Long-tailed potoo
• Wire-tailed manakin.
Lunch will be served at the lodge
More birding spots: The bar & three-storey dock
Have your binoculars handy to spot Silver-beaked tanager, Long-billed woodcreeper, Masked – crimson tanager, the infallible Hoatzin besides Yellow-rumped cacique, White-throated Toucan, Many- banded aracarí
We will walk on the Chorongo trail in the afternoon with the possibility to watch
• Brownish twisting
• Chestnut- belted gnateater
• Black-tailed leaftoser
• Thrush- like antpitta
• Wire-tailed manakin
• Blue-crowned manakin
• Screaming Piha
• Rusty- belted tapaculo
Day 3
After breakfast, depart to the Napo River to board the boat and visit the parrot-clay lick at Yasuní National Park for a beautiful view of hundreds of parrots searching for a gap to land to eat the earth. You will see Mealy Amazon, Yellow-crowned, Orange-winged, and Blue-headed parrots, besides Dusky-headed parakeets.
The other clay-lick is a cave where hundreds of Cobalt-winged parakeets ingest dissolved minerals in the water accumulated on the ground with the companion of Scarlet Macaw and Orange-cheeked parrot.
Another alternative is a hike south of the Napo inside Yasuní National Park, considered by scientists the most biodiverse area in the world; here, some species that cannot be found in the north might be spotted.
• White-plumed antbird
• Lunulated antbird
• Blue-backed Manakin
• Ochre-striped antpitta
• Chestnut-headed crake
• Yellow-billed jacamar
• Purplish jacamar
• Ash-throated gnateater
• Rio Suno Antwren
• Rufous-tailed Antwren
• Brown-backed Antwren
Another option is birding in the islands, searching for the outstanding
• Orange-backed troupial
• Olive- spotted hummingbird,
• Fuscous flycatcher,
• Black and White antbird,
• White-bellied & dark-breasted spinetails
• Orange-headed tanager
Return to the lodge in the late afternoon for dinner.
Day 4
After an early breakfast, take a final canoe ride through Chawllacocha Creek, accompanied by the Amazonian wildlife and the sunrise. Board the motor canoe on the Napo River to depart this magical land and arrive on time for the flight to Quito.
End of services!
The operator reserves the right to change the program without prior notice due to weather conditions, regulations beyond our control, or unforeseen circumstances.
Birding & Photography Tours
Flights
- One way USD 130
- Round trip USD 260
- Includes assistance at the airports
The rate includes:
- Accommodation
- Transfer Coca – Lodge – Coca
- English-speaking guide (Shared)
- Excursions
- Full board meals
The rate does not include:
- Air ticket Quito – Coca – Quito
- Personal expenses, drinks, tips
- Services not specified.
Important info
- Children under 12, get 50% off
- Prices are subject to change without previous notice
- Sani Lodge acts only as an intermediary with the airlines, it is not responsible for cancellations, delays made by the airline that might affect our itineraries.
