Down to earth holidays

Description

You might think that a four night holiday in an eco-lodge in the middle of the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest could really only offer a limited chance for fun, interest and excitement. Think again! 

Yachana Lodge is different and really offers you a unique Amazon jungle experience. If you are wanting a rainforest holiday where the only or prime focus is seeing lots of wildlife and forest mammals, well we’d have to say that this is not the jungle trip for you. There are better places if that is your focus, and our tailor made team at Tribes will gladly help you consider these options.  However, if you‘re looking for a taste of the Amazon rainforest in all its glory, including the interaction of local people and the forest, then this IS for you.

This does not mean that we won’t go looking for the wildlife. Of course we will. But the essence of this Amazon trip is learning to experience and appreciate the rainforest in diverse and fun ways, whether that is on a hike through the jungle or swimming in the river, learning how to make a basket out of leaves or even learning how to cook a traditional jungle dish. The interaction with the largely indigenous staff in the lodge plus the local people nearby who enjoy showing visitors their rainforest, make this a really memorable experience.

All this, plus Yachana is an ecotourism project that really works (read more under responsible travel). This holiday combines very well with a Galapagos cruise and also our Andean Life & Nature.

 

 

Detailed Itinerary

1. DAY 1: Arrive in Quito. You will be met on arrival and transferred to your guest house. Free afternoon to recover from the flight and get used to the altitude.
   
   
2. DAY 2: This morning you will be taken to the airport for your 30 minute flight to Coca. From here there is a 2½ hour boat ride along the Rio Napo to Yachana Lodge. FB.
   
   
3. DAYS 3-5: Your time at Yachana Lodge will be spent enjoying a whole range of rainforest activities. The types of activities on offer include:  visiting a traditional healer for a cleansing ceremony; guided rainforest hikes to discover native plants and wildlife; birdwatching; visiting the Protected Forest; night hikes to see the nocturnal life of the forest; swimming in the river; taking dugout canoe rides; relaxing in your hammock; making a pottery bowl; weaving a basket; visiting the butterfly house; touring the organic farm, the health clinic and the school; trying your hand at panning for gold; taking jungle cooking lesson. FB.
   
   
4. DAY 6: Boat and flight back to Quito, where this trip ends. (Please ask for any extra services you require depending on what else you’d like to do, or when your flight home departs).B.

Is it for you?

This is an excellent introduction to the Amazon rainforest. It offers diverse activities and you’ll come away with a love of and appreciation for the jungle. Children are welcome too, but bear in mind that whilst this is classed as a low risk area, it is still a malarial area.

Best times to go

Yachana's rainy season is July/August. The driest season for the Andean regions is from about late May to early October.

Getting there

You will need to fly into Quito. We can advise you and buy flights for you as necessary. It is unlikely that many travellers will only do this short trip, so we assume that most people will link this with other areas of Ecuador or Peru. We can arrange extra nights in Quito or elsewhere are required.

Responsible Travel

How your holiday helps:
Yachana Lodge has rightly won accolades from lots of prestigious associations and conservation organizations, including 2008 winner of the National Geographic & Ashoka Changemakers award; Smart Voyager certification (2007) for “protection of the environment, social mission, treatment of its employees and working with established procedures in management, safety and service”; the Tourism for Tomorrow Award (2006) for best ecotourism project investing in people, and the Skal Ecotourism Award (2007) for best tourism project working in education. The list goes on …
The profits from Yachana Lodge and Yachana Gourmet (fair trade rainforest chocolate products) go to the Yachana Foundation which is involved in geotourism, education (they run a rainforest high school teaching tourism, sustainable agriculture, forest and wildlife management and environmentally sustainable micro-enterprises), agriculture, health (a medical centre), income generation and technical assistance.
This is a lodge which really works – for the visitor, for the local people and for the flora and fauna of the region.

Carbon Offsetting :
For every client we take on holiday we plant 10 indigenous tree saplings. This is used as a poverty alleviation and biodiversity scheme as well as helping with carbon offsetting. Click for more details …

Giving to grassroots projects:
Our registered charity, The Tribes Foundation, is currently raising funds for a project in Ecuador. The kindness of strangers can make a big difference, so if you’re a travel philanthropist considering donating to a worthwhile charity, please consider backing this excellent community project.

Conservation in Action is an Ecuadorian charity which was set up with the aim of contributing to the protection of the threatened cultures and natural environment of the Amazon region. It supports those communities already working to defend their cultural and environmental integrity. They work towards this goal through political, technical and economic assistance designed to strengthen and demonstrate respect for indigenous culture, conserve biodiversity and contribute to community-managed sustainable development programs.

We will shortly have a page with photos of the school on www.the-tribes-foundation.org.

Shop ethically:
If you support buying fair trade, ethical and organic goods, please take a look at our online ethical shop for books, maps, travel gadgets, first aid kits etc before you travel. This is also a great place to find organic goodies and handmade crafts, many made in the countries and areas that we visit.

FOR MORE GENERAL DETAILS ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL PRINCIPLES, CLICK HERE.

Comments

Trip Code: EC3

Validity: 1-3-09 to 31-12-09

Individual Trip Dates & Prices

2+ people can take this holiday on most Thursdays of the year, subject to availability. Please call us to check availability.

Prices:
1 March to 31 December 09 : from £830 pp.

Pricing notes: 

• Prices are based on twin share, excluding flights.
• Please ask about child rates (if available) and single supplements.
• Exchange rate fluctuations may affect these prices (see our Booking Conditions).

Duration: 6 days

Included
Airport meet & greet, 1 night B&B in Quito, 4 nights full board at Yachana, flight and transfers from Quito –Yachana-Quito, activites at Yachana.

Not Included
International flights, tips, insurance, visas, items of a personal nature, drinks.