Day 1: Quito - Coca - Napo River
Afternoon departure from Quito. A short 30-minute flight takes you to the frontier town of Coca (Francisco de Orellana) and transfer to the Río Napo port where you will embark on a motorised canoe and navigate down river for about 1 hour to board the M/V Anakonda. Along the way you will have a chance to admire the rainforest landscape and banks of the great Napo River. Immediately after boarding, the M/V Anakonda will start navigating downstream, a great opportunity for observing from the sundeck the amazing flora and fauna of the region. After dinner, enjoy an optional nocturnal walk into the forest to discover the mysteries of this unique environment and see how life emerges in the dark right before your eyes.
Day 2: Visiting the Panacocha Biological Corridor
We will continue our navigation downstream to the Pañayacu River delta; take a canoe trip up the river to experience the sights of this fascinating reserve. We will seek out Pink River Dolphins, Common Squirrel Monkeys and much more. Pañacocha (Piranha Lake, in Quechua) is an ecosystem flooded by white waters. The rivers and lakes here are the perfect habitat for the infamous Piranha, as well as the Water Monkey Fish (Arawana) and White Caiman. After a refreshing swim (for the courageous!), we will enjoy a delicious Amazon-style BBQ meal and refreshing beverages at a nearby camping site. In the afternoon, we will head out on exploration trails, and return on-board for dinner.
Day 3: Parrots Clay Licks - Observation Tower
This morning, we will set out on canoes to observe one of the most incredible sights on this side of the Western Amazon – the Parrot Clay Licks. This unique place is rich in minerals and attracts hundreds of colourful parrots, parakeets and amazon birds, every day.
Later, we will visit a Quechua Cultural Centre, where we will learn about Amazon communities and their ancestral culture, traditions, and cuisine. Members of the local community will teach us about indigenous lifestyles along the Napo River and we will have the opportunity to support the local community by purchasing handicrafts, local products, and souvenirs.
Before sunset, we will visit an observation tower in the rainforest canopy, which offers an astonishing 360-degree view of the Amazon basin and is the perfect photo opportunity! Birdwatchers and bird-lovers alike will especially enjoy this outing.
Day 4: Indillama & Napo River - Yasuni National Park
Today you have the option to kayak trough one of the Napo River’s effluents that goes into the Yasuni National Park, the Indillama River. Great excursions for wildlife observation, kayaks are great silent vehicles to flow down river.
Or you can choose to go in a canoe ride in search of more wildlife through the Napo River. It’s up to you!
Day 5: Border with Peru
After a delicious breakfast we will disembark to visit one of the local family homes. During the visit, we will have the opportunity of meeting representative members of the Amazonian community, learning from their culture, talents and ways of life. We will understand how these giving and joyful people live, utilize and protect their resources, and how the cherish the fragility of their ecosystem.
After lunch, the Anakonda continues navigation towards one of the most pristine black-water systems of the Amazon Basin, home to legendary Pink River Dolphins, Black Cayman and the enigmatic Amazonian Anaconda. We may also spot river turtles and a series of monkey species such as the Black-mantled Tamarin, Red Howler or Squirrel Monkeys, as well as Three-toed Sloths and the primitive Hoatzin, a bizarre bird locally called ‘Stinky Turkey’ (Pavo Hediondo). The canoe trip upstream will reveal the overwhelming beauty of this aquatic jungle world.
Day 6: Meeting the Community - Activities on Board - Island Exploration
Breakfast on board. We visit a school located on the banks of the Napo River, where we will have the opportunity to interact with children of the area and learn about the educational system of a remote jungle community in Ecuador.
We return on board the M/V Anakonda for lunch and a moment to relax while we navigate upstream. We will offer a lecture and documentary screening, and if time permits, learn about (and make) typical handicrafts of the area. In the afternoon, we explore one of the largest river islands of the Napo River
Day 7: Forest Adventure & Observation Tower
Our guests can relax and enjoy the M/V Anakonda Amazon Cruises during the morning and disembark to explore the nearby forest for a walk to discover a myriad of different animals and plant species that can only be found in the Amazon basin.
In the afternoon, we will visit a canopy tower, built against a giant Kapok tree. The perspective at the top of this observation tower is truly glorious, looming above the lush treetops and providing a view of the sheer vastness of the Amazon Basin.
In the evening, we will bravely venture into the river on a canoe to search for black caimans with the help of our flashlights.
Day 8: Coca - Quito
We head back to the city of Coca to take the morning flight back to Quito. The canoe ride upstream takes around one hour.
