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A Wildlife Explosion @ SACHA LODGE

By : Amy Hirschbach
Trip Begins March 29, 2009
Trip Ends April 3, 2009


See my photos : A Wildlife Explosion @ SACHA LODGE

Want to go? Sacha Lodge

I went to: Ecuador, Amazon, Quito, Sacha Lodge, Casa Aliso, Amazonas - Ecuador
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March 29, 2009
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Our arrival to Quito.

Casa Aliso, Quito

After a long day of flying----Missoula, MT, to Salt Lake City, to Dallas, to Atlanta, to Quito, Ecuador-----we arrived at San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito, the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. Quito is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains. With a population of 1,397,698 according to the last census, Quito is quite the metropolis.

We were greeted immediately at the airport by our Adventure Life Guide, Andres, who was fantastic. Andres welcomed us with hugs, gave us an overview of our departure to Sacha Lodge the following morning and dropped us off at our luxury boutique hotel, Casa Aliso. http://www.casaliso.com/

We drank tons of water at Casa Aliso, checked our email, watched a bit of Sports Center, and settled into our king-size feather bed. zzzzzzzzz.....zzzzzzzz.

March 30, 2009
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Breakfast, a short flight, and a river ride.

Sacha Lodge, Amazonas - Ecuador

The breakfast at Casa Aliso was AMAZING. Homemade yogurt, wonderful omelets, delicious Ecuadorian coffee, fresh fruit and juice got us off on the right foot.

We took a stroll around the neighborhood and then had a short flight to Coca, which is located at the junction of the Coca and Napo rivers, where we were picked up by Sacha Lodge staffers and transferred to a motorized canoe with the rest of the Sacha Lodge guests. The 2 hour trip down the Napo River was very exciting. We saw herons, kingfishers, spoonbills and ospreys on the river.

We eventually arrived at the trail head to Sacha Lodge, and were immediately greeted by 25-40 Squirrel Monkeys playing follow the leader! After a short hike, we jumped in dugout canoes which navigated narrow canals before entering the amazing lagoon around which Sacha Lodge is built.

We were welcomed with snacks and a tasty alcoholic beverage, before meeting our naturalist, being broken into small groups based on language and seeing our rooms.

March 31, 2009
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5:30 AM wakeup call and canopy walk

Sacha Lodge, Amazonas - Ecuador

Our dinner of Fillet Mignon, wonderful salads and a bevy of desserts, coupled with the sounds of the jungle, afforded a great night's sleep.

Morning came early, though, and after breakfast we headed on our first jungle hike, which lead to the canopy walk, a 940-foot-long suspension walkway 94 feet above the ground. We spent most of the morning spotting exotic birds, monkeys and sloths. Many of the folks in our group were hardcore birders and made notes of every bird seen. Of the 1600 bird species registered in Ecuador, 587 (37%) have been seen at Sacha Lodge. That's almost 7% of the species found in the entire world.

After lunch, we headed out in a dugout canoe to fish for Piranha. Interestingly, the men caught zero, while all of the women caught at least one. In the evening, we headed out on the water again and came into a storm of monkeys! Howlers, Squirrel, and and more!

April 1, 2009
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Yasuni Parrot Lick

Sacha Lodge, Amazonas - Ecuador

This day we headed to the Yasuni Parrot Lick. The lick is located on the edge of Yasuní National Park, a short canoe trip down the Napo River. Recently, the park service has set up blinds in order to watch the parrots. We saw dozens and dozens of different parrots. The cost of $20 per person for entrance into the National Park is well worth it.

One of the guys in our group only cared about seeing a Red Macaw, which did not make an appearance. We did end up seeing one two days later.

In the afternoon we lounged by the lagoon, had a few beers, and got to know some of our fellow travelers. The beers were 22 ounces and $2. Kaboom!

Dinner was a BBQ on the "Sun Deck" next to the lagoon. This was one of the highlights of the trip, for sure. The native guides joined us for dinner, and everyone had a good time. After dinner, we witnessed one of the most incredible thunder storms I've ever seen.

April 2, 2009
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Birder's paradise in 135-foot Kapok

Sacha Lodge, Amazonas - Ecuador

One of Sacha Lodge's original attractions is the famous 135-foot kapok observation tower. Situated on a hill and constructed around a giant kapok tree for stability, this tower allows guests another opportunity to climb into and above the rain forest canopy for a magnificent view of the surrounding area.

The morning was very misty, but we still had intimate encounters with an array of birds, howler monkeys, and even three-toed sloth. The guides carry around amazing telescopes to help spot wildlife.

That night we went out in a canoe to spot caimen. We saw a couple and got REALLY close to a 13-footer. Amy was scared to death.

April 3, 2009
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Canoe ride back to Quito, and a city tour.

Casa Aliso, Quito

After an amazing few days, we headed back to Quito for our final day in Ecuador. Andres was there to greet us at the airport. He took us on an unexpected tour of the Old City. The historic center of the city dates from its founding by Francisco Pizarro in 1534 and was declared the first world heritage site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization).

We toured the market and the President's Palace, while navigating narrow and winding cobblestone streets, magnificent churches and open squares.

The Metropolitan Cathedral, located in front of the Plaza of Independence, is one of the most important historical and architectural constructions in the center. Also important are the San Francisco church, the Compañía of Jesus, San Agustín, Santo Domingo, El Sagrario, La Merced, Carmen Bajo, San Sebastián, Santa Bárbara and San Blas.

Adventure Life's Andres was a fantastic tour guide! He even had special credentials that allowed us to bypass lines.

We had a wonderful dinner at a pub next to Casa Aliso, and hopped on our flight home at 11:00 PM. Our trip was everything we expected and then some. 5 stars!

1-5 of 44 imagesMy Travel Photo Album


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