Ecuadorian Amazonia Luxury Expedition

Welcome to Quito! The capital of Ecuador has a setting that is matched by few cities. During the 13th century, it was the prosperous center of the Kingdom of Quitus. It later became the northern capital of the Inca Empire. In the 16th and 17th centuries, colonial architects built formidable temples, monasteries and mansions, creating an urban jewel designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Quito's artistic creativity awaits the visitor in cosmopolitan galleries and boutiques filled with contemporary paintings, sculptures and exquisite traditional crafts.

Enjoy Breakfast. You will be picked up mid-morning and will head down to Quito’s historical district. During our time in the historical district, you will have the chance to observe several beautiful churches, the presidential and archbishop palaces, the cathedral, the Jesuit church Compañia de Jesus (one of the most beautiful churches in the world) and the San Francisco church, the first building of importance constructed by the Spanish. You will then visit an art gallery and the Panecillo Hill (winged virgin) lookout. In the afternoon, there is a visit to the middle of the world monument and the solar museum at the Equator line, with the Intiñan museum included. We will have lunch at El Crater restaurant. (b, l)

Our day starts early at 7am for breakfast and then we head to the Quitsato complex, the ancient middle of the world and solar calendar site for the pre-hispanic cultures in Quito. Then we continue on to Otavalo town. On our way there we will make a stop at San Pablo Lake, one of the most beautiful in Ecuador. Later, we will be headed to the most important indigenous market in South America. We will arrive on time for lunch at La Mirage or similar. In the afternoon, we will visit the birds of prey center, Parque Condor. It´s time for a demonstration to show the power and skills of these magnificent birds! The day is gone and now it is time to return to Quito.(b, l)

After your morning departure from Quito and arriving at Coca (a short 30-minutes flight) you will transfer to the Río Napo port. Then journey on a motorized speedboat downstream (two hours) to board the M/V ANAKONDA, all the while observing the opposing forest-clad riverbanks of the typically-brown headwaters of the Amazon. We head over to the Tiputini River base and enter Yasuní National Park on a canoe excursion for a chance to spot riparian wildlife and nature. At dusk, experience the busy nightlife of the Ecuadorian Amazon during a night walk or canoe ride (visit to a native dwelling depends on river level, climatic conditions, wildlife behavior or accessibility to the location). (b, l, d)

Early in the morning, we will explore one of Ecuadorian Amazonia’s purest rivers, the Cocaya. A haven of exotic plants, colorful birds and unique wildlife within the Cuyabeno, this black water system is home to the legendary Pink River Dolphins, Black Cayman and the enigmatic Amazonian Anaconda. You may also spot river turtles and a series of monkey species such as the Black Tamarin, Red Howler or Squirrel Monkeys; as well as Three-toed Sloths and the most-primitive Hoatzin, locally called the Stinky Turkey (Pavo Hediondo). The canoe trip upstream will reveal the overwhelming beauty of this aquatic jungle world. In the afternoon, we head over into the heart of the Yasuní to a black water lake, Jatun Cocha. Here there will be opportunities for walking and paddling, watching out for giant otters, an amazing water mammal and endangered species with an almost human-like behavior. Of course, flowers and plants will be a breathtaking, unforgettable sight. (b, l, d)

This morning you will visit a local Kichwa indigenous community center and school. During the visit, you will have the opportunity of meeting the representative members of life within Amazonia, learning about their culture, talents and ways of life. You will meet the youths and visit their native homes, understanding how these giving and joyful people live, utilize and protect their resources and how they cherish the fragility of their ecosystem. In the afternoon, guests can unwind as the M/V ANAKONDA navigates down river. You can learn about Ecuadorian cuisine at one of our cooking classes, directed by our onboard chef or make fiber-knit handicrafts with the locals. Naturalists will carry out onboard lectures on different Amazon-related topics including diversity, geology, history, petroleum and sustainability. You can also walk over a wooden pass through a Moorish Palm swamp for an opportunity to see frogs and parrots. (b, l, d)

Breakfast is served on board. You can begin either at the Parrot Clay licks, a great place to witness one of the most exciting wildlife shows in Amazonia, or the Yaku Kawsay, a live underwater museum inside Yasuní National Park. This is a fascinating project created by one of the many Kichwa river communities, showing visitors what it is like inside the rivers and lakes of the Amazon. Back on board, lunch is served, and in the afternoon, we visit the Limoncocha Biological Reserve, an incredible area with over four hundred bird species. Search for black caiman after dusk. You return to the M/V ANAKONDA in the evening. (b, l, d)

Today you return to the city of Coca to take the morning flight back to Quito. The canoe ride upstream will take around two hours. Upon arrival in Quito, transfer to the hotel. This evening you will have a dinner at the Teathrum restaurant. (b, d)

End of services. (b)