Private Transfer
At the airport you will be greeted by a member of our organization, we will escort you all the way to your hotel, giving you a short briefing about Quito and the country in general with valuable information you need to know.
At leisure
Depart Quito´s airport at 11:00am (subject to change). A 30 minute flight over the Andes Mountains leads you to a bustling oil town called Coca located in the Amazon Basin. A quick lunch in Sacha´s private house and then its off to the town docks where you will board Sacha´s private canoes for the 2 hour journey down river to Sacha´s Lodges property.
SACHA LODGE 5 days/4 nights SHARED program
Sample Itinerary (subject ot change due to weather, specific interests and physical abilities of our guests)
A 30 minute hike through the rainforest leads you to lake Pilchicocha. Here, you are met by native workers to paddle you across the lake to your final destination. Arrive at Sacha Lodge around 15:30 or 16:00 pm.
Swim in Lake Pilchicocha, which is a black water lake home to many species of fish and animals. A refreshing swim after arriving may be just what you need after being in the equatorial heat all day. Bird observing from the mini tower offers guests an excellent opportunity to view several species of birds common around the lodge. Also a great place to watch the sun set. Visit the butterfly house with your naturalist guide to view the beautiful colors of many different species of butterflies.
After dinner, accompany your naturalist guide on a night walk through the rainforest to view the hundreds of different species of animals that can only be found at night. Or maybe a canoe ride on the lake to view the spectacled and black caimans with their glowing orange eyes as you silently paddle across the lake to get a closer view.
Begin morning activity between 6:00am and 7:00am
Begin walking on trail Liana Chica and arrive at the canopy walk, for spectacular views of the rainforest canopy and the many different species of vibrantly colored birds.
Designed to be a self-standing rigid suspension canopy walk. it is one of only a few in the world! Located within Sacha´s private reserve, 2miles from the shores of the Rio Napo and 1 mile from the lodge, the bird walk gives guests the opportunity to get an up close and personal view of the rainforest canopy. Two of the three towers have observation decks every 12 meters making towers accessible for everyone. The canopy walkway is at 36 meters high and 275 meters long, giving guests a “birds eye view” of all the wonders and beauty the tropical rainforest has to offer. The canopy walk is designed as a sturdy walkway enabling guests to casually move along while enjoying the spectacular views.
After the canopy walk, Liana Grande through terra firma and igapo forest habitats where native guides will explain many different species of medicinal plants that have been being used in their culture for hundreds of years.
Liana Grande will turn into the trail Higueron, which will take you through pristine primary forest with huge Kapok and Fig trees towering hundreds of feet above your head.
After lunch, you may choose to take a leisurely hike along the Rio Napo, or choose a little more challenging hike on the trail Leoncillo to try and spot the elusive dusky titi monkey. Either way the trails will lead you back to the main boardwalk for your final hike and canoe ride back to the lodge.
5 days/4 nights program
Sample Itinerary (subject ot change due to weather, specific interests and physical abilities of our guests)
day 3
Leaving the lodge after breakfast, you begin your hike on trail Lagartococha. This trail offers you the chance to learn more about the native people and their relationship with the forest. Learn about the trees where native people believe the spirits of their ancestors live, and the mysterious “dwende” or devil-man of the forest. After arriving at lake Lagartococha, take a tranquil canoe ride through a natural swamp, which is the home of anacondas, caimans, and capybaras.
After the canoe ride, a walk on the other side of Largatococha may give you the opportunity to spot capuchin or squirrel monkeys playfully jumping through the trees.
Return from the walk or canoe ride and head back to the lodge for a refreshing dip in the lake, or a nice relaxing nap in your personal hammock on your private balcony.
After lunch, your native guide will teach you how to fish for the infamous razor-toothed piranha. Keep in mind that piranhas will never attack a person and swimming at the same time is perfectly safe and fun!
Around 15:30 you will begin what many think is the best trail at Sacha, a silent canoe ride through the flooded Amazonian forest. Where you have a good chance of being surrounded by troops of squirrel, capuchin, and howler monkeys. Keep your eyes peeled for the shy and elusive river otter as well as the incredibly well camouflaged three-toed sloth!
After your eye-popping ride through the flooded forest, you will arrive at Sacha´s135-foot wooden tower built around an ancient Kapok tree. Get close up views of vibrantly colored birds through Sacha´s powerful scopes, and watch the sun set with an amazing view of Mount Sumaco, a volcano, and possibly a view of the snow-covered caps of the Andes!
Leaving the tower just before or after sunset will give you an experience not soon forgotten. A canoe ride back through the flooded forest at night will be an awe-inspiring experience. Listen to the symphony of frogs and insects as you navigate through the narrow flooded forest trail, keeping your eyes open for caimans. Watch the several species of bats flying over your heads and listen to the many species of nocturnal birds making their eerie nighttime calls. Finally, after your mesmerizing canoe trip through the Amazon, you will arrive back at lake Pilchicocha and the welcoming lights of Sacha lodge.
A chance to view four different species of parrots at the same time is something that should not be missed. Sacha is close enough to Yasuni National Park that a thirty minute motorized canoe ride down the Napo to the parrot lick is well worth it. Leaving at six in the morning from Sacha and arriving at the lick around 7:30 will give you plenty of time to get close up views of the parrots eating the clay to neutralize the acids which they get from eating their many different types of fruits and leaves.
Arriving back at the lodge around 11am or so gives you plenty of time to swim or relax before lunch is served. Visit the butterfly house once again to photograph the beautifully colored butterflies.
Sample Itinerary (subject ot change due to weather, specific interests and physical abilities of our guests)
For your afternoon activity, Pantano is the trail to take. Pantano offers you several different types of rainforest habitats. From secondary to primary forests as well as flooded forest and swampy areas. An excellent trail for monkeys and birds in the afternoon, your naturalist and native guides will intrigue you with their knowledge of the jungle and its inhabitants as well as provide you with an everlasting experience and memory of the neotropical rainforest.
Breakfast and a departure from the lodge at 7:30am for an easy walk on the boardwalk to watch monkeys one last time before your final departure. Arrive in Coca and be escorted to the Coca airport where all plane tickets will be in the hands of Sacha employees waiting to help you board the plane and a final farewell. Scheduled arrival at Quito´s airport is at 12:30pm (subject to change).
Dispatcher service and airport assistance (tickets NOT sold by MT) departure from Quito.
Hotel shuttle transfer to your Galapagos flight
Read on for a sample itinerary. Please note that the order of visits or specific visitor sites may change depending on the day of operation and yacht availability.
Island-2-Island Hopping 5 nights/6 days
Day 1: From Ecuador’s mainland off to the Galapagos Islands and onward to Isabela Island by inter-island flight.
Fly from Ecuador’s mainland to the Galapagos Islands (Baltra Island) and take a very scenic inter-island flight to Isabela Island. Please note that inter-island flights limit passengers’ check-in luggage to 22 lb (10 kg). If needed, it is possible to send excess luggage directly to the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel, where you will arrive on DAY 3. Check in at Scalesia Lodge and eat lunch before heading out on your first afternoon of discovery. Get to know the youngest side of the archipelago while exploring the rewarding visitor sites of the National Park, wetland lagoons, and the giant tortoise-breeding center. Wrap up your day at the stunning white beach of Puerto Villamil before returning to the Lodge for dinner.
Dispatcher service and airport assistance (tickets NOT sold by MT) departure from Quito.
Day 2 includes one of the following programs, depending on the weekday:
AM: Tintoreras / PM: Los Humedales and Tortoise Breeding Station
AM: Los Tuneles / PM: Beach and activities: biking, surfing or kayaking
AM: Volcan Chico & Sierra Negra / PM: Cueva de Sucre & Mirador and Beach
AM: Wall of tears / PM: Concha de Perla snorkel and beach activities: biking, surfing or kayaking
AM: Tintoreras / PM: Los Humedales and Tortoise Breeding Station
Enjoy a morning visit to Tintoreras, an islet formed by lava flows located 10 minutes by dinghy from Puerto Villamil. Its name comes from the white tip reef sharks called “Tintoreras” in Spanish, which are frequently seen in this area. This is a perfect place to practice snorkeling and see species such as sea lions, marine iguanas, and penguins. Return to the hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, visit los Humedales, a complex comprising the four Galapagos mangrove species, solitary beaches, lava tunnels, and natural waterholes. Later, visit the National Park breeding center for turtles in danger of extinction. Overnight at Scalesia Lodge.
AM: Los Tuneles / PM: Beach and activities: biking, surfing or kayaking
Start the day with a 30 to 40-minute ride that will take us to a unique place where lava flow has been impacted for many years by the ocean’s waves, forming the unique tubes and bridges of Los Tuneles. This site is a marine paradise for white tipped reef sharks, Galapagos green sea turtles, Galapagos sea lions, manta rays, parrot fish, yellowtail surgeon fish, etc. It is one of the best places to snorkel in the Galapagos. Its unique geologic formations and lava flows with arches and tunnels serve as a home to numerous animal species. Lunch at the Lodge. In the afternoon, take advantage of your time at leisure to enjoy the magical beach of Puerto Villamil or bike, surf or kayak. Overnight at Scalesia Lodge.
AM: Volcan Chico & Sierra Negra / PM: Cueva de Sucre & Mirador and Beach
Visit some of Isabela's best attractions: the Sierra Negra and Chico Volcanoes. Sierra Negra is one of the most active volcanoes of the archipelago, with a recent eruption in 2018. The volcano’s crater is considered the second largest in the world. Volcan Chico is also an active volcano and sulphur vents can be seen in this area. An approximately 6-hour walking tour is your ticket to truly appreciating the full splendor of the volcanoes. Enjoy a snack during the hike. Lunch at Scalesia Lodge. In the afternoon, visit Sucre's cave, located 8.7 mi (14 km) from Villamil Port in the agricultural area of the island. Enjoy a short walk to view the typical vegetation and endemic plants. Continue to Mirador de Mango from where you will delight in panoramic views of southern Isabela and the agricultural area. This is also a great place for observing finches. Overnight at Scalesia Lodge.
AM: Wall of tears / PM: Concha de Perla snorkel and beach activities: biking, surfing or kayaking
Today’s morning visit takes you to the Wall of Tears, a historical site located 3.1 mi (5 km) west of Puerto Villamil, built from 1945 to 1959 by convicts from the penal colony on the island. The wall reaches up 65 ft (19.8 m) in height and spans 300 ft (91.4 m). Its construction was dangerous work in ill-equipped conditions, resulting in the deaths of a number of prisoners from both sickness and accidents. In the afternoon, enjoy snorkeling at Concha Perla, located in the Port of Villamil. The bay’s calm, shallow, clear waters are ideal for observing the incredible array of marine life. Swim and snorkel alongside tropical fish, sea lions, penguins, and turtles with the possibility of observing up to 20 bird species. Overnight at Scalesia Lodge.
NOTE: Itineraries subject to change without notice. The sequence of visits might be altered depending on arrival of flights to Baltra or Isabela, weather conditions, or other unexpected circumstances beyond our control.
Day 3: Fly back to Baltra Island and explore the highlands of Santa Cruz Island
After breakfast, Scalesia Lodge’s staff will bring us back to Puerto Villamil’s airport. A short but interesting flight will bring us back to Baltra. Your guide will lead you across the Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz Island. The day’s visit includes a brief exploration of Los Gemelos, a natural volcanic formation in the upper end of the windward side of the island. Surrounded by a forest of high growing endemic daisies, this area is home to some of the most elusive land birds of Galapagos. Then we will visit the Tortoise Reserve and impressive lava tunnels en route to a delicious lunch at a restaurant in the highlands. In the afternoon, you will reach Puerto Ayora’s only pedestrian neighbourhood, Punta Estrada, where the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel is located. Check in and enjoy the hotel’s beachfront facilities. Dinner is up to you: choose the hotel’s signature cuisine or one of the many options in town.
Overnight at the Finch Bay.
Visit to Los Gemelos
Daily Yacht Tour Sea Lion / Day Tour in Sea Lion
Join our certified, bilingual naturalist guides on Day Tours to nearby islands in the Galapagos National Park aboard our Sea Lion Yacht!
You will have fully-personalized service aboard: attentive crew members, a delicious hot lunch, air-conditioned interiors, and ample viewing decks. The Yacht´s permit and capacity is 20 explorers, divided in two groups lead by National Park certified multilingual naturalist guides.
Explore the Galapagos Islands on convenient and exclusive daily tours, here is a list of our tour options:
- Bartolome Island / Available on Tuesdays and Saturdays
- South Plaza Island / Available on Wednesdays and Fridays
- Santa Fe Island / Available on Thursdays
- North Seymour Island & Las Bachas Beach / Available on Mondays: Las Bachas, followed by North Seymour | Sundays: North Seymour, followed by Las Bachas*
Full Day Exploration
Depending on the weekday and availability, guests will visit either Tortuga Bay and the Charles Darwin Research Station or Divine Bay and the Charles Darwin Research Station
Santa Cruz Coastal Exploration & Charles Darwin Research Station and Tortoise Breeding Facilities:
After breakfast, we leave for Tortuga Bay, voted Ecuador’s best beach. We walk from Puerto Ayora’s western border, 1.3 mi (2 km) along a fairly flat and straight-paved path, where we explore and understand more about the arid zone’s deciduous forest and its inhabitants. First, we arrive at Playa Brava, a stunning 0.6-mi (1-km) long snow-white beach, a seasonal nesting site for the green sea turtles. A few minutes further, we reach Playa Mansa, a secluded natural mangrove cove, with clear and tranquil waters, ideal for swimming, snorkeling, paddling on tandem kayaks, or simply enjoying the landscape from the shade of a mangrove. We will board a small yacht to sail back to the hotel’s dock at Academy Bay. Lunch at the Finch Bay. For the afternoon, the grand finale includes strolling around the Charles Darwin Research Station where the highlight is the conservation program for the iconic giant tortoises.
Divine Bay and Charles Darwin Research Station
Just a short distance away from Academy Bay and the bustle of Puerto Ayora lies the quiet and wildlife-rich Divine Bay. Named after one of the islands’ first settlers, this cove is protected from the swells by natural volcanic reefs on one side, by a gallery of mangrove trees on the other, and by cliffs created eons ago by the uplift of the lava plateau. The whole provides a wonderful natural shelter for wildlife. Beneath the sea, sea turtles graze on sea weed, hundreds of reef fish species swim about the lava crevices, and young reef sharks and rays employ the brackish streams as havens from large predators while they mature. A refreshing short walk (0.3 mi/0.5 km) takes us to “Playa de los Perros” (Dog Beach) for a view of marine iguanas in their nesting sites and white tipped reef sharks. We will also explore the coast on our pangas (dinghies). And for those who like to snorkel, there is a chance to explore a calm but active sector of the cove. Have lunch at the Finch Bay before heading out on an afternoon excursion to the world-renowned Charles Darwin Research Station where we will have the opportunity to learn about the giant tortoise-rearing program and visit the tortoises in person. Dinner is up to you: decide in favor of the hotel’s top cuisine or one of the many options in town. Overnight at the Finch Bay.
Note: The expedition team may decide to reverse the day’s program, based on the tides, in order to maximize guests’ experience.
Private Transfer
At the airport you will be greeted by a member of our organization, we will escort you all the way to your hotel, giving you a short briefing about Quito and the country in general with valuable information you need to know.
Safe travels!
