Located in the Amazon Basin of Ecuador, not far from the Columbia border, Sacha Lodge is made up of 5,000 acres of private rainforest reserve. The main lodge sits on Pilchicocha Lake, a black water lake offering sharp contrasts to the nearby waters of the Napo River.

The lodging at Sacha was carefully designed to offer comfort to the traveler yet preserve the environment and rainforest ambience. Each of the 26 double cabins, with high thatched roofs and private shaded terraces, is constructed with traditional materials and nestled well into the lush surroundings. Each boasts a hammock on the porch overlooking the jungle. All cabins are screened against insects and contain two comfortable double beds. Private bathrooms provide hot showers.

Guests are divided into small groups upon arrival, each of which will be led by a native guide with expert knowledge of the rainforest's medicinal and other useful plants, and a bilingual naturalist guide educated in the biology and ecology of the area. Activities are spread out over a wide area and allow visitors to explore several distinct but equally fascinating habitats.
Several trails lead through pristine terra firme forest, where 150-foot kapok trees tower above and roots form huge buttresses to give trees support. Others follow strategically raised boardwalks in seasonally flooded forests, where walking on the ground would be nearly impossible during most of the year due to groundwater. One trail many choose to follow even leads across fallen tree trunks and to a steel cable zip-line on which you can swing through rich swampland. A favorite activity of guests is to paddle dugout canoes along tannin-rich black-water creeks and lakes, where luxuriant lianas, bromeliads and palm trees thrive. Swimming and piranha fishing are also activities not to be missed, but don't worry - piranhas are scavengers and the guides will prove that swimming is perfectly safe! For adventurous souls, the day does not necessarily end with dinner. Night walks and canoe trips, with the aid of flashlights, often reveal creatures seldom seen during daylight. Caimans (of the alligator family) and giant insects rule the jungle after sunset. Some other spectacular activities at Sacha Lodge include a visit to their butterfly farm, the nearby Yasuni parrot clay lick, and their 130-foot observation tower.

Meals at Sacha Lodge look beautiful and taste even better. They are served buffet style, offering multiple choices with plenty of food always available. You may even be lucky enough to catch a barbeque on the deck that sits above the lake one night! The chefs will be happy to prepare special dishes for vegetarians upon request.

Sacha Lodge is home of one of the largest butterfly farms in Ecuador. Designed as a live exhibition conservatory, the Butterfly House is now successfully breeding nearly 40 local butterfly species.

The Amazon Basin covers an area of about 2.5 million square miles, 2% of which is found in Ecuador.

The Napo River is the largest waterway of Ecuadorian Amazonia and a direct tributary of the Amazon herself.

-- How do I get there?
The journey to Sacha Lodge begins in Quito, Ecuador's capital city. From here, a 45-minute flight takes you over the Andes Mountains' majestic snow-covered peaks and down over 8500 feet (2600 meters) into the town of Puerto Francisco de Orellana. Here, a covered motorized canoe will be awaiting you for a 21/2-hour, 50-mile (80-kilometer) trip down the Napo, the largest river in Ecuadorian Amazonia. Upon arrival to Sacha Lodge's 3200-acre (1300-hectare) private reserve, guests will take their first walk along a raised boardwalk through dense flooded palm forest to Pilchicocha lake, a blackwater paradise where dugout canoes (and even paddlers!) await to carry you to the Lodge.

--Fixed departure dates?
Because of the special charter flights needed to get there, the normal schedule at Sacha Lodge is either from
Monday ? Friday (5 days/4 nights) or
Friday ? Monday (4 days/3 nights).
However, Sacha will operate a program any day of the week (except Sunday - there are no flights on Sundays) for a slight extra canoe cost on any non-Monday or non-Friday arrivals/departures.