Yachana Lodge

Yachana Lodge is an award-winning, Amazon ecotourism destination that inspires thousands of international and Ecuadorian visitors each year.
With a visit to the NEW Yachana Lodge, you'll be granted a window into the lives and environment of the people living in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador.
The NEW part refers to the completely rebuilt, upscale eco lodge's cabins with spectacular views of the Napo River located in Yachana's 2500 acre rainforest reserve.

Yachana's Non-Profit Mission

"Yachana" means "a place for learning" in the indigenous Kichwa language. Since 1995, the mission of the Yachana Foundation has been dedicated to finding sustainable solutions in the struggle between the ideals of rainforest preservation and the realities of life in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Yachana Lodge was created to be a source of financial support to projects of the Yachana Foundation and 100% of the proceeds from your visit will go to supporting the foundation's non-profit programs. Projects include education, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy and entrepreneurialism that benefit local indigenous and mestizo youth from the Amazon region. 

2008 winner of the NatGeo Geotourism Challenge, is the best example of Geotourism with its unique focus on education and community development lode unparalleled in Ecuadorian Amazon.

Your visit to Yachana includes a wide range of services and amenities, including three delicious meals every day, satellite Internet and a gift shop. The lodge is the training facility for the young, Yachana Technical High School students in ecotourism who often assist lodge staff in providing you with the very best service, but also, a very human touch. 

We also serve Yachana Jungle Chocolate in many forms at almost every meal that, needless to say, is a highlight for anybody who loves real chocolate! We can accommodate special dietary requirements if advised ahead of time.

Features

Yachana Lodge offers first-rate accommodations and a wide range of amenities all in the midst of incredible natural beauty of the rainforest. The lodge's main building offers 18 comfortable rooms or cabins each with its own porch, which is perfect for appreciating the beauty of the Amazon as you relax in your hammock. Our Garden View rooms are nestled amid colorful flowering plants, and our River View rooms boast breathtaking vistas of the Napo River. Each room comes complete with a private bathroom, hot showers, and clean drinking water.

Complimentary Services

• Unlimited ozonized safe drinking water
• WiFi around lodge and in cabins
• Access to cell & conventional phone for emergency contact
• Laundry – wash and dry only
• Back-up generator assuring 24-hour electricity service
• Hot and cold running water in cabins
• Restaurant/Bar serving 3 meals a day
• Use of our rain ponchos and boots
• Transportation from Coca to the lodge
• Experiences unique and memorable to the area

Additional Services At Added Cost

• Specialized birding and naturalist guide
• Surface transportation via private car from/to main cities in Ecuador
• Support for groups, conventions, meetings
• Guide/translator French, German, Italian, other
• Coordination for voluntary activities
• Flights Quito to El Coca 

SAMPLE ITINERARY

Day 1

At Coca airport you’ll be meet and then transported to Yachana by private car. This will take 1 hour and a half.

At Yachana, you’ll receive a warm welcome from our native staff that will serve you a refreshing beverage and snack while you are introduced to the facilities.

After you’ve had a chance to rest in your room, your guide will take you on a short hike. The hike will take you to a place where there is a giant and beautiful Ceibo tree (kapok tree). Your guide will amaze you explaining a lot of things along the way.

Dinner is served between 7:00 – 7:30 PM.

Day 2

You have the option to start your day early by participating in a bird watching excursion or sleep little longer before enjoying another splendid breakfast, the first of the day’s Amazon culinary delights.

After a traditional breakfast from the Amazon, you will board our ranchera (typical local bus) and accompany your guide as he leads you on a journey into the rainforest stopping to observe birds, and possibly monkeys, along the way.

During your rainforest trek your guide will explain the uses of various medicinal plants and amaze you with his knowledge of the several species of birds and animals that inhabit the rainforest, which he calls home. Return to Yachana for lunch and an opportunity to rest before the next activity. In the afternoon the administrative will give an explanation about how the Yachana Training Center and the Yachana Foundation with his educational program. After this you will take our ranchera to Agua Santa community in order to board a raft downriver to observe a local family doing panning for gold.

From there, using either inner-tubes, a small rubber raft or just life jackets, you can float/swim as you continue down river enjoy the spectacular scenery that surrounds you. At some point you will get on board of a motorize canoe to head back to Yachana.

Dinner is served at 7:00 – 7:30 PM. In the evening your guide will offer to take you on a night walk to discover a totally different side of the forest that only comes alive after dark. On this walk, you have the chance to see many small insects, amphibians, reptiles and other animals.

Day 3 

After breakfast, you will onboard on our ranchera to go to a farm where you can see and harvest some many products you have probably never seen or prepared before like the cacao plants. You will be part of a culinary activity fixing your own typical lunch from the amazon under the supervision of our chef.

In the afternoon after lunch, you will travel by canoe to the home of shaman and his family to learn about local Kichwa culture and traditions, and to participate in a cleansing ceremony. Afterwards, try your skills on the art of using a typical blowgun and spear.This is a wonderful cultural activity to know a local family and learn more about the kichwa culture.

Return to Yachana for dinner. Rest before dinner and enjoy the sunset from or dining hall.

In the evening you will a spectacular opportunity to learn how to make dark chocolate using organic cacao harvested from the local families. Turn the cacao beans into delicious jungle chocolate, one of the main ingredients for several of the delectable deserts served at the Yachana. This is one of our highlight activities as you prepare chocolate in a traditional way.

Day 4 

After a wonderful breakfast depending on weather condition you may choose from: a) A deep hike on our 1000 hectares protected forest. b) Visiting a community bank (for this activity we will ask for a donation of 50 USD per person). c) Explore more deeply the Napo River enjoying a canoeing. Choosing from either activity you will come back to Yachana to have lunch.

In the afternoon you will get on board on our ranchera to visit the Cacao Collection Center and then you will hike for about 10 minutes to La Paz Waterfall. Time to enjoy the waterfall and if are lucky you will see a lot of parrots!!

Then you will hike back to the main road where the ranchera will be waiting for us to go back to Yachana for dinner.

Then after dinner sit around the campfire prepare some delicious coffee, be aware you have to roast, grind it then you will enjoy it as your guide tells you some of the stories and legends of the Amazon and be amazed by the sounds of the jungle at night.

Day 5

After a hearty breakfast and then travel by a private car from Yachana back to the city of Coca for your flight back to Quito. If traveling by land, you’ll have the chance to observe Amazon life from a different prospective.

NOTE: *Please be aware that Yachana cannot guarantee that you will see wildlife because of the unpredictable nature of animals and due to the fact that the area around the Lodge has been impacted by human presence. Lodge activities may vary in order or due to weather conditions but rest assured your guide will do everything possible to maintain the established itinerary whenever possible.

Price List 

Included

• Accommodation double / triple basis
• Airport transfer in and out at Coca, by private car
• 3 daily meals; beverages with breakfast, lunch & dinner
• River transport for visits and activities, by motor canoe
• Guided excursions with bilingual guides
• Rubber boots, rain ponchos and lifejackets
• 10% donation to the Yachana Foundation to support its education and conservation programs in the Amazon
• Complimentary 24 hours Wi-Fi in room
• Unlimited ozonized water

Not Included

• Alcoholic / bottled beverages
• Tips
• Laundry
• Travel Insurance