"Sacha Lodge" Ecuador Hotel Tip by traveldave

Sacha Lodge was established by a Swiss citizen who resides in Ecuador. He purchased land from the local Indian community, and opened his lodge in 1992. Over the years, the size of Sacha Lodge's holdings increased to 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares) of lowland and terra firme jungle. This makes Sacha Lodge the largest private reserve in Amazonian Ecuador.

There are no roads to Sacha Lodge, so guests are transported 50 miles (80 kilometers) by boat down the Napo River from the town of Coca. The trip takes over two hours, and offers guests the opportunity to observe the Amazonian jungle and wildlife along the way.

Having arrived at Sacha Lodge's Napo River dock, guests then walk along a raised platform through flooded palm forest to Pilchicocha Lake, where another boat transports them across the lake to the main lodge.

Activities at the lodge mainly revolve around exploring the jungle. Native guides who are experts on the region's flora and fauna can be hired, or guests can walk along the miles of jungle trails by themselves. Attractions include the Sacha Canopy Tower Walkway, the wooden kapok tree tower, and the butterfly house where over 40 species of butterflies are raised. Guests can also swim in Pilchicocha Lake, or visit a local Indian community or parrot clay lick.

Wildlife that has been recorded around Sacha Lodge includes over 600 species of birds, 21 species of monkeys, numerous species of insects, and thousands of species of plants.

A portion of the proceeds earned by Sacha Lodge is used to benefit the local Indian communities. The lodge provides school supplies to five communities, and pays the salaries of teachers in two of those communities. It also provides a medical assistance program to the local people. And most of the staff has been recruited from the area.

Unique Qualities: Guests at Sacha Lodge stay in one of 26 rooms in 13 thatched cabins set among the jungle vegetation. Rooms are equipped with electricity (the lodge has two diesel generators), hot water, flush toilets, safes, and ceiling fans. All rooms are screened against insects, but are otherwise open to the jungle, so guests fall asleep to the sounds of the forest.

Meals are taken buffet-style in the main lodge (which has a well-stocked bar), and lunch and supper are announced with a bamboo horn.

Treated water is available in the main lodge and is safe to drink. The water in the rooms is not treated, so it is not safe to drink, but is fine for showering.

Comparison: about average
Price: N/A
Theme: Other