Ecuador: Amazon Jungle Sacha Lodge Short Break

Trip Code: GGHN

Why we love it

This trip takes you to the heart of Ecuador's Amazon Basin. Set in the remote rainforest, Sacha Lodge is a haven for nature lovers, birdwatchers, scientists and adventure seekers, Caiman, otters, sloths, hoatzin, monkeys, capybaras, anacondas... the Amazon is home to some of the most diverse wildlife on Earth, As well as comfortable accommodation and luxurious meals, your expert guides will enhance your experience with their unique knowledge of the Amazon, Explore the rainforest on various jungle treks, canopy walks and dugout canoe safaris, or relax in a hammock at the lodge. It's up to you to customise how active you'd like this trip to be

Is this trip right for me?

On Short Breaks, you maintain a good level of independence and freedom, with the added bonus of having the details sorted out for you. You’ll have lots of free time and you won’t be accompanied by a Trip Leader. This means that all included activities and tours will be run by different local Intrepid partners, and these may operate independently from each other. The included activities and transfers will operate on a join-in basis, which means that you could have your Adventure all to yourself, or others may join you along the way.

If you would prefer to travel in a group with a dedicated Trip Leader, just get in touch with your booking agent and they will take you through some alternatives.

The Amazon Jungle can be very hot and humid, so it's important to drink plenty of water and wear light cotton clothing. It can also get really cold at night, so make sure you bring a range of clothing that includes base layers.

Mosquitos are widespread in the Amazon, so please bring tropical-strength insect repellent and clothes to cover your arms and legs. Please read the important information about protection from mosquitoes in the 'Medical and Health Information' section of the Essential Trip Information.

The terrain of the jungle trails can be unpredictable and boggy. Please bring durable, comfortable footwear and thick hiking socks, and be prepared to trek through remote areas of rainforest.

Important information

START & END TIMES:
On Day 1 this trip begins at 7 am and on Day 4 it concludes at Quito Airport in the afternoon, we advise that you do not book flight that depart until at least after 6 pm (18:00 hrs).

SHORT BREAK ADVENTURE:
This Short Break Adventure is a ‘join in’ group departure, which means you are not accompanied by an Intrepid group leader – our local representative fills this role – and the configuration of any fellow travellers in the group might change during the trip.
This trip will run with a minimum of one person, so you may be joined by other travellers booked on the same date as you, or you may be on your own.

PASSPORT DETAILS REQUIRED
Full passport details are required at the time of booking in order to purchase Entrance fees to certain sites. Additionally on certain trips it's needed to book bus, train or flight tickets. Delays to provide this information may result in booking fees or changes to your itinerary.

GROUP SIZES
While that Amazon lodge has a capacity for up to 50 travellers, 1 local guide is allocated every 10 travellers approximately.

SHOE SIZES
Please ensure you provide us with your US shoe size no later than 15 days prior to departure so we can arrange rubber boots for you to use during your time in the Jungle.

What to bring/pack

Most travellers prefer to take a small to medium wheeled suitcase, which is a great size for the packing capacity in our private vehicles. Whatever you take, be mindful that you will need to be able to carry your own luggage, handle it at airports, take in/out of accommodation and perhaps even walk short distances. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible. You'll also need a day pack/bag for activities and day trips. In terms of weight, airlines generally allow a maximum of 20kg for check in luggage.

Other than the items and clothing you always need on a trip, below we have listed packing suggestions specific for this trip:, RECOMMENDED:
- Soft and/or hard copies of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the hard copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a copy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary
- Water bottle. We recommend at least a 1.5 litre capacity. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments
- Electrical adapter plug (view www.kropla.com)
- Personal medical kit. Your guide will carry a large kit but we recommend you carry items such as mild pain killers, electrolytes and bandaids.
- Insect repellent
- Watch/Alarm clock or phone that can be used for both

OPTIONAL:
- Ear plugs to guard against a potential snoring room-mate
- Phrase book

VALUABLES:
Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables, and use your hotel safe. It’s also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that is easily hidden.

LAUNDRY
Laundry is available at many hotels and towns during this trip, although you might need to wait for a two-night stop in order to make sure you get it back in time. While laundry at hotels is usually charged by the item, laundromats usually charge by the kilo, which is generally inexpensive (about USD 2 per kilo), AMAZON JUNGLE PACKING LIST

- Long, light coloured, tight-weave cotton shirts and pants
- Comfortable shoes or sandles for wearing on boardwalks or around the lodge
- Long, thick socks to wear with the rubber boots provided by the lodge
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Tropical strength insect repellant
- Small denomination bills for incidental purchases (eg drinks)
- Head torch or flashlight (optional, smartphone torch sufficient)
- Binoculars (optional), Internal flight luggage limit:
The luggage limit is 20kg per person.

Physical rating

 
2

Joining your group

Hotel Patio Andaluz, García Moreno N6-52 between Mejía and Olmedo, Quito, ECUADOR

Alternate Joining Point


Joining instructions

Finishing your trip

Quito Airport, , Quito, ECUADOR

Alternate Finish Point


Meals & dietary information

Breakfasts included: 3

Lunches included: 3

Dinners included: 3

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in this region. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, our groups tend to eat dinner together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Please let us know your diet requirements before your trip starts.
Generally speaking, in bigger cities/towns vegetarians can expect a reasonable range of vegetarian venues and/or vegetarian options within tourist restaurant menus. However, vegetarianism is not the norm in this part of the world so options can be limited when eating at homestays, small local restaurants, street stalls, markets, etc.

More restrictive diet requirements (vegans, coeliac, gluten intolerance, fructose intolerance, lactose intolerance, etc.) can also be accommodated along this trip but you should expect a lesser variety than what you can expect at home. We recommend that, if possible, to bring your own supply of snacks with you.

For those on strict Kosher or Halal diets, we understand your dietary requirements are important, however, sometimes due to cultural and language differences these are not always easy to convey when you are travelling. Your guide will do their best to assist you in translating your needs when eating out, but please be aware that these diets are almost unheard of in much of the continent and the best they may be able to accommodate is no pork and shellfish. If this will be a concern for you you may need to consider opting for vegetarian or vegan meals for the included meals in your itinerary. We recommend researching kosher or halal options in your destination country prior to travel to see if you are able to buy snacks once there, otherwise consider bringing some from home. 

Climate & seasonal information

In case of emergency

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

PEAK Ecuador: 09 94014877

Accommodations

Transportation