Ecuador – Napo Wildlife Center NWC Lodge
Visit this amazing Wildlife Center in Ecuador!
The Napo Wildlife Center, NWC Amazon Lodge, is the greatest and ultimate alternative luxury ecohotel in Amazonian Ecuador. This ecotourism project includes the conservation of approximately over 82 square miles (53,500 acres – over 21,400 hectares ) of the most pristine Amazon Rain Forest within the Yasunì National Park, an important UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the largest tract of tropical rain forest in Ecuador.
The Napo Wildlife Center, NWC Lodge is located by the Anangucocha lake, into the unique ancestral territory of the Anangu Quichua Community. Thanks to their own initiative and supported by the Tropical Nature Conservation System, we have built in partnership the most carefully designed first class Amazon lodge in Ecuador.
We want to invite you for a visit to this special destination. Please do not hesitate and contact your travel agent or operator for further information on the premier Amazon lodge in Ecuador: the Napo Wildlife Center, NWC.
Getting There
The journey to NWC starts in Quito, Ecuador’s capital city. From it’s national airport an approximately 35 minute flight will take guests over the Eastern Andes Mountain Range, crossing the equator and looking into snow capped volcanoes over 5,790 meters above sea level (18,991 feet) to reach the headwaters of the Amazon Basin near the Napo River at only 250 m above sea level (820 feet). After landing on the Puerto Francisco de Orellana town airport, locally known as Coca, NWC staff will greet passengers and take them for a short 5-7 minute transfer to embark on our covered motorized canoe. Here a comfortable breeze will company guests on an approximate 2 hours boat ride, 50 miles (80 Kilometers) downstream the largest Ecuadorian tributary of the Amazon: the Napo river. During this trip a good number of birds could be spotted along the way and they include: herons, kingfishers, ospreys, and many others as one travels away into a more pristine and remote area.
Boat will arrive to the northwest boundary of the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve where NWC is located by the Anangucocha lake. To access the lodge guests may either start a guided 2 ½ km (1,5 miles) hike on rich forest wildlife or embark on a quiet and enjoyable paddle dugout canoe ride with our staff for about 1 1/2 hours along a creek with dense flooded palm forest. Following any route, as people get deeper into this preserved area, they will be surprised by the oftentimes seen monkeys of several species, colourful birds and other amazing potential wildlife encounters. At the end of the walk and near the end of the paddle people will reach the Anangu Lake and have a superb view of the lodge waiting for them on the other side.
Accommodations
Lodging at NWC has been designed to offer maximum privacy and comfort to the world traveller, providing lake and forest views from their private porches, as well as preserving one of the most pristine spots of Amazon forest in Ecuador. Each of our 10 individual large luxury cabanas are prepared for receiving guests in double occupancy or arranged in advance for a 3 members family visit. Rooms include a king size and twin size beds, private bathrooms with on demand hot water, a multi-speed ceiling fan, 24 hours electricity provided by hybrid system combining solar panels, batteries, inversors and silent generators, plenty of lights and 120 v outlets, screened windows and mosquito nets.
Buildings keep the traditional native architecture with harmonious modern mixture inside providing cool shaded terraces with inviting hammocks and ample space from where visitors may observe the surroundings. While resting from activities people may get to see a group of giant otters investigating near the lodge dock or a large 4 meter (13 feet) black caiman crossing the lake or a capybara looking for rest near our lake edge, or experience the graceful often flights of blue and yellow macaws over the lodge area. The hall has a library with books on local birds and tropical Ecology, next door the bar provides ice-cold beer, wine, soft drinks and other liquor selections. The calls of red howler monkeys will company the resting times before gearing up for the next excursion.
Guests are welcome to use our observation tower next to the dinning hall during free time other than the guided visit and simply relax with the great view of the Anangu lake. The not so distant canopy of the rain forest will be a good opportunity for birding or discovering more wildlife right next to the lodge. The dock area is a nice spot to receive that equatorial tropical sun or the base for a nice dip into the lake. Without fear you can swim around the dock and have a refreshing time, guides of course will jump in first and eliminate any doubts you may have in spite of the black caimans and piranha inhabitants!, believe me it is a very safe and rewarding cool water. Meals are carefully prepared to delight the variety of tastes and desires of the international visitor, including traditional Ecuadorian dishes, forest gifts or the preparation of vegetarian or special meal requirements. Reverse osmosis water filtration system is used in the kitchen (very safe)
Also we have invested in an environmentally sustainable sewage system, best and unique on the Napo region and probably best in the Amazon. All waste water is treated to the highest standards in order to keep the swamps clean of human activity. Quality of effluent water is higher than the lake environment!!. Power is generated by a top of the line hybrid system featuring: solar panels, industrial batteries and noiseless generators. A highly efficient system that generates energy with minimal impacts.
Activities
Visitors will be divided up into small groups, and lead by a native Anangu guide, who is also an official Yasuni Park Ranger, expert on the forest’s secrets about medicinal plants and other useful items of the rain forest, and an excellent bilingual naturalist guide with great deal of knowledge in tropical forest biology. Both guides using their unmatchable enthusiasm will create informative enjoyable excursions every day providing an educative fun experience. Groups and guides will tailor their excursions while taking advantage of the highest peaks of activity and weather conditions in the forest. They will schedule their outings before dawn or at sunrise. This will maximize wildlife observation and of course each group will decide with their guides how extreme and intense they take their Amazon excursion, this applies for afternoon excursions and night outings, when an overwhelming concert of natural sounds will flood the atmosphere. Welcome and gear up to enjoy the best fauna attractions on the Napo!!!
Attractions
Our NWC’S Unique Parrot Clay Licks
Dining Room Tower
Professional Canopy Tower
Lake & Creeks
Forest Trails & Hikes
Birdwatching
The Añangu Community
Sample Itinerary: 4 Days / 3 Nights
Along the way birds like herons, kingfishers and others can be spotted. After arriving at NWC’s entry dock we disembark for restroom then take a majestic and peaceful 1 ½ hours dugout canoe ride surrounded by trees overhead, paddling along a narrow creek that connects to the lake where the lodge is located. Good possibilities of monkeys sights of various species as well as large birds like toucans, parrots or even macaws. Late afternoon arrival to the NWC lodge by the overwhelming view of the Añangu lake, welcome drink and facilities. After dinner optional cayman (alligator) observation around the lake and natural sounds at night.
Return to the creek and hike through a Terra Firme Forest for about 30 minutes until we arrive to the second parrot clay lick where if the weather conditions help will be able to find different species of parrots, parakeets and even macaws. Box lunch at the parrot clay lick observatory. Late afternoon arrival to the lodge.
The canopy tower is located about 20 minutes from the lodge deep within the terra firme forest. As you ascend the 12-story tower, you pass through different levels of the forest and emerge on top of a huge Ceiba tree. Here you cross onto a wooden platform that is actually built into the tree and experience the view formerly reserved only for the birds. The metal tower itself was constructed to the highest standards, galvanized, and carefully inspected by engineers. Safety is the priority. The platform at the top of the tree was constructed by tree platform specialists as well. From top to bottom, there is no finer canopy experience in Eastern Ecuador.
Flocks of colorful tanagers pass right through the canopy of the tree, Blue-and yellow Macaws fly past, in nearby trees Spider Monkeys search for fruit, two species of large toucans call in the early mornings and afternoons, and the life of the forest canopy opens before you. Birds that are virtually impossible to see from the forest floor far below are suddenly right beside you, oblivious to your presence. The canopy tower opens a whole new world to guests of the Napo Wildlife Center!! Served lunch at the lodge. Afternoon visit to a terra firme trail, hike along primary forest to discover the forest interior,posibilities of finding lizards, colorful manakins or the unique and endemic Golden mantle tamarin monkeys. After the hike, explore the lake and creeks by dugout canoe with great possibilities of running into a Giant otter family on the way…
Additional Day(s): Optional excursions such as hikes through different trails and forest types. Canoe rides exploring deeper areas of surrounding creeks with more wildlife possibilities, additional mammal clay lick excursion, handicraft workshop with the local community among other options.
PLEASE NOTE:
this is a sample itinerary subject to change due to weather conditions, safety and particular interests of guests and groups. Changes and additions are made in order to maximize wildlife viewing and wilderness enjoyment, cultural interaction with local people, and all possible time at the richest rain forest in Ecuador: the Yasuni National Park.
Please check with us to tailor-made your itinerary and cater to your particular interest for a unique life experience at the finest Amazon lodge: the Napo Wildlife Center.
