Sacha Lodge, an easily accessible 5000-acre private ecological reserve in the Ecuadorian Amazon, is thrilled to announce an array of NEW private birding itineraries. Of the 1,600 bird species registered in Ecuador, 600 have been seen at Sacha Lodge. For avid bird watchers, Sacha Lodge will provide specialist filed guides who know the best spots for the hard-to-find species and can easily identify them by sight and sound. Guests will spot an average of 60 distinct species of birds per day. Highlights of the new birding itineraries include the only Canopy Exploration Crane in the Amazon, nighttime expeditions, the Yasuni Parrot Clay Lick, the 940-foot-long Canopy Walk, the 360-degree panoramic Kapok Tower, and more. Itineraries can be found here. For more info, visit https://www.sachalodge.com/.

Birders rejoice at the tremendous diversity of avian species found at Sacha Lodge. The lodge’s location in upper Amazonia among various habitats makes it an ideal environment for even the rarest birds. What was once a trip only for true adventurers and explorers has become accessible to everyone. Travelers no longer need to rough the elements of the rainforest to be immersed in the world of colors and calls of hundreds of Amazon birds. With itineraries designed to highlight the most popular species around the lodge, even the least experienced birders can spot these winged creatures.

Sacha Lodge is located on the broad meander plain between the Napo River and the Aguarico River, which offers a wetland environment of blackwater inlets, oxbow lakes, and palm-rich swamp-forest. This is ideal for birds since it provides the perfect balance of diverse fruits and insects for their diets and makes for ideal nesting in all levels of the sturdy trees of the rainforest. The trails and boardwalks traverse swamp forests and varzea (seasonal floodplains), which allows visitors to go deep into otherwise inaccessible parts of this pristine jungle environment.

The crown jewel of Sacha’s birding experience is the 360-degree panoramic Kapok Tower, the Canopy Walk, and the Canopy Exploration Crane. Just a few years ago, these towers and cranes did not exist at Amazon lodges, meaning that beyond the sounds, birders were left to their imaginations as far as what these canopy-dwelling birds looked like. Sacha Lodge was among the first Amazon lodges to build a tower into the canopy and is the only lodge with a Canopy Exploration Crane, providing exclusive access to a part of the rainforest that is still largely undiscovered.

Some of the rarest bird species expected to be seen at Sacha Lodge include Zigzag Heron, Scarlet-Shouldered Parrotlet, Lanceolated Monklet, Collared Puffbird, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Short-billed Leaftosser, Dot-backed Antbird, Ochre-striped Antpitta, Chestnut-belted Gnateater, and Orange-crested Manakin.

In addition to birds, bats, tiny pygmy marmosets, and giant otters call the reserve home, a space six times the size of New York’s Central Park. Creatures of all shapes and sizes live happily around the lodge – look out for Lucy the Caiman on her morning patrol and the families of monkeys chattering by the rooms. With luxurious beds, hot water showers, ceiling fans, and bug-proofed windows, Sacha Lodge offers spectacular nature experiences with all the amenities of a luxury resort. Watch giant otters duck, dive, and call to each other as you eat breakfast; caimans glide under the walkway as you head back to your room; monkeys chatter outside your balcony; and giant sloths hang on trees by the cabins.

About Sacha Lodge: Located in the largest private reserve in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Sacha Lodge includes 5,000 acres of pristine rainforest. Not only does this provide a vast conservation area, free from mining, drilling, hunting, and logging; it offers guests an incredible and authentic Amazon experience. Set on the tranquil Pilchicocha lagoon, the lodge is a beautiful base to spot monkeys, river otters, three-toed sloths, a multitude of reptiles and amphibians, and hundreds of species of birds. Adventures can be done on foot, by boat, or up in the treetops via the Canopy Walk, the Kapok Tower or the Canopy Crane. https://sachalodge.com/