Welcome to Ecuador! Upon arrival at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, you’ll be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel in Quito. Settle in and enjoy the evening at leisure.

This full day combines Quito’s UNESCO-listed historic center, a panoramic city viewpoint and a visit to the famous Middle of the World monument north of the city.

In the morning we explore the Basilica del Voto Nacional, the main squares and streets of the old town, and one of Quito’s iconic viewpoints. In the afternoon we drive to Mitad del Mundo, where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere, visit the monument and learn how this region helped scientists understand the true shape of our planet.

The pace is relaxed, with time for photos, stories, coffee and a proper lunch.

Approximate altitude: 2,850 m (9,350 ft) in the historic center – slightly lower at Middle of the World

Today the Amazon immersion begins. After a short domestic flight to the Amazon gateway, we transfer to a private dock where you’ll have time to stretch, use restrooms, and receive a packed lunch for the journey.

Then we travel upriver by covered motorboat, scanning the riverbanks for birds and monkeys along the way.

Deeper in, we switch to a quiet paddled canoe to glide through a narrow creek into remote lagoon-and-forest habitat, arriving at your rainforest lodge in the afternoon.

After check-in and a welcome drink, there’s time to settle into your room and enjoy the setting before a briefing that covers safety, lodge logistics, and the plan for the following days—designed to maximize wildlife opportunities while keeping the experience ethical and low-impact.

An early start for one of the Amazon’s signature spectacles: a visit to a parrot/macaw clay lick (where available), timed for peak activity.

After breakfast back at the lodge, the day continues with a mix of forest walks focused on ecology, tracking, and medicinal plants, plus time at an elevated canopy viewpoint/tower for wide-angle scanning across the treetops—often excellent for monkeys, toucans, and mixed bird flocks.

In the afternoon, we explore the lagoon and blackwater creeks by canoe, moving slowly and quietly to maximize chances of spotting river-edge specialists such as hoatzins, kingfishers, and (with luck) otters.

Evening at leisure, with a naturalist briefing to plan the best timing for the next day’s wildlife opportunities.

Today is a deeper immersion into the rainforest rhythm. We begin with a morning walk in terra firme forest and/or another wildlife-focused outing based on the latest activity patterns (and weather/river levels).

The day blends slow observation, listening for primates and canopy movement, and interpreting fresh signs along trails and natural corridors.

When available, there may be a cultural component such as community-led interpretation that shares local perspectives on forest knowledge and conservation.

After dinner, we head out on a guided night walk, when the jungle changes completely—searching for nocturnal frogs, insects, and other night-active wildlife while learning how the ecosystem functions after dark.

If conditions allow, we begin with a quiet sunrise canoe outing—often one of the best moments for wildlife along lagoon edges and blackwater creeks.

After breakfast and check-out, we start the journey back: a paddled canoe transfer out through the creek system to the main river, followed by a covered motorboat ride downstream to the dock and an overland transfer to the airport.

A short domestic flight brings us back to Quito, closing the Amazon extension with a final recap of key sightings and the conservation story behind this remote rainforest experience.

Upon arrival in Quito, the rest of the day is at leisure (free time).