Guest reviews Sacha Lodge, Amazon

by puzl Missoula, Montana

Everything you want in jungle lodge

Rooms were beautiful and comfortable. Modern amenitis but rustic surroundings and lodge made dining a fantastic experience overlooking an inland lake. Canoe rides and walks and birding from towers made for great wildlife watching on multiple excursions each day. One of the best parts of the visit is the two hour motorized canoe ride from Coca down the Rio Napo from Coca, where the flight from Quito lands. This lodge is well known, I've learned from fellow travelers Food is superb. Service superb. Guides are really knowledgeable and often excursions can be personalized. E.g., I needed a longer hike one day and our guide was happy to accommodate us. Other guests were really serious birders to had really early trips out to the towers and a real bird expert to guide. The role of Sacha in the local economy and land protection is commendable. Overall it was an exceptional vacation experience.

by TandAWales London, United Kingdom

AMAZING

We have never spent so much at a hotel before. I was hesitant about the price. Now that we have been I can see exactly why it is so expensive. We were met in Quito airport with our boarding passes, we travelled with our guide, Ana, who was returning from her break. We had a snack in Coca then travelled to the lodge. We said goodbye to our bags in Coca and they were waiting for us in our room in the lodge when we got there. The journey to the lodge was 1 1/2 hours by motor boat, then a walk through the forest, then a canoe trip to the Lodge. Everything in the lodge arrives this way- which is mind blowing to me considering the volume of supplies they get through and all the building materials etc, We were greeted with more amazing snacks and a welcome drink. Ana was wonderful, her knowledge and vision is amazing, she’s really enthusiastic. She recorded some of the animals using our iPhone and her telescope so we have some great videos. There’s an amazing 40m high tree house and another 37m high walkway. There are more staff than guests, everything is seamless, impeccable and delivered with a smile., our beds were even made again after siestas. The Lodge provides biodegradable soap, shampoo and conditioner, I have now discovered that you can buy biodegradable, reef friendly suntan lotion, it would be good if guests were encouraged to use that too. The food was plentiful and delicious. There are cold water fountains and they provide bottles although we used our insulated bottles.

by Lucylocket24 Norwich, United Kingdom

Superb - Just GOOOO

My goodness, rarely do you come across a lodge as well run as Sacha Lodge. I’m afraid I’ve lost the name of the manager, but he is superb, welcomes everyone personally & waves them goodbye too. It really does run like clockwork, all due to his management skills. We are serious birdwatchers & were allocated rooms 202 & 203. The lodges are spread out & these were a decent walk from HQ. A little dated, but nonetheless very clean & comfortable. It is very humid here, no point it trying to wash anything, it will never dry! WiFi can be a bit tricky, certainly didn’t work in our rooms, but the central decking area was ok, & such a lovely place to sit. Food is excellent, a mix of BBQ, traditional food, and buffets. We loved it all! The ‘swimming cage’ that the lodge has built is wonderful enabling guests to swim safely in the Amazon, and all the Caimen can do is watch from the other side. Oscar was our bird guide. He guided our travelling companions 17 yrs ago, so they came armed with a missed species hitlist for him. He did brilliantly. I recommend you ask for Oscar if you are serious birders. A local chap, very polite & knowledgeable. Sacha has sooo much to offer. If you simply love nature it would be hard to know what to do. Highly recommended. Just go. Now.

by andyprchrd Seattle, Washington

Absolutely amazing

Surpassed our expectations. We stayed for 4 nights, 5 days - if you want the full experience, heat and all, anything less seems not worth the effort to get here. Others have described the activities - early starts, canoe rides or walks in the forest, plus visits to the walkway (good) or the Kapok tower (excellent). The parrot clay lick is also fantastic - we were able to see literally hundreds of parrots. Note, though, that you view them from the Rio Napo on your boat, and that the park rangers for Yasuni prevent you from getting too close. Still - an amazing experience. Best of all, though. was our pair of guides - naturalist Ana and tracker Jerry. They spotted things we'd never see, patiently identified anything and everything, clearly had a love for their work and were, hands down, absolutely fantastic. Equally great - the unspoken part of things like this - was the kitchen and housekeeping services. Rooms were spotless, food wonderful, laundry (a necessity out here) done in hours. Our room - I believe a newer one - was cool, comfortable, and had an amazing shower (which you'll become well acquainted with). Highlight - watching a tarantula on the eaves outside while showering. Wildlife sighting were perhaps a bit more sparse than I expected - the lodge was completely full and this may have played a role. Or it may have just been bad luck, because we definitely saw plenty just not quite as much as some other guests reported. But - most of all - visit Sacha (or any of the other lodges on the Rio Napo) now to add your voice toward preservation of at least some of this absolutely amazing corner of Ecuador. Oil development is rapidly approaching Sacha - a major terminal is only about 15 minute upriver - and I can only imagine this will have a negative impact on the wildlife and overall experience in the future. It's a special place and one I wouldn't hesitate revisiting, heat, mud humidity and all. One note: they do not have boots over size 12 - regardless of what they tell you. I suffered in one size too small boots, wishing I'd just brought my own. Just a warning.

by CWP7721 Edmonton, Canada

Great place to stay

This was one part of a Gate 1 tour of Ecuador, to get there is another plane ride, bus and then an approx. 2 hr boat ride on the Napo river. The river was at flood stage due to some heavy rain in the interior but it was a great trip. Now on arrival you are given some rubber boots for an approx. 30 mins walk through a mud trail in the Rain forest, then an 20 to 30 mins walk along a raised walkway to a collection point where you are transported to the main lodge by canoe ( approx. 20 to 30 mins). On arrival you are assigned your rooms and away you go for another walk to the rooms. The lodge itself is situated at the edge of a lake with a fenced in swimming area, bar and eating area all in one. They were working on the main eating area so the meals are in the bar area. The food was generally good with a buffet type meal, I found several of the meat dishes dry but that could be because of the closure of the main eating area and the reheating process. The rooms are basic but functional but if you use the fan at night have ear plugs. To get to the rooms there are two ways, one is a lot of stairs and the other is a long ramp we used the ramp after the 1st day. While here at the lodge you will be kept busy, with tours etc, again this is not for the couch potato as you are constantly on the move. Now it may have been the time of yr but the number of daytime animals to be seem was somewhat limited you could hear them in the distance. The butterfly enclosure was a real disappointment and should be be fixed. Its at night that this place comes alive and a night tour is offered and I would take it. Don't forget to take a small flashlight with you it helps and don't touch the trees at night they are alive with all sorts of critters. A couple of points. 1) Drink lots of water 2) Suntan lotion and Bug spray. 3) Hat. 4) At night when walking avoid the hand rails there a lot of large spiders etc like to sit on the top railing and wait for prey. 5) Don't wander off the beaten trail as they do have vipers there. Now my wife and I had a great time, the staff was great and helpful, are local tour guys were great is it what you make of the trip whats important. Have fun CWP