Travel from Quito to the Amazon rainforest

12-19 August 2005 

How to get to the Amazon rainforest? Despite the short distance, the complete trip from an hotel in Quito to Amazon rainforest lodge takes almost a full day, involving a brief flight, a 4x4 drive, a canoe ride and a short hike.

Fokker 28 from Quito to Coca, Ecuador
The journey from Quito begins with a 20 minutes flight, operated with a twin engine jet aircraft, bound for Puerto Francisco de Orellana (locally known as Coca).
Takeoff from Quito, Ecuador
The landscape soon after takeoff from Quito.
Takeoff from Quito, Ecuador
Volcano in Ecuador
East of this volcano, the Amazon basin begins.
Photos of the Amazon basin from the air.
Landing in Coca, Ecuador Landing in Coca, Ecuador
Approaching Coca (or Puerto Francisco de Orellana).
Coca airport, Ecuador
Photo of Coca airport.
Left picture: the bus from airport to dock. Right picture: the luggage is waterproofed for the long canoe ride to the lodge.
Town of Coca, Ecuador
Photo of Coca village in Ecuador.
Rio Napo by canoe, Ecuador Rio Napo by canoe, Ecuador
The Napo river and the motorized canoes used to transport the group from coca to the lodge in the Amazon rainforest.
Rio Napo by canoe, Ecuador Rio Napo by canoe, Ecuador
About two and an half hours are spent in the motorized canoe, navigating Napo river.
Rio Napo by canoe, Ecuador
Rio Napo by canoe, Ecuador
Occasionally, traces of human activity is visible along the river .
Rio Napo by canoe, Ecuador
Hiking in the amazon rainforest, Ecuador


From this dock, a 20 minutes walk to a small lagoon begins. Registered luggage is carried by porters.
Getting to Sacha Lodge, Ecuador Getting to Sacha Lodge, Ecuador
Getting to Sacha Lodge, Ecuador


Finally, a brief canoe ride brings every passenger to the lodge in the heart of Amazon rainforest.
Getting to Sacha Lodge, Ecuador
Welcome !
Bus to Tena, Ecuador
Because of a strike in Coca, the group has to travel by motorized canoe for about 8 hours to Tena, where a 1 hour bus ride to a local airport begins.
Tena airport, Ecuador Tena airport, Ecuador
The runway in Tena is used by kids to play. An horn warns everybody, each time that an aircraft is about to takeoff or land.
Beechcraft 1900 in Ecuador Tena airport, Ecuador
Photos of Tena airport. The flight is today operated by Beechcraft 1900 and lasts about 25 minutes. It is a spectacular trip between mountains volcanoes.
Volcano in Ecuador
Photos of volcanoes in Ecuador from the air.

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