Manatee Amazon Explorer - Amazon river cruise Ecuador
Enjoy a cruise on the Manatee Amazon Explorer cruise ship and discover the jungle and rainforests of Ecuador.
Cabins:
The yacht accomodates 30 passengers in 15 cabins doubles with a private bathroom, air conditioner and hot water.
Accomodations and Services:
Dinning room , bar, laundry, store, reading room and balcony. Canoes, bird watching, jungle walks, fishing, river exploration, lakes and lagoons, swiming, night camping in the jungle.
We will depart in the morning at approximately 7am and after a half hour flight we will arrive at the province of Francisco de Orellana, where the city of Coca (Ecuador’s oil industry capital) is found. Once at the airport, our nature guides will welcome you and take you to the Napo river port. We will then board a motorized canoe that will take us downstream for approximately 1.5 hours. During this trip we will learn some important information about the region. After boarding the Manatee Amazon Explorer we will enjoy a delicious lunch awaiting us on board and we will begin our navigation on the Napo River for the rest of the afternoon. In the afternoon, we will have a welcoming cocktail receive a presentation on the journey and an optional nocturnal nature walk will be offered. 
During the second day of our cruise, we will explore one of the most beautiful tributaries of the Napo River, originating from the center of Yasuni National Park. In this river, we will navigate with the current in search of the marvellous wildlife and if we are lucky, we will have the opportunity to see the river’s evasive giant otter, the mysterious jaguar, and even the timid spider monkeys in the southern part of Yasuni National Park.
After this excursion, the Manatee will continue to navigate until it arrives at the closest point of the border with neighboring Peru. We will visit the town of Rocafuerte and continue our navigation to the convergence of the Napo and Aguarico rivers (the easternmost point of the Ecuadorian territory). Afterwards, we will continue upstream the Aguarico, a river considered to be rich in minerals as it is here where many miners washed gold from the shores close to the mountains. In the afternoon, we will take our first walk through the Varzea forest, which remains humid for half of the year. After this marvellous excursion, supper will be served on board, and afterwards, we will be given a presentation about the programmed itinerary for the following day. 
Early in the morning, we will explore one of the most pristine rivers of the Ecuadorian Amazon, the Lagartococha river. Here we will have the opportunity to observe exotic plants, colorful birds, and the unique species of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. This system of dark waters is home to the legendary pink dolphin, river tortoises, black alligators and the enigmatic manatee. It is important to mention that if we focus on the vegetation along the shoreline, we have the possibility of seeing the howling monkeys and other species such as the squirrel monkey, the sloth, the Hoatzin bird, among many other wildlife species. The upstream canoe outing will reveal the overwhelming aquatic beauty of this region. A night in the cloud forest may be arranged if desired. This will be the furthermost point of our journey and from this point onward we will commence our navigation back towards Coca. Lunch will be served onboard and during the afternoon, we will explore the rainforest with a short hike.
In the morning we will enjoy a canoe outing on the Yasuni river. This is home to one of the last isolated cultures of the Ecuadorian Amazon, the Huaorani people. This community has decided to live far removed from the rest of the communities and civilizations. We will also visit one of the largest blackwater lakes of the upper Amazon basin, Jatuncocha, and here we will have the opportunity to paddle and observe giant otters and other incredible mammals that are in danger of extinction. In addition, one may observe the breathtaking flora and fauna of this unforgettable place. Lunch will be served on land, barbeque style. In the afternoon there will be an expedition to one of the islands in the Napo River, which is home to a wide variety of birds and to the world’s largest rodent, the capybara. After supper we will be given a presentation about the scheduled itinerary for the following day.
In the morning we will visit one of the indigenous community centers, specifically, one of the Kichwa cultural schools. During this visit we will have the opportunity to learn about these extraordinary people and to learn more about their culture. Our passengers will get to know the children of this community, visit the cabins where they live, and understand the way of life of this friendly community, the use of resources within this particular part of the world, and how they have managed to live in this fragile ecosystem. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a relaxing navigation onboard the Manatee, while we rest up and renew our energy for the next day. There will be the opportunity to learn to cook traditional Ecuadorian dishes in one of our cooking classes given by our onboard chef. We will also have people from the area teach us different activities such as traditional handcrafts. 
After breakfast, we will visit the Parrot Salt-Lick, a place where hundreds of birds gather to benefit from the minerals and natural salts present in this place, without doubt a spectacular sight to behold. Afterwards we will return onboard where a delicious lunch awaits us and in the afternoon after a short navigation we will visit the Limoncocha lake, which is famous for its impressive list of birds that amount to more than 473 species. Here, you may also observe how the people of the local communities fish for piranhas and many other animals including bats. You will enjoy the beautiful fireflies at night and with the help of a powerful lantern we can search for the mysterious alligator. After this encounter, we will return onboard where we will enjoy our farewell supper.
In the morning accounts will be settled, and we will say goodbye to the Manatee Amazon Explorer and its crew, returning to Coca in the motorized canoe and boarding our flight that is scheduled to arrive in Quito at midday.