SANILODGE

Sani Lodge is an ecological complex wholly owned by the Quechua community of Sani Isla located in the province of Sucumbios and Orellana in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Sani Lodge is built on a land of over 37 000 ha on the Challuacocha lagoon and offers rich animal and plant biodiversity. It lies between 2 of the world's various ecological reserves, the Yasuni National Park and the Cuyabeno Reserve.

The maximum capacity of the lodge is 30 persons: 10 cabins each with a double bed and a single bed plus a camping area for up to 16 people.

The huts are located on the edge of a black water lagoon. Each cabin was built in a typical way with a straw roof and has a private bathroom and electric light.

Proposed activities. Morning walks, canoeing walks in the lagoon, fishing for piranhas, night rides in canoeing in search of hosts, night hikes.

During the excursions, groups are divided in 6, and each group is accompanied by a native guide of the region and a bilingual naturalist guide.

A trail network provides easy access to different ecosystems such as the wetlands of the Tierra Firm or the forest. Guided tours of Yasuni National Park and exploration on both sides of the Napo River.

Conservation - Education. More than 550 bird species, including the famous Rufous Potoo, have been identified on the site. Sani Lodge has many populations of animals currently in danger of extinction, such as the Black kings or Chorongo monkey.

Minimizing impact. Electric energy is obtained through solar panels. Biodegradable organic waste is processed into manure at the hotel. Other waste (plastic, glass, cardboard) is brought to the municipal landfill of Coke.

The local population. The lodge is owned and managed by the Quechua community. 20 people from the local community work at Sani Lodge. Only the administrator and naturalist guides do not belong to the local community. The revenues generated by the lodge are fully reinvested in various projects to improve the areas of education (construction of an indigenous lyceum) or health.