Sani Lodge

The Amazon half of an Ecuador trip. Sani Lodge sits on the Napo River at the edge of Yasuní National Park and is owned and operated by the Sani Isla community, a Kichwa group that has committed to preserving 31,178 hectares of its territory. The lodge has nine cabins, three suites and a family cabin, all built in the traditional Kichwa style with private bathrooms and solar-heated water, and it is reached by a boat trip along the Napo after the short flight from Quito to Coca. The forest here holds 593 recorded bird species and more than 2,200 species overall; the 118-foot canopy tower and the parrot clay lick are the two set-piece mornings. Meals are Ecuadorian and international with vegetarian options, guides are first-aid trained, and the Sani Warmi women's project sells crafts on site. Sold as four- and five-day packages, with birding and honeymoon versions.