Morning flight from Quito over the Eastern Cordillera and down into the airstrip at the town of Francisco de Orellana, a hub for sustainable oil production and named after the discoverer of the Amazon River back in 1541. The Manatee will be pulling up to dock in time for you to board this exciting adventure vessel, ready to take you on a rare journey packed with nature study, cultural interaction and even more of the magical wonders of the largest unexplored wilderness on earth. Navigation starts promptly during lunch until mid-afternoon to disembark for our first encounter with the rainforest and its people, featuring 478 species of birds and thousands of botanical wonders. We meet our vessel at the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve (LD).

Visit Monkey Island at a nearby Indian community and eke your way through a network of black water streams to a flood forest habitat. Enjoy a jungle barbecue and Amazon hammock siesta and back to our vessel. After dinner, enjoy caiman watching and other nocturnal activities. (BLD).

After breakfast, get a great terrace view of the jungle before disembarking to admire a superb parrot salt lick and trek into the interior rainforest. Lunch at a native campsite. Refreshing afternoon swim at a lake and return by paddle dugout through blackwater creeks to our vessel or optional overnight in the jungle cradled by unbelievable sounds and a star-filled sky. (BLD).

Terrace breakfast for early-birds. Trek through the under story of gargantuan kapok trees packed with bromeliads and tangling vines. After lunch reach an observation tower. Evening farewell cocktail and dinner on board. (BLD).

Arrival to Francisco de Orellana and a visit to this quaint town before our flight over the immense rainforest and midday landing in Quito (B).