Adventures in Ecuador at Sacha Lodge

Today was another very active day at the Sacha Lodge. First, we tried to see the Pygmy Marmosets, which are the smallest monkeys in the world; however, they hadn’t yet come down from their resting spots high in the trees. So, we went to the Butterfly House where we learned about many species of both butterflies and moths. We were also able to see real butterflies and moths in all of their stages.

Following these two brief visits, we hiked to a place called Anaconda creek. Though we didn’t see any anacondas, we did see a few different species of birds and some amazing flowers. The morning events concluded with a hike back to the lodge in a traditional rainforest down pour.  

Some of our most exciting experiences have occurred between the planned activities. After lunch we were invited to play soccer with the guides and other staff. It was awesome to watch them play their sport with such enthusiasm. I think they had just as much fun watching the gringos try to play their sport with them. All of us students definitely enjoyed watching Mario play his heart out!

The second part of the day was spent canoeing and zip lining. Afterwards, we climbed countless stairs until we arrived atop the canopy. It was a gorgeous view of the rainforest and a perfect place to watch the sunset. Prior to the sunset, we were able to see a few different species of birds and a three-toed sloth.

The sloth moved so slowly and had such long toenails; it was incredible to see it in its natural habitat. With the sun just about to disappear, and a storm drawing near, we hiked down the tower. Half of us hiked back to the lodge while the other half canoed. And yet again, our day ended with a rainforest shower and another hot meal.

Submitted by Alex Wolters, Sacha Lodge, Ecuador, Participant in the Eastern Illinois University Study Abroad Program: Environment, Society, and Culture of Ecuador