Owned by the local Sani community, Sani Lodge is one of the lower-priced options around, but unlike other economy lodges, it’s located very deep in the rainforest, enjoying one of the most beautiful locations of any lodge in Ecuador.
The lodge came into being as part of a deal between the local community and the Occidental Oil Company. In exchange for allowing Occidental to explore for oil on its land, the Sani community asked them to build a tourist lodge they could run. Occidental did not find oil, but Sani Lodge was nevertheless built. All profits from tourism go back into the Kichwa community in the form of scholarships, a community store that eases the need for local hunting, emergency medical funds etc.
After traveling up a small tributary of the Río Napo, visitors are greeted with a welcome at the lodge's open-air bar, overlooking Challuacocha, Sani's enchanting blackwater oxbow lake. Ten cabins each sleep two to three people and have private hot-water bathrooms, comfortable beds, mosquito screens and a small porch. There are also four family-sized cabins and a camping area in a separate area reachable by canoe. The latter can be a great money-saver – tents are provided and share a staffed kitchen and bathrooms with running water.
Monkeys, sloths and black caiman are regularly spotted, and the lodge’s bird list records more than 570 species (the 30m-high tree tower will help you find them). Guides here (native and English-speaking naturalists) are excellent for their knowledge of, and respect for, the jungle. Most enjoy showing visitors the Sani community to reinforce how the lodge has created an important, sustainable economy.
