An hour drive from Quito, Ecuador is a gateway to a natural paradise: The Sani Lodge. With the beautiful Napo River on one side and breathtaking rainforest on the other, Sani Isla is the perfect location for a visit to the Amazon Rainforest. During a stay at Sani Lodge, you would hike through one of the most biodiverse areas of the Amazon, kayak down the Napo River, and be introduced to Kichwa culture.
As a longtime partner of Rainforest Partnership, the Sani Lodge and the Sani Isla community are committed to conserving the rainforest around them.
Sani Lodge is completely community-owned and run. Since its inception, the main source of income for the community has been ecotourism. The community also generates income through the Sani Warmi program, one of RP’s first projects and partnerships. Sani Warmi is a group of women from the community who sell artisanal crafts to local markets and Sani Lodge visitors.
Until the pandemic.
As is the case around the world, the Sani Lodge has seen a drastic decline in the number of visitors due to COVID-19. Without consistent visitors and a reliable source of income, the wellbeing of the community and the forest is less secure. The Sani Isla school doesn't have the materials or funding it needs, and many community members have lost their jobs.
Economic insecurity makes the community more vulnerable to the pressures and power of destructive, extractive industries, like oil, logging, or mining companies.
Because the school is struggling for resources, the community is without income and financial security, and because COVID-19 is particularly dangerous for rainforest communities, we are quickly creating projects to support our partner during this difficult time.
Introducing Our Virtual Tours!
One of these projects is a newly published Virtual Tour program, developed by Rainforest Partnership and the Sani Isla community and made possible by the team at Real Tour Vision. Through these virtual tours, you can have immediate access to beautiful wildlife and awe-inspiring landscapes thousands of miles away. Especially during a time when many people are quarantining at home, it is an exciting opportunity to experience the beauty of the rainforest, while creating systems of connection and support across the world.
Through these virtual tours, you can have immediate access to beautiful wildlife and awe-inspiring landscapes thousands of miles away. Buying a tour will go directly to support the Sani Isla community during and after the pandemic. Celebrate this International Tourism Day with a trip down the Napo River and into the vast and lively rainforest surrounding Sani Isla.
Buying a tour will directly support the Sani Isla community during and after the pandemic. It will support the Sani Lodge, Sani Warmi, the school, the conservation activities of the community, and the families who live there.
The tours are available on RP’s givelively page, or text “SANITOUR” to 44-321!
