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Sani Lodge Campground: camping IS an option in the Jungle
The Sani Lode is one of many choices when it comes to visiting the jungle. We did a lot of research in making the choice. There were cheaper alternatives and by far more expensive ones but it sounded like when it comes to visiting the jungle, cutting corners can lead to disappointing results. The key is your guide. Will you have an English speaking guide? One that knows about the diverse fauna and flora you'll hopefully be seeing. Will you have interaction with indigenous people? These are the important things with regard to seeing the jungle properly. Now, you have to consider your level of comfort. This is an area you can cut corners and still experience the jungle but you have to decide how rustic an experience you want to have.
Sani Lodge was kind of in the upper part of the middle with regard to price but from descriptions from guidebooks and former customers it did not lack when it came to wildlife viewing or the quality of their guiding. As for the accommodation, there were two options. You could stay in the lodge proper which were individual cabins with private bath and even a small balcony or you could camp. This is not self-camping where you bring and pitch your own tent. There is a separate area across the lake from the lodge where tents are erected on wooden platforms with thatched roofs. The under cover portion of the platform is quite big. You could put a few tents on there. This makes for a dry experience which if you camp is something you appreciate! There are some hammocks under cover too and it makes for a very pleasant afternoon hanging out at your campsite looking out at your view of the lake through the lush jungle framing it.
The bathrooms are very primitive: pit toilets and a dip bucket. They had tried to rig up a shower of sorts but believe me, use the bucket. It works better and since its' warm, hot water really isn't a big factor here. Still, this was the only downside to camping compared to the lodge proper. Perhaps the biggest hassle of showering was bug encounters. We learned after a day it was best to take a shower in the afternoon before dinner. If you waited till later you had problems with mosquitoes and also huge flies that flew incessantly around you until the sun finally set. Once the sun was down, peace ensued. It's funny how the most beautiful time of day turned out to be one of the most unpleasant when confronted with nature. I guess the bugs like sunset too! Shower sandals are a must too. I'm not a clean freak who worries about picking up fungi from other travelers but there were centipedes in the campground and my wife spotted one in the shower once. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
The price for for five days and four nights is $400 per person. You can do as little as three nights and up to seven and it's basically tiered at $100 a night. This includes three meals per day, your transfer from Coca airport to the lodge, a native as well as English speaking naturalist, rubber boots/rain gear, and all of your excursions. So, while it's not cheap, it is all inclusive and of very good quality. The same four night package in the lodge proper using a cabin would have been $680 per person.
