Charapa Turtle Adoption Program

An early start from the lodge leads to a fifteen to twenty minute motor canoe trip along the Napo River to a nearby community. Locals here gather Charapa turtle eggs and keep them safe in shallow pools until they hatch. Visitors who arrive at the right moment can pick one of the hatchlings, give it a name, and release it into the river themselves. The community presents a signed certificate recording the turtle's name, along with a small handmade gift. The programme supports local conservation work and gives a direct, hands-on look at how the species is protected.