As you go from Quito to Tena, you will see how the climate, terrain and scenery changes dramatically. From Tena, we will head (2 hours) for the indigenous village of San Pedro, where we will board a canoe down the Napo River to Yacuma Lodge. Yacuma Ecolodge is a comfortable, cozy and the perfect destination for nature lovers!
Day 01 Arrival in Yacuma Lodge (D)
You will be transferred from your Quito hotel to Tena, where your guide will pick you up. From here will go to the small Indigenous village of San Pedro, from where we’ll start navigating in a dug-out canoe for about 25 minutes downstream along the Napo River. Upon arrival to Yacuma Lodge in the early afternoon you will be greet with a typical cold drink before checking into your bungalow. After lunch, we will be joined by one of our expert’s Indian guides, and we’ll canoe to the Birds Island, where we will take a hike in the forest around the Laguna Escondida (Hidden Lagoon where we’ll be able to see different species of jungle birds: egrets,herons, King fisher, Garrapatero, Oropendolas, etc. One of the most interesting bird is The Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoatzin), one of Amazon's weirdest birds. It is quite shy, except in breeding season, it is very smelly, it eats only leaves, and it is a clumsy flyer. Later on we canoe back to the lodge for a well deserved dinner. Weather permitting; we will go for a night canoe ride on the nearby lagoon to look for wildlife
Day 02 Jungle hikes (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we’ll start a 3-4 hour trek through the deep primary rainforest. Along the way an indigenous guide will show us the many species of plants and trees and explain how the locals use it for medicinal purposes. With luck we perhaps will see monkeys and birds such as oropendolas and parrots. After lunch we will walk in the forest to observe the different kind of trees and plants grown by the locals: bananas, papaya, pineapple, oranges, sugar cane, etc. Then we continue to the small village where we can buy pottery made by the locals. Later on we continue our walk for a visit to the Quechua indigenous community of Chontayacu, where you will have the opportunity to learn about local customs and the way of life of the native people of the jungle. Later, return to the lodge for dinner.
Day 03 Huambuno River (B, L, D)
In the morning, we’ll travel further along the Napo River towards the mouth of Huambuno River. We navigate on this river till we arrive to the small lagoon where we make a short trek to observe Caymans and hoatzins. Our crew will serve a box lunch on the way. Later in the afternoon, you will have the rare opportunity to try panning for gold on the shores of Napo River. We’ll return to the lodge late in the afternoon and after dinner we invite you to have a drink at our social evening Then we return to the lodge for dinner.
Day 04 Departure (B)
After breakfast we begin our return journey along the Napo River to San Pedro Village from where you can take your transfer back to Tena (to be paid on the spot). From there you will be transferred back to Quito.
