Plan Your Trip
The Yasuni National Park is a uniquely diverse area that covers over 9,800 square kilometers of pristine Amazon rainforest. The park – considered a “biosphere reserve” by UNESCO – is home to more than 550 bird species, which is about 40% of the bird species of the entire Amazon Basin…think about that! For this 5-day/4-night adventure, you will get a close-up view of Amazon wildlife in the Yasuni reserve, a sacred land considered one of the most diverse areas in the planet. You’ll only need to prepare yourself for discovering this amazing biodiversity that the Amazon rainforest hides in its forests and creeks. While lodging at the Yasuni Kapawi Lodge, and later the Napo Wildlife Center, you will experience the incredible adventure of paddling a small canoe or hiking on rainforest trails. At both lodges, you will experience the forest floor and its assembly of colors, sounds, scents, and the beautiful and curious creatures. And don’t worry, during all of your hikes and excursions, a native and bilingual guide will always be with your group to guide you and reveal the secrets of the jungle to you.
“The trip was excellent from beginning to end. The Isabella II was a fine ship and the crew and guides were all of the highest quality. I would recommend them to others. For us, the ship was the perfect size – not too small and not too large.”
Arriving at Napo Cultural Center, you have the outstanding chance to step onto the aboriginal territory of the Kichwa Añangu community, whose members will welcome you with a traditional and refreshing ice cold “wayusa,” the local hotel manager will give quick instructions and immediately will take you to your comfortable room with views of the rainforest in order to get ready for the first activity in the afternoon.
Hike along “Playas” trail to experience Amazon wildlife for the first time in the river islands and shores amidst one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth. Kayaking is also available as an optional activity for around 45 min. to enjoy an overwhelming and colorful sunset in the vastness of Napo River. Then head back to your cabin, rest a little bit and be prepared for a well-deserved dinner.
After dinner, fall asleep to the relaxing sounds of the Amazon.
Enjoy the sunrise at breakfast, visit the local Kitwa community to learn about their sustainable community projects and their indigenous worldview. From there, we will walk along the Mama-Kuna road, which is an excellent opportunity to see more wildlife, and ceiba trees, as well as bamboo cane, vines and shrubs endemic to Yasuní.
In the afternoon after a delicious local lunch, paddle down the Añangu River, a blackwater ecosystem, where you can spot monkeys jumping from tree to tree, caiman and sometimes even giant river otters trying to catch fish.
After dinner, prepare your flashlight for a night safari around the lodge to see different kinds of insects, reptiles and even nocturnal mammals, like monkeys.
We will get up early to reach one of the most accessible “clay licks” frequented by Ecuadorian Amazon parrots, just one hour from the lodge. The aim is for guests to arrive before the very beginning of this spectacular natural activity in which brilliantly colored parrots assemble by the dozens from between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. to eat mineralized clay.
Afterwards, following a half-hour walk through the rainforest, we will reach another parrot clay lick that usually attracts them from 9:00 to 12:00 a.m. At this site, you can see about 11 species of parrots, as well as parakeets and Scarlet macaws during certain seasons. Of course, the particular sightings depend on weather conditions and a little luck – though this activity is usually fruitful.
We end this morning with a visit to the intercultural "Kuri Muyu" interpretation center, which means golden seed in native language, handled by the women of the community also knows as “mamakuna” learn about the Kichwa culture, crafts, customs and traditional use of natural resources directly from the people of the aboriginal community.
We return to the center of the community to have lunch at the dining hall and take a break in the lodge before hiking one hour in order to climb up the observation tower reaching 35 meters above the surface with high chances to spot a variety of birds, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, toucans, parrots and sloths.
Time for dinner followed by a unique activity at Napo River, onboard the ancestral catamaran to know more about their legends and traditional chants, while women grill some delicious snacks in the fire.
Wake up with the chirping of Amazonian birds, to enjoy our local and organic breakfast buffet. After this, put on your rubber boots to start hiking the terra firme forest along Samona Trail. Here, you can feel like Indiana Jones in the middle of century-old ceibos, spot capuchin, and sight wolly and saki monkeys. Look under the leave to discover bizarre insects and tune your eyes and ears for the birds and reptiles within the dense forest environment. Return to the eco-lodge for a refreshing drink and prepare for an exquisite lunch, including local specialties.
In the afternoon, after a delicious local lunch, visit the lodge's second canopy observation tower to use specialized telescopes to spot some of the more than 600 hundred bird species of birds that inhabit the area.
Upon arriving, you will have time to settle back and prepare for a traditional Amazonian dinner. Taste local flavors of the Amazon such as “maito,” which is grilled fish wrapped in a “bijao” leaf. If you have an adventurous palate, try the grilled worms of the “chonta” locally known as “chontakuru”.
AM: This rainforest experience comes to a memorable close with a “wayusa” ritual. During this spiritual experience, you can get up at around 4:30 am to share in drinking the sacred “wayusa” infusion. This ritual, which is commonly performed by Kichwa families, has been a way for them to pass down their ancient knowledge to the new generations. During your early morning experience, you can also share in traditional chants and have the chance to “interpret dreams” with the wisest “mamakuna” in the community – a mystical experience indeed.
Afterwards, we will head back to the lodge for breakfast before taking a motorized canoe back to the town of Coca and then flying back to Quito.
| Days | ||||
| Mini Suite | Standard | |||
| Single | Double o Triple | Single | Double o Triple | |
| 5 | US$ 1,392 PP | US$ 1,155 PP | US$ 1,222 PP | US$ 1,013 PP |
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“My wife and I just completed a 5-day tour around the Cotopaxi volcano and the stunning Quilotoa loop – overall an excellent trip and wonderful experience.”
