Day 1 Napo Cultural Center (L,D)

After a short flight from Quito and 2 hours navigating along the Napo River in motorized canoe, you arrive at the Napo Cultural Center.

On arrival you are stepping into the aboriginal territory of the Kichwa Añangu community, whose members welcome you with a traditional and refreshing ice cold “wayusa” drink. The local hotel manager will give a welcome talk and then you will be shown to your comfortable rooms with views of the rainforest. It’s time to get ready for the first activity of the afternoon.

Hike along the Playas Trail to experience the Amazon jungle first hand. The trail passes river islands and follows the shore of the Napo, amidst of one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth.

Kayaking is also available as an optional activity for around 45 minutes, a great way to enjoy an overwhelming and colorful sunset across the vastness of the Napo River. Then heading back to your cabin, you have some time to rest before a well-deserved dinner.

Dinner and overnight at the Napo Cultural Center.

Day 2 Napo Cultural Center (B,L,D)

After an early breakfast we take a motorized canoe ride to one of the highlights of the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve, the parrot clay lick on the banks of the River Napo. Bring your binoculars and cameras! We will see flocks of blue- headed, yellow-crowned parrots and even dusky-headed parakeets, from the canoe.

We then walk for around 30 minutes along the Pericos Trail to reach a forest hide which offers front-seat views of a noisy and colourful parakeet clay lick. Here you may come face to face with up to 11 species of parrots and parakeets (including parrotlets and macaws). Sometimes even mammals like howler monkeys, tapir and peccaries come to this place to drink water and get vital minerals for their bodies.

We end this morning with a visit to the intercultural interpretation center ‘Kuri Muyu’ which means ‘Golden Seed’ in the native language. This project which is managed by the women of the community is also known as “mamakuna”. Here we can learn about the kichwa culture, crafts, customs and traditions.

We return to the lodge for lunch and some rest time. In the afternoon we hike for one hour to reach the observation tower which climbs to 35 meters above the ground. From the top we have high possibilities of spotting howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, toucans, parrots and sloths.

Dinner is followed by a unique activity on the Napo river. We board an ancestral catamaran accompanied by the local Kichwa people. They share with us their legends, traditional chants and delicious snacks which are roasted on the open fire.

Overnight in Napo Cultural Center

Day 3 Napo Cultural Center (B,L,D)

Enjoy the sunrise at breakfast, visit the sustainable community projects, talk about the Kichwa’s worldview.

We hike the Mama Cuna Trail, learning about medicinal plants. We also have an excellent opportunity to see more wildlife, ceiba trees, strangelr figs, bamboo canes, lianas and shrubs endemic to the Yasuni National Park.

In the afternoon, after a delicious lunch, we take a peaceful paddle canoe ride along the “Añangu” stream, a black water ecosystem where you can spot monkeys jumping from tree to tree, caiman and sometimes even giant river otters trying to catch fish.

Upon returning to the lodge you have some rest time before enjoying a traditional typical dinner where you have the opportunity to taste the flavors of the amazon, such as ‘maito’ (grilled fish wrapped in a ‘bijao’ leaf). For those with an adventurous palate try the grilled worms of the ‘chonta’ plant locally known as ‘chontakuru’.

After dinner, prepare your flashlight for a night walk around the lodge to look for different kinds of insects, reptiles and even nocturnal mammals like night monkeys.

Overnight in Napo Cultural Center

Day 4 Napo Cultural Center (B)

To end your time in the Amazon with a flourish, you are invited to take part in an optional “wayusada” ritual. It takes place at dawn (around 4:30am). This is the time when the Kichwa family drink together the sacred “wayusa” tea and the older members of the community share their ancient knowledge with the new generations. Here you can also experience traditional chanting and take part in a dream interpretation ceremony with the wisest “mamakuna” of the community, a mystical experience indeed.

Then head back for breakfast, before boarding our comfortable motorized canoes for the return journey by river to the port town of Coca and onward flight to Quito.

Hotel: Napo Cultural Center