Amazon Rainforest Adventure in Ecuador
Hike through wild jungle and voyage remote rivers in the untouched UNESCO Yasuni Biosphere Reserve
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with expert, local, English-speaking guidesHotel & Glamping
2 nights in hotels and 4 nights glamping in the AmazonMeals
All breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinnersTransfers
To and from the start and everything in betweenEquipment
All camping equipment, life jacket and rubber bootsSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 12 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
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What's it like?
Trek through primary rainforest teeming with wildlife, eyes open for peccary, giant otters, anaconda and jaguar
Float along the Shiripuno River and wind your way into the wilderness, looking out for piranha along the way
Glamp on the river’s edge in the heart of the Amazon Basin and fall asleep serenaded by the hum of the jungle
Key Information
Day 1
Touch down in Quito
Welcome to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Quito! The rest of the day you are free to explore the colonial city and shake off any jet lag. There will be a group meet-up at 18:00 to get to know your guide and fellow adventurers.
Day 2
Welcome to the jungle
Driving
Settle into the van for a road trip bound for the city of Coca, in Orellana Province - the starting point for your Amazon jungle adventure. You'll continue into Yasuní National Park heading deeper into the jungle, including a two-hour motorised canoe down Shiripuno River. Along the way, you'll have opportunities to spot river turtles, monkeys, caiman, and many species of birds like the oropendola, caciques, kingfishers, macaws, toucans, and parrots. Your remote base for the next 4 nights in the Amazon is Noneno community, a unique experience staying with a Huaorani tribe.
Day 3
Huaorani Village & Jungle Hike
Hiking
Wake up at sunrise and spend the morning with your host family in the rainforest, collecting palm leaves and learning about medicinal plants and their uses in the community. After lunch, continue on a hike led by a Huaorani warrior that takes you deeper into the jungle. Every day in the Amazon is a new adventure with the natural environment providing new exciting opportunities to encounter more wildlife, such as different types of monkeys, capybara, tapir, swallows, flycatchers, herons, sandpipers and hawks.
Day 4
Black Water Lagoon
Canoeing
Hiking
An early morning start as you'll take to the river on canoes and enjoy a birdwatching activity en route to the Black Water Lagoon. The lagoon is located in a pristine area of rainforest where you'll discover a series of endemic aquatic species, giant otters, piranhas, caiman, boas, and with any luck, anacondas. Canoe back to the lodge for a rest before setting out on a night walk exploration to explore the jungle's nocturnal life.
Day 5
Animal Clay Lick
Hiking
Fuel up with some breakfast and coffee before heading to a uniquely Amazonian clay lick for a spectacle of colours and sounds. You’ll hopefully get to see various species of parrots and macaws go to town licking the clay off the cliffs. Be on the lookout for predators such as snakes, boas and raptors. In the afternoon take a hike on a forest trail, then spot piranha along the river before sitting down to a traditional Ecuadorian dinner.
Day 6
Goodbye Amazon, hello hot springs
Driving
Wave goodbye to the jungle as you take one more canoe ride (approx 3 hours) to connect with the van to make the long journey to Papallacta, a small village in the Andes. In the afternoon you are free to enjoy some well-earned downtime in the hotel's hot springs. You'll share a final evening together with your group, sharing memories, adventure stories and probably the odd photo of a giant otter from your time in the Amazon Basin.
Day 7
Bid farewell to Ecuador
Your adventure ends today as you enjoy a final breakfast in the natural surroundings at your hotel. You're free to head to the airport in time for your onward flight.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Quito Airport
Arrive by 16:00 on Day 1
Ends
Quito Airport
Morning on Day 7
Transfers
Arrival transfers are included, provided you have shared your arrival flight details in advance with the host. Your adventure begins at 18:00 on Day 1 when your host will meet you in the lobby at Hotel La Quinta by Wyndham, Quito.
On the final day of the trip, a group transfer from Termas de Papallacta to the airport is included in the trip cost and typically departs at around 13:00 hrs (approx 1 hour transfer). If you wish to book a private transfer departing Papallacta at an alternative time then your host can arrange this for an additional cost.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Quito from major airports across the UK, Europe and North America.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 7
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
In Quito and Papallacta, there will be an array of traditional Ecuadorian food to sample. Traditional dishes tend to be meat-heavy, however, seafood ceviche is popular and there are plenty of vegetarian options using potato, plantain and local cheeses. You have one evening in Quito with no dinner included, allowing you to sample the local restaurants nearby.
Whilst staying in the Amazon you'll enjoy delicious, fresh cuisine of traditional foods of the Amazon prepared using locally produced, organically grown ingredients.
Vegetarians, vegans and most other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?
Quito
During your time in Quito, you'll stay at Hotel La Quinta by Wyndham. Offering a variety of facilities and services, the property provides all you need for a good night's sleep.
The Amazon
Spend four nights deep in the jungle with members of the Huaorani tribe, a unique and memorable experience. Here you'll stay at a wonderful glamping spot called Wao Eco Glamp, in twin- or triple-share tents beneath thatched wooden huts with sleeping mats, towels, sheets and pillows provided. Electric light will provided by solar panels (although having a charged power bank would be handy) and there are private male/female bathroom facilities with ecological dry toilets and showers (using river water).
Papallacta
You'll spend your final night at the four-star Termas de Papallacta, a hot springs spa resort nestled in a majestic valley of the high Andes. Decorated with wooden walls and gabled roofs, rooms at Termas de Papallacta are fitted with wooden furnishing. You can relax in the thermal pools or try some of the several beauty treatments that are available at the spa.
If you prefer to relax a little bit longer in Papallacta rather than returning to Quito, you can book extra nights and arrange the airport transfer with your host.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room and tent can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
This trip has been rated as Moderate
Anyone with a basic level of fitness can enjoy this trip. Hikes can involve thick forest at times but there will be plenty of breaks and time to take in the surrounding views, wildlife and enjoy the rainforest. The activities aren't strenuous, the aim on this trip is to breathe in and soak up the natural wonders of the Amazon while immersed in your surroundings.
There really is no “best” time to visit the Amazon, anytime of year offers a great chance to experience the jungle. May and June tend to be the wetter months, but the climate is slightly cooler as well. July through December see a decline in the amount of rain that falls each month. The average temperature in the jungle remains around 25°C (77°F) year-round, but during the dry season, daytime temperatures can reach 40°C (104°F).
Amazon Rainforest Adventure in Ecuador
It was an unforgettable once in a life time trip and the glamming accommodation was so much better than I was expecting as we had our own a shower and toilet facilities - just incredible. Our guide Marcelo was first class As was Diego and the boys who helps with the canoe. We learned so much about the Amazon and it was a truly authentic and memorable experience.
- just incredible
Truly off the beaten track
If you want a real immersive rainforest experience then this is the perfect trip. Absolutely in the heart of the forest. Our guides Marcelo and Diego were amazing. Camp was brilliantly set up with views over the river. Food was lovely and plentiful, you won’t go hungry. There’s a couple of long driving days but route is lovely and the end at Papallacta is perfect. The noise of the rainforest is very special.
Amazing Amazon
A wonderful week deep in the Amazon with the Waorani tribe. Beautiful scenery, amazing staff, wide range of activities (hiking, bird watching canoe trips, night walks, piranha fishing etc) and a great group. It is hot and humid but camping facilities exceeded expectations. Our local guides, Wilson and Alfonso, were fantastic and really made sure we all had a fantastic experience
Absolutely incredible experience in the
Absolutely incredible experience in the amazon! Guides were amazing and very knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife. Was a very interesting experience meeting the Huaorani Tribe and learning about how they live. Was great meeting like minded people to share an incredible experience with. Can't recommend this trip enough!
Unforgettable and unique
This is a wild experience jam packed with unforgettable moments: blow gun target practice with the Huaorani tribe, our guide jumping out of the canoe to catch a caiman, climbing vines from a 300yr old tree, swimming in the Amazon, chasing monkeys in the canopy from the forest floor. While I don't doubt every trip will be incredible, I expect the exact itinerary of each trip will change based on the group/leader/weather. Some important notes: (1) You are REMOTE. The only people we saw in the jungle belonged to the tribe or worked on the camp. (2) Getting there and back is two hard ~12 hour days. If the weather is bad this has the potential to be more. That includes a stop for lunch/bathroom breaks/2 hr canoe ride. The rest is difficult driving, constant swerving to avoid potholes/mudslides. (3) While you will be around lots of wildlife, this isn't the purpose of this trip and glimpses will mostly be brief (but rewarding). (4) There are a lot of people involved in making this happen you will want to tip, so plan to get cash accordingly (driver, guide, local guide, cook and camp staff) These guys are all miracle workers.
Don't let the travel scare you off, you can't have this experience without being this remote. That's what makes this trip so special, you're experiencing a part of the world almost unbothered by modern society in an authentic way. The Huaorani want you there, the guides get excited right along side you.
I did this tour in
I did this tour in march ,it was fantastic. paulo and Diego were brilliant guides we saw monkeys birds galore cayman river turtles a giant river otter plenty of insects spiders an a couple of snakes Accommodation is very basic you really are in the jungle. Mama the chef was fantastic as was his food . I would highly recommend this tour
Authentic Amazon Adventure
This is a really authentic taste of the Amazon. A great experience travelling along the river in a motorised canoe looking for wildlife. Lots of exotic birds, monkeys and insects and even an anaconda. Fishing for piranha and catfish was surreal. This trip is an adventure and an education all in one.
Yes!!!! Make this tour of a lifetime a bucket list “must do.”
Exceptional adventure on every level to include the learning curve, guide prowess, authenticity and deft planning and spontaneity.
This was the 50th country that I have spent time in by choice. Ecuador is spectacular. Gorgeous scenery and the local people are welcoming and kind.
Ecuador is a beautiful but
Ecuador is a beautiful but demanding country, this trip is for those who really want an adventure. The wildlife is stunning and this trip enabled us to see it up close and in beaut