Description:
Visit traditional Amazonian villages, view spectacular animals and plants endemic to the rain forest, visit an animal shelter for rescued animals from trafficking, and hike for as long as you like through the rain forest with a bilingual guide who will teach you about the interconnected chain of life in the Amazon.
Activites:
Cultural Exploration, Boating
Itinerary:
Day 1: Quito
We will pick you up from the Quito Mariscal Sucre Airport and take you to your hotel in Quito.
Day 2: Travel to the Upper Napo River in the Amazon Basin
We will travel to the Casa del Suizo Hotel in the Amazon River Basin. After we arrive, a short boat ride downstream takes you to a Quichua family living outside of the village. You will witness the production of the popular regional drink, chicha and be invited to give it a try. A community member will explain the traditional use of the blowgun, used as an important weapon for the people of the jungle. Try your hand at this difficult and unique hunting tool. After a 30-minute-walk back to the village on a well-defined path we will visit a ceramics workshop. A Quichua woman will show you the handmade production of the typical fine ceramics of the Oriente, for which they use exclusively natural materials.
Day 3: Cosano / AmaZoonico
A 20-minute boat ride takes you to Cosano, a private stretch of primary forest on the Rio Arajuno. Walks of different lengths (one hour up to three hours) lead you through amazing rain forest. You can overlook the village Ahuano, the Rio Napo and some smaller rivers that merge with it from two different lookout points. Your local guide explains the unique plants that you encounter on your walk. Afterwards you are invited to float downstream the Arajuno on a big inner tube. The ride is peaceful and relaxing. Also located on the Rio Arajuno is the famous animal shelter AmaZoonico. Its mission is to take care of injured or confiscated wild animals and if possible, to set them free later. This is a great opportunity for our guests to observe animals living in the region, that are difficult to see in the wilderness. A 15-minute boat ride takes you back to the Casa del Suizo.
Day: 4 Misicocha
Situated 15 minutes upstream by boat there is a private reserve of the Casa del Suizo with primary forest, which we would like to show you. At the thatch roof shelter, located a hundred meters away from the shore, paths of different lengths and difficulty levels start out (walking time from one and a half to four hours). Your local guide will introduce you to the secrets of the tropical rain forest. The routes lead you through picturesque creeks, some hills up and down, to a scenic viewpoint, always walking under the dark jungle canopy. Your guide explains you how the Quichua use the large variety of plants. Their broad knowledge about the medicinal plants is impressive. After the walk we offer you a refreshing ride downstream on a raft made of balsa wood. In about 30 minutes you arrive back at the Casa del Suizo.
Day 5: Return to Quito in the afternoon
Day 6: International Flight
Transfer from the hotel to the airport in plenty of time to catch your international flight.