Amazon Aventures

The Jungles of Yasuni National Park

This expedition takes the traveler with limited time, deep into the rainforests of the Amazon basin, into the Yasuni National Park. Like all our adventures this one is lead by an English-speaking interpretive guide, working together with an Indian guide from the area.

Traveling by dugout canoe down the Tiputini River to our campsite, you will have excellent chances to see the birds and animals in an area of virgin jungle. The bird list includes toucans, parrots and macaws as well as many other species, possibly as many as 300 species. The mammals include ocelot, giant otter, tapir, capybara, guatuso, sloth, deer and several species of monkeys, making this tour a real alternative to a visit to a more accessible area, where there is no chance of seeing mammals in the wild.

Day 1 Yasuni National Park

Our group meets at the Quito airport to board our flight for Coca. The flight path takes offers excellent views of Cayambe and the other volcanic peaks north of Quito. We arrive in Coca located at the confluence of the Coca and Napo rivers. The town is official named after the first European to descend the Amazon (Francisco de Orellana) but is more often called by its older name, Coca by the locals. A busy river port and center for jungle exploration the feel of the frontier is ever present. After being fitted for rubber boots we depart Coca and travel by Ranchera (local bus) to the bridge over the Rio Tiputini a journey about 2 hours. At the river we embark on a motorized dugout canoe for the 2-1⁄2 hour trip down river into the Yasuni National Park and our campsite on the banks of the river.

As we make our way down the river we begin to become familiar with the sights and sounds of the rainforest. We need to keep a watchful eye to spot the many birds and animals that are ever present.

As we near camp we go ashore. Our guide leads us by foot for the last hour so that we may get a feel for theatmosphere and sounds of the jungle. We arrive in camp to find it has been set-up for us, a snack is waiting and we have time to settle into our tents and swim in the river before dinner. After dinner we take a night hike to look for birds and animals which prowl at night.

Day 2 Yasuni National Park

We have a full day exploration of the rainforest. We begin with a 4 to 6 hour hike deep into the virgin forest. We look for monkeys, tapirs, deer, snakes, and anything else that might be around. As we pass through the forest our guide will explain some the medicinal and other useful plants we encounter. After a picnic lunch in the forest we reach a nearby ox-bow lake where we can paddle and drift along in a small dugout canoe looking for birds and animals.

We return to camp in the mid-afternoon where we have a snack and are free for a couple of hours to swim and play in the river. Approximately an hour before dusk we drift down river to observe birds, which are usually in abundance at this peak birding hour. Sightings of kingfishers, herons, eagles, toucans, bats and other species are common. We will make a night hike into the forest to spot caimans as the campsite is conveniently situated near a lagoon.

Day 3 Yasuni National Park to Coca

After an early breakfast we set out to visit our nearest neighbors, Quichua Indigenous. We hike through swamps and virgin forest to arrive at the family home in time for a late lunch and a chance to try chicha and other local delicacies, as well of course as more conventional boxed lunch and we learn something of their life in the rainforest. We journey 2 hours by canoe to the Ranchera waiting to bring us back to Coca where we can spend the night or journey by bus to other destinations within Ecuador.

Included: Quito-Coca one-way airfare, all meals, services of guides, communal camping gear, rubber boots, sleeping sheets and blanket, Yasuni National Park fee $20..
Not Included:  Optional return flight to Quito $53, Optional overnights in Coca $10