Activities in The Oriente
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Misahullí Tours
Carlos Lastra runs one- to four-day tours on the Upper Río Napo for $35 per day. He’s experienced and well respected. Located on the plaza.
reviewed
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River People
River People, run by English guide Gary Dent, his sons and one of his daughters, is a top-notch outfitter that consistently gets rave reviews. Day trips to the Jatunyacu are $50. Trips also run the Quijos (Class IV) for $70 per day, the spectacular Jondachi and the very remote Hollin (in Sumaco-Galera), Class III/IV. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, try the Upper Hollin (Class V) between September and January, a $100, two-day trip. Guides have a minimum of eight years’ experience and speak English. Jungle camping, kayaking instruction and tailor-made trips are possible. Check out the Dent family’s café, Sticky Fingers.
reviewed
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Ríos Ecuador/Yacu Amu
Ríos Ecuador/Yacu Amu is a popular outfitter that offers trips for all tastes. Its most popular one is a $59 day trip down the Upper Napo (Class III), which runs daily. Trips down the Misahuallí (November to March) promise more thrills, with Class-IV rapids and a waterfall portage for $69 per person. Ask about other rivers and multiday trips. If you’re itching to go solo, a four-day white-water kayaking school (suitable for beginners) costs $330. The company is owned by Australian Steve Nomchong, who has been rafting and kayaking since the mid-’80s. English and French are spoken.
reviewed
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Papangu-Atacapi Tours
An indigenous-run agency with a focus on community tourism. Trips go to Sarayaku and Mango Wasi (Quichua communities) and Cueva de los Tuyos (Shuar). Sarayacu (www.sarayaku.com/tourism) requires a rural charter flight ($125 round-trip per person) and the cost is $63 per day for a two-night trip. Other trips start at $40 per day. Guides are indigenous and speak Spanish and Quichua, and some of the fees go to participating communities. Highly recommended by travelers.
reviewed
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Amarongachi Tours
Offers various good-time jungle excursions. During its tours ($45 per person per day) you can stay with a family in the jungle, eat local food, go for hikes, climb up waterfalls, pan for gold and swim in the rivers. Amarongachi also operates the lovely Amarongachi and Shangrila cabins; the latter are on a bluff 100m above Río Anzu (a tributary of Río Napo) and feature great views of the river and more-mellow activities.
reviewed
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Otobo’s Amazon Safari
Operated by indigenous Huaorani Otobo and his family, this remote site on the Río Cononaco has platform tents and a thatched-roof lodge. Visitors hike in the Parque Nacional Yasuní with a native English-speaking guide, visit lagoons and a local village. The site can be reached by small plane from Shell/Puyo and motorized canoe, from Coca and the Vía Auca or by canoe only at a reduced price.
reviewed
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Kem Pery Tours
Leads tours to Bataburo Lodge, on the edge of Huaorani territory, about nine hours from Coca by boat and bus. Canoes motor into the remote Ríos Tiguino and Cononaco and tours combine wildlife viewing with cultural visits. There is a $20 fee to enter Huaorani territory. Guides are both bilingual and native. The agency also runs longer trips in the same area that involve camping.
reviewed
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Ricancie
Ten Quichua communities have joined to improve life for their 200 families through ecotourism. They offer adventure tours, bird- and animal-watching, demonstrations of healing plants, handicrafts and cooking for $45 per day. Guides speak Quichua and Spanish, but little English. The staff can arrange stays in local villages and know the local caves and petroglyphs. Recommended.
reviewed
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Agua Extreme
Agua Extreme offers trips on the Jatunyacu for $70 per person, the Misahuallí for $75, and more. Travelers recommend river trips and the kayaking school. The company also guides day trips for horseback riding, caving and biking from Cotundo to Tena (bikes are available to rent). Guides speak Spanish and English.
reviewed
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Tropic Ecological Adventures
Provides tours to an ecologically sound lodge in Huaorani territory that is run by the Ecotourism Association of Quehueri’ono, which represents five communities on the upper Shiripuno River. The group also runs day trips, as well as one- and two-day tours into Secoya territory from Coca.
reviewed
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Ecoselva
Pepe Tapia González takes visitors on fun one- to 10-day tours with overnight stays at his rustic lodge or jungle camps. He speaks English, has a biology background and is knowledgeable about plants and insects. Tours cost about $45 per person per day. Located on the Plaza.
reviewed
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Planeta Tours
Offers cultural tours in Shuar territory, waterfall hikes, fishing, white-water rafting on the Río Upano, and canoeing. Some English is spoken. Multiday trips cost $40 to $75 per day.
reviewed
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Agency Limoncocha
Run from the Hostal Limoncocha, this agency offers tours to nearby jungle and indigenous villages for $35 to $40 per day, as well as rafting trips. German and English are spoken.
reviewed
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Madre Selva Tours
Operates one- to four-day tours to visit local communities, raft, hike and more. Day trips start at $15 per person.
reviewed
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Insondu Mundo Shuar
Organizes two- to five-day trips into Shuar territory with some English-speaking guides.
reviewed
