Welcome to Tena
Unusually for a jungle transport hub, Tena is an attractive place where many travelers find themselves hanging around quite happily for days before or after a trip into the rainforest. While it won’t win architectural prizes anytime soon, Tena has a friendly population, a gorgeous setting surrounded by jungle-covered hills, a lively malecón and lots of backpacker infrastructure. White-water fanatics from around the globe come to paddle and play on the high concentration of surrounding rivers, and the town is home to lots of experienced and highly recommended kayaking operators.
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Tena activities
Amazon and Andes Adventure 5-Day Private Tour from Quito
Day 1: QUITO CITY TOUR OR PULULAHUA CRATER AND MITAD DEL MUNDOPick-up at airport or hotel in Quito and in the afternoon a private city tour in Historical Centre of Quito or to the Pululahua Crater and Mitad del Mundo. Drop off at Hacienda close to Cotopaxi.Day 2 (B, L): COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARKToday you visit the Cotopaxi National Park, standard option hiking and biking but horseback riding also possible. Cotopaxi is an active volcano of 5.897 meters high and the activities takes place on a level of 3.800 meters. In this National Park you can spot foxes, wild horses and sometimes even Andean Condors. Drop off at your hotel in Baños.Day 3 (B, D): BAÑOS – TENABaños de Agua Santa, commonly referred to as Baños, is an Ecuadorian city in Tungurahua province. It is known as the “Gateway” to the Amazon region, as it the last big city still located in the mountains before reaching the jungle.The atmosphere is laid back and relaxed in this sub-tropical climate. In the morning you visit the famous “Swing to the End of the World” and the “Pailon del Diablo” waterfall. Transfer to the Eco-lodge in Tena where there will be served a delicious diner. Afterwards you can enjoy a special welcome drink and a relaxing chat with the administrator to coordinate and discuss next days’ activities.Day 4 (B, L, D): EDUCATIONAL HIKE – LA CASCADA DE LATAS After breakfast, you will depart by canoe upstream for 10 minutes, to arrive at a small shore, where you will begin a short walk for one hour. In here you will appreciate the jungle’s secondary forest, with its diverse flora and fauna species. After our short hike, you will find yourselves at a breathtaking waterfall: “La Cascada de Latas”. You can have a refreshing bath in its clear crystal waters and you can enjoy the surrounding views. Then you will return along the same way to have lunch at the lodge. After lunch, you will put on your rubber boots to start an exciting walk in the jungle’s primary forest. Get ready to find the secret wonders of the mysterious Amazon jungle, discover amazing plant species with medicinal properties, which will be explained in detail by your expert native guide; their characteristics and how the jungle inhabitants used them in ancient times. You will also observe a great variety of insects and small groups of monkeys, weaving around the giant trees, although you will need some luck to find them. After about three hours of walking, you will arrive at the Lodge again. At night you can have a diner and a well deserved rest.Day 5 (B): BACK TO QUITOBreakfast in the lodge and shared transfer back to Quito (or airport).
Rafting in Tena- Ecuador
The trip starts at 9am in Tena City, we pick you up from your hotel/hostel previously we take all the necessary equipment with.We then head to the LLanganates Nacional Park and after around 45 minutes we arrive at Cando, a local Kichwa community in the jungle.Your guide then gives you the equipment (life jackets, helmets, paddles, etc.) and a full safety talk on the banks of the river and demonstrates the paddling techniques needed for maintenance the group safety during the activity. Once everyone is ready the boat, you’ll set off with your guide and soon come to, Pimpilala – one of the biggest adrenaline rushes of the trip. The fun continues as you splash through waves of white-water, exploring jungle canyons and taking a dip in the refreshing waters of the river as you go.During the trip we stop at a beach by the river for a delicious picnic lunch.As the trip ends, we bring the rafts to the side of the river, where the driver is waiting with dry clothes and some snacks and drinks.And after 10 Minutes we arrive in Tena city were we take you to your hotel and finish the Activity.
Amazon Experience 3 days in Cotococha Lodge
Day 1 You will be picked up at your hotel in Quito to travel to Tena. On our way to Tena we pass a small mountain village, called Papallacta which is famous for its thermal pools. Here we will make a stop and enjoy the pool. The trip then continues to the lodge, which is about half an hour from Tena, where you arrive in the afternoon. Here you can relax for a while in our pool or in our beautiful spacious bungalow. A delicious dinner will be served in a romantic candlelight-setting at the attractively decorated restaurant. Afterwards, we will be relaxing ourselves around the elegant fireplace, to coordinate and discuss next day’s activities with the local crew. You’ll feel absolutely comfortable in this lovely peacefull setting filled with nightly sights and sounds of the Amazon jungle. Day 2 After breakfast, we depart by canoe upstream for ten minutes, arriving to a small shore where we begin a fun and thrilling one hour walk, marveling ourselves with the jungle’s secondary forest diverse flora and fauna. After our short hike, we’ll find ourselves in a breathtaking cascade “La Cascada de Latas” where we will take a refreshing bath in its clear crystal waters and enjoy the surrounding views, which, mixed with the jungle sounds, makes it an unforgettable experience. We return along the same way to have lunch at the lodge. However, you have the possibility to go back by canoe or take an exciting tube ride along the Napo River back to the lodge. After lunch we put on our rubber boots to start an exciting walk in the jungle’s primary forest ready to find the secret wonders of the mysterious hidden jungle, finding amazing plant species with medicinal properties, which will be explained in detail by our expert native guide: their characteristics and how the jungle inhabitants used them in ancient times. We’ll also observe a great variety of insects, small groups of monkeys weaving around the giant trees; though we will need some luck to observe them, that’s why we must stay very quiet to admire these beautiful creatures. Dozens of curious colourful birds tag along with us during our walk whistling enchanted notes delighting our senses. After about three hours of walking we will arrive at the Lodge again. At night, a delicious dinner will be served and there is the possibility to do an exciting night walk, when you will observe many night insects. Afterwards, it’s time for a good and peacefull rest delighted by the nightly sounds of the jungle.The other option for the afternoon is to visit a local community, living close to the lodge and to see some traditions and daily activities of the indigenous people. Day 3 After breakfast, we will have to prepare our return trip. You can decide if you want to the guide to drop you off at your hotel in Quito or in Baños. End of the program.
Andes and Amazon Tour from Quito in 5-Days
Day 1: Quito – Cotopaxi National Park From Quito your professional guide takes you south over the Avenue of Volcanoes. Today, you visit the Cotopaxi National Park, to visit the Limpiopungo Lake and admire the volcano. The Cotopaxi Volcano measures 5897 meters and its snow-capped peak can be seen from a wide area. Next, you travel to Lasso, where you spend the night in a charming hacienda. (Lunch included) Day 2: Salasaca community and Casa del Arbol in BañosThis morning, you visit the Salasaca community living across the province of Tungurahua, where you have the opportunity to learn more about the region´s traditional cultures. Subsequently, you continue to Baños and visit the famous swing of Casa del Arbol, from where you have a breathtaking view of the town and the Tungurahua Volcano. (Breakfast included) Day 3: Route of the Waterfalls and transfer to TenaBaños is located at a unique location between the Andean Mountains and the Amazon Rainforest; this lush green area is known for its many waterfalls. After breakfast, you follow the Route of the Waterfalls to the Amazon Rainforest. A short hike downhill brings you to the impressive waterfall El Pailon del Diablo, the largest of the area. Next, you travel to Cotococha Amazon Lodge in Tena, where you enjoy a delicious dinner. (Breakfast and dinner included) Day 4: Swimming in the waterfall, Amazon hike, and nocturnal walkAfter a delicious breakfast and a short canoe trip, you start a one-hour hike to the waterfall. Your professional guide leads you through the secondary rainforest. Upon arrival at the waterfall ‘La Cascada de Latas’, you can bath in the crystal clear water while enjoying the serene environment. In the afternoon you learn about the local flora and how the Amazon people use particular plants for medicall purposes, during a hike through the primary rainforest. (Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included) **Please note that the activities in the Amazon are subject to change without prior notice due to natural and operational circumstances.** Day 5: Papallacta Hot Springs visit – QuitoAnother breakfast is served in the open restaurant facilitating close contact with the surrounding jungle. Subsequently, you head back to Quito. While traveling from the Amazon Rainforest back into the Andes, you see the beautiful transition from jungle to páramo highlands. In Papallacta you visit the naturally heated hot springs for a moment of ultimate relaxation. In the afternoon you arrive in Quito, where the tour ends. (Breakfast included)
3-DAYS PRIVATE UPPER AMAZON TOUR
Day 1: You`ll start early in the morning, at 08h00, towards the “Amazon basis”! We pass through Papallacta village, which gives us the opportunity to enjoy its hot springs that have incredible healing properties! We continue through subtropical rainforests, located at the foothills of the Andes. We will stop on our way, to do a little hike in order to spot around 19 different species of hummingbirds!! We continue our drive and then we arrive to Baeza, that is located in between three important national parks: Antisana, Sumaco-Napo-Galeras and Cayambe-Coca! You will take a rest while we have lunch in a lovely local restaurant! Then you continue towards to the “Macaws viewpoint”, from that point we can appreciate a huge green carpet with exuberant Amazon's vegetation! In the afternoon we will arrive finally to Itamandi Lodge where you will stay the overnight! You will have the opportunity to do a nocturnal walk to discover very interesting creatures, and also get use to the sounds of the jungle!! Day 2: After breakfast, in the morning, we will do a walk into the primary forest. Here you begin your adventure! During our walk in the jungle, we'll enjoy the incredible landscape of the tropical rainforest! We visit an animal rescue center, where we will find parrots, macaws, monkeys, tapirs, capybaras, ocelots, caimans, etc. Then we'll do one of the most famous adventure sports known as “tubing”, in the Arahuno River! We'll visit a Kichwa family to learn all about their daily life in the Amazon region! After our fascinating experience, we`ll go back to the Lodge to have lunch. We have the rest of the afternoon free to relax and enjoy the lodge's facilities and its wildlife. At night you'll have the opportunity to share your personal experiences at the bar! Day 3: After breakfast, we leave immediately your lodge to go to Tena, for a rafting tour in the Jantunyacu River!! After three hours enjoying with your group, you will have a picnic in a sandy river bank, looking how different families of the region are panning gold in the clear waters coming from the Andes! After changing our clothes, we continue our journey back to Quito. Approximately at 17h30 we will finish our unforgettable experience in the Amazon Rain Forest of Ecuador!
Tena to the Amazon Private Whitewater Rafting Adventure
Meet your guide in your Tena hotel lobby at 8:30am and begin the 45 minute drive to the rapids. Pass through the indigenous communities of Pano and Bajo Talag along the way and observe the locals in their daily lives. Upon your arrival in the jungle, your guides will give a briefing regarding safety. The first few rapids are easy and will help you get comfortable before you get to the first big rapid, Pimpilala. Jatun Yacu is generally known to have exciting rapids followed by a calm pool before the next set of rapids. This allows for relaxing and even a short swim to cool off on a hot day between rapids. At about the half way point, you will stop at a small beach for a riverside lunch. Taste the delicious and famous banana bread while you are there. After lunch, you will continue down the river for about 2 more hours before heading out in Puerto Napo. The drive back to the office from Puerto Napo will be approximately 10 minutes.