Ecuador Class II-III Kayaking

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Ecuador offers world-class kayaking, biodiversity, and an indigenous people with a rich culture - all of which are offered to the adventurous soul who joins our Ecuador kayaking trip. There will be plenty of kayaking taking place, as this trip is scheduled between the wet and dry seasons, providing the perfect opportunity for good whitewater and beautiful weather. Time is set aside to explore some of the unique cultural aspects of the country, including a side trip to Amorongachi - an indigenous village in the rain forest. Here a local elder will guide us on a hike. We will learn about native edible and medicinal plants and come to understand how they factor into everyday life in the village.  The trip includes most land costs, including all transfers, hotels, meals, transportation and equipment. The only things not included are gratuities and souvenirs you may want to bring home. More importantly, certified, professional guides are there to provide you with the invaluable experience and support that makes a trip like this possible.

Trip low down

Group size: 6-12

Departure point: Quito, ECUADOR

Time of year: January/February

Day 1 Arrive Quito

Arrive in Quito where our representative will transfer you to your hotel near the colonial district. As most flights arrive late in the day no meals are included.  Rest-up for a fun-filled day of adventure tomorrow. Not included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 2 Tena

A three-hour drive takes us up and over a high-Andean pass and down the other side to Papallacta where we’ll enjoy a soak in the local hot springs.  Can you say “AAAHHHHHHHHHH”?   Then its off to the town of Tena which will be our base for the week.  Tena has three rivers which come together in town, ad is a perfect local for working on some basic river-funning skills.  We’ll have a  kayaking warm-up that evening on the tranquil waters of the Rio Tena.  Hotel.  Included: All meals

Days 3,4,6,7 Paddle time

Our goal is to help you become a better kayaker, more confident of yourself, and more competent with your paddling skills.  There are many different rivers to run in the Rio Napa watershed we will have more than enough to choose from.  We’ll start out on easy class II, perfecting your skills in a non-threatening environment.  Oh yeah, did we say “warm water”?  Why not perfect your roll in a place where the water temperature doesn’t bring on an ice-cream headache.  We’ll paddle some river sections twice, or even three times, allowing us to work on your skills and have a benchmark with which to gauge your progress.  As river levels will fluctuate greatly depending on the rain, we leave the schedule open in order to catch the best runs of the day.  Enjoy returning to your air-conditioned hotel room after the end of each great day.  The town of Tena allows for plenty of interaction with the locals.  Practice your Spanish while shopping, having a beer at a cantina near the river, or getting your haircut by a local barber.  Hotel.  Included: All meals.

Day 5 Time to take a break from paddling and let your muscles recuperate.  After breakfast we will drive to Amarongachi; an indigenous village where the people are practicing sustainable living.  We will spend the day with a village elder learning about local plants and their uses, take an exciting hike up through some waterfalls and learn about life in the jungle.  We will spend the night in cabanas on the shores overlooking the Rio Jatunyacu.  Rustic cabana, no running water.  (B, L & D at village).  Included: All meals

Day 8 City tour of Quito

Wake up to a cup of crisp Ecuadorian coffee and hot breakfast.  We’ll be loading up the bus to drive back to Quito after eating.  A city tour of Quito will take us back in time as we visit some of the excellent museums and buildings from the past.  Not to be missed, we’ll also see how Ecuador is working to take its country and people into the future.  Hotel.  Included: All meals

Day 9 Depart Quito

Our representative will take you to the airport for your return flight home.  No meals included.

Optional extension Napo River Festival

Enjoy two days of river racing and rodeo, complete with indigenous balsa raft and canoe races.  Only available with the January 6-14 trip.  Spend Saturday and Sunday watching and/or participating in this one-of-a-kind event promoting the sustainability of the Napo River watershed, one of the major tributaries of the Amazon.