Adventure in the Amazon: 4 Days near Tena
Tubing on the Arajuno, a three-hour rainforest hike, the Kichwa community and cacao from tree to cup
- Tubing and kayaking included
- Three-hour rainforest hike
- Kichwa community day
- Full board included
- Departures any day
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Duration4 days / 3 nights
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DifficultyModerate
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DepartureArajuno River Bridge (Puente del Rio Arajuno) at 12:00, then 20 minutes by motorised canoe to the lodge
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Departure daysAny day of the week
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LanguagesEnglish and Spanish
Tour overview
Four days is our most complete Arajuno River programme, and the one that puts you in the water. Tubing, kayaking or paddling downriver, surrounded by tropical forest, is the highlight of day three, followed by a three-hour hike through secondary forest with a local guide.
You also get the parts that make this region special. Dawn at the saladero, one of the most striking sights in the Amazon, where parrots and parakeets gather in numbers to eat mineral-rich clay. A full afternoon with the Kichwa community of San Bartolo Sharayaku. A pre-dawn walk to a natural lookout on the last morning to watch the jungle wake up.
Between activities the lodge takes over: superior suite rooms with a bathtub, a pool, hammocks, catamaran nets and the river right there.
Full board, bilingual guide, all river transport, boots and rain gear included. Departures any day of the week with a local Ecuadorian team.
Itinerary
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Day 1: Welcome to the Amazon
Meeting point at the Arajuno River Bridge at 12:00. From there, a roughly 20-minute motorised canoe ride, zigzagging along the river with views of the Amazonian landscape and tropical vegetation. Arrival at the lodge, welcome and check-in, then a self-service lunch inspired by regional cuisine. In the afternoon, a one-hour interpretive hike around the lodge, with your guide explaining Amazonian flora and the rainforest ecosystem. Free time for the pool, the river or the recreational areas. Self-service dinner, then a night walk built around the natural symphony of frogs, insects and other nocturnal sounds. Return to the lodge and rest.
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Day 2: Amazonian culture and nature
Early departure for birdwatching at the saladero, one of the most fascinating phenomena of the Amazon, where parrots and parakeets gather in large numbers to eat the mineral-rich clay that balances their diet. Few places in the Amazon offer this. Self-service breakfast at the lodge. Then a visit to the AmaZOOnico refuge, Caiman Island or Monkey Island, depending on the weather and operating conditions. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon we visit the San Bartolo Sharayaku community of Arajuno: introduction to the families by the community leader, traditional chicha brewing, an optional toast with guayusa tea and fermented chicha, Amazonian dances in traditional dress, a tulpa workshop cooking maito and yuca, a shared pambamesa meal and time to buy community handicrafts. Back to the lodge, free time by the river, dinner and overnight.
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Day 3: Amazon adventure and hiking
Self-service breakfast, then tubing, kayaking or paddling on the Arajuno River, surrounded by tropical forest and the quiet that defines this part of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Return to the lodge, time to relax and lunch. In the afternoon, a hike of around three hours along secondary forest trails, where the local guide explains medicinal plants, forest species and the ancestral uses of Amazonian flora, and how the forest fits into daily life in the local communities. Back to the lodge, free time, dinner and overnight.
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Day 4: Amazonian traditions and departure
Before sunrise we walk to a natural lookout to watch the jungle wake up and hear the first sounds of the forest. Self-service breakfast at the lodge at 8:00 a.m. Then the artisanal chocolate activity: drying, roasting, grinding and tasting, learning the traditional techniques used by local families. Time to pack, check out and transfer back to the Arajuno River Bridge.
What's included
Included
- Motorised canoe transport for all activities
- Accommodation in superior suite rooms with bathtub
- Bilingual guide, English and Spanish
- Full board, served self-service or buffet style
- All excursions and activities in the itinerary, in shared groups
- Life jackets, rain ponchos and rubber boots (sizes 34 to 45)
- Unlimited water, coffee and tea dispensers in the dining areas
- Starlink satellite internet in the common areas
- Towels, shampoo and biodegradable soaps in the room
- Electricity in every room, powered by solar panels
- Safe at reception
- Use of kayaks during your stay, subject to availability and weather
Not included
- Transfer Quito to Arajuno River Bridge and back. Door-to-door service available at an extra cost
- Entrance fees to the community and the AmaZOOnico refuge: USD 10 per person, subject to change
- Alcoholic drinks and personal expenses
- VAT
- Additional meals
- Tips
- Extra activities such as rafting or the ayahuasca ceremony
What to bring
- Long-sleeved shirts, 2 or more
- Comfortable trousers, 2 or more (no jeans)
- Shorts and T-shirts, 2 or more of each
- Socks, one pair per day
- Trainers and/or sandals
- Warm jacket and sweater
- Swimsuit for tubing, kayaking and the pool
- Biodegradable or natural soap and shampoo
- Sunglasses and camera
- Small waterproof backpack
- Mosquito repellent and sunscreen
- Hat or cap
- Torch with spare batteries for the night walk
- Binoculars (optional)
- Reusable water bottle and towel
- Personal medication
- Dry bags for gear, clothes and documents
- Passport or ID card (copy or photo)
Good to know
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What is the water activity on day 3?
Tubing, kayaking or paddling on the Arajuno River, depending on conditions on the day. Life jackets are provided and included, as is all motorised canoe transport. Bring a swimsuit and a dry bag for anything you want to keep dry.
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How demanding is this programme?
It is the most active of our Arajuno River tours. Expect a water activity in the morning of day 3 and a hike of around three hours on secondary forest trails in the afternoon, plus early starts for birdwatching and the sunrise lookout. Everything runs at a relaxed pace with a local guide.
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What is the saladero?
A natural clay lick, and one of the most fascinating sights in the Amazon. Parrots and parakeets gather there in large numbers to eat mineral-rich clay that balances their diet. Few places in the Amazon offer this, which is why we go before breakfast when the birds are most active.
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What extra costs should I plan for?
USD 10 per person for entrance to the community and the AmaZOOnico refuge, subject to change; alcoholic drinks and personal expenses; VAT; tips; additional meals; and optional activities such as rafting or the ayahuasca ceremony.
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What are the rooms like?
Superior suite-style rooms with a bathtub, towels and biodegradable shampoo and soap provided, and electricity from solar panels. There is no air conditioning and no internet in the rooms, though Starlink satellite internet is available in the common areas and there is a safe at reception.
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Can the itinerary change?
Yes. The order of activities may vary for weather, operational or safety reasons, and the programme can also change depending on the number of travellers. The area mainly offers cultural, scenic and nature-based experiences, so wildlife sightings can be limited depending on the season.
Book this tour
Tell us your dates and we will confirm availability within 24 hours.
Write to us and we will hold your places while you decide.
More tours in Tena & Napo River
- Kichwa community day
- Chocolate workshop included
- Full board included
- Starlink Wi-Fi in common areas
- Bilingual guide included
- Full board, self-service
- Pool, kayaks and tubing
- Clay lick birdwatching