Napo Cultural Center 4 Days

After a rewarding 30-minute flight over the Andean Eastern Cordillera to the city of Puerto Francisco de Orellana "El Coca," our representative will take you in a private vehicle to our dock on the banks of the Payamino River.

Here, you can rest, use the bathrooms, and enjoy a refreshing drink. You'llalso receive a delicious box lunch for the journey. Our covered boat will be waiting for you here, and your luggage will be sent directly to the accommodation. From this moment, an exciting two-hourjourney begins along the mighty Napo River.

Upon arriving at the Napo Cultural Center, you'll have the opportunity to explore the ancestral territory of the Kichwa Añangu Community, located within the mega-diverse Yasuní National Park. Our staff will welcome you with the refreshing traditional drink of Guayusa. Our manager will provide you with all the information about the hotel's services before guiding you to your comfortable room with views of the Amazon rainforest.

You'll have some rest time and can prepare for the first afternoon activity. We'll take a hike to the observation tower, elevated 40 meters above the surface, whereyou'll have high chances of spotting a wide variety of birds, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, toucans, parrots, sloths, among otherspecies.

You'll also enjoy a spectacular view ofthe best Amazonian sunset. Another option for the afternoon is to take an exciting kayak ride to delight in the colorful jungle sunset from the waters of the majestic Napo River. After enjoying your first activity, you'll return to the hotel, where you'll have time to freshen up and relax in your cabin, as well as prepare for a well-deserved dinner.

After breakfast, we will head out on amotorized canoe to one of the highlights of the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve: the Parrot Clay Lick on the banks of the Napo River. Guests arrive just before the morning parrot activity begins. Here, there is the possibility of observing various species of parrots and parakeets, including: Blue-headed Parrot, Orange-cheeked Parrot, Yellow-crowned Parrot, Dusky-headed Parakeet, and White-eyed Parakeet.

We continue our excursion through lush terrafirme forest for about 30 minutes until wereach the second parrot, parakeet, andmacaw clay lick. If weather conditions are favorable, we will also have the opportunity to observe different species of birds and mammals.

We finish off the morning with a visit to the KuriMuyu intercultural interpretation center -which means 'golden seed' in the nativelanguage - managed by the women of the community, also known as 'mamakunas'. You will learn about Kichwa culture, their music, dances, customs, and traditional use of natural resources, directly from the people of the Añangu Community. You will have time to visit the handicraft shop featuring handcrafted items made by community members, all unique pieces, handcrafted and available for sale to support their creativity and work.

We will return to the community center for lunch at the restaurant and rest at the lodge. In the afternoon, after a delicious local lunch, we will embark on an exciting boat excursion along the Añangu Creek, a unique black water ecosystem, where you can observe monkeys leaping from tree to tree, caimans, and sometimes even giant otters that can only be found in pristine environments.

After dinner, get ready with your flashlight for a night walk, where it's possible to observe different types of insects, reptiles, and even mammals like some monkeys that are active during the night.

Enjoy the sunrise during breakfast and visit our sustainable community projects to learn about the Kichwa worldview. Then, walk along one of our trails in the terra firme forest, which provides an excellent opportunity to observe wildlife, giant ceiba trees, stranglerfigs, bamboo canes, vines, and endemic shrubs of the Yasuní.

We will return to the lodge for a delicious lunch and a well-deserved rest before embarking on a hike to the second observation tower, which rises 36 meters above the ground. From there, you will have great chances to observe a variety of colorful birds, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and other species of this ecosystem.

Upon returning to the lodge in the afternoon, you will have time to relax and prepare for a traditional dinner with local Amazonian flavors, such as maito, which is grilled fishwrapped in a bijao leaf.  And if you have an adventurous palate, try the roasted chontaworms, locally known as chontakuru.

After dinner, we will have a unique activity on the Napo River aboard the ancestral catamaran to learn more about the legends and traditional songs of the Kichwa community, while women roast delicious snacks over the fire to share with their guests.

To ensure you have a perfect final day, you have the option to participate in the guayusada ritual. It begins early, around 4:30am, as the Kichwa family shares the sacred ancestral drink of guayusa. This ritual is a means of passing down their ancient knowledge to the new generations. You'll have the opportunity to listen to traditional songs and, if you wish, have your dreams interpreted by a wise mamakuna from the community—a truly mystical experience!

Afterwards, we'll return to enjoy breakfast while our staff takes care of collecting your luggage for the return to El Coca. We'll transport you in our comfortable motor canoes, providing you with a final opportunity to appreciate the landscape of the Ecuadorian tropical jungle as we reach our port.