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 Date: Dates are flexible. 3 months notice required.

           Or choose your own dates at short notice for the Super Tour

 

Duration: 8 days 7nights 

Cost: $5000 (AUD) p.p.

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Minimum of 6 people (15yrs and over of medium fitness)

Maximum of 10 people

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Tour Guide: José Nenquimo from the Kiwaro community of the Waorani.

I first met José in 2016 whilst documenting three Waorani communities successfully evicting a trespassing oil company from their territory.

José is instrumental in bridging communications between the Waorani communities and implementing ways to ensure their self determination to live well culturally and maintain guardianship of the Amazon.

You can see José in the video below speaking in an interview with a regional news team in Tena after the eviction action.

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Tour Leader: Brigid Mary Prain  brigidprain@gmail.com

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Joining us : Nick Ovenden, a biologist and Teach First teacher, who,

inspired by the idea of rainforest regeneration with local people as a key solution

to climate change, founded YAKUM in 2018. 

YAKUM is now training up local experts in agroforestry so the project can expand

organically and independently within the indigenous communities of Ecuador

under their own direction.

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ITINERARY

Day 1: We meet in Quito and spend the night here. I can arrange to greet you

at the airport. 

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Day 2: We travel down to Tena by bus, taking approximately 5 hrs.

We will spend the night in Tena.

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Day 3: We meet José and leave Tena, travelling 110km by road along the

Napo river until we reach Nenquimo Ecolodge in the Konipare community.

Depending on conditions this will take between 2 to 5 hours. 

Nenquimo Ecolodge is located in the Waorani Territory in its farthest section to the west.

The intangible territory of the Waorani people comprises an area of ​​716,000 hectares that in turn borders on the 982,000 hectares of the Yasuní National Park. 

If we have arrived early at the cabins, we will venture into the forest along the Gareno river, discovering its mysteries.

If we arrive later a welcome cocktail will be awaiting us and we will go for a short night walk near the cabins before dinner.

 

Day 4: After breakfast, we'll travel down river by motor canoe trip for an hour and a half until we reach the second cabin of Nenquimo Ecolodge. 

After an early lunch we'll hike around the lagoon, spending all afternoon in the forest accompanied by people from the Dayuno community. 
We'll learn about the flora, fauna, and their Waorani culture.

They'll teach us what it's like to live in the Amazon, how to survive, which seeds

and fruits we can eat, various medicinal plants and their applications, and how to build a traditional shelter.

Back at the cabins we'll learn how to use their deadly blow dart gun. They'll show

us their traditional ceremonial dances and afterwards we can purchase their amazing handicrafts.

We can go for a swim in the river Nushino - Dayuno, or relax and watch the birds around the cabins.

After dinner we'll go for a night walk to observe the animals, frogs, snakes, insects,

tarantulas and alligators etc.

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Day 5: After breakfast we have a whole day on the Nushino River ...

We'll visit another Waorani community, the Meñapare where we can see the local products such as cocoa, yucca, coffee, chonta, etc.

After enjoying a refreshing swim in the river we'll go hiking and observe the fauna and flora around the river. 

Together we will discuss at length the ceremonial ritual of Ayahuasca. 

If you are partaking in the Yagé (Yagé is the Waorani word for Ayahuasca) ceremony it is recognised that the dieta preparation you have undertaken is the entire trip so far, your immersion into Waorani culture and the jungle...the relationship you are deepening into with Pachamama...

We will go to the home of an old warrior, a Visionario, a Jaguar Shaman, living near the Nushino river where we will have the opportunity to drink Ayahuasca with the Elder in deep ceremony over several hours.

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Day 6:Travelling to the community of Tepapare we will partake in their everyday village life, their ancestral culture, and learn about the flora and fauna in their surrounds. For lunch we'll prepare a typical meal with roasted fish in leaves of the area called charcoal Maito, roast bananas, and yuccas, also tasting different bushfoods that are available nearby.

We'll spend the afternoon in the communities company and in the evening return to our cabins for dinner.

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Day 7: In the early morning we'll observe the birds and after breakfast go to the salt licks and waterfalls. 

After lunch we'll travel back to Tena to stay the night together there.

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Day 8: We have breakfast together at the local markets in Tena and then go our own ways.

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Our Suggestions: Lightly coloured long pants and long sleeved shirts, swimsuit, hat, sunglasses, mosquito repellent (adequate clothing works better) sunscreen (again consider your choices), dry bags for digital gear, camera, torch.

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Included: 

All travel within the time I meet you at Quito airport until we say our goodbyes in Tena.

All food from the time we meet José in Tena until we say our goodbyes. Let me know if you have any special food needs. We can accomodate vegetarians.

Gumboots. Let me know your shoe size when you book.

All accomodation within the time I meet you at Quito airport until we say our goodbyes in Tena. 

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Visas for Ecuador are very straightforward for most nationalities with your passport being stamped on entry for 90days.

Check here for more information 

https://www.ivisa.com/ecuador-visa?nationality=AU

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Vaccinations for Ecuador are not compulsory, though some are recommended. 

I was vaccinated as a child, and in order to visit the Tiputini Biodiversity Research Station in Ecuador I had to have shots for Yellow Fever.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/ecuador

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Personal Travel Insurance is a requirement of this tour.

Certain medical conditions preclude plant medicines

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