My current coordinates are 45'N, 79'24''W. I am barreling toward the equator at 538 miles per hour, bound for Quito, Ecuador.
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Amazon Adventure - Oct. 31, 2010
$1590
Starting and Ending in Quito, Ecuador. Oct. 31, 2010
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Travel Highlights
- Amazon
- Huaorani Community
- Shiripuno River
- Coca
- Quito
Solo Traveler Trip
No experience necessary for this unique and adventurous Amazon trip! Paddle in expedition kayaks and camp for two nights, and enjoy the Shiripuno jungle lodge in indigenous Huaorani territory in the vast Amazon basin. The Huaorani lived as hunters and gathers, entirely without outside contact until the end of the 1950s. Your trip helps encourage and promote long-term conservation of the traditional Huaorani community and the protection of their surrounding jungle environment. This kayak expedition takes you into one of the most important and biodiverse ecosystems on earth.
- Day 1 Arrive Quito
- Day 2 Enter the Jungle
- Day 3 Shiripuno Paddling and Huaorani Community
- Day 4 Hiking and Kayaking
- Day 5 Lake Exploration and Rainforest Hike
- Day 6 Motorized Canoe to Coca. Overnight
- Day 7 Fly Quito. Overnight.
- Day 8 Return Home.
ActiveOur most active trips for travelers who are fit and looking for vigorous adventures. Tours include multisport activities and multi-day treks.
CampingDeluxe camping or accommodations in mountain lodges.
Community StayHomestay with local families or overnight in community-supported campground or lodge for unique cultural immersion.
Cultural ActivitiesIncludes cultural activities such as a visit to a traditional village or a local market to give a unique perspective.
HikingIncludes guided hiking excursions. Hikes may vary from easy and optional three hour hikes to more difficult multi-day treks.
Nature ViewingIncludes intentional opportunity to observe flora or fauna with an experienced guide.
PaddlingIncludes paddling activity such as sea kayaking or rafting.
Day 2 Enter the Jungle (B,L,D) 
This morning fly over Eastern Cordillera of the Andes and down into the Amazon basin. Once arriving, a three-hour drive will take you to your put-in on the Shiripuno River and the start of your journey. You'll meet your Huaorani guide and spend time in a local community were you'll have the unique experience of learning about the Huaorani people, their traditions, their history and their commitment to preserving the natural treasures of the region. Tonight's campsite is hosted by a local Huaorani family - enjoy a campfire dinner.
Day 3 Shiripuno Paddling and Huaorani Community (B,L,D)
Following breakfast, visit the nearby Noneno Community where the local Huaorani share more traditions and aspects of daily lifestyle. After our visit we'll continue kayaking down the Shiripuno. This incredible region boasts some of the world's highest biodiversity and sustains the traditional lifestyle of numerous indigenous groups. You have nearly 25 km of river kayaking to do-- a challenging trip, but an exceptional way to explore the Ecuadorian Amazon. On your silent journey downriver you'll have an excellent chance of spotting monkeys, capybara, toucans, macaws, tapir and maybe even the elusive jaguar. There will be plenty of short stops to stretch and rest your muscles. Expect a late arrival to this evening's campsite.
Day 4 Hiking and Kayaking (B,L,D) 
Today you'll paddle to the remote Shiripuno Jungle lodge; the wooden buildings and thatched roofs blend into the surrounding landscape. In the evening, enjoy a hike into the forest as the wildlife becomes more active, where your naturalist guide teaches you about the complex ecology of the rainforest. Relax and overnight in the rustic jungle lodge.
Day 5 Lake Exploration and Rainforest Hike (B,L,D)
A short trip upriver in motorized canoe will take us to the start of our rainforest hiking adventure. We'll explore old-growth and flooded (varzea) forest. During our walk the expedition guide and Huaorani guide explain their practical, medicinal and spiritual relationship with the Amazon jungle. We'll hike for 4-5 hours, keeping an eye out for monkeys, white-lipped peccaries, and jaguar tracks.
After lunch we will reach a series of small lakes, where we will paddle in wooden canoes. You'll reach a region of flooded forest and small jungle lakes where you'll have the chance to spot the prehistoric Hoatzin bird and caimans (a relative of the alligator). Tonight, you'll return to Shiripuno for your last night in the Amazon. Spend the evening sharing stories about your Amazon adventures.
Day 6 Motorized Canoe to Coca. Overnight (B,L,D)
After a short wildlife hike in the morning to see a glorious sunrise -- and one more chance to spot some Amazon wildlife -- you head back upriver by motorized canoe, and transfer to Coca where you'll overnight before your flight back to Quito in the morning.
| $1590 | Tour Cost |
| $130 | Internal Flights (Quito-Coca-Quito) |
| Flight costs subject to change | |
| $1720 | Total cost |
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Recommended BudgetingStart Dates |
NO single supplement for this Solo Traveler Departure.
Group & Staff: Min 4, Max 8; Bilingual local naturalist guide and Indian guide in the Amazon; Local Representative in Quito.
Alumni discounts apply. No other discounts apply for the solo traveler departures. We will notify you when min. group size has been met and international flights can be purchased. If for some reason we do not reach min. group size, deposit will be fully refunded or transferred to another trip and departure of your choice.
