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Napo Cultural Center

Napo Cultural Center - Sumak Kausay

Example 4 Day Tour
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Set off on a 4-day adventure at Napo Cultural Center in the Amazon rainforest. Experience traditional welcomes, refreshing drinks, and comfortable rooms with rainforest views. Hike along the "Playas" trail, encounter diverse wildlife, and enjoy a sunset kayak ride on the Napo River. Visit a parrot clay lick, explore the intercultural interpretation center, and climb the observation tower for bird sightings. Engage in ancestral catamaran activities and night walks to discover nocturnal creatures. Participate in the "wayusada" ritual, sharing sacred "wayusa" and interpreting dreams with the community. Enjoy local flavors like grilled fish and adventurous options such as grilled worms. Conclude the trip with a scenic boat ride back to Coca town.
Outside Napo Cultural Center restaurantNapo Cultural Center aerial viewTwilight at Napo Cultural CenterGiant OttersParrot and parakeet clay licksAmazon rainforest cultureKuri Muyo Cultural CenterCanoe RideKichwa Añangu CommunityNapo Cultural Center
Highlights
  • Experience the traditional Kichwa Añangu community and refreshing "wayusa"
  • Enjoy a colorful sunset while on a serene kayaking on the vast Napo River
  • Witness up to 11 species of parrots and parakeets at the clay lick
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrive at Napo Cultural Center

When you arrive at Napo Cultural Center, there's an opportunity to visit the ancestral land of the kichwa Añangu community. They greet you with a traditional and refreshing drink called "wayusa." The local hotel manager will give you quick instructions and take you to your room with a view of the rainforest. This will be your base as you prepare for the first activity in the afternoon.

In the afternoon, go on a hike along the "Playas" trail. Your first opportunity to see the diverse wildlife of the Amazon on the river islands and shores. If you'd like, you can also go kayaking for about 45 minutes and enjoy a beautiful sunset on the expansive Napo River. Afterward, return to your cabin to rest and get ready for a well-deserved dinner. As you fall asleep, you can relax to the soothing sounds of the Amazon.

Day 2: Parrot Clay Lick | Kuri Muyu Interpretation Center

Start your day with an early breakfast and then embark on a motor boat to experience one of the attractions in Yasuni Biosphere Reserve: the parrot clay lick along the riverside of River Napo. Don't forget to bring your binoculars and camera lenses to witness flocks of blue-headed and yellow-crowned parrots, as well as dusky-headed parakeets, right from the boat. 

Afterward, take a leisurely 30-minute walk along the "pericos" trail to reach a hidden blind in the forest, providing a direct view of the extraordinary parakeet clay lick. This unique location offers an opportunity to come face to face with up to 11 species of parrots and parakeets, including parrotlets and macaws. Sometimes, even mammals such as howler monkeys, tapirs, and peccaries visit the lick to quench their thirst and obtain essential minerals.

Conclude your morning adventure with a visit to the intercultural interpretation center called "Kuri Muyu," meaning golden seed in the native language. Managed by the women of the community, also known as "mamakuna," this center offers insights into the Kichwa culture, traditional crafts, customs, and the sustainable utilization of natural resources, all shared directly by the indigenous people.

Return to the community center for lunch at the dining hall and take a well-deserved rest in the lodge. Afterward, embark on a one-hour hike to reach the observation tower, towering 35 meters above the ground. From this elevated vantage point, you have chances of spotting various bird species, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, toucans, parrots, and sloths.

As the day winds down, enjoy a satisfying dinner followed by a unique activity on the Napo River. Step aboard the ancestral catamaran while the women skillfully grill some mouthwatering snacks over an open fire.

Day 3: Kichwa Community Interaction | Explore Añangu River by Canoe

At breakfast, take pleasure in observing the sunrise, explore sustainable community projects, engage in discussions about the Kichwa worldview, particularly its medicinal practices, and take a stroll along the Mama Cuna road. This presents an excellent opportunity to witness a variety of wildlife, including ceiba trees, strangler figs, bamboo canes, vines, and endemic shrubs found in Yasuní.

In the afternoon, following a local lunch, embark on a canoe excursion along the "Añangu" stream, a black water ecosystem where you can observe monkeys leaping from tree to tree, caimans, and sometimes even giant river otters attempting to catch fish.

Upon arrival at the lodge, you will have time to relax and prepare for a traditional dinner that offers a taste of the local flavors of the Amazon. For example, you can try "maito," which is grilled fish wrapped in a "bijao" leaf. If you have an adventurous palate, you can even sample grilled worms called "chontakuru" derived from the "chonta" tree. After dinner, make sure to have your flashlight ready for a night walk around the lodge, where you can observe various insects, reptiles, and nocturnal mammals such as night monkeys.

Day 4: Wayusada Ritual at Dawn | Depart for Quito

  • 1 Breakfast
To end on a high note, participate in the optional "wayusada" ritual, where the Kichwa family gathers at around 4:30 am for a sacred sharing of "wayusa." This ritual serves as a means of passing down ancient knowledge to the younger generations.

Afterward, return for breakfast while the staff takes care of your luggage for the journey back to Coca town. Board the motor boats for a final opportunity to admire the stunning landscape of the Ecuadorian rainforest until you reach the river port of "La Mision."

Accommodations

Napo Cultural Center

Napo Cultural Center
Napo Cultural Center aerial view
Napo Cultural Center at night

Dates & Prices

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Per person starting at
$965 2-3 travelers

Notes

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Included
  • 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
  • 3 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • River transportation to Coca – Lodge – Coca
  • Entrance to Yasuni National Park and parrot clay licks
  • Community and naturalist bilingual guide
  • Impermeable poncho and rubber boots
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Laundry 
  • Internet 
  • Beverages (other than mentioned under "included")
  • 256 USD per person: Air tickets Quito – Coca – Quito (with assistance from the airport in Quito & help with check-in and land transfers in Coca)

Map

When to Go

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Good to ideal period to travel, and many people choose to visit at this time.

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The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney

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