Quito y Amazonía · Yasuní Ecolodge · 7 días

Upon your arrival, a representative from our agency will give you a warm welcome at Quito Airport and accompany you to the hotel.

Begin your day with a delicious breakfast at the hotel before setting out on an unforgettable journey through the Middle of the World. Our first stop is the Pululahua Crater, whose name means “smoke of water” in the indigenous Kichwa language. Pululahua is an inactive volcano and one of the few places on Earth as spectacular as this natural wonder. It is also home to one of only two inhabited volcanic craters in the world. After admiring the breathtaking views, we continue to the Intiñan Museum, where your tour guide will demonstrate fascinating physics experiments that prove you are standing exactly at latitude 0° 0’ 0’’. The tour continues with a stroll through the Middle of the World City, a charming colonial-style town. Upon entering, you’ll walk along Geodetic Avenue, flanked by 13 stone busts honoring the members of the French Geodesic Mission, who arrived in Ecuador in 1736. Inside the complex stands the iconic Equator Monument, a nine-story structure offering panoramic views of this unique location at the center of the world. Here, you will enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, featuring a set menu and one included drink. After lunch, you will be transferred to your hotel in Quito, with free time to relax or enjoy the city on your own.

Transfer to the airport for your flight from Quito to the Ecuadorian Amazon. After a flight of approximately 30 minutes over the Eastern Andes to Puerto Francisco de Orellana—known as El Coca—and a 10-minute private transfer, you will be welcomed at the lodge's private dock. There, you can rest briefly, use the facilities, and enjoy a refreshing drink before embarking on this extraordinary Ecuadorian Amazon experience. Next, you will begin a fascinating two-hour journey along the majestic Napo River aboard comfortable, covered boats. A boxed lunch will be served during the trip as you take in the scenery and lush vegetation along the route to Yasuní Ecolodge, situated in the heart of Yasuní National Park. Upon arrival, you will be greeted with a traditional guayusa drink and can settle into your cabin before taking a short rest. In the afternoon, you will hike to an impressive 40-meter-high observation tower, where you can gaze out over the Amazon canopy and enjoy a spectacular sunset view, with excellent opportunities to spot birds, primates, and other local wildlife. Alternatively, you may choose to take a relaxing sunset kayak ride on the calm waters of the Napo River.

After breakfast, you will set out on a motorboat excursion to one of the most iconic sites in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve: the parrot and parakeet clay licks located along the banks of the Napo River. At the first clay lick, you will have the opportunity to observe the intense activity of the parrots as they descend in flocks to feed on the minerals found in the cliff face. Afterward, you will take a roughly 20-minute walk through the *terra firme* (upland) forest to reach a second clay lick, where parrots, parakeets, and macaws can also be seen. Protected by the Kichwa Añangu Community, this site is a prime location for wildlife viewing within their territory. The day continues with an enriching cultural immersion at the Kuri Muyu Interpretation Center, a facility managed by the community's women, known as *mamakunas*. There, you can learn more about Kichwa culture—including their traditions, music, and dances—and the deep connection they share with the Amazon rainforest. The visit also includes time to browse the handicraft shop, which showcases items created by community members. Following the visit, you will return to the lodge for lunch and some downtime. In the afternoon, you will hike along *terra firme* trails—an excellent opportunity to spot primates, such as the golden-mantled tamarin and the red titi monkey. After dinner, an exciting night walk will reveal another fascinating side of the Amazon rainforest, offering the chance to observe insects, reptiles, arachnids, and amphibians as the forest comes alive after dark.

After breakfast, you will depart by motorboat for the mouth of the Añangu River, a unique blackwater ecosystem that winds approximately 6 kilometers into the protected Amazon rainforest. From there, you will continue the journey in a paddle canoe, enjoying a quiet, serene ride through narrow channels framed by lush vegetation. This setting offers excellent wildlife-viewing opportunities, with the chance to spot monkeys, birds, and other local species, as well as explore a habitat frequented by caimans and otters. Afterwards, you will return to the lodge for lunch and some downtime. In the afternoon, you can choose between two experiences: visiting an observation tower for a spectacular view of the Amazon canopy and a better chance of spotting birds and primates, or taking a leisurely ride on a traditional-style catamaran—an experience that blends immersion in nature with the stories, legends, and traditional songs of Kichwa culture.

To conclude this unforgettable experience, you will have the optional opportunity to participate in the ancestral *guayusada* ritual, a Kichwa tradition that begins around 4:30 a.m. During this gathering, you can share the sacred *guayusa* drink with a local family and learn about ancestral knowledge passed down through generations, accompanied by traditional songs. If you wish, you may also share your dreams to be interpreted by a wise *mamakuna*—an experience deeply rooted in the Amazonian worldview. After breakfast, you will begin the return journey to El Coca, traveling once again along the Napo River and enjoying the extraordinary landscapes of the Ecuadorian Amazon for the last time. Upon arrival in El Coca, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight to Quito. Upon arrival in Quito, you will receive a warm welcome at the airport and be transferred to the city to enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, featuring a set menu and a drink.

This final day offers an opportunity to reflect and rest before your return flight, allowing you to cherish memories of your extraordinary adventure in the Amazon and mainland Ecuador. Transfers depart from the hotel approximately four hours before your flight time. Depending on your flight schedule, you can have breakfast and rest or explore Quito on your own. Breakfast at hotel. Check-out and transfer to the airport for your flight. Arrival at airport and boarding.