Adventure in the Amazon: 4 Days near Tena
Tubing on the Arajuno, a three-hour rainforest hike, the Kichwa community and cacao from tree to cup
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Tubing and kayaking included
- Three-hour rainforest hike
- Kichwa community day
- Full board included
- Departures any day
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Duration4 days / 3 nights
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DifficultyModerate
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DepartureArajuno River Bridge (Puente del Rio Arajuno) at 12:00, then 20 minutes by motorised canoe to the lodge
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Departure daysMonday or Thursday. Any other day can be opened with a minimum of 3 travellers.
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LanguagesEnglish and Spanish
Tour overview
This 4 day rainforest adventure near Tena is our most complete Arajuno River programme. It is also the one that puts you in the water. Tubing, kayaking or paddling downriver, surrounded by tropical forest, is the highlight of day three. After that comes a three-hour hike through secondary forest with a local guide.
You also get the parts that make this region special. First, dawn at the saladero, one of the most striking sights in the Amazon. There, parrots and parakeets gather in numbers to eat mineral-rich clay. Second, a full afternoon with the Kichwa community of San Bartolo Sharayaku. Finally, a pre-dawn walk to a natural lookout on the last morning to watch the jungle wake up.
Meanwhile, between activities the lodge takes over. Think superior suite rooms with a bathtub, a pool, hammocks, catamaran nets and the river right there.
On top of that, full board, bilingual guide, all river transport, boots and rain gear come included. This 4 day rainforest adventure near Tena departs any day of the week with a local Ecuadorian team.
Itinerary
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Day 1: Welcome to the Amazon
Meeting point at the Arajuno River Bridge at 12:00. Then comes a roughly 20-minute motorised canoe ride, zigzagging along the river. Expect views of the Amazonian landscape and tropical vegetation. Arrival at the lodge, welcome and check-in, then a self-service lunch inspired by regional cuisine. After that, a one-hour interpretive hike circles the lodge, with your guide explaining Amazonian flora and the rainforest ecosystem. Afterwards, free time for the pool, the river or the recreational areas. Self-service dinner, then a night walk built around the natural symphony of frogs, insects and other nocturnal sounds. Finally, return to the lodge and rest.
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Day 2: Amazonian culture and nature
Early departure for birdwatching at the saladero, one of the most fascinating phenomena of the Amazon. There, parrots and parakeets gather in large numbers to eat the mineral-rich clay that balances their diet. Few places in the Amazon offer this. Afterwards, self-service breakfast at the lodge. Then a visit to the Pañayaku reserve and Caiman Island, depending on the weather and operating conditions. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon we visit the San Bartolo Sharayaku community of Arajuno. First, the community leader introduces the families, followed by traditional chicha brewing. Then comes an optional toast with guayusa tea and fermented chicha, plus Amazonian dances in traditional dress. After that, a tulpa workshop cooks maito and yuca. Finally, a shared pambamesa meal and time to buy community handicrafts. Back to the lodge, free time by the river, dinner and overnight.
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Day 3: Amazon adventure and hiking
Self-service breakfast, then tubing, kayaking or paddling on the Arajuno River. You float surrounded by tropical forest and the quiet that defines this part of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Return to the lodge, time to relax and lunch. Then comes a hike of around three hours along secondary forest trails. The local guide explains medicinal plants, forest species and the ancestral uses of Amazonian flora. You also learn how the forest fits into daily life in the local communities. Finally, back to the lodge, free time, dinner and overnight.
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Day 4: Amazonian traditions and departure
Before sunrise we walk to a natural lookout and watch the jungle wake up. Afterwards, self-service breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Then the artisanal chocolate activity: drying, roasting, grinding and tasting, with techniques local families still use. Finally, pack, check out and transfer back to the Arajuno River Bridge.
What's included
Included
- Motorised canoe transport for all activities
- Accommodation in superior suite rooms with bathtub
- Bilingual guide, English and Spanish
- Full board, served self-service or buffet style
- All excursions and activities in the itinerary, in shared groups
- Life jackets, rain ponchos and rubber boots (EU sizes 34 to 45; bring your own if your size is outside that range)
- Unlimited water, coffee and tea dispensers in the dining areas
- Starlink satellite internet in the common areas
- Towels, shampoo and biodegradable soaps in the room
- Electricity in every room, powered by solar panels
- Safe at reception
- Use of kayaks during your stay, subject to availability and weather
Not included
- Transfer Quito to Arajuno River Bridge and back. Door-to-door service available at an extra cost
- Entrance fees to the community and the Pañayaku reserve: USD 10 per person, subject to change
- Alcoholic drinks and personal expenses
- Additional meals
- Gratuities
- Extra activities such as rafting or the ayahuasca ceremony
What to bring
- Long-sleeved shirts, 2 or more
- Comfortable trousers, 2 or more (no jeans)
- Shorts and T-shirts, 2 or more of each
- Socks, one pair per day
- Trainers and/or sandals
- Warm jacket and sweater
- Swimsuit for tubing, kayaking and the pool
- Biodegradable or natural soap and shampoo
- Sunglasses and camera
- Small waterproof backpack
- Mosquito repellent and sunscreen
- Hat or cap
- Torch with spare batteries for the night walk
- Binoculars (optional)
- Reusable water bottle and towel
- Personal medication
- Dry bags for gear, clothes and documents
- Passport or ID card (copy or photo)
Good to know
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What is the water activity on day 3?
Tubing, kayaking or paddling on the Arajuno River, depending on conditions on the day. We provide life jackets, and the price also covers all motorised canoe transport. So bring a swimsuit and a dry bag for anything you want to keep dry.
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How demanding is this programme?
It is the most active of our Arajuno River programmes: a 4 day rainforest adventure near Tena. Day 3 brings a water activity in the morning, then around three hours of hiking on secondary forest trails. On top of that, expect early starts for birdwatching and the sunrise lookout. Still, everything runs at a relaxed pace with a local guide.
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What is the saladero?
A natural clay lick, and one of the most fascinating sights in the Amazon. Parrots and parakeets gather there in large numbers to eat mineral-rich clay that balances their diet. Few places in the Amazon offer this. So we go before breakfast, when the birds are most active.
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What extra costs should I plan for?
First, USD 10 per person for entrance to the community and the Pañayaku reserve, subject to change. Also budget for alcoholic drinks, personal expenses, tips and additional meals. Finally, optional activities such as rafting or the ayahuasca ceremony cost extra.
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What are the rooms like?
Superior suite-style rooms with a bathtub, plus towels, biodegradable shampoo and soap, and electricity from solar panels. There is no air conditioning and no internet in the rooms. However, the common areas have Starlink satellite internet, and reception has a safe.
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Can the itinerary change?
Yes. The order of activities may vary for weather, operational or safety reasons. Also, the programme can change depending on the number of travellers. The area mainly offers cultural, scenic and nature-based experiences. So, depending on the season, wildlife sightings can stay limited.
More tours in Tena Amazon Lodge
Kichwa community day, clay lick birdwatching and an artisanal chocolate workshop
- Difficulty: Easy
- Kichwa community day
- Chocolate workshop included
- Full board included
- Starlink Wi-Fi in common areas
A short Arajuno River break with a night walk, clay lick birdwatching, the Pañayaku reserve and Caiman Island
- Difficulty: Easy
- Bilingual guide included
- Full board, self-service
- Pool, kayaks and tubing
- Clay lick birdwatching
