The Amazon Rainforest

Napo Cultural Center

 

Discover one of the world’s most biodiverse rainforest.

Napo Cultural Center is located within the Yasuni National Park, in the depths of the Amazon rainforest through which the River Napo runs. Declared to be a Biosphere reserve by UNESCO.

The Yasuní­ experience is a life-changing opportunity to be one with nature. Long walks amidst a cornucopia of medicinal plants, lifetime inspiration of local shaman and home to innumerable species of creatures big and small can be coupled with a relaxing dip in the pristine waters of lakes and rivers, meditation on sacred grounds or climbing up a gigantic emerging tree 100 years of age.


Napo Cultural Center and the Añangu community seek to preserve ageless traditions and the natural setting as a means of identity, sustainability and respect for life. In order to do this, the community has established a tourism venture to showcase authentic traditions and realities of Amazonian Ecuador, located in one of the world’s most biodiverse rainforests, offering scientific research and volunteering possibilities as well.
Visiting Yasuní is an opportunity to engage in a most-extreme cultural exchange program, with a unique society a world apart from any contemporary lifestyle, but who’s worldview is universal and will always be a meeting point between all opposing realities.

 

AVAILABLE PROGRAMS | RATES

5 Days | 4 nights

Prices per person

Standard Cabin

Double or Triple Room: US$ 861

Single Room: US$ 1038


 4 Days | 3 nights

Prices per person

Standard Cabin

Double or Triple Room: US$ 730

Single Room: US$ 868


 3 Days | 2 nights

Prices per person

Standard Cabin

Double or Triple Room: US$ 603

Single Room: US$ 744


*Additional Night for double or triple room: USD$ 131
*Additional Night for single room: USD$ 170

*Special Rates for ecuadorians

*Prices do not include ecuadorian sales tax 12%

*Rates are subject to be modified

AVAILABLE DISCOUNTS

SPECIAL RATES FOR ECUADORIANS:

5 Days | 4 nights

Prices per person

Standard Cabin

Double or Triple Room: USD$ 628.00

Single Room: USD$ 745.00


4 Days | 3 nights

Prices per person

Standard Cabin

Double or Triple Room: USD$ 503.00

Single Room: USD$ 582.00


3 Days | 2 nights

Prices per person

Standard Cabin

Double or Triple Room: USD$ 403.00

Single Room: USD$ 473.00


*Ecuadorians and residents add 12% sales tax

Children under 5

Hotel Free

Children under 12

30% off on Hotel Prices

ACTIVITIES

Añangu kichwa community:Activities at Yasuní National Park and Añangu are coordinated by members of the local kichwa community and it is important that their rules of conduct and ethics be respected.

Hikes:Our programs include easy and medium intensity walks and hikes in order to observe the wildlife and nature of the area; more difficult hikes and longer programs can be arranged.

Birdwatching:These activities usually last 2 hours and are carried out in the morning at around 06:00 am

Rowing:Small canoe navigation is carried out on rivers and streams; larger canoes are used to navigate the Napo River and are included in our routine activities, all of which feature community and naturalist guides.

Swimming:Swimming is safe when carried out at sites your guide have suggested.

Kayaking:enjoy a level II kayak activity at Napo River, from the village for around 45 min. until you reach the observation tower.

Ancestral kichwa catamaran:At night we will sail along the Napo River in a boat that emulates the ancestral kichwa trade, where we will enjoy magical stories and legends while tasting some delicious roasted snacks heated on the fire.

Typical traditional dinner:Enjoy the kichwa ancestral cuisine, taste the delicious flavours of maito made with fish, prepared in a leaf of "bijao", accompanied by fried cacao and exquisite "mayones" or "chontacuros" (palm worms).

Refresh yourself with exquisite manioc chicha, a beverage made of manioc fermented with sweeet potato and hygienically prepared for the most demanding palates of our visitors.

DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION

Tababela´s Airport National Terminal – Quito
If your flight is on any day from Monday to Friday:Tame Airlines
Flight EQ211 Departing Quito 11:00am – arriving Coca 12:50am
 
If your flight is on Saturday:Tame Airlines
Flight EQ211 Departing Quito 11:35am – arriving Coca 12:15pm (Subject to change)

*Please note luggage must be limited to 20 kilos (44 pounds) per person


Note:  Our Operations Department will meet you there, and provide the boarding passes and help you registering in.

Once you arrive to the Napo river port in Coca, it takes approximately 2.5 hours. Upon entering the Yasuni National Park we disembark and change to paddle canoes for approximately 1.5 hours.

DEPARTURE TIME:Please be at Tame´s counter two hours before departure time, on departure day.

RETURN TIME

Tababela´s airport National Terminal – Quito
If your flight is on any day from Monday to Friday: Tame Airlines
Flight EQ212 Departing Coca 12:20am – arriving Quito 13:00pm
 
If your flight is on Saturday: Tame Airlines
Flight EQ212 Departing Coca 13:30pm – arriving Quito 14:10pm

INCLUDED
  • River transportation (Coca – Yasuni Kichwa Ecolodge – Coca)
  • Accommodation
  • Meals - Full alimentary pension according to the program
  • Entrance to parrots and parakeets attraction
  • Native and bilingual guides: spanish/ english
  • Walks and visits according to the itinerary and physical conditions of tourists
  • The entrance fee to the Yasuni National Park, rain poncho, and rubber boots provided when needed
NOT INCLUDED
  • Available upon request (extra fees)
  • International or other domestic airfares
  • Transportation Quito – Coca – Quito | Flight ticket: USD$ 256.00 per person
  • Check in and transfer in & out in Coca
  • Alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, laundry, phone calls or messages
  • Reconfirmation of flights and items of personal nature.
  • Accommodations in Quito or nearby places
  • Additional tours & activities
  • Insurance coverage
  • Gratuities
  • Taxes
ACCOMMODATIONS

We have the capacity for 32 people to stay in our single, double and triple cabins as well as our 4 mini suites.

The lodge provides you the comfort of spacious cabins with private bathrooms and balconies with a relaxing hammock on deck to enjoy the views of our beautiful natural gardens. Every room is equipped with plenty of outlets for recharging batteries, ample hot water, a safe deposit box and ventilation.

With 12 ample and comfortable cabins, the lodge accommodates a total of 32 people, distributed in suites, doubles and triple rooms. Our fully equipped cabins feature 24-hour uninterrupted electricity, security box, ventilation and a private bathroom, with a balcony and hammok surrounded by beautifully groomed natural gardens. The restaurant, serving local, national and international food, has a maximum capacity of 50 people.

FLORA & FAUNA

A spectacular rainforest home to iconic Amazonian denizens including jaguars, tapirs, macaws, sloths, monkeys, anacondas, caiman and much more, is the ideal setting for those wishing something wild to its bones, kept safe and pure by the human communities that call their jungle home. When you visit Yasuní­ Kichwa Ecolodge, know that hunting is prohibited. A community-wide unanimous decision has made one of the world’s most biodiverse rainforest particularly beneficial for wildlife observation.

This is a brief recount (very brief) of some of the many interesting natural dwellers of Yasuní’s forest:

Epyphites: One strategy to reach sunlight in the dense Amazonian jungle is to grow on trees like orchids, bromeliads, ferns. Epyphytes are fascinating opportunists you will have a chance to truly admire.

Leaf-cutter ants: These astonishing critters are the ultimate farmers, and can be seen in transit on seemingly endless self-made highways transporting slices of forest leaves to feed their queen.

Walking Palms: This determined plant has the ability to move over long periods of time, seeking out precious sunlight through the dense jungle canopy.

Antbirds and Army Ants: Members of the antbird family are obliged to follow army ant swarms that charge through the forest flushing potential prey. A fascinating relationship.

Jungle Cats: Although difficult to find, there are a total of five species of these emblematic mammals at Napo Wildlife Center; they run the gamut in size to the largest American cat, the Jaguar.

Monkeys: Yasuní­ supports the highest number of primates in the world and Napo Wildlife Center is particularly suitable for enjoying wonderful views of most of them.

Giant Otter: This entertaining mammal is critically threatened in Ecuador and a small but healthy population can be seen along the streams and lake of Napo Wildlife Center.

Caiman: A common sight on night explorations of the jungle are the red gleam of caiman eyes, along the water’s edge of Añangu Lake.

Hoatzin: A modern-day Archaeopterix with a funky mohawk crest, the Hoatzin can be seen clumsily balancing on branches along Añangu waterways.

Toucans: A total of seven species of toucans inhabit Napo Wildlife Center, boasting their disproportionate bills and attractive plumages in all colors including olive-greens, deep reds and brilliant yellows.

Harpy Eagles: With talons larger than human fists, the queen of Amazonia lives on the highest of trees, seeking out prey and quietly overlooking her kingdom.

Fish: Piranhas are probably the most infamous of Amazonian fish, but there are more fish species in the Amazon Basin than all of the Atlantic Ocean.

Frogs: Glass frogs that are see-through, others that carry their babies on their back, small and colorful like candy some who carry food to their young over 100 feet up in the canopy

Butterflies and moths: Amazonia is a land where beautiful, neon-colored morphos can be outshined by moths: vibrant green and gold Uranias.

Rhinoceros Beetles: Like armored tanks they move through the forest floor, they are known to carry up to 800 times their body weight.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES

Private Land Transport:

Quito – Coca – Quito (takes between 9 and 10 hours)

  • 5 to 12 pax : $ 60.00 USD per person
  • 13 or more : $ 50.00 USD per person

*Does not apply to smaller groups to 5 people

Daily private guides:

  • Bilingual naturalist guide $ 100.00 USD 
  • Spanish speaking native guide $ 50.00 USD
  • Bilingual birding guide $ 130.00 USD
  • Naturalist german or french guide $ 110.00 USD

Note: Families with children suggested hiring a private guide

Private Canoe:

Coca – Lodge – Coca: $ 600.00 USD

RECOMMENDATIONS

Packing list:

  • Two or three pairs of lightweight long pants

  • Two or three long-seeved lightweight shirts

  • Two or three T-shirts

  • One or two pairs of shorts (mostly for around the lodge)

  • Lightweight sweater or jacket

  • Raingear (if you prefer not to use the ponchos provided)

  • Three or four pairs of ong cotton socks (long)

  • One pair of sneakers and / or hiking boots

  • Sandals (Teva type or similar for around the lodge)

  • A hat for sun protection (and that will stay on during windy boat rides)

  • Take in consideration that bright colors might scare the animals

  • Sunglasses, with retainer

  • Small day pack for excursions. Zip lock-type plastic bags to cover optics o other gear:

  • Good binoculars for wildlife viewing 8x35mm

  • Camera/video gear (if using film, lower ASA for open areas (50 or 100), higher ASA for fores (400 and up). [24 hour electricity (110v) is available for charging batteries and digital equipment]

  • Insect repellent. No inflammable sprays as they are not allowed by the airline

  • Sunscreen lotion with high protection factor

  • Flashlight or headlamp bright enough for use

  • Personal toiletries and medications (carry medications with you when arriving and leaving the lodge)

  • Extra batteries/film/video tapes as appropriate

  • Original passport (always good to have while traveling)

  • Credit cards Visa, MasterCard and Diners for bar bills and cash (US$) for handicraft purchases

RESERVATION & CANCELLATION POLICY
  • A non-rufundable deposit of USD$ 300.00 will be necessary to comfirm your reservation

  • The total payment will be asked 30 days before the scheduled departure date.

  • If you cancel between 60 and 31 days in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50% cancellation fee.

  • If you cancel within 30 days of the scheduled departure, there is a 100% cancellation fee.

  • Last minute bookings are non refundable.

PAYMENT METHODS

Cash (PACHA JOURNEYS' Offices)

Wire Transfer

Bank Deposit

Credit Cards (8% – 12%)

 Yasuni National Park

Yasuní means ‘sacred land’ and symbolizes the abundance of life on Earth. In the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet, and ranging over 980.000 hectares of land, Yasuni represents a miracle of the world that might never be fully discovered, for within only one hectare one can find more species of organisms than in the entire European continent.

The protected tract of land is home to a third of all Amazonian mammals, including a staggering 60% of all New World wild cats, 106 reptiles, and 610 species of bird; as well as more than 4000 species of plants. Through a deep understanding of the fact that we are an integral part of a greater whole, Yasuní represents Man’s need to protect and the solidarity one can have with nature.

    
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