Llaquipanga Cabins Eco-adventure tour, ecotour

The Llaki Panga Cabins are a set of cabins located in the river banks of the Chinquipino river, in Napo province in Eastern Ecuador. These cabins are owned and administered by the Kichua people, which are an Ecuadorian indigenous group that inhabit a region of upper montane tropical forest located in the threshold of the Amazon basin. The Kichuas are looking into obtaining new sources of revenue, through activities such as eco-tourism.

These cabins are an example of traditional Kichua architecture and were constructed using materials taken from the jungle itself.

This tour offers traditional Kichua cuisine for those who have an adventurous palate. However, the meals are complemented with international and vegetarian cuisine as well. The Kichuas have their own orchards, chicken and fish farms; which is from where most of the raw materials for our meals will be taken from. The following itinerary reflects an 6-day long tour and requires average physical activity. However, you could stay with the Kichuas as many days as you wish and your tour could be as relaxed or intense as you wish.

Please note that this is the only ecotour that Ecuador Tierra Viva offers, which does not take place in Southern Ecuador, rather it takes place in central-eastern Ecuador. Also note that this ecotour assumes that you'll spend the very night before the start of this ecotour in Quito.

Day 1: After breakfast we will make our way by car or bus to the city of Tena. It takes 4 hours to reach Tena from Quito. Once in Tena we will proceed to a community called Cando, where we will have lunch. After lunch our native Kichua guides will introduce us to the wonders and dangers of the jungle. After this lecture, we will engage in a five-hour hike which will involve visiting and climbing several waterfalls. In case you are wondering about your safety, please do not panic, remember that our guides are native people that know the zone much like you would

know your own house. Later on we will visit the Lake in the Rock and finally we will proceed to a set of cabins called Pimpilana, where we will spend the night.

Day 2: Early in the morning we will go to a Kichua community called Santa Rosa and then to Llaki Panga Cabins, where we will be welcomed by a Kichua family that will help us install in our cabins. Later on this family will teach us about their traditions and they will prepare us a traditional Kichua lunch. After lunch we will go to the Shinquipina River, where we will engage in sport fishing, making use of our catch for dinner. At night we will light up a bonfire and engage in story-telling and traditional dancing.

Day 3: In the morning we will make ready our camping equipment, so that we can begin a five-hour hike towards the Piuculin River. During our hike we will learn about medicinal and alimentary plants. Also, we will be able to see many different species of birds, insects and butterflies. Our guides will also teach how to recognize birds through their calls. Once we reach the river banks of the Piuculin River, we will take a swim in this beautiful river and then we will set up our tents. Later on we will light up a bonfire to begin cooking our dinner.

Day 4: In the morning we will pick up our tents and garbage, then we will begin our hike back to the Llaki Panga Cabins. We should be there in time for lunch, time at which we will be served some traditional food. In the afternoon we will go to the river and try to recover gold dust from it, using traditional Kichua methods. We will even be able to keep the gold we find as a souvenir. Later, we will learn how to make traditional Kichua handcrafts. During the night we will take part in a shamanistic ritual. (Please let us know if you rather ship this last activity!)

Day 5: This day will be a wet day because we will spend most of the day practicing a water-sport called "tubing"; which is similar to rafting but uses a rubber inner tube instead of a rubber boat. As in day two, you should not worry about engaging in this water activity, since our guides have plenty of experience conducting such activities. Moreover, at all times you will be wearing a life-jacket and helmet. We will be "tubing" down the Napo River, and in order to do so we will first hike to the community of Limonchicta. Our tubing trip will end

once we reach the community of Ilayacu, once there we will proceed to walk to our cabins were we will get rid of our wet clothes and have lunch. In the afternoon, we will visit a Kichua village where we will have an interesting afternoon and evening in company of the villagers.

Day 6: After breakfast, we will make our bags and get ready for our departure to the city of Tena. Once in Tena we will board our bus back to Quito, taking with us not only our souvenirs but also the lasting and memorable experience of having spent a few days of our lives in the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle living with the Kichua people. A box-lunch will be served on the bus and we should reach our hotel in Quito by 2:00 pm.

ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICE:	$450 US
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY:	HIGH
GROUP SIZE:	2 - 6 PEOPLE
DURATION:	6 DAYS
AVAILABLE:	ALL YEAR

The price of this ecotour includes,

All transportation within Ecuador (bus & truck) while on tour, all required meals (non-alcoholic beverages included) while on tour , all accommodation required while on tour, Kichua territory entrance fees, Ecuadorian taxes.
Tour guide and tips.
All activities mentioned in the itinerary.

The price of this ecotour does not include,

The air ticket from home country to Ecuador and back, departure from Ecuador tax ($41.20 US), alcoholic beverages, medical expenses, insurance, phone calls, nor any extra activities you may wish to part-take.

To book this tour please use the on-line reservation form, give us a call or write us an e-mail using the contact info provided.

Don't forget to check-out our suggested things to bring list and the immunization requirements needed for this ecotour.

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