Welcome to Quito! The largest, best-preserved colonial city in America – was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The city is considered the Cultural Capital of South America and is located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano. Depending on your arrival time, you can spend your day exploring the old town of Quito and the surrounding area. ADVENTURE JOURNEYS can help you to organize a day trip (please request in advance). In the evening, one of our trip leaders will meet you at the hotel’s lobby for a welcome briefing at 18:00 hours. At this time, we will discuss the details and questions you may have regarding the adventure. Our first day is an acclimation and information day.

We travel early in the morning for 4 hours by car to the airport in Shell, then take a 1-hour flight to Bameno in the Huaorani territory. Here, be welcomed by one of the most remote tribes of the Amazon region and we will have the opportunity to visit some of the leaders from the Huaorani, including Kempery the legendary shaman and leader of the Huaoranis. later we will travel for 4 hours upstream on the Cononaco river to the village of Omere, one of the most remote village of the Huaorani tribe and located in the hearth of Yasuni National park, close to the intangible zone.

This trail will take us to the animal clay lick and, with a little luck, we may spot wild pigs, howler monkeys, macaws and jaguar tracks. Along the trail, we will also learn about the many varieties of medicinal plants that are important in the daily lives of the Huaorani. In the evening we will go on a night exploration.

After breakfast, we will navigate 20 minutes down the Cononaco River in a motorized canoe until we reach a stretch where we will take a short walk through the primary forest until we reach an isolated lagoon. Here, we will paddle a small boat to look for anacondas. In the afternoon, we head back up the river to Omere for lunch and in the evening, we will learn about the ancient art of blowgun hunting and then try to catch piranhas in the nearby river or lake. After a nice dinner, we return by canoe to the river to look for caiman which are regularly active at night.

After Breakfast we venture on a hike though the virgin jungle with the Huaorani warriors and learn about their survival skills, the local knowledge of plants with the local women. Along the way, have the chance to view wildlife and follow the jaguar tracks. In the late afternoon we will have our cultural talk and demonstration of local handicrafts, local histories, their customs and traditions

Early in the morning after breakfast, we will take the canoe for 4 hours to go back to the airport in Bameno, in order to take our plane back to Shell, from where we will return by car to Quito. It is optional to stop in Baños to see some of the most impressive waterfalls in Ecuador.

Today our trip will end and you will have your International departures. Take with you your memories and photos and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Ecuador soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a “buen viaje”!