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A journey by river into the Amazon rainforest. Immense buttressed trees loom overhead hanging with vines and alive with over 500 species of birds. This region has been identified as having the highest bio-diversity on the planet.

• Experience the most of the rainforest as is possible during a 1 week vacation using weekend days on both ends (9 days total including travel time).
• An active trip with delicious meals and comfortable lodging.
• The upper river is Class III whitewater which we descend in rafts. Lower down the river is wide and navigable by motorized dugout canoes.
• Visit sustainable rainforest projects and lodges which are models for ecologically and culturally sound operations.
• Opportunities for day hikes, interpretive jungle walks and "charlas" (presentations in sharing mentor format about local traditions and culture).
• A busy itinerary balanced with flexibility to allow for relaxing also.

The rivers of this region are the local "highways" and traveling on them offers unique insights into the way people live here. The night sounds of the rainforest lull you to sleep as you contemplate the days activities and the beauty of this threatened fragile place.

"Rainforest and River" Itinerary:

Day 1...Fly into the colonial city of Quito, at 9,200 feet. The capital of Ecuador, Quito offers contrasts between the cosmopolitan and the colonial. The owners of Untamed Path, Jen or Mike will be awaiting the arrival of your flight, transporting you to a comfortable and clean family run bed and breakfast.

Day 2...Begin your journey right away as we pass over the Andes and descend into the Amazon Basin. Traveling on a sturdy and spacious local bus gives us perspectives on local ways of life. Fabulous views of waterfalls, small Andean and Amazon communities and the dramatic transition from the Andes to the Amazon Basin. Spend the night in a rainforest colonist town at a wonderful hotel on the banks of the Pano river. Evening presentation about Amazonian history from a local indigenous perspective.

Day 3...We begin our river voyage with a day of class III whitewater rafting. Fun water and enchanting mini-hikes up side canyons give an opportunity to enjoy the rainforest from a unique perspective as we paddle and float along this beautiful waterway. Spend the night at a French run hostel with lovely gardens overlooking the river.

Day 4...The rivers in this region act as local highways to transport food, supplies and people. Travel in a 40 foot motorized dugout canoe downstream, farther into the Amazon Basin. Spend the afternoon hiking into the jungle, swimming, visiting the "Island of Anacondas" or relaxing in a hammock taking in the sights and sounds of this wild place. Evening mini-forum with a local elder offering insight into the current issues facing the endangered Amazon today. Sleep in a comfortable cabins designed in traditional style with European flair.

Days 5, 6 and 7...Spend the morning visiting a rehabilitation center for rainforest animals, with up-close viewing of various types of monkeys, ocelot, tapirs, snakes, peccaries etc. Eat lunch on the open-air veranda before we continue our voyage downriver in a 60 foot motorized dugout canoe.
The next 3 days are spent at a unique and remote lodge in comfortable cabanas. The lodge serves to support an international foundation and it’s local Amazon sustainability projects. Delicious cuisine prepared with locally grown rainforest products. Visit the lodge’s community project’s including the floating river based medical clinic, sustainable coffee and cocoa production and community training centers. Interpretive hikes into the rainforest canopy, night canoe trips, cultural and natural history presentations.

Day 8...Our last morning in the rainforest, most people find it hard to say goodbye to this lost world so filled with knowledge and green. The final trip downstream brings us to a small airport where we fly back to Quito with spectacular views of the Ecuadorian Andes on a clear day. The afternoon offers time to explore the colonial or modern sections of Quito, last minute gift or souvenir shopping in the large outdoor artisan market or relaxation before your journey home. A delicious international dinner at our favorite restaurant and a good night’s sleep await.

Day 9...Fly home or onto the next leg of your trip having experienced a complete and in-depth visit to the rainforest-9 days flies when you are having fun.

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