Amazon Add-on Tour – Napo Cultural Center

Bid farewell to Quito, flying 30 minutes east over the Andes to Coca, where the landscape shifts from high peaks to dense rainforest.

A short transfer follows by road and covered boat to the Napo Cultural Center, owned and run by the Kichwa Añangu community. A traditional wayusa (herbal drink) welcome sets the tone, as our hosts introduce life in this part of the Amazon.

Later, you may choose from various activities, such as a hike to an observation tower to observe the fauna and enjoy an Amazonian sunset, or a sunset kayak ride along the Napo River. Finally, return to base to refresh, rest and enjoy dinner.

• Accommodation:Napo Cultural Center
• Meals included:Lunch, Dinner

Travel by motorised canoe along the Napo River into Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet. Your destination is a clay lick, where parrots gather to feed on mineral-rich earth. A short walk along the Parakeet Trail brings us closer, with the guide helping identify species and track other wildlife signs – monkeys are often spotted here, and the area is known to support larger mammal, such as jaguars.

The focus then shifts to culture at the Kury Muyu interpretation centre, run by women from the community. Here, you gain an understanding of Kichwa life, from craft traditions to daily routines. After lunch, explore the Añangu stream by boat, scanning the banks for wildlife.

As evening approaches, board a catamaran on the Napo River. Around the fire, our hosts share stories and songs passed down through generations – an insight into the rhythms of life here.

• Accommodation:Napo Cultural Center
• Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Time in the Amazon is shaped by its people as much as its wildlife. Today, you visit community-led initiatives that reflect the Kichwa approach to conservation and sustainability. These projects offer a practical look at how traditions and environmental stewardship are closely linked.

Then head into terra firme forest – land that remains unflooded year-round – where towering ceiba trees dominate the canopy. Our guide interprets the ecosystem as we walk, from medicinal plants to animal tracks.

After lunch, climb an observation tower, gaining a different vantage point over the forest and increasing our chances of spotting birdlife.

Dinner introduces more regional dishes, including maito (fish wrapped in leaves) and chontakuru (roasted palm larvae), both staples of Amazonian cuisine. After, you head out again, this time with head torches (headlamps), to see the forest at night, when insects, amphibians and mammals are most active.

• Accommodation:Napo Cultural Center
• Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You’ve watched parrots gather at a clay lick, shared time with the Kichwa Añangu community, and explored the rainforest by foot and river, but now it’s time to begin your return journey.

Those who wish can rise early (4.30am) for a guayusada ritual, where community members share guayusa tea alongside songs and dream interpretations – an intimate cultural experience led by those who know it best.

We then retrace our route by motorised canoe to Coca, followed by a flight back to Quito.