Barefoot Expeditions

The Waorani Expedition is an exciting and unforgettable tour, full of adventure that takes you to the Waorani tribe that still preserves its ancient traditions. On the tour you will see the customs and traditions of an authentic Waorani tribe and lots of typical wildlife in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

The Waorani, Huaorani or Waodani, also known as the Waos, are native Amerindians from the Amazonian Region of Ecuador (Napo, Orellana and Pastaza Provinces) who have marked differences from other ethnic groups from Ecuador. The alternate name Auca is a pejorative exonym used by the neighbouring Quechua Indians, and commonly adopted by Spanish-speakers as well. Auca - awqa in Quechua - means "enemy". They comprise almost 4,000 inhabitants and speak the Waorani language, a linguistic isolate that is not known to be related to any other language. Their ancestral lands are located between the Curaray and Napo rivers, about 50 miles (80 km) south of El Coca. In the past, the Waoranis were able to protect their culture and lands from both indigenous enemies and settlers.

From : $ 600 USD (6 day trip) 

Gallery:

ACCOMMODATION:

Accommodation is partly in a nice lodge in double rooms, partly in comfortable tents in the Waorani community.

The lodge consistes of bungalows in a traditional Amazon-style, built from materials harvested from the rain forest in a sustainable manner and combined with modern materials. All these cabins are equipped with beds, mosquito nets and private showers and toilets. 

In the Waorani community there are two bathrooms (1 for men, 1 for women) and wash basins about 10 m away from the campsite. There isn't any shower, but you can bath in the river, which is just 5 m away.

7-DAY TOUR (LODGE 2 NIGHTS – WAORANI CAMP 4 NIGHTS)
6-DAY TOUR (LODGE 2 NIGHTS – WAORANI CAMP 3 NIGHTS)
5-DAY TOUR (LODGE 2 NIGHTS – WAORANI CAMP 2 NIGHTS)

 ITINERARIES:

5-day tour

 Day 1

Starting from Quito early in the morning (6 am in private car, 5 am in public bus as we need to pick up you from the hotel to the bus station), we will travel to the city of Tena. If you go by public bus our guide will be waiting you at Tena Bus Station to guide you to the small indigenous village of San Pedro, where you will be arriving around 3 pm, so we recommend you to have lunch in Tena.

If you chose private transport, the car you take you to the village of Santa Rosa, where you will arrive around 12 am. With this option you can have a lunch at the lodge. From here Santa Rosa / San Pedro, we navigate for about 30 minutes downstream along the Napo River by canoe, arriving at the lodge in the afternoon where you will be welcomed by a typical cold drink and will be time to settle in the lodge's typical Quechua bungalows for two people.

After lunch (private car) and a short rest, in the company of one of our expert's Indian guides, by canoe we go to the Birds Island where we will make a hike in the forest around the Laguna Escondida (Hidden Lagoon), an special place where we can observe different species of jungle birds: river Garzas (great egret), Great Blue Heron, King fisher, Garrapatero, Oropendolas, etc. One of the most interesting bird is the Hoatzin, the Amazon's weirdest birds and rather shy except in breeding season. Later on we canoe back to the lodge for dinner. After dinner, depending on the weather, we will go for a night canoe ride with a silent navigation to the nearby lagoon to watch out for wildlife.

Day 2

Early in the morning, we will canoe for about 1 hour 30 minutes to the main port called Los Rios, from where we will start 7 - 8 hours trekking into the primary rainforest where we will camp in a community of the Waorani tribe! Please take into consideration that the trekking is strenuous and tiring and you have to be in a good physical condition.

This trekking is full of adventure crossing small streams, rivers and different kind of terrains with high hills, observing several species of plants and trees, some of them with more than 200 years old. With luck and depending on the weather we will see some mammals and bird. On the way we will have box lunch in the rainforest. In the afternoon we will arrive at the community of the Waorani tribe. While the Waoranis welcome you with a traditional dance and the typical drink called chicha (base on cassava and ripe plantain), the staff will set the tents for the camping and prepare dinner. After dinner we will have a rest to recover energies for the next day.

Day 3

After a healthy and very energetic breakfast, we will go with the Waorani guide into the rainforest to a natural mineral lick collpa in Spanish, where you will be able to watch diverse bird species, depending on the weather, the season and the time of the year (best time for bird watching July - September). After that we will return to the Waorani's settlement, where you will have the unique opportunity to find out about its customs, way of living and ancestral secrets of the jungle.

After lunch we will go to an unexplored place, the Waorani's Sacred Waterfall. This is a special place where this tribe celebrates its rituals and ceremonial festivities, and where the shamans (medicine man) come to enter in contact with the spirits. Here you can have a refreshing bath to get rid of your bad energies.
After a special dinner, the hosting tribe will invite you to have a drink and share your feelings at their social farewell, called in native language Kacharina, which means “throw out - share all your feelings and experiences”.

Day 4

After breakfast we say goodbye to our native friends and then we will begin our return trekking through the primary rainforest reserve of the Waorani tribe. We will have a box lunch on the way. Our trekking will lead us to a small community called Selva Amazonica, where a 4x4 car will pick up us and take us in about 30 minutes to the village of San Pedro, where will take the canoe to go back to the lodge. After a short rest, dinner will be waiting for us.

Day 5

After breakfast we say goodbye to our indigenous friends and then we'll begin our return journey along the Napo River to Santa Rosa Village (private transport) or San Pedro (public transport), from where you will take your transport back to Tena and from there back to Quito.

6-day tour

Day 1

See Day 1 in 5-day tour

Day 2

After breakfast in the lodge, we will make a walk of 30 minutes to visit our hosting indigenous community of Quechua, on the way you will observe the different kind of trees, plants and palms cultivated by this community such us bananas, plantain, cassava, papaya tree, pineapple, orange trees, sugar cane, etc.
We continue to the small settlement where we can observe (and buy) pottery made by the matriarch, after this we will go down to visit the SHAMAN of the community, where we will learn as well about their ancestral secrets, customs and the way of living.
Return to the lodge for lunch and after a short rest we will go on motor canoe to a museum of traps, where you will see around 10 originals traps that they used to use in oldest time for hunting.
After lunch we will go fishing the famous piranha and the Amazonian catfish accompanied by the native local guides, who are experienced fishers. If you like kayaking you can go fishing or just navegate in our bi-personal kayaks. Later on we will canoe back to the lodge for dinner and have a rest after this exciting day.

Day 3 - 6

See Day 2 - 5 in 5-day tour

7-day tour

Day 1

See Day 1 in 5-day tour

Day 2

After breakfast we will we go in a navigation for about 1 hour in the Napo River, arriving to a perfect spot for swimming and tubing beside one of the sandy shores of the Napo Rivers, where also you will have the rare an unique opportunity to try panning for gold on the shores of the river.

After a well deserved lunch we will go for fishing the famous piranha and the Amazonian catfish accompanied by the native local guides, who are the skilled of catching fish. If you like kayaking, you can go fishing or just navigate in our bi-personal kayaks. Later on we will canoe back to the lodge for dinner and have a rest after this exciting day.

Day 3 - 5

See Day 2 - 4 in 5-day tour

Day 6

After breakfast in the lodge, we will make a walk of 30 minutes to visit our hosting indigenous community of Quechua, on the way you will observe the different kind of trees, plants and palms cultivated by this community such us bananas, plantain, cassava, papaya tree, pineapple, orange trees, sugar cane, etc. We continue to the small settlement where we can observe (and buy) pottery made by the matriarch, after this we will go down to visit the shaman of the community, where we will learn as well about their ancestral secrets, customs and the way of living.

We will return to the lodge for lunch and after a short rest we will go on motor canoe to a museum of traps, where you will see around 10 originals traps that they used to use in oldest time for hunting. After this place we will go for a lessons in our authentic dugout canoe, called by the native as Quiya, and for the less skilled we will navigate on kayaks on the river. Then we return to the lodge late in the afternoon and after dinner, we invite you to have a drink at our informal social farewell evening.

Day 7

See Day 5 in 5-day tour

Prices per person:

1. Fixed departure tours (in share pool basis)

Guaranteed departures with minimum 2 passengers every week on Saturday!

                          6-day Tour: US$ 600

2. Private tours

Departures can be arranged ANY TIME for individuals or groups. 

There is a minimum of 2 passengers for the tours!

Single Accommodation Supplement: 30% of tour cost

Children under 12 years: 50% discount (children under 4 years free - in the same accommodation with their parents)

Included in all rates:

• Public bus transport Tena - San Pedro - Lodge and return to Tena
• in - out canoe transfers (San Pedro - Yacuma Lodge - San Pedro)
• Spanish/English speaking companion
• Indigenous community entrance fee
• Indigenous guides
• Meals in the ecolodge and Waorani Tribe
• Accommodation in the lodge in bungalows for 2 people
• Comfortable tents for camping in the Waorani community
• Waorani tribe entrance fee
• Waorani guide
• Canoes and excursions
• rubber boots
• purified water throughout the whole tour

Not Included in the rates:

• Pick up from hotel in Quito and public transport from Quito to Tena on arrival day (15 USD p. p. - clients are accompanied by a guide)
• individual return by public bus from Tena to Quito (or other destinations) on departure day
• Soft or alcoholic drinks
• Personal expenses, tips, etc.
• Chontayacu Community entrance fee ($3, 00 p.p.)
• rain poncho

Combine this tour with our 2-day Napo Adventure including rafting, cave hiking, visit of an indignous community and Papallacta hot springs! Check out the link and contact us for more details:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 EXTRA COSTS FOR PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION

FROM/TO QUITO:

From 1 to 4 passengers: US$ 150. - 1 way
From 5 to 10 passengers: US$ 225. - 1 way

FROM/TO TENA:

From 1 to 4 passengers: US$ 70 . - 1 way
From 5 to 10 passengers: US$ 120. - 1 way

You can also take the flight Quito – Tena – Quito at extra cost. Flights are available on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Should bring: 

• Original Passport
• Sunglasses
• Cotton shirts
• Long, light pants (no jeans)
• rain protection / poncho
• Shorts
• Cotton socks, a pair per day
• Comfortable walking shoes and sandals
• Sweater
• Toiletries
• Small backpack (waterproof)
• High speed film (ASA 100 o +)
• Binoculars
• Flashlight 
• Sun block
• Bathing suit
• Cotton underwear
• Cap or hat