NAPO CULTURAL CENTER 4 DAYS

Description

Napo Cultural Center offers high comfort accommodation and quality services, distinctive and personalized, with an integrated complex prepared to fully respond to the guests’ needs; this is the main touristic offer in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region, allowing its clients a rare and complete experience, full of privacy and exclusivity. Considered as the best biodiverse destination in the world.

We assure you will be part of a great adventure, here to forget the hustle and bustle you can relax and unwind with the singing of the birds, you will learn more about kichwa culture, their customs, traditions and interesting legends.

Located at Yasuní National Park is considered as the best biodiverse destination in the world, Napo Cultural Center is a unique and innovative project, which presents a high differentiating profile and a strong vocation for the international tourism market.

Kichwa mythology reveals situations, characters, thought forms pass a couple, seeking, choose locations to proceed with the founding of towns knowledge of energy sites is common in communities, its people, children, the water and the life that inhabits it holds great secrets and for the kichwa life.

Season	All year
Included	River transportation to Coca – Napo Cultural Center – Coca Lodging at Napo Cultural Center Complete meals according to the program Entrance to parrots claylick Naturalist bilingual guide Entrance to the Yasuní National Park Impermeable poncho and rubber boots Activities and visits according to the itinerary
Not Included	256 USD per person: Air ticket Quito – Coca – Quito with assistance at the Quito airport on (help with check-in and land transfers in Coca). Drinks, tips, internet, laundry and any other unspecified requirement (laundry and internet).
What to bring	Prices per person in US dollars, based on double accommodation. Rates are subject to change in case of additional taxes, fuel increase or any other unforeseen circumstances. New surcharges will be informed in a timely manner. For Sunday operation, please contact us in order to arrange special transportation accordingly: From 1 to 8 pax surcharge of $300 per group applies (subject to change). From 9 pax onwards no additional cost applies. Contact us if you wish to visit us on a non-scheduled departure day. Our Bilingual Naturalist Guides and Native Guides are divided within specially organized groups that will offer the best opportunities possible during excursions. Private Guides are also available upon request during the initial booking process. Specialized bird watching guides are available upon request during the booking process with an extra fee.
Requirements	During your free time in-between activities you can use our kayaks, swim in the lagoon, have a massage or just relax in your room and have a nap! On the last day of your visit at La Selva, there will be no scheduled activities as you will be leaving in the morning to catch your flight in Coca returning to Quito.
Departures	Any day confirm availability
Price in Wayna Room	Standard Cabin $859 Double and triple occupancy $1022 Single occupancy Mini Suit $980 Double and triple occupancy $1164 Single occupancy Children under 5 years, hotel free in same parents room plus 30% of airfare to be paid. Children under 11 years and 11 months get 30% discount on hotel prices in the same parents room and 30% airfare. *NCC recommend for families with children to take a private guide

Itinerary

NOTE: These are sample itineraries, subject to change due to climate and security conditions and interests or groups. Changes and additions will be made in order to maximize wildlife sightings,cultural exchange and community with the stay in a biologically rich region such as the Yasuni NationalPark.

DAY 1

Arriving at Napo Cultural Center, you have the outstanding chance to step onto the aboriginal territory of the kichwa Añangu community, whose members will welcome you with a traditional and refreshing ice cold “wayusa”, the local hotel manager will give quick instructions and immediately will take you to your comfortable room with views of the rainforest in order to get ready for the first activity in the afternoon.

Hike along “Playas” trail to experience amazon wildlife for the first time in the river islands and shores amidst of one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth.

Kayaking is also available as an optional activity for around 45 min. to enjoy an overwhelming and colorful sunset in the vastness of Napo River. Then head back to your cabin, rest a little bit and be prepared for a well- deserved dinner. After dinner sleep with the relaxing sounds of the amazon.

DAY 2

Early breakfast and then head in the motor boat to one of the highlights of Yasuni Biosphere Reserve, the parrot clay lick in the riverside of River Napo, bring your binoculars and camera lenses to see flocks of blue- headed, yellow-crowned parrots and even dusky-headed parakeets, from the boat.

Then walk around 30 min, through “pericos” trail to reach the blind in the forest with a direct view to the amazing parakeet clay lick, which brings visitors face to face with up to 11 species of parrots and parakeets (including parrotlets and macaws), sometimes even mammals like howler monkeys, tapir and peccaries come to this place to drink water and get vital minerals for their body.

We end this morning with a visit to the intercultural interpretation center “Kuri Muyu” which means golden seed in native language, handled by the women of the community also knows as “mamakuna” learn about the kichwa culture, crafts, customs and traditional use of natural resources directly from the people of the aboriginal community.

We return to the center of the community to have lunch at the dining hall and take a break in the lodge before hiking one hour in order to climb up the observation tower reaching 35 meters above the surface with high chances to spot a variety of birds, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, toucans, parrots and sloths.

Time for dinner followed by a unique activity at Napo river, onboard the ancestral catamaran to know more about their legends and traditional chants, while women grill some delicious snacks in the fire.

DIA 3

Enjoy the sunrise at breakfast, visit the sustainable community projects, talk about the worldview Kichwa Addition to medicinal and walk in the Mama Cuna road, excellent opportunity to see more wildlife, ceiba trees, strangler, bamboo cane, vines and shrubs endemic from Yasuní.

In the afternoon after a delicious local lunch paddle around “Añangu” stream, a black water ecosystem where you can spot monkeys jumping from tree to tree, caiman and sometimes even giant river otters trying to catch fish.

Upon arriving you will have time to settle back and prepare for a traditional typical dinner to taste local flavors of the amazon, such as “maito” which is grilled fish wrapped in a “bijao” leaf and if you have an adventurous palate try the grilled worms of the “chonta” locally known as “chontakuru”.

After dinner, prepare your flashlight for a night walk around the lodge to see different kind of insects, reptiles and even nocturnal mammals like the night monkeys.

DAY 4

To close with a flourish, take part on the optional “wayusada” ritual, in which at dawn around 4:30 am is the time when the kichwa family share together the sacred “wayusa” and has been a way to past their ancient knowledge to the new generations, here you also share traditional chants and have the chance to “interpret dreams” with the wisest “mamakuna” at the community, a mystique experience indeed.

Then head back for breakfast, while our staff pick you luggage for your return to Coca town, onboard our comfortable motor boats for the last chance to appreciate the Ecuadorian rainforest landscape, until you reach “La Mision” river port.