Itinerary

DAY 1: FLY FROM QUITO TO MACAS

Today we fly from Quito to Macas, a small town in the southern Amazon. After arriving in Macas, we take the time to appreciate the city as it is today, as it was destroyed twice by the Shuar indigenous peoples while they fought against the early Spanish colonists. In the evening, we enjoy a welcome dinner and a short trip briefing to prepare us for tomorrow's our rafting journey. Overnight in a hotel in Macas. (D)

DAY 2: RAFTING THE UPPER UPANO AND SHUAR INDIGENOUS ENCOUNTERS

After breakfast, we drive to our put-in site on the Upano River and begin our whitewater rafting journey. When we first meet the Upano, she is a wide river alternating between verdant valleys and steep boulder passages, with mostly class III rapids and a sprinkling of class IV rapids that get our heartbeats racing. Not to be underestimated, slightly further downstream the Upano morphs into a narrow but powerful channel of water when it cuts through the Namangosa Gorge. On this first day of rafting, we will get used to paddling as a team, while we take the time to appreciate the stunning rainforest ecology around us. This is a truly unique rafting and camping expedition through picturesque and untouched areas of the Amazonian jungle. We are guaranteed to see a variety of birdlife, which often includes numerous species of parrots and birds of prey, and we may see more than a dozen varieties of butterflies. This section of the Amazon is pristine primary forest, with thatched-roof hut settlements of the Shuar indigenous peoples dotted here and there along the riverbanks. The Shuar can often be seen washing clothes or fishing along the shores of the upper Upano. They are famously (or infamously) known as the "shrinking heads" peoples of the Amazon. When we make camp for the night on the riverbanks of the Upano near Sucua, we will visit a Shuar community nearby. They will likely talk to us about the ancient practice of head-shrinking and how and why it was done: the Shuar believed that shrinking the heads of enemies killed in battle was a way of preventing their victim's spirits from seeking vengeance, and gave the warrior who possessed the shrunken head greater powers. After our cultural exchange with the Shuar, we enjoy dinner at our campsite and a peaceful night's sleep along the riverbanks. (B, L, D)

DAY 3 & 4: RAFTING THE UPANO RIVER IN NAMANGOSA CANYON GORGE

On the morning of day 3, after crossing under the Patuca Bridge and entering the stunning Namangosa Canyon Gorge, the Upano River changes her mood and becomes a very fast-moving body of water that propels our raft forward through class IV-IV+ rapid after rapid. The riverbanks grow into towering canyon walls lush with vegetation, and water is channeled into a narrow, boulder-choked gorge. The Shuar call this the "Gorge of Sacred Waterfalls," and we should be sure to ask them about the mythology surrounding the river canyon during our community visit. Stunning views of white waterfalls are the only thing that interrupts the green of the canyon walls. Combined with sightings of tropical birds and colorful butterflies, we are left breathless by the natural beauty of the canyon, as well as the thrill of the fast-moving white water. The river's volume increases as we move downstream, while the deep gorge creates fantastic hydraulics that we and our raft take advantage of with the help of our experienced rafting guide. The end of day three finds us camping at a site known as Mina, with another full day of exhilarating rafting ahead of us. On day four, hiking trails and hidden caves give us spaces to stop and seek wildlife along the riverbanks. We can swim in the numerous tributary streams that feed into the Upano, offering different temperatures and volumes of water. The afternoon of day four, we reach our take-out site, where our vehicle is waiting for us to drive back through the countryside. We reach Macas in the evening and spend the fourth night of our journey here. (B, L, D both days)

DAY 5: FLY FROM MACAS TO QUITO

After breakfast, we have a chance to explore the town of Macas during the morning before arriving at the airport to board our noon return flight to Quito. (B)

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