We begin our adventure in Quito and then drive south along the Andes mountains before descending east to the Amazon basin. Along the way we visit an indigenous weaving workshop and a local farm where we will enjoy a traditional highland lunch. In the afternoon we visit the impressive Pailon del Diablo waterfall before arriving at our guesthouse in Puyo on the edge of the Amazon basin.
Early the next day we fly into the Achuar community of Kusutkau and take a 20 minute boat ride to our ecolodge, our home for the next 6 days. Our lodge is an award-winning indigenous community ecotourism enterprise deep in the rainforest that supports the sustainable development of the Achuar indigenous nation.
Each day we will start with a short meditation session and an optional early morning activity like birdwatching from the lodge, a boat ride along the Capahuari river looking for wildlife, a visit to the parrot/macaw claylick or an early hike. Swimming in the river right from the dock is always available, as well as relaxing in the social areas by the river or on the deck. Every evening after dinner you have the option of adding a boat ride looking for cayman, a night hike or a star-gazing from the dock.
On your first two days you will spend time learning about local cooking methods and creating a food and flavour exchange together with Bettina, the lodge cooks and Achuar community members. The community will bring their daily harvest and we will add spices and products purchased at the farm. Each of us will be given prep and cooking tasks and we will create and eat lunch together. You’ll also have time for a kayak ride in the Capahuari river and a 3 hour forest hike.
Mid retreat we head out to the community of Wayusentsa which is 1.5 hours upstream on the Capahuari river. We will spend the afternoon joining in community activities, learning about local herbs and healing medicines and gathering the leaves in one of the community farms in preparation for the wayusa tea for the following morning. In the evening we join a Shaman fire ceremony before spending the night at the community camp, then waking at 4am for the Wayusa tea ceremony and conversation with the shaman.
After a community breakfast, we will head back by boat to our lodge in time for lunch. In the afternoon you can choose an optional hike or kayak excursion or rest, swim and relax on the deck, before our farewell dinner. The following day we begin our journey back, first upstream by boat to Kusutkau, then a short flight back to the town of Shell. We then drive for 4 hours to Papallacta hot springs in the Andes mountains, where we will relax, soak in the spa and reflect on our Amazon adventures. The following day we head back to Quito.
