4-Day Amazon & Baños Adventure from Quito: Kichwa Community

Sleep in the rainforest, wake to howler monkeys and the Napo River.

A 4-day tour from Quito that descends the Andes to an eco-lodge inside a Kichwa-protected forest along the Napo River, then climbs back to Baños. You hike jungle trails with a native guide, meet the community and learn their traditions, visit Bride's Veil Waterfall and other waterfalls, and return to Quito. The lodge runs on candles and bamboo. The forest is one of Ecuador's most biodiverse.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel Quito to Eco-Lodge

• Depart Quito early morning
• Stop at Antisana Volcano viewpoint
• Visit Papallacta thermal springs
• Cross Papallacta Pass and observe landscape
• See Las 3 Marías waterfalls
• Lunch break on the way down
• Stop in Tena for walking and shopping
• Drive to Eco-Lodge by motorized canoe
• Check-in and relax at Eco-Lodge
• Nocturnal hike near Eco-Lodge

Day 2: Jungle Hiking and Kichwa Culture

• Breakfast at Eco-Lodge
• Canoe crossing to protector forest
• Hike and observe wildlife and plants
• Return to Eco-Lodge for lunch
• Visit Kichwa community
• Learn about traditions and chicha preparation
• Enjoy traditional dance and buy handicrafts

Day 3: Amazon to Baños via Puyo

• Breakfast and farewell to Eco-Lodge
• Travel by canoe to river port
• Drive through Amazon to Baños
• Visit La Casa de la Balsa in Puyo
• Explore waterfall and suspension bridge
• Visit Bride's Mantle waterfall and cable car
• Arrive at Baños hotel
• Free time to explore Baños city

Day 4: Baños to Quito Return

• Visit viewpoint and swing at end of world
• Stop at melcochas candy store
• Travel back to Quito city or airport

The experience

The route starts early from Quito and climbs to Papallacta Pass at 4,100 meters, where the temperature drops to 7°C and the landscape shifts from snow-capped peaks to cloud forest. You descend through three waterfalls called Las 3 Marías, then drop into the lowlands where the air warms to 20–25°C and humidity rises to 85%. After a 5-hour drive, a motorized canoe carries you 20 minutes downriver through the tropical forest to the eco-lodge, a simple bamboo structure lit by candlelight on the banks of the Arajuno River. That first night, a guide leads a nocturnal hike through the lodge trails where you spot tarantulas, frogs, rainbow boas and other species active after dark.

Day two is the heart of the experience. After breakfast, you cross the Arajuno River by canoe to a protected forest where a native guide interprets the jungle: pointing out spider monkeys, medicinal plants, birds like the prehistoric-looking hoatzin, and the morpho butterfly. The hike lasts two to three hours. In the afternoon, a Kichwa community visits the lodge and you learn their daily life, participate in preparing chicha (a fermented yuca drink), taste traditional dishes, and watch children perform traditional dances. Buying handicrafts directly supports the families.

On day three, you leave at sunrise and travel by canoe and vehicle southeast toward Baños de Agua Santa. A stop at La Casa de la Balsa in Puyo lets you see local artisans craft balsa wood by hand. Then comes Bride's Veil Waterfall, an enormous cascade that fills an Olympic pool in an hour. You walk trails beside the green river, cross a suspension bridge 328 feet high, and feel the spray up close. A second waterfall, Manto de la Novia, sits in the lower Llanganates National Park and requires crossing the Pastaza River by tarabita (cable car) to see orchids and local plants. You overnight in Baños at a 3-star hotel and have the evening free to explore the city, visit hot springs, or walk to the Basilica.

The final morning includes a swing at the end of the world (a famous rope swing overlooking an active volcano), and an optional stop at a melcochas factory to watch the making of sugar-cane taffy. Then the drive back to Quito takes the rest of the day, with drop-off at your hotel or the airport.

What’s included

• Lunch each day.
• professional guide and driver with private transportation.
• accommodation in an eco-friendly bamboo lodge on the Napo River and a 3-star hotel in Baños.
• motorized canoe transport on the Arajuno River.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 to 85 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (4 to 5 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 26 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Galapagos My World

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to stay inside the rainforest and meet the community that protects it, rather than visit from a base outside. The 4-day length gives you two full days in the jungle (one for hiking and wildlife, one for cultural exchange) plus time in Baños to see waterfalls and the Andean landscape. Guides speak English or Spanish. Children from age 4 are welcome, though the canoe rides, jungle hikes and physical activity require at least moderate fitness.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (4 to 5 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What animals and plants will I actually see on the jungle hikes?

The protected forest around the eco-lodge is biodiverse enough that sightings are frequent. Spider monkeys (endangered), chorongo monkeys, morpho butterflies, hoatzins, gray-fronted doves, rainbow boas, tarantulas and conga ants are common. The native guide points out medicinal plants and their traditional uses during the daytime hike.

How does the Kichwa community visit work?

The community comes to the lodge in the afternoon on day two. You participate in preparing chicha, a fermented yuca drink central to their daily life and celebrations, taste traditional dishes, watch children perform traditional dances, and have time to buy handmade handicrafts directly from the artisans.

What is Bride's Veil Waterfall like up close?

Bride's Veil is an enormous waterfall capable of filling an Olympic pool in an hour. You walk trails beside the green river it forms, cross a suspension bridge over 328 feet high, and descend close enough to feel the spray enveloping you: ideal for photos and video.

How long is the drive from Quito to the eco-lodge on day one?

The drive takes about five hours total. You depart early from Quito, stop at Papallacta Pass viewpoint (weather permitting) to see Antisana Volcano, pass three waterfalls called Las 3 Marías, and stop in Tena for lunch and a short walk before the final motorized canoe ride to the lodge.

What are the accommodations like?

Nights one and two are in double rooms at the eco-lodge, a simple bamboo structure lit by candlelight that minimizes environmental impact. Night three is in a double room at La Floresta or similar, a 3-star hotel in Baños City with standard amenities.

Is there time to explore Baños on my own?

Yes. You arrive in Baños on the afternoon of day three and have the evening free. You can visit the hot springs, get a massage at a spa, walk to the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Agua Santa, explore the city, or enjoy the nightlife. The swing at the end of the world and melcochas factory stop happen on the morning of day four before the return drive to Quito.