Huaorani's Amazon Kayak Expediction (C)

From Quito, we board a morning flight to the
Amazon frontier town of Coca. A scenic two-hour
drive south brings us to the banks of the Shiripuno
River, where our kayaks are waiting for us. After
lunch and a safety briefing, we paddle down
the Shiripuno River, surrounded by breathtaking
jungle scenery. Our guide introduces us to the
magnificent plants and wildlife of the Amazon.
In the late afternoon, we reach our campsite near
the Noneno Community and receive a visit from
a Huaorani family. They share with us the stories
of creation that define Huaorani cosmology and explain how the Huaorani view their existence.
We may learn some traditional chants that detail
the creation of the jungle and the mountains. We
enjoy a fresh gourmet dinner together prepared
by our guides. (L, D)

After breakfast, we visit the nearby Noneno
Community, a Huaorani settlement made up of
both traditional thatch huts and wooden houses.
From our encounters in the community, we learn
more about the Huaorani way of life and customs.
We exchange gifts and are taught how to use a
blow gun and spear – traditional hunting tools
of the Huaorani. We then try our hand weaving
with chambira, a palm tree fiber used locally
for a variety of purposes. After our community
visit, we continue paddling down the Shiripuno
in our kayaks. Meanwhile, the Shiripuno widens
as we move downstream, with small tributaries
feeding into the river. We are delighted by the
sights of tropical flowers and exotic trees, which
give cover to wildlife such as birds, monkeys, and
other mammals that our guides help us find. We
may also come across medicinal plants that our
guides show us how to use. At the end of the
day, we reach our fully equipped campsite and
prepare for dinner. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we continue our journey down
the Shiripuno to explore another awe-inspiring section of the jungle. We keep an eye out for more
plants and wildlife with the help of our naturalist and
Huaorani guides, and stop to explore the microecosystem
of a giant Ceiba tree, many of which
are more than 500 years old. In the afternoon,
we reach the comfortable accommodations of the
Shiripuno Lodge, with a wooden observation deck
and social area with hammocks to relax in. In the
early evening, we set out into the rainforest for a
short guided hike in search of nocturnal wildlife,
such as frogs, snakes, spiders, owls, rodents, and
bats. (B, L, D)

After an early breakfast, we travel by canoe to
reach a nearby trail head and begin a 4-hour-long
hike into the rainforest. During our hike, we explore
old growth forest, including varzea (flooded)
forest, and terra firme forest. We will appreciate
a variety of plant life, including Parkia, Ficus,
and Ceiba trees, which are common in this area.
As for wildlife, we are likely to spot the common
woolly monkey and white-lipped peccary, in
addition to numerous bird species. Jaguar tracks
are also a possible find. Our guides lead us to a
hill which overlooks the jungle to appreciate the
canopy from above. They also introduce us to a
wide range of medicinal plants, which help us to
understand the Huaorani’s practical, medicinal,
and spiritual relationship with the rainforest. After
returning to the lodge for lunch, we hike to a
group of small lakes and explore the ecosystem of
the flooded forest (also a popular fishing site with
the locals). If we are lucky, we will be able to see
tapir - South America’s largest land mammal. We
are also likely to spot Black Caimans (formerly
endangered crocodilian specie) and birdlife
including the Hoatzin (a prehistoric bird unique
to this area). We explore giant ant colonies to
learn about their social structure, as well as the
fascinating interaction between insects, animals,
and plants in the jungle. After a long day, we are
able to relax in hammocks before dinner. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we drive to the Coca airport to board our return flight to Quito. (B)