Yasuní Waorani safari camp & kayaking adventure
5-day | 4-night
From Coca, Ecuador’s Amazon
price : from $ 1400* per person
depart : 10:00 am
pick up : Coca airport, bus terminal or designated meeting point
day 1 :
The adventure begins in El Coca, traveling by road along the Auca route to the Shiripuno River, one of the main gateways into Yasuní National Park. From here, we launch our kayaks and begin navigating the river’s calm meanders, surrounded by an endless sea of rainforest.
As you paddle deeper into Yasuní, wildlife sightings are common. Macaws, toucans, monkeys, and riverside birds often appear along the forest edges, offering an unforgettable first immersion into the Amazon.
After approximately four hours of kayaking, you arrive at a remote safari-style jungle camp, set within primary rainforest. Built using local materials and inspired by traditional Waorani architecture, the camp blends naturally into its surroundings while offering comfort, privacy, and a deep sense of place. The camp is closely connected to the local Waorani community, who have chosen nature-based tourism as a way to protect their territory, culture, and forest.
You’ll be welcomed by the camp staff and enjoy dinner as the jungle comes alive with nocturnal sounds.
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day 2 :
An early start allows you to reach Anaconda Lagoon, a blackwater oxbow lake accessed by kayak and a short walk through flooded forest. This unique ecosystem is home to rich aquatic life and, with some luck, sightings of the green anaconda.
Later, continue by canoe to additional lagoons where giant otters, birds, and reptiles are often spotted. After lunch and time to rest, the afternoon is dedicated to a meaningful cultural encounter with the Waorani people. At the home of a local community leader, you’ll learn about ancestral legends, traditional hunting techniques using spears and blow-darts, and the symbolic relationship between the Waorani and the forest.
Return to camp for dinner and a peaceful night in the jungle.
day 3 :
After breakfast, begin a five-hour downstream kayaking journey along the Shiripuno River, navigating through remote forest corridors rarely visited by outsiders. After a boxed lunch, continue on foot with a guided jungle trek through primary rainforest.
The hike leads to a hilltop viewpoint offering a 360-degree panorama over untouched Amazon canopy. In the late afternoon, return by motorized canoe, keeping an eye out for caimans and nocturnal wildlife along the riverbanks. Dinner at camp.
day 4 :
Spend the morning exploring small tributaries and forest streams by kayak, ideal habitats for birds, amphibians, and monkeys. These quiet waterways offer an intimate perspective of Amazonian biodiversity.
In the afternoon, take part in a Waorani farewell ceremony, featuring chants, storytelling, and reflections on their history and relationship with the outside world. A meaningful closing to your time in Yasuní.
day 5 :
After a final early breakfast, begin the return journey by river and road back to El Coca, bringing this deep Amazon experience to a close.
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ask for a quote
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All transfers in El Coca (road and river transportation), kayak expedition on the Shiripuno River, accommodation at a remote Amazon safari camp, all meals during the program (starting with dinner on Day 1, ending with breakfast on Day 5), purified drinking water, shared excursions with native Waorani and naturalist bilingual guides (Spanish / English), daily activity briefings, use of kayaks and paddling equipment, rubber boots during the stay, rain poncho and umbrella, snacks, coffee, and herbal teas, cultural activities with the Waorani community, use of camp facilities.
Not included: Flights or transportation to and from El Coca, alcoholic beverages, tips for guides and camp staff, personal expenses and souvenirs, yoga sessions (available upon request), any service not specifically mentioned under “What’s Included” -
lightweight, quick-dry clothing, long-sleeved shirts and long pants (for sun and insects), comfortable closed-toe walking shoes, sandals or water shoes, rain jacket or poncho, hat and sunglasses, sunscreen (reef-safe recommended), insect repellent, headlamp or flashlight, refillable water bottle, small waterproof daypack, camera or phone with waterproof protection, cash in small bills.