Amazon Extension

Day 1 – Entering Yasuni

You’ll be amazed at just how fast things get wild today. Like, really wild. The people-filled plazas of Quito fade into the clouds as you jet out on an early flight to El Coca, the self-proclaimed gateway to the Ecuadorian Amazon. Nothing but greenery for 2,000 miles as the lungs of the Earth spread out all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

Follow the Auca Road and watch the landscape transform, houses getting rarer, trees looming. Switch from car to boat and whiz into the deep heart of the rainforest, a tea-coloured river rushing by as civilisation disappears behind the armies of kapok trees.

No need to worry. You’ll be in good hands. A veteran Waorani warrior named Gaba will be waiting to take care of you when the boat drifts to a stop at a camp on the edge of the Shiripuno River. It’s where you’ll call home for the next three nights, so relax into jungle mode – there are no mod-cons here!

ACCOMMODATION: Wao Camp (or similar), Yasuni National Park
INCLUDED: Lunch, Dinner

What is Wao Camp?

Tucked deep in the rainforest, Wao Camp is on land cared for by the Waorani, who call themselves Wao – simply, the people. Many families still live day to day from the forest, hunting with blowpipes, fishing the rivers, and gathering what they need from the land around them. Knowledge is passed down through doing: learning where to find food, how to read tracks, and how to use plants for medicine. 

Wao Camp isn’t set up for show. It’s real everyday life, shared in a respectful way. Guest accommodation is in simple twin-share tents with basic beds and shared facilities, with no mains power. It’s comfortable camping, but very much part of the environment. The camp is community-run, helping support families while keeping their land as it is. It’s less about activities, and more about time spent getting to know the people who live here.

Day 2 – Birdwatching and Hunting Trails

It’s an early rise this morning, though it’s not likely you’ll need to set an alarm as the cacophony of toucan calls and chirping cock-of-the-rocks wake you. This dawn chorus follows you to the river, where you glide through the Amazon as the mist lifts to reveal a birdwatching show you’ll never forget. Topaz hummingbirds for sure – a rare zigzag heron (a Yasuni speciality) if you’re lucky.

Then you’re back in the capable hands of Gaba, who leads you down a well-trodden hunting trail to find medicinal plants and animal watering holes. It’s a chance to leave behind the river and delve into the deep, dark canopy of the Amazon proper, before returning for a hard-earned rest at camp.

As the sun dips low, board your trusty boat for a night safari. It’s prime time for spotting some of the more elusive beasts of the region, with even the potential for jaguar sightings. Fingers crossed and crossed again!

ACCOMMODATION: Wao Camp (or similar), Yasuni National Park
INCLUDED: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 3 – Anaconda Spotting and Traditional Rainforest Skills

You’ll know by now that early mornings are the norm in the Amazon jungle, so rise with the sun and get straight out on the Yasuni lagoons. These are murky, mysterious places, and today you’re searching for one of their most iconic beasts: anacondas. Hopping between lagoon-side trails and canoes, you and your Fencox crew spend the morning seeking the world’s strongest snake. Should be easy to spot – these mighty creatures can grow up to 5.5 metres in length!

Quick question: how are your blowdart skills? You’re about to put them to the test, on a guided lesson in the hunting techniques of the Waorani people. Gaba will teach you how to handle traditional weapons, track animals and navigate the rainforest.

They’re just the sort of things you’ll need for what’s next: a nocturnal jungle walk into a land of big-eyed bugs, croaking frogs, and spiderwebs so big you’ll think you’re dreaming. It’s dark and noisy and truly feral.

ACCOMMODATION: Wao Camp (or similar), Yasuni National Park
INCLUDED: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 4 – Farewell, Friends!

Your final wake-up on this Ecuadorian odyssey is, once again, the great symphony of the Amazon. Hear the rushing river, the rustle of the kapok trees, the call of the toucan from somewhere distant and untouched by humans. Then, it’s time to board the boat and bid farewell to your beloved jungle camp, the Amazon, and, after jetting back to Quito from El Coca later in the day, the Fencox friends you’ve made along the way. It’s been quite the adventure, eh?

INCLUDED: Breakfast