Gateway to the Ecuador Amazon from Quito

A few hours from Quito, this 4-day trip gets you into the Ecuadorian Amazon without a long journey or rough camping. You're based at a lodge in the rainforest, with days built around wildlife, water, and time with a local Kichwa community.

Expect waterfalls, a cave, a canoe trip on the Napo River, and a wildlife rescue centre, plus evenings that shift from a chocolate-making demo to a guided night walk through the jungle. On the way back to Quito, you stop at the Papallacta hot springs in the Andes to unwind before the trip ends.

It's a compact, well-guided introduction to the Amazon rather than a deep expedition, good if you want a real taste of the rainforest on a short timeframe.

What you'll do

• Canoe trip on the Napo River
• Guided night walk to spot rainforest wildlife after dark
• Visit a wildlife rescue centre and look for caimans at a jungle lagoon
• Meet a local Kichwa community and learn how chocolate is made
• Explore a cave and visit waterfalls in the rainforest
• Soak in the Papallacta hot springs in the Andes on the way back to Quito