What's Included: 

First off, let's talk about your guides, Gary and Tarquino. They are great! They grew up in this area and have been guiding for over 20 years already. They have their national guide licenses, but more importantly, they know all about the jungle because it is their passion. One of their strengths is making your tour both a lesson on the jungle and fun at the same time. Plus their English is really good. You will love this tour, over other tours offered in this area, because one or both will be your guide. That in combination with the attention to detail and consideration of your wants and desires in the design of this tour. 

 

Also included: all ground and water transportation, safety kayakers, and all the equipment for rafting. All entrance fees and expected donations on activities (except for optional hot springs, tram, or zip-lining activities in Baños). Price includes double occupancy in hotel rooms, with a queen or double bed or 2 beds. 4 nights will be spent in a luxury resort, just outside of Tena, that you are going to love! (*A singles rate of $500 more is available if you want your own room. Note, the flip side is we have big discounts for 3 or more sharing a room or bungalow.) What's the jungle lodge like? Think of the lodge like camping but in cabins with comfy beds, screens on the windows, nets on the beds, hot showers, and great meals served up on real plates! 

 

What’s extra:  Roundtrip airfare to Quito is not included. Three meals in regular restaurants are not included in order to allow our guests to order whatever they want off menus while in Baños. Figure between $4 to $8 for each of those meals. Drinks beyond the 1 drink provided on all meals and any snacks or drinks in between and alcoholic drinks are not included. Grande Pilsners are generally available for $1.50 to $1.75 (up to $3 at the jungle lodge). You will be provided an opportunity to tram or go zip-lining over a canyon in Baños. That usually runs about $10 and is not included as we are sure that not everybody will want to do it! The hot springs in Baños are a short walk from the hotel and an option for those interested, it only costs $1 during the day or $2 at night. Please note your guide will only be pointing the way, not actually going on this one. You will want to bring a little extra cash for things like the animal rehab center gift shop, souvenirs, etc. Also not included, trip and travel health insurance. We do require that you have international health insurance when booking with us. FYI, trip insurance usually comes with health insurance. We can help you find this for a very reasonable cost. Just ask!

 

Kid Friendly: Yes, age 12 or 13 and up. (flexible)

The raft trip is the only reason we don't suggest taking younger children. Contact us if you want to work something else out for that day, your child is a really good swimmer, or just have mom or dad and your youngest skip that activity!

 

Activity Level:  Easy at times, Moderate at times, and High at other times

 

Starts:  At the airport in Quito, we can pick you up from the Quito airport (UIO) or you can meet us at the hotel we’ll be staying at (near the Quito airport) anytime that afternoon, evening, or even in the morning. You just need to be there by the time we leave for Tena at 8:30 am on the second day.

 

Note, we will return to the Quito airport in the late afternoon on the last day. You can book your flight out that evening and we’ll drop you off at the airport. We are also happy to drop you off in Quito proper, or at a hotel near the airport if you are flying out during the night or in the morning. Dinner and a hotel night on the last day are not included in the tour.

 

Contact us if you are interested in trips before or after this tour. We have a partner in Quito that we've worked out two wonderful tours with, which mesh well with this one. One is a Northern Andes extension tour that hits Quito, Otavalo, and a Quilatoa Crater. The other is a trip out to the Galapagos. (The Northern Andes Tour is designed around a Tuesday start day (before the 8-Day Tour), joining a Saturday start to the 8-Day Amazon Tour.) 

 

Min/Max: We need at least 4 participants to make this tour a go and we max out at 12.

(We can offer this tour for less participants, the price is just a bit higher, contact us for those prices.)

 

Cost: $2000, plus tax, per person when 4, 5, 6, or 7 people go. (Or $1600, plus tax, per person when we get 8-12 participants going.)

So if you are the first ones to go and want to keep it more small group, let us know and we'll stay with the $2000 price level and cut it off at 7 participants. OR save some cash if you have 8 or more, we find people to join your tour, or you are able to join one already going that has enough to bump you up into that bracket!

 

*Single rate is an additional $500, plus tax, if you want your own room. (Otherwise, it is double occupancy.)

**A foreign (non-Ecuadorian) passport is required for the receipt, otherwise, an additional 12% tax will need to be added to the price.

***Unless you are joining a tour already going, you must book at least 10 days ahead to get these prices.

 

Discounts and Donations:

Note that there are several things that can make a difference in our possible cost of putting on this tour.

We can usually give you some discounts if you want to and are able to work with us on these things.

• You can get significant savings if sharing a room at the resort with 3 or 4 people.

• It is possible to get 3% off by paying by check or with cash through a bank deposit (not a wire transfer, call me first!) to our Wells Fargo account in the USA. (Note most of our guests pay via PayPal. We just send an invoice to you.)

• If your schedule is flexible, you could book a tour that avoids hitting an Ecuadorian Holiday. If that is possible, we can give you a discount or bump you up to a cabana at the resort at no additional charge.

• If your schedule is flexible and you can be the 10th, 11th, or 12th person on a tour that's already going, we'll give a discount.

• Contact us to see what we can work out! (Info and form below.)

 

A way to use your trip to help those in need in the area is to participate in our suitcase program. We work with the pastor at a church in Tena. They do outreach programs to more isolated peoples that live down rivers into smaller communities out in the jungle. Just ask us for a current list of things that those people need. Mostly it's school supplies and clothing that you can buy inexpensively here at places like Goodwill and Savers. Please don't just do this on your own. Contact us for a list of dos and don'ts of bringing a suitcase full of stuff. 

 

What to Bring:

Please click on this PDF for a more detailed breakdown on the following items.

 

The cash as mentioned above and a flashlight, lightweight long pants and shirt, water bottle, rain jacket or poncho, camera, swimwear and a towel (just for the hot springs), mosquito repellent, sunscreen, socks to wear in the rubber boots, which will be provided (and inserts would be a plus). For rafting: strap-on sandals or water shoes, and our recommendation: swim shorts and ideally a thin synthetic top with long sleeves to keep you warm on a rainy day and keep you from getting sunburned on a sunny day. A headlamp for caving. The strap on sandals mentioned above for rafting will do double duty on the waterfall hike, and when caving. For the rest of the time; comfortable shoes. Probably a hat. It is cold in the mountains, where Quito airport and the Papallacta Hot Springs are located. Think Phoenix in the winter, without indoor heat. So, you’ll want warmer clothes for the short period you’ll be there. Medications: Bring your regular meds and whatever OTC medications you like to take, but forgo the malarial medication, it’s not indicated for our province (Napo) in Ecuador.

 

 

Click here to learn more about our cancellation policies

 

How to talk to us or get here!

Call us: 480-327-9812  (free from the US)

Email: lacasablancahotel@yahoo.com

We're on WhatsApp:  (+1) 480-327-9812 or (+1) 480-760-5961

Address: Tena, Napo, Ecuador,  Map     

 

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