Hakuna Matata Amazon Jungle Lodge

You will arrive at the lodge within 3 hours from Quito. During the transfer, you will notice how the vegetation changes from the landscape of the Andes into the rainforest. After passing the gate to the Amazon Rainforest, you will be in a mountain jungle paradise. Hakuna Matata is the private hideaway in the tropical forest. During that trip, you came closer to sea level by about 7,200 feet and are located on about 2,000 feet now.
This afternoon is at leisure. You could enjoy the lodge facilities or explore the 300-acre private reserve.
In the evening, you will enjoy a delicious 3-course gourmet meal in an exclusive atmosphere surrounded by the sounds of the jungle.

After a well-balanced breakfast, you and your guide will enter the largest rainforest of the world - the Amazon Rainforest. Then, you will drive to the provincial capital, Tena, to discover the local market with its specialities. You will find exotic and domestic fruits as well as vegetables like mangos, bananas, yucca or guayusa.
You will have the possibility to try various products, like the Chontacuro-worm, which is a culinary speciality in this area - they are offered from the bbq or alive - dare yourself! The guayusa leaves are used to prepare tea and are known for their ability to constrain hunger. You will get to know the leaves "hojas de bijao" better this afternoon, but feel free to buy them for your use. Additionally, you can find "Sangre de Drago" - Dragon blood, a liquid extracted from trees bark that is used for curing wounds, stomach ulcers and revitalize germs and fungi in many South American countries.
After this experience, you will continue to the next stop, Napo River. In this region, it is only possible to move along with a canoe, so that's what you will do! After the ride, start to hike through the jungle and the protected forest "Selva Viva" for about 2 hours. During that time, your guide will explain you the world of insects and the flora of the area whereas you will see impressive uniqueness like the strangler fig that is wrapping around trees to then kill them, the walking palm that moves up to 4 inches a year, the ceiba which is the giant of jungle trees and has impressive buttress roots or the lemon ants which can be part of your meal.
Your guide will then bring you to the "AmaZOOnico", a rehabilitation centre for rescued animals. Here you will be able to spot different kinds of monkeys, parrots, toucans, tapirs, ocelots, anteaters, anacondas and much more. Afterwards, you will be back in the canoe in search of a quiet place to have a picnic on the banks of the river and enjoy a typical jungle lunch.
Strengthened by this delicious and wholesome meal, you will continue your adventure and visit an indigenous family that is part of the "Quichuas" tribe. You will get to know them in their urban settlement and see how and where they live their everyday life. In addition, you will get to know the traditions and customs of the tribe, witness how and help to make "chicha", a typical drink, and try it afterwards. After this refreshment, you will explore the vegetable garden, test your skills at the blowgun and fade out your trip in a marsh to watch out for the hoatzin bird. After all these exciting experiences, you will return to the lodge and enjoy your 3-course dinner in the unique atmosphere of the jungle again.

After taking pleasure in a rich and flavorful breakfast, enjoy of a Chocolate Experience Tour where you will learn to produce chocolate from the bean to the bar, starting with the pure fruit, the cocoa beans and ending up with the brown gold.
Following this tasty adventure, you will have time to relax at the pool, in a hammock or keep exploring the area before lunch. Then, you will check out and go back to Quito.