Introduction
Imaging yourself drifting in time and space while you are doing it picture this: the most Biodiverse Wilderness on earth: Yasuni and its Brave Guards: The Waorani People.
After spending enough time we the Waorani People since 1998 and learn about their culture and respecting it, We can say we are able to set up together a lifetime expedition to show you its life diversity and their lifestyle they have use for several millennias while wondering it hilltops from generation to generation.
The Yasuni Biosphere Reserve; the ancestral Waorani territory, which extends from the Napo River on the north and west, down to the Curaray River in the south and eastward into Peru. This vast territory, which stretches over 20 000 km2, underlies the current limits of Yasuni National Park and the Waorani Ethnic Reserve.
The Waorani People were traditionally a highly mobile, semi-nomadic population of hunter-gatherer horticulturalists. They lived in warring and widely dispersed groups located on hilltops away from major rivers; when the Zaparos were suddenly decimated by disease and violent displacement during the rubber boom that hit the region in the late 1800s, the Waorani were able to expand their territory northward to the Napo and southward to the Upper Curaray and Villano rivers. Waorani territory likely reached its greatest extent at the beginning of 20th century.
The Waorani identify deeply with the Jaguar, an important and majestic predator in the Amazon Rainforest. According to myth, the Huaorani were the descendants of a mating between a jaguar and an eagle. Elders became shamans by metaphorically adopting “jaguar sons” whose spirits communicate medical and spiritual knowledge. In the Huaorani belief system, jaguar shamans are able “to become a jaguar, and so to travel great distances telepathically and communicate with other Huaorani.”
Itinerary
DAY 1: FROM SNOW-CAPPED VOLCANOES TO THE RAINFOREST
Our Adventure start with a short flight of 35 minutes from Quito, crossing the "Volcanoes Avenue". Your Yasuni Naturalist Guide will be waiting for you at the airport to show the "Boom Town" of Coca; from where we will travel along the Auca Road, learning about the social and environmental dynamics between the oil companies and indigenous communities. We will reach to the Shiripuno River, where our staff will load all our supplies to the motorized canoe while you receive a talk from the Check Point. We will navigate downstream to Shiripuno Lodge for 4 hours away. During the ride we will pass by the Neoneno Community which will visited on our last day; the wildlife such as Toucans, Macaws, Tanagers, Monkeys, Capybaras can be seen from this ride. Dinner and Lodging at Shiripuno Lodge.
DAY 2: INTRODUCTION TO THE YASUNI AND ITS WILDERNESS
After breakfast We will have a canoe ride to the Mirador Trail, the goal of this hike is show the diversity of the Yasuni and share with you the scenic view of the ancestral land of the Waorani People; Lunch. Drive to the Waorani Family, whom will host you during our learning experience. Dinner and logging in tents.
Not far from of our Host Waorani Family is located a Clay Lick; when weather conditions are right (not rain) we can recognize several species of parrot who come to eat clay and several other mammals such as Brazilian's Tapir, Capybara, Collared Peccary, White-lipped Peccary, White-tailed Brocket Deer and others.
DAY 3: INTRODUCTION TO THE WAORANI LIFESTYLE
There is not day to day itinerary description from here on; we do what the Host Waorani Family would do. We join them in their daily activities to watch and learn.
Introduction to the members of the Waorani Family; recognizing the grounds of our Amazon Home and its wildlife
DAY 4: THE WAORANI LIFESTYLE
Recognizing the trees the Waorani use for their ancestral hunting practice we will help selecting the hunting raw materials such as Curare, Palm Darts, Kapok Cotton if the season its right. Learning to prepare all those items mention before.
DAY 5: THE WAORANI LIFESTYLE
Collecting fruits in the forest is a everyday practice in the Waorani People, we will identify and collect with family members and learn how to eat them.
DAY 6: THE WAORANI LIFESTYLE
Learn about the fishing techniques (NO fishing with toxic plants!) and test them in the field
DAY 7: THE WAORANI LIFESTYLE
Hiking in the forest to continue with our learning experience
DAY 8: THE WAORANI LIFESTYLE
Day to think about the Yasuni and its people.
DAY 9: THE WAORANI LIFESTYLE
Return to Shiripuno Lodge
DAY 10: BACK TO THE DREAM
After breakfast, navigate upstream to the Neoneno Community; early canoe rides is great to surprises animals crossing the river such as Capybaras, Tapir or resting Caimans all of them with frequent fliers like the Macaws and Toucans. At the Huaorani Community you will see the effects of cultural expose that are living all the different indigenous groups in the Amazon. The Huaorani still keep most of their traditions such as; hunting with blowguns and poisoned darts, their unique language Wao Terero, the knowledge of the forest and oral tarditions.The tourism activities brings revenues to all the families by selling handcrafts, canoe drivers, native guides, housekeeping, kitchen assistants and others activities. Lunch. We’ll continue the navigation upstream to the bridge where we are going to take the bus back to Coca (arrival at 16:00 approx.).
Price per person:
3 people: US$ 2580
4 people: US$ 1755
5 people: US$ 1500
We have trips every month!!!
PRICE INCLUDES: Air ticket Quito-Coca-Quito, Private transportation, bilingual naturalist guide, Waorani guide, camping equipment, excursions, meals as described on the itinerary; entrance fee to Waorani Ethic Reserve.
NOT INCLUDED: Sleeping bag, Therma rest and personal equipment for the Waorani program, meals not specified, alcoholic drinks, tips, and personal expenses.