Humidity, blasts of hot air, heavy traffic... Embark for Guayaquil, the largest city of Ecuador even though Quito is the capital. We're off for a visit of the "Pearl of the Pacific", from its landscaped river promenade (the Malecón 2000) to the cerro Santa Ana, not to mention the city centre!

Guayaquil, pearl of the Pacific

In this article you will find a presentation of Isla de la Plata, nicknamed "the poor-man's Galapagos", which can be reached from Puerto López.

Leaving Puerto López for the little Galapagos

Ecuadorian Amazonia possesses the densest biodiversity in the world. With its 6034 square kilometres, the reserve is an incredible mix of rivers and flooded forests (due to the large quantities of annual rainfall in the Amazon). The result? A part of the Amazon that is unique and which will not leave you unaffected...

Cuyabeno, the jewel of the Amazon in Ecuador

In this article we visit Otavalo, the best market in Ecuador and perhaps the best in the world.

Otavalo and its most wonderful markets

Quilotoa

Cotopaxi

Chilcapamba

Calpi

 Misahualli is a quiet port in Amazonia which is crossed the by Napo river. It has communities living in secondary jungle, out of the "selva".

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When you arrive in Misahualli you'll be surrounded by thieving monkeys playing around you on the village square. Don't get distracted and go find a hotel quickly - the night falls fast and there aren't many hotels! The next day you can find out about spending a day in the Misahualli jungle. We went to a reptile protection society in the heart of the village where the guides regularly meet up. We were recommended to cross the bridge and go into the forest using the trail made by the indigenous population. The path was easy to find (no need for a guide). We had been walking for 30 minutes when we were welcomed by the Indians (speaking good Spanish!) who had been living in the jungle for years. They still had their traditional clothes and houses and still hunted and fished. We even found some artisanal jewellery, some basic tools that they were still using and in the middle of the night took part in a friendly shamanic ceremony. If you have the time, then the next day you can visit the butterfly farm, where there are numerous species (like the Morpho) flying around you! It will help you to recognise them in the jungle as there are a lot. You can cross over the banks of the Napo and around the heliconias.

Misahualli is a quiet port in Amazonia which is crossed the by Napo river. It has communities living in secondary jungle, out of the "selva".

Misahualli, a small port where the Rio Misahualli joins the Rio Napo, is the perfect departure point for your Amazonian adventure. I recommend you go for at least 3 days. If you don't have the time to go on an expedition, at least go to the Forest Wildlife Biological Reserve where you will be able to see birds as diverse as they are colourful, monkeys, turtles and other extraordinary animals, such as the famous puma, the king of the "jungle". I also advise you to walk around the village, there are several different walks of only a few hours which will give you a glimpse of the Ecuadorian jungle! Finally, I really enjoyed meeting the Shiripuno community, which meant I could learn about the Quechua culture, handicrafts, and customs: traditional dance, workshops and the sale of jewellery and musical instructions, visits to the botanical garden, traditional food and drink, shamanic rituals, etc.

Misahualli, a village that is easily accessible from Quito or Banos, is a doorway to the Amazon and Quechua culture!

After a short bus trip from Tena, I arrived to spend a few hours in Puerto Misahualli . I had read that here you could find excursions into Amazonia that were cheaper than Tena but, having finally found what I wanted in Tena, I decided to come here anyway to see what the town was like. Even while you are on the road you see that you are going a bit deeper into the forest and it is quite wild. The village is arranged around a quiet central square, with lots of monkeys that tease the stray dogs. I went as far as where the two rivers meet in order to walk a little, cross the long wooden bridges and look at the boats. The rivers are a sort of browny grey green, just what I expect of Amazonian rivers. Before getting back on the bus I sat on a terrace to drink a fruit juice and pass some time. Puerto Misahualli is a nice place to stop if you are travelling in Ecuador!

Puerto Misahualli is a very quiet port south of Tena. It is where the Napo et Misahualli rivers meet, so the doorway to Amazonia.

Misahuallí Vacations

Misahuallí: How to get there?

Misahuallí: When to go?

Misahuallí: For how long?

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