If you are an adventurer, the thought of exploring a new destination gets your heart pumping. However, sometimes simply exploring isn’t enough and we want to be presented with a bit of a challenge as well. You can find this challenge in the Amazon Rainforest at the Kapawi Ecolodge & Reserve. Here you can select an adventure that matches your own personal physical fitness level.

If you are interest in leisurely hikes through the rainforest on well-defined trails, then the ‘easy’ programs are for you. These programs are a pleasant way to explore the Achuar communities at a comfortable pace. Most hikes in this program are about three hours long.

Perhaps you are looking for a little more intensity in your exploration. If so, the ‘moderate’ programs can provide a little bit more of a challenge. These programs include medium distance hikes that put you in the middle of off the path locations such as flooded areas. These hikes are usually about five hours long.

If you think that the ‘easy’ and ‘moderate’ programs won’t satisfy your adventurous spirit, then you might want to consider the ‘difficult’ programs. These demanding hikes through poorly defined or flooded trails can be up to many hours or even days long. Guides will be sure to carry food and supplies. These programs are sure to quench your thirst for exploration as occasionally it is possible to trek through virgin areas. To participate in these programs, excellent physical fitness is required.

On these programs you can expect to visit the Achuar communities, hikes through the lush rainforest, canoeing trips, and even bird watching.

Ecuador is a beautiful country with an ecosystem that is bursting with life.  Of course there are lush native plants, exotic birds and active animals. However, one of the most fascinating forms of life in Ecuador is their indigenous people, the Achuar. These people are hunters, fishermen and crop collectors that have a very close relationship with nature.

The Achuar are among the very few who have refused to leave the forests of Ecuador to live in the big cities. Their fundamental beliefs are tired to both the universe and the land, so they have taken their passion and used it to create a true eco-lodge called Kapawi. The Kapawi Lodge is managed by the Achuar people and all profits stay within their community.  This is great as it allows the Achuar people to support themselves and live on their own terms. Unfortunately the lodge is only reachable by air, but it is definitely worth it to arrange the trip. When you visit, you can visit with one of the community shaman, take a tour or visit one of the schools. This destination is a unique opportunity to visit a remote area that offers up a truly rich cultural experience.

It’s not very often that you can travel to a place where the community has adapted their traditional way of life into a way to support themselves. The Achuar people are truly amazing and the Kapawi Lodge is a great place to visit if you are interested in nature, culture and adventure!