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Kayaking
in Ecuador
The raw info for planning a kayaking trip to a country that
offers spectacular jungle scenery, warm water, high mountains
and lots of things that make you itch...
Colin Irvine
About Ecuador
A small country in South America. It has a Pacific coastline,
some high Andean peaks and volcanoes, the beginning of the
great Amazon rainforest and some great whitewater. The people
are very friendly but the standard of living varies hugely,
from simple forest communities to SUV driving city-slickers.
The currency is the US$ and living can be as cheap as you
make it. The language is Spanish and you will need to learn
at least some basic phrases to get by.
About Ecuador’s Rivers
Firstly, there are tonnes of them, many still un-run, gushing
through thick jungle. Rivers either drain west to the Pacific
or east into the mighty Amazon. Most runs tend to be boulder
choked, landslide creations – we found no real bedrock
boating. If you want steep granite slides and drops, go somewhere
else. If you get your buzz from running rapids then Ecuador
has lots to offer.
Levels fluctuate wildly and stories abound of paddlers getting
caught overnight on rising rivers. Rain is often very localised,
so while one valley might be charging the next could be dog-low.
Catching rivers at their optimal level can be tricky and requires
some patience. Superb high water sections quickly turn crappy
at low levels, but you can usually find something to do.
What Season
You could plan a trip for any time of year and get some boating
done. For the eastern and (most popular region) our winter
months seem most popular – September through February.
It is impossible to identify a time of year that guarantees
particular levels though. For the western slopes, the rainier
season (our summer) offers better chance of catching some
good runs.
How Hard?
Ecuador has lots to offer every standard to paddler –
from class 2 floats to class 5 multi day epics. 2 points:
Due to the density of the jungle and the rivers’ ability
to flash flood, less experienced paddlers may quickly find
themselves dealing with some heavy consequences.
Class 5 paddlers may find themselves frustrated at lower levels
and will need to get off the beaten track to find the real
monsters.
River info and Guides
Small
World Adventures have produced a guidebook entitled
Kayakers Guide to Ecuador, which covers many of the classics
on the eastern slopes. They also offer an excellent guiding
service out of Baeza for those with some disposable cash who
don’t want the hassle of travelling with a kayak.
How to go kayaking:
Fly to Quito. Take a taxi to Crossroads
hostal (Foch y Juan Leon Mera) The owner Geoff, is a paddler
and runs a small kayak shop for anything you may have forgotten.
Next arrange a taxi to the bus terminal and board a bus for
Tena. Throw the boats on the roof and watch your head on low
bridges because they will drive off while you’re tying
on.
After about 2-3 hours you will arrive at Baeza Colonial. Get
off the bus and walk about 50 yards to Gina’s restaurant.
Book into a room and ask her husband Vicente to sort out your
shuttles. If he can’t do it, he’ll find someone
who can. If it’s in the guidebook, he’ll know
where it is.
Alternatively, continue on that same bus, all the way to Tena
(another 3 hours). Find a hotel you like (there’s plenty
to choose from). I recommend Hostal Limoncocha which is run
by a German raft guide. All taxi’s in Tena are pick-up
trucks and all buses have roof racks. So, figure out where
you want to go and find a good taxi driver. We generally got
a taxi to the put in and a bus back to town.
For additional river info go check out River
People rafting company in town and ask for Tim
and Alex. They are Irish paddlers who have lived in Tena for
14 years.
What to bring:
Rivers around Tena are usually warm enough for a short sleeve
cag, or no cag at all. However, Baeza rivers often require
a dry top. I wore dry pants once, but that was just to justify
bringing them.
A great expression in Ecuador is this: “it’s not
an overnight trip, but you need to be overnight ready”.
It’s indicative of the unpredictability of Ecuador’s
rivers that you should feel the need to pack some long sleeve
clothing, a tarp and some spare food every time you get on
the river. The jungle is dense and scary so if the river floods,
sitting it out is often your best bet.
Dangers and Annoyances:
If you walk around Quito after dark there’s a very good
chance you will be mugged.
I got malaria, but everyone says I was very unlucky. I recommend
taking the pills anyway.
It’s the jungle and there’s lots of things to
make you itch. Some of them kill you (like the Conga Ant and
certain spiders) but most are just very painful. We didn’t
see many snakes, but there are lots around, including the
infamous anaconda.
Theft from bus stations and some hostals is pretty common
so be ultra aware, especially in Quito.
Drink bottled or treated water.
Budget
You can do it on $20 a day but we ended up closer to $25.
Hotels about $5, meals from $1.50, beer $1.50 local buses
$1, long journeys usually under $10. Quito is more expensive
for everything.
Other Things to do:
There’s a strong tourist industry in Ecuador, catering
to all budgets. The Galapagos islands are just a flight away
but you’ll need about $1,000 spare for a week. Jungle
tours, mountain biking, horse trekking, hiking, hot springs…
an organised tour with guide and equipment seems to come in
at about $50 a day, but much cheaper adventures can be had
if you go your own way. Grab a lonely planet for more.
Something Special:
Check out a fledgling eco-tourism initiative in the remote
jungle communities of the Rio Cayapas. For more visit www.kumanii.org
Check out our online diary from the 2005 RiverNomad trip to
Ecuador here
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