Bameno Expedition: 5 Days with the Waorani

Overview

Bameno is a Waorani community reachable only by river or small plane. For five days you will live alongside the Baihuaeri family, walk the primary rainforest of Yasuní National Park with guides who were born in it, travel by canoe, fish for piranhas and go out at night looking for caimans and anacondas. It is a small-group journey with no hotels and no crowds: you sleep in the forest and eat what our cook prepares.

Highlights

• Time with the Baihuaeri Waorani family
• Parrot clay lick
• Cave and giant kapok tree
• Canoeing and piranha fishing
• Caimans, anacondas and hoatzins
• Waorani dance, blowguns and curare
• Myths and legends of the Baihuaeri warriors
• Bilingual guide and local guide

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1

   Arrival in Bameno

   Departure from El Coca. Depending on the season we fly by small plane straight to Bameno or travel overland to Shiripuno and continue by community canoe. Lunch, welcome by the Baihuaeri family, check-in at the cabin and dinner.

   • Small plane or canoe
   • Waorani welcome
2. Day2

   Lookout and parrot clay lick

   Hike to the lookout to see the forest from above. Visit the clay lick where parrots come down to eat clay. In the afternoon, blowgun practice and a demonstration of how curare is prepared.

   • Lookout
   • Parrots
   • Blowguns
3. Day3

   Cave and giant kapok tree

   Walk through primary forest to the cave and the kapok tree, one of the largest in the area. Your guide shows you medicinal plants and animal tracks. At night, myths and legends of the Baihuaeri warriors.

   • Primary forest
   • Kapok tree
   • Legends
4. Day4

   River, piranhas and night life

   Morning canoeing and piranha fishing. Free afternoon to swim at the river beaches. At dusk we go out by canoe to spot caimans, anacondas and hoatzins. Waorani dance performance.

   • Piranha fishing
   • Caimans
   • Waorani dance
5. Day5

   Farewell and return

   Breakfast, farewell to the community and return to El Coca.

   • Back to El Coca

Sample itinerary: the order of activities may change with the weather and river levels.

What to bring

• Rubber boots
• Rain poncho
• Insect repellent
• Headlamp
• Light long-sleeved clothes
• Sunscreen and hat
• Dry bag for your phone
• Binoculars (optional)
• Passport or ID
• Personal medication

Getting there

The expedition starts and ends in El Coca (Francisco de Orellana). From there we travel to Bameno by small plane or overland to Shiripuno and then by community canoe.