Written by Abby Dent – Partner (with Carmen Guadalupe) at Abby’s Hideaway in Banos, Ecuador and VP at Kayak Club Ecuador

Ecuador, although small by South American standards, is a resource rich country filled with rivers. Kayakers and rafters from around the world flock to the mountain and jungle rivers that offer thrilling whitewater in some unique landscapes. Imagine paddling through jungle rivers where stopping to greet natives is the norm. Wildlife, beautiful landscapes and amazing people are waiting to be discovered alongside wild rivers that are home to a vibrant whitewater culture.

The ANZU River

The Anzu River is a jungle fed run with different sections for all levels.

The lower section is a class I+ and II run, perfect for families with younger children, starting in the sleepy village of Arosemena Tola (a 45 minute drive from Tena city or can also be based out of Santa Clara where lodging options are available) and making its way through hidden villages of Quechan tribes, canoes and small farms give clue to their existence. 

The village of Santa Monica half way down this run welcomes visitors to see and experience their lifestyle. Try some local fruit and traditional food.

This is an 18km run, around four hours on the water. It’s crystal clear, warm water with large beaches to stop, swim and on occasion fish along the way make it a perfect outing for the family. This trip ends where the Jatunyacu River joins the anzu which converts to the Napo River.

The upper section of this river is a popular spot for experienced kayakers and is classified a Class IV section. This portion of the river is not apt for rafting.

 

JATUNYACU River (Quechua for big water)

The Jatunyacu River is one of the most popular rivers for rafting in the Napo valley. Its headwaters start at the base of Cotopaxi volcano and make their way down through the Llanganates National park and is one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River.

This river has gained its popularity due to the fact that this is the perfect family run and for your first rafting experience. (At the put in the famous Guayusa yacu waterfalls and pools are located and a must see)

The Jatunyacu River is classified as a Class III big water run. This stretch of whitewater is 25 kilometers long, approximately 4 hours on the water gives plenty of exciting roller coaster waves and calm spots in between to rest and admire your surroundings. The village of shandia is found half way down is an excellent stop where you can see their crafts, jewelry, taste some local cuisine and check out some of their local varieties of fruit and medicinal plants.

This Trip is based out of the city of Tena, a four hour drive from Quito, Ecuador’s capital. With two rivers running through its center there are plenty of bars and restaurants along each side, hotels in and out of town with numerous surrounding attractions.

NAPO River (river and land trip)

This is a particularly pretty section of river and is the last section that is run with rafts before canoe ports are encountered.

Its headwaters come from the union of the Jatunaycu and Anzu Rivers, glaciar and jungle fed making the temperature of this section perfect.

This is classified as a class II run, great for families or for a group wanting a more relaxed and scenic experience.

Starting at the Napo Bridge ten minutes outside of Tena, an 18km stretch of wide water and gentle rapids await you. 

This trip takes around 3 hours on the water (level depending) with the opportunity to stop along the way and explore for an hour or more a series of small waterfalls and crystal clear pools, rope swings and natural slides are an all-time favorite for kids, widely known as Cascadas latas.

This lovely run ends In Misahualli canoe port offering transportation for villages further downstream and not accessible by vehicle. 

In Misahualli monkeys are found to roam among the villagers and on its beaches in abundance. Butterfly farms, local museums and fish farms can also be visited in this small village along with traditional restaurants.

 

JONDACHI and HOLLIN Rivers

The Jondachi and Hollin rivers are a more recently discovered raft run and have quickly become a favorite. Their waters come from springs that surge from the Sumaco Volcano which overlooks the Napo valley, making the temperature of these crystal clear rivers perfect for an all day trip on the water. This trip is ideal for the adventure seeker.

Based out of Tena (four hour drive from Quito, Ecuador’s capital)

This River is classified as a Class III and IV raft run. Approximately 5 hours on the water.

With two rivers come two styles. Starting with an adventurous hike the Jondachi River is the first of the two runs of the day. 

Technical class III rapids with small pools in between are the perfect warm-up for the larger Hollin River. Bigger and adrenaline packed class III and IV rapids are to be found in this section. Longer stretches of calm water before each rapid give the perfect opportunity for swimming and relaxing. Petroglyphs can be found in different hidden spots on these stretches along with hidden canyons deemed sacred to the Quechan tribes.

The innumerable waterfalls, wildlife, high surrounding jungle walls make this one of the most beautiful and scenic raft trips in the area.

 

MISAHUALLI River Canyon

This section is one of the first commercially run rivers In Ecuador and has remained a favorite for the adrenaline seeker. 

Based out of Tena this trip is seasonal, starting in October through to April due to weather factors. This impressive canyon has six different rivers flowing into it and all are jungle fed. It’s a fun, adrenaline packed experience.

The river is a class IV, pool drop run, starting off with a warm up section where you will have the opportunity to see sulfur mines on the sidelines creating popular place for parrots to congregate and feed in impressive numbers, butterflies are found in clusters along the beaches and otters are frequently seen swimming in pools between rapids.

This is a 22 kilometer run with approximately four hours on the water. Aside from its fun rapids and gorgeous canyon walls, half way down a waterfall rapid, famously known as Casanova falls is encountered, making it necessary for an impressive, adventurous hike around and repelling down its side walls.

Following this portage you will get to experience the largest commercially run rapid known as land of the giants. 

This trip ends in Misahualli canoe port and village famous for the monkeys which have inhabited the area for over forty years and live happily with the villagers.

Down side of this run: Unfortunately water quality has become steadily worse on this run, and the portage around the waterfall is harder due to erosion making it a more difficult task than in past years. 

The HOLLIN River Overnighter

Based out of Tena or Baeza (located between Tena and Quito) this is a unique trip for the experienced rafter.

This two day trip is classified as a class IV and IV+ trip due to its remoteness and technical rapids. It is around 60 km long and daily you will be navigating between 5 to 6 hours (level depending)

The first day leads straight into action packed and fun rapids with short pools in between. One of the more spectacular experiences is the cave rapid where you get to experience rafting through a dark concave out into a spectacular, closed in canyon. Through the day you will get to see giant waterfalls, wild monkeys and if you’re lucky jungle wild cats.

What makes this one of the most special trips you will encounter is the overnight experience in the jungle; far from any populated area the jungle sounds and temperature are perfect for this adventure.

The second day adds for slightly calmer rapids, more scenic waterfalls with the opportunity to disembark and explore some of these hidden areas and find the perfect swimming spots. This makes for one of the best rafting experiences in the country.

(Pristine water quality..)

 

The QUIJOS River Top Section

(The first section of this run cheese house to Borja is generally only runnable for experienced kayakers, NOT commercial trips.)

THE QUIJOS RIVER (2 main rafting sections)

Chaco canyon:

The Quijos is becoming more and more popular, an international hot spot for kayakers and rafters. Not only is it easy logistically, but in the around 90km that are accessible there is a variety of sections to choose from, length and difficulty wise.

At only an hour and a half from Quito’s airport the Quijos is based out of the sleepy town of colonial Baeza, a restored village full of history and the gateway between highland and jungle. Few restaurants are found, and night entertainment is scarce. Hot pools can also be found 40 minutes away in the village of Papallacta and a great way to end your rafting trip. The most popular section on the Quijos is the gorgeous Chaco canyon, starting off with a class III section leading in to some class IV fun big water rapids, pools in between rapids allow for time to see if you can spot the small spectacled bears and numerous birds for which this area is famous.

This run is around 16 km long taking 3 to 4 hours on the water. The Quijos River is fed by glaciers running off Mount Antisana making the water cooler than most of the rivers that are found in the jungle area. Scenic hikes and hummingbird observation stations make this a great place to detach from city life.

BON BON TO LOWER QUIJOS SECTION

This section starts off with a bang, as the Oyacachi River and other tributaries join in making this a bigger water section.

 Roller coaster waves  are the first thing you will encounter followed by technical big water rapids (all classified between class III+ to Class IV )making this an exciting beginning to a 25km run , approximately 5 hours on the water, level depending. 

The style of rapids on this section tend to be longer rapids making extra exertion necessary but lengthier breaks in the pools between to enjoy cloud forest foliage and rare birds. As this section is in a denser area panthers and other wild cats have been spotted on the shorelines.

This is certainly a trip for the more adventurous due to its length and harder rapids. At the take out of this run a must see is the once famous San Rafael falls which were the largest falls in Ecuador at just over 131 meters in height. Unfortunately, they collapsed recently but have created some amazing geological changes and sights. Following this the Rio Malo is found on your return, with one of the largest waterfalls in the area aside from San Rafael, being able to walk right under its flow makes for an impressive photo opportunity.

 

Other rivers in this area which are only for kayaking level IV and V

Cosanga River – has the section class III+ and IV but is considered too technical for commercial rafting.

Lower Cosanga is a solid class IV not apt for rafting.

Oyacachi River is a class IV and V run not apt for rafting.

BANOS River Rafting:

The Pastaza has 3 different raft able sections.( all based out of banos)

Upper PASTAZA River

This section is the shortest of the three sections that are offered out of the town of Banos, (located 4 hours from Quito)one of the most visited towns in the country due to its location which is at the base and in the arms of the live Tungurahua volcano(currently sleeping).

Aside from its amazing location Banos has innumerable outdoor activities, hot springs, spas, restaurants and nightlife to enjoy.

Rafting is one of the main activities that are offered in this area. The upper Pastaza is one of the more popular runs as it is the closest to Banos. This run is around 7km, usually lasting an hour and a half on the water and is a class III – IV run. Perfect for people looking to do a shorter day on the water, enabling on the return to town either an activity such as canyoneering, ziplining or visiting the second largest waterfall in Ecuador the Pailon Del Diablo.

The second section of the river is very rarely run and is the continuation of the upper pastaza, After the Topo and Zunag river join the river the Pastaza Canyon is formed including some class V rapids that have to be portaged. The canyon is very beautiful, is around 14km in length around 2 hours on the water with added time to portage rapids, making it a 3 hour run. This section cannot be run at higher flows.

The lowest section and the last that is commercially run out of Banos is perfect for families and the climate is warmer in this area, (due to going through a climate zone, highlands to jungle). This is a class III run and is around 9km in distance, just over an hour and a half on the water. This trip is a full day trip due to the distance in the car before and after.

The quality of water of all of these sections is unfortunately very bad, due to pollution from towns that drain into the river. 

 

The UPANO Expedition

The upano is one of Ecuador’s finest gems in whitewater and the longest class III+ IV expedition trip available. 

It has been previously categorized amongst the top 10 best whitewater trips in the world.

Based out of Macas (4 hours from Banos), quite a large jungle town, with good restaurants and higher standards of hotels overlooking the wide flat jungle are available. The river runs from the highlands through some of the deepest gorges of the jungle finding its way to the amazon.

This river is also known as the sacred land of waterfalls, due to the vast amount of obvious and hidden falls for you to explore. This is a 62 km run, between 3 and 4 days of navigation This river is definitely not to be paddled in a hurry as there is much to explore. Giant beaches, walls of petroglyphs and waterfall hikes are all common. The gorge runs through Shuar territory and you must obtain prior permission to go through these waters and take out in their villages. These tribes place a high value on their privacy and the protection of their lands and rivers are priority. They are very amicable people and take kindly to newcomers if they are not threatened.

The river is a big water pool drop run and cannot be navigated in the winter of that climate zone (best time to run is from October through to March). The quality of the water is very clean, and has great spots for fishing.

 

The INTAG River

The Intag River is one of those rivers that many have heard of but does not get run as often, Due to its location and ever changing weather patterns this can be a hard one to time right.

The river is located three hours from Otavalo and five hours from Quito. Otavalo is a perfect place to base out of as it hosts the largest local craft and artisanal market in the country. It’s perfect for gift shopping and the town is surrounded by lakes and mountains. Live music is generally found in the streets and it has a great atmosphere due to the cultural traditions of the Otavalo people. The Intag River is found in a valley between the coast and the highlands, and is known for small groups of villagers specializing in coffee. Quaint log cabins and hot springs are found here, great for getting away and spending a few days right on the river. 

This river has two sections of very continuous whitewater between class III and IV; generally two runs can be done in one day as it is very swift. This run is 10 km long, generally 1 to 2 hours level dependent and the season to visit this area is between February and October. The weather is generally sunny and warm, nights are cooler and the water temperature is cooler which makes the hot springs an awesome activity after paddling.

The water quality is generally held to be good; the down side of this area is miners have invaded these valleys ruining a lot of the surrounding views.

 

UPPER and LOWER BLANCO River

These two runs are generally based out of Quito, perfect if you are on your way to the beach and would like to stop along the way for an adventure. The ride down to Los Bancos from Quito is definitely worth doing in the day time due to its spectacular views.

The Upper Blanco is the longer section of the two and is a 37 to 40 km long run. It’s a 5 to 6 hour day on the water and quite a strenuous day. The rapids vary from class III+ to IV level dependent. This section is the more remote of the two. Pool drop structures offer some relaxing between rapids. The climate in this area is between highland and coast making the temperature very comfortable and the water tends to be cooler in this area.

The lower blanco is around 20km in length and probably the one you would want to do if you are just stopping through. This is a class III run, high water class IV and offers around 3 to 4 hours of fun rapids. At higher levels the rapids tend to have less and quicker pools between them making this run a faster pace trip.

This river runs generally from February through to October as this is the drier time for this area. The down side of this section is the long journey to get there if you are just going for the river and the nearby towns do not have a good reputation for safety. Staying in Santo Domingo and engaging in the nightlife is not generally recommended but out of town lodges are available. Water quality on the Blanco is very good as there are few villages above the stream.

Booking a Whitewater Trip in Ecuador

There are a few ways to go about this and the best is to simply get in touch with us through the Contact Form. You can also reach Abby through her website for Abby’s Hideaway or through the Ecuador Kayak Club which she operates in conjunction with Gabriel Garbin and Nadia Golsak of the Oso Perezoso Kayak Hostel in Tena. Between the two hostels and kayak club resources, organizing Ecuador rafting and kayak trips is easy. They cater to beginners, intermediate paddlers and experts while handling shuttles and logistics.