EcoTourism
Our eco-tourism project provides an authentic and affordable experience of life in a traditional Siekopai community deep in the Amazon forest. It’s a magical experience falling asleep to the chorus of cicadas and frogs, then waking up to the calls of monkeys and birds!
We love to welcome visitors, to share our way of life and the story of our resistance. We no longer hunt the vast majority of animal species in our territory, so it’s easy to spot a wide variety of wildlife and birds. Our community includes expert shamans and licensed jungle guides.
Tourism is a vital source of sustainable income for us, enabling us to keep defending our forest and ancestral culture.
Activities
Activities include guided walks in the forest (including a visit to a gigantic ceibo tree), sunset canoe rides for monkey spotting, evening bonfires with ancestral stories and legends, birdwatching and fishing. Visitors can try their hand at harvesting yucca and making it into cassabe (traditional flatbread) or joining us in making handicrafts and ceramics.
We also offer the opportunity to share our ancestral plant medicines such as yokó (our coffee alternative, made from a vine) and manapë (a purgative). Yajé (ayahuasca) ceremonies are available for those who would like to participate.
We can organise visits to a nearby Kichwa community to see pink river dolphins, with an optional overnight stay. We can also take visitors to Lagartococha, the most important spiritual center for the Siekopai. Lagartococha is a black lagoon environment located near the border with Peru, eight hours by canoe from Siekoya Remolino. Accommodation is in tents, or at Puerto Estrella, a shamanic lodge owned by a Siekopai community on the Peruvian side of the border, where ayahuasca ceremonies are available.
Accommodation
Instead of investing in cattle farming and oil palm cultivation, various families within the community have built wooden guest cabins to receive visitors. Accommodation is dormitory style, with beds, mosquito nets and dividing curtains for privacy. We are in the process of building smaller cabins for single travellers and couples. Bathrooms are shared, with cold water showers and either flush or compost toilets. Camping is also an option.
Electricity is supplied via solar panels or generators, but is not always available. We have no cellphone signal and limited wifi.
Meals
Meals are made with locally sourced ingredients such as fish, chicken, rice, yucca, plantain, eggs, papaya, avocado and bananas. We can also cook with ingredients supplied by our visitors. Special dietary requirements can be catered for with advance notice.
Cost
A 5-day package costs $280 per person, including accommodation, food, activities and transport by motorised canoe (from/to Puerto Los Angeles or Puerto Tierras Orientales and during your stay). Shorter or longer stays are available upon request.
Additional Costs
An ayahuasca ceremony costs $300 for a group of up to 12 people. Please contact us for the cost of trips to see the pink river dolphins or to Lagartococha.
How to get here
Siekoya Remolino can be accessed via Lago Agrio or Shushufindi. There are direct buses to both destinations from Quito (around 10 hours), Guayaquil (around 15 hours), and other cities. The closest airport is in El Coca, which has direct flights from Quito and is two hours by road from Lago Agrio or Shushufindi
From Lago Agrio, take a bus from the main terminal to Puerto Los Angeles. Buses leave at 11:30am, 1pm and 3pm, cost $5 and take 2.5 hours. Someone from the community will meet you at Puerto Los Angeles and drive you the last 15 minutes by motorized canoe.
From Shushufindi, take a bus or taxi to Puerto Tierras Orientales. Buses leave at 9:30am, 1pm and 3pm, cost $3 and take 90 minutes. A taxi costs $35. Someone from the community will meet you at Puerto Tierras Orientales and drive you the last 30 minutes by motorized canoe.
Languages
No English is spoken in the community, only Spanish and Paai koka (our ancestral language).
What to bring
• Rubber boots and waterproof poncho (these items can be found in Lago Agrio or Shushufindi)
• Flashlight
• Lightweight long trousers or leggings (ideally not jeans) and long-sleeved tops
• Sunscreen and insect repellent
• Binoculars
• Refillable water bottle
• Snacks
To organize a visit, please contact Jimmy Piaguaje via WhatsApp: +593 96 701 5578.