Ecuador
December 2024 January/February 2025 – Escorted
ECUADOR is a boater’s paradise! This South American country is relatively easy to get to with a variety of airlines providing service into Quito and Guayaquil. Lodging and food are very affordable. Transport is easy. Money is a no-brainer, everything is in U.S. Dollars! And the rivers? Fantastic! Everything from placid jungle floats to Class V+ kayak-only runs. For rafters, catarafters, packrafters, inflatable kayakers, and hardshell kayakers looking for whitewater, there is a wide variety of runs in several parts of the country ranging from big-water Class III to creeky Class IV+, and stomping big-water Class IV+. We look forward to returning every year.
These are small-group (8 people max) trips for people that bring their own equipment down with them. Our Ecuadorian friends handle all of the logistics, lodging, food, and shuttles. You will be responsible for bringing your own equipment (cataraft, raft, paddle cat, IK, or kayak) and personal gear (PFD, helmet, skirt, paddle). Rafts, inflatable kayaks and kayaks are available to rent locally at additional cost if you cannot bring your own equipment. We will likely have at least one cataraft package available for rent in Tena.
Check out our 7 Day/6 night Class III+ Intermediate Itinerary HERE
Check out our 7 Day/6 night Class IV/IV+ Advanced Itinerary HERE
Looking for an even longer trip, we can help with that too, just contact us well ahead of time to make the arrangements!
You make all the flight arrangements and get your boating equipment down to Quito and we’ll do the rest. Not sure that you can travel with your equipment? YES you can! If you don’t have a light boat, purchase one of our “International Travel” cataraft packages. These are the same boats we have been taking down to Ecuador since 2016 and they work great. Looking for a commercial rafting trip or kayak instruction? We have friends that offer these services too.
We have rowed many of the rivers in Ecuador, and in 2023/2024 we may explore some new ones, join us in the shared adventure! Here are some of the rivers we have run in Ecuador. The descriptions are my impressions from running them in prior years, often at different water levels (see the Trip Reports page). Check out some videos from Jan/Feb 2021 on my YouTube channel.
Tena Area
- Rio Tena – upper is steep, technical Class IV+ creeking, lower is Class II
- Rio Hollin overnighter – technical Class III/IV creeky feel increasing to big-water Class III+/IV
- Rio Jondachi (lower) – technical Class III+ into the larger volume Hollin
- Rio Jondachi (middle) – tight, technical Class IV/IV+ with a larger creeky feel
- Rio Jatanyacu – wide open big-water Class III/III+, a bit more technical at low water
- Rio Misahualli (upper) – tight, technical Class IV+ creeking
- Rio Misahualli (middle) – open Class II small river
- Rio Anzu (middle) – technical Class III+ to begin, tapers to more open Class II to III
- Rio Anzu (lower) – wide open Class II+ tapers to Class II and then flatwater
- Rio Piatua – tight, technical Class IV at lower water, full-on Class IV+ at high water
- Rio Arajuno – mellow jungle float
Baeza Area
- Rio Quijos – the upper sections are more creek like; the lower sections are more open and bigger water. Mostly Class IV to IV+ unless low water, then III+ to IV
- Rio Oyacachi – tight, rocky Class IV+ creeking at low water
- Rio Cosanga – I still want to run this Class IV tributary to the Quijos
Santo Domingo Area
- Rio Toachi – big volume Class III-IV (IV+ at high water)
- Rio Blanco – big volume Class III-IV (technical at low water)
- Rio Mulaute – beautiful Class III/III+ creeking at lower water
- Rio Pachijal – beautiful Class III creeking (technical!)
Macas Area
- Rio Upano – high volume Class III+ to IV+ (day trips or multi-day)
- Rio Yukipa – beautiful Class III-III+ jungle river
- Rio Tutanangoza – Class III middle canyon, Class III-IV lower canyon
- Rio Tuna-Chiguaza – gorgeous limestone canyon in the jungle; class III with class VI consequences, a portage or two, and possibility of wood
We’re hoping to explore some different rivers around the country as well.
- Tena/Archidona
- Rio Pano
- Rio Anzu (upper)
- Rio Inchillaqui
- Rio Illoculin
- Santo Domingo
- Rio Otongo
- Crystal Grande
- Upper Toachi
- Rio Baba
- And MORE!
- Aguarico Valley
- Rio Chingual
- Rio Aguarico
- Rio Due
- Pastaza Valley
- Upper and lower Pastaza
- Rio Palora
- Macas Area
- Namangoza Gorge (Rio Upano)
- Rio Paute
- Rio Negro
- Rio Seipa
- Rio Jurambaino
- Rio Cuyes
- Rio Gualaquiza
- Southern Area
- Rio Jubones
Ecuador
December 2022 January/February 2023 – Escorted
ECUADOR is a boater’s paradise! This South American country is relatively easy to get to with a variety of airlines providing service into Quito and Guayaquil. Lodging and food are very affordable. Transport is easy. Money is a no-brainer, everything is in U.S. Dollars! And the rivers? Fantastic! Everything from placid jungle floats to Class V+ kayak-only runs. For rafters, catarafters, packrafters, inflatable kayakers, and hardshell kayakers looking for whitewater, there is a wide variety of runs in several parts of the country ranging from big-water Class III to creeky Class IV+, and stomping big-water Class IV+. We look forward to returning every year .
These are small-group (8 people max) trips for people that bring their own equipment down with them. Our Ecuadorian friends handle all of the logistics, lodging, food, and shuttles. You will be responsible for bringing your own equipment (cataraft, raft, paddle cat, IK, or kayak) and personal gear (PFD, helmet, skirt, paddle). Rafts, inflatable kayaks and kayaks are available to rent locally at additional cost if you cannot bring your own equipment. We will likely have at least one cataraft package available for rent in Tena.
Check out our 7 Day/6 night Class III+ Intermediate Itinerary HERE
Check out our 7 Day/6 night Class IV/IV+ Advanced Itinerary HERE
Looking for an even longer trip, we can help with that too, just contact us well ahead of time to make the arrangements!
You make all the flight arrangements and get your boating equipment down to Quito and we’ll do the rest. Not sure that you can travel with your equipment? YES you can! If you don’t have a light boat, purchase one of our “International Travel” cataraft packages. These are the same boats we have been taking down to Ecuador since 2016 and they work great. Looking for a commercial rafting trip or kayak instruction? We have friends that offer these services too.
We have rowed many of the rivers in Ecuador, and in 2022/2023 we may explore some new ones, join us in the shared adventure! Here are some of the rivers we have run in Ecuador. The descriptions are my impressions from running them in prior years, often at different water levels (see the Trip Reports page). Check out some videos from Jan/Feb 2021 on my YouTube channel.
Tena Area
- Rio Tena – upper is steep, technical Class IV+ creeking, lower is Class II
- Rio Hollin overnighter – technical Class III/IV creeky feel increasing to big-water Class III+/IV
- Rio Jondachi (lower) – technical Class III+ into the larger volume Hollin
- Rio Jondachi (middle) – tight, technical Class IV/IV+ with a larger creeky feel
- Rio Jatanyacu – wide open big-water Class III/III+, a bit more technical at low water
- Rio Misahualli (upper) – tight, technical Class IV+ creeking
- Rio Misahualli (middle) – open Class II small river
- Rio Anzu (middle) – technical Class III+ to begin, tapers to more open Class II to III
- Rio Anzu (lower) – wide open Class II+ tapers to Class II and then flatwater
- Rio Piatua – tight, technical Class IV at lower water, full-on Class IV+ at high water
- Rio Arajuno – mellow jungle float
Baeza Area
- Rio Quijos – the upper sections are more creek like; the lower sections are more open and bigger water. Mostly Class IV to IV+ unless low water, then III+ to IV
- Rio Oyacachi – tight, rocky Class IV+ creeking at low water
- Rio Cosanga – I still want to run this Class IV tributary to the Quijos
Santo Domingo Area
- Rio Toachi – big volume Class III-IV (IV+ at high water)
- Rio Blanco – big volume Class III-IV (technical at low water)
- Rio Mulaute – beautiful Class III/III+ creeking at lower water
- Rio Pachijal – beautiful Class III creeking (technical!)
Macas Area
- Rio Upano – high volume Class III+ to IV+ (day trips or multi-day)
- Rio Yukipa – beautiful Class III-III+ jungle river
- Rio Tutanangoza – Class III middle canyon, Class III-IV lower canyon
- Rio Tuna-Chiguaza – gorgeous limestone canyon in the jungle; class III with class VI consequences, a portage or two, and possibility of wood
We’re hoping to explore some different rivers around the country as well.
- Tena/Archidona
- Rio Pano
- Rio Anzu (upper)
- Rio Inchillaqui
- Rio Illoculin
- Santo Domingo
- Rio Otongo
- Crystal Grande
- Upper Toachi
- Rio Baba
- And MORE!
- Aguarico Valley
- Rio Chingual
- Rio Aguarico
- Rio Due
- Pastaza Valley
- Upper and lower Pastaza
- Rio Palora
- Macas Area
- Namangoza Gorge (Rio Upano)
- Rio Paute
- Rio Negro
- Rio Seipa
- Rio Jurambaino
- Rio Cuyes
- Rio Gualaquiza
- Southern Area
- Rio Jubones