Napo Cultural Centre

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 www.napoculturalcenter.com

Owned and managed by the wonderfully friendly and dignified Añangu Kichwa community, the Napo Cultural Centre and sister site Napo Wildlife Centre are the only lodges located on Añangu land within the vast Yasuni National Park.

Sumak Kausay (good living/a happy life) is the aspiration for all indigenous Kichwa people. This is only possible when there’s harmony between humans, their roots, their community, the natural environment, and spirituality.

To get there I took a 30-minute flight from Quito to El Coca (formerly known as Puerto Francisco de Orellana), with stunning views of the landscape changing from high 2850m altitude Andes down to the confluence of the Coca River and the Napo River in the Amazon basin at 300m. At Coco airport I met a grinning Sergio, my very own private guide for my stay as I was the only guest. Talk about exclusive service: I got to choose the exact activities I wanted which of course were all focused on wildlife photography, and the community's creds were very promising:

600+ bird species
173+ mammals
180+ reptiles and amphibians
40 m (125 ft) high canopy observation tower (video below right)
An acclimatising and easy two-hour motorboat ride (including a spectacular rainstorm) took me and other Napo Wildlife Centre guests down the Napo River to reach Añangu village. And what a village. After a 10-minute trail walk past raised homes, chickens, and a few yuca crops, the undergrowth fell away to reveal the true hub of Kichwa community - the football pitch. Smiley kids stopped their kick about, said ‘Hola’ and carried on with their kick-about.

Around the pitch were dotted raised wooden buildings housing villagers, a smart new school, religious and community meeting halls. Presiding over all this was a fantastic open-walled dining hall/kitchen where a freshly squeezed granadilla juice with my name on it sweated cold. These juices (variety, temperature, pint measures) massively upped my pleasure levels throughout this trip. Everywhere I went, I ordered whatever was fresh and local – phenomenal!

The food was also surprisingly good. The all-in three course, breakfasts, lunches and dinners were something else. Super fresh ingredients, interesting traditional dishes and plenty of it (many, many juicy prawns, river fish, pork, chicken, beef, plantain, beans, lentils, fruits, rice). The only thing I had to pass on were the chontacuro (palm weevil grubs) but my guide Sergio didn’t need asking twice if he wanted mine.

Being the Amazon rainforest, it’s hot and very humid. It’s a bit like being in a permanent shower - either sweating profusely or rain-soaked head to toe. The fleeting stair rod rainstorms, thunder and lightning are spectacular and all part of the experience. Of course, this environment is perfect for mosquitoes but forewarned is forearmed; I took plenty of anti-mozzie clothing (Nosilife long-sleeved tops and trousers – never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d part with cash to Craghoppers but they nailed it this time), hat and neck buff, and 50 deet spray, and whaddya know... I didn’t get bitten once! My fab cabin had the most beautiful bed nets that were arranged artfully every night while I was at supper, and I’d had strict instructions not to turn my lights on until I’d shut the door behind me on my return.

We kayaked along the Añangu creeks, a black water ecosystem that cuts deep into the forest. Around every corner the habitat changed, from dense to more open, low foliage to towering trees, and so of course did the wildlife. Kingfishers led the way up the watery channel, butterflies criss-crossed our path and vultures soared high over the canopy. We glided silently past the Harpy Eagle’s favourite tree, but this top of my wish list wasn’t obliging that day. The Giant River Otter family, on the other hand, were in complete show-off mode. They were so close, I could touch them from the kayak. Clicks, grunts, squeaks and general shenanigans from the youngsters who pestered mum and dad for their freshly caught fish. No dice. Teenage sulking ensued followed by some serious Lynx-effect grooming on a sunny bank.

 

Their Pericos trail takes you to a forest hide with a direct view of an extraordinary parakeet clay lick; up to 11 species of parrots, parakeets and Scarlet Macaws screech and flap over the vital minerals that keep the healthy.

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