The
small town
of Tena [population
around 20,000]
is the capital
of Napo
Province,
the biggest
but most sparsely-populated
of Ecuador's
provinces.
The town is
situated among
low-lying
hills, green
valleys and
fast-flowing
rivers where
agriculture
spreads along
the roads,
but tracts
of thick forest
still carpet
riverbanks
and hillsides.
Founded by
the Spanish
in 1560 at
the strategic
junction of
Rio Tena and
Rio Pano,
the town was
an important
colonial centre
in the Ecuadorian
Amazon for
trade and
Christian
proselytising.
Only
about six
hours by bus
from Quito,
Tena is one
of the most
accessible
destinations
in the Oriente
and increasingly
a base for
all kinds
of jungle
adventures.
The
jungle trips
through Quichua
villages are
popular with
the backpacking
crowd who
enjoy rafting
down rivers,
showering
under waterfalls,
checking out
ancient carvings
in local caves,
sleeping in
jungle huts,
spotting rare
species of
wildlife and
medicinal
plants, panning
for gold,
shooting blowpipe
arrows, sampling
exotic foods
and participating
in shamanic
ceremonies.
One of the
highlights
of a trip
into the jungle
is the friendliness
of the Quichua
hosts and
their amazing
knowledge
of plants
and animals.
Last
updated 30th
June 2006
| |Article contributed by Dominic Hamilton||| |
| |^|to top| |
