Location:
Ecuador, Amazon Basin, Tena

Rafting, Ecuador, Whitewater Rapids

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“Excellent job guys! You did great!” cried Alex, our adorably Irish rafting guide. Our reward for perfectly synchronized paddle strokes was not a calm, serene stretch on the river but a headfirst plunge into the frothy rapids of the Jatunyacu River. Meaning ‘big water’ in Quichua, the Jatunyacu River is born of melted waters that run down Ecuador’s legendary volcanoes. The river slithers through the Amazon basin and challenges adventurists with deep holes, raging rapids and big waves. The surrounding jungle is home to native insects, flora, fauna and indigenous Quichua tribes. It is fed by numerous waterfalls that pour into the river, adding to the already churning currents.

Having rafted a lazy river in Colorado once at 11 years old, I earned myself the responsibility of leading the paddlers on the right side of the raft. As we bounce from rapid to rapid, I dig my paddle into the ruddy water and try to make eye contact with the leader on the left side of the raft. My counterpart is an extremely fit Russian with almost no understanding of English. Fortunately, our leadership skills aren’t dependent on verbal communication as my Russian is, well, non-existent.

With water dripping off our chins, we time our strokes perfectly and our attentive teammates fall into synch behind us. The raft summits the next crest and we cut hard to the right around a smooth boulder hidden by the foam. With water spilling over the sides of the raft, we triumphantly pull out of a rough stretch of Class IV rapids about 20 kilometers into our rafting trip. We are halfway through one of the most remote rafting day trips in the world.

Leaving the tumultuous waters behind, we sit back for a moment to wipe the water from our eyes and rest our aching arms. I lay my paddle across my lap to take in the beauty of the undisturbed jungle arching over me. We have drifted into a quiet gorge with cliffs that rise a hundred feet above us. Trees firmly rooted into the shore reach out over the river shading us for just a moment. Vines trail from their branches, dipping under the surface and I can’t help but wonder if the thicker ones have the strength to support a Tarzan-inspired swing. A fearless butterfly flitters from bush to bush and attracted to our bright yellow raft, perches on the edge for a moment. I can’t take my eyes off the cobalt hues of her wings that I’ve only ever seen in the flame of an old gas stove. I look down the gorge as the mist settles on the treetops and rolls onto the surface of the river. To our right, a waterfall dribbles over the edge of the cliff, cascading from rock to rock to join with the river.

As we round the rock wall, Alex splits the silence with an order to paddle. The Russian and I lock eyes, and we quicken our strokes. Beads of sweat merge with the water running down the back of my neck and my blue butterfly flutters in front of me, unaware of our precarious position on the river. As we are thrust into the whitewater, I glance behind me in an effort to memorize every detail of the lush, undisturbed beauty that is the Amazon.

Further Information

Travel tips: Wear good shoes as the hike down to any river in the area tends to be muddy. Don't forget bug spray or sunscreen either.

Must see/do at this place: Get as close to the jungle as possible.

You should avoid here: The mosquitoes and sand gnats can be irritating.