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Tours
Spend your days in the rainforest as part of our community
You share daily life in the Maikiuants community, walk through the forest with Shuar guides, work in the gardens, cook, make music, listen to stories and discover a different rhythm of life.
- 8 or 10 days
- 12 people at most
- Jea: traditional accommodation
- Shared meals
- Community guides
About the tour
The tours are organised by Kampuntin, the community tourism organisation of Maikiuants: by us, together with the whole community.
The community welcomes you for a cultural and spiritual exchange. Together with people from the community you share the accommodation in a traditional jea, cook and eat together and learn about the rainforest and how medicinal plants are used. We have the best shower in the world: the river.
You’ll learn how to cook your new favourite dishes — and how to harvest the ingredients for them. We make music together and show you how to play our handmade flutes. The days combine forest walks, work in the nursery and gardens, crafts, cooking and free time.
For the Shuar, Arutam is the force present in the waterfalls that connects all living beings – a place of introspection and connection with nature. Both journeys lead to the sacred waterfall.
Life in the jea
This is how you'll live during your stay in Maikiuants.
Two journeys
Both journeys start and end in Limón Indanza; the best way to get there is via Cuenca. Choose the one that suits you best.
April – May 2027
Spiritual journey
An immersion in Shuar spirituality: the chonta ceremony (the Shuar New Year), medicinal plants, traditional rituals and the walk to the sacred Arutam waterfall.
See the programme ↓August – September 2027
Arutam journey
Ten days with the community in Maikiuants: rainforest walks to waterfalls and caves, Shuar culture, pottery, medicinal plants, the sacred waterfall and a night in the rainforest.
See the programme ↓The spiritual journey: 8 daysSee the programme
A shorter journey focused on Shuar spirituality and the connection with nature.
Arrival in Limón Indanza
The journey starts in Limón Indanza. From there we travel together for about two and a half hours to Maikiuants and enter Shuar territory.
Ceremonies in Maikiuants
- Harvesting chonta in the gardens with the community
- The chonta ceremony: the Shuar New Year, with chonta chicha
- Medicinal plants and a Shuar steam bath
- An ancestral ceremony guided by the Shuar, with a time of fasting
- The walk to the sacred Arutam waterfall, with sacred songs (anent)
- A night in the rainforest in a shelter built from forest materials
Before the journey we explain in detail how the ceremonies work and how to prepare.
Closing and return
At the end we share and reflect on the experience together. On day 8 we return to Limón Indanza.
The Arutam journey: 10 daysSee the programme
Ten days in the Shuar territory of Maikiuants: rainforest, waterfalls, culture and community life.
Arrival in Limón Indanza
The journey starts in Limón Indanza. From there we travel together for about two and a half hours to Maikiuants, where the community welcomes you with dance and celebration.
In Maikiuants
- Welcome from the community with dance and celebration
- Rainforest walks to waterfalls and caves
- Stories from the elders about the Shuar people
- Learning how the community defends its territory against mining
- Setting up a camera trap to observe wildlife
- Nunkui day: sowing, planting and harvesting in the family fields with anent songs
- Cooking the harvest and making cassava chicha
- Pottery with the women of the community: collecting clay, shaping, painting and firing
- Tsunki day: recognising and collecting medicinal plants
- A Shuar steam bath with medicinal plants
- A walk to the sacred waterfall and a ceremony about the Shuar worldview
- Weaving the changuina, the traditional basket
- Tasting food from the rainforest
- The Río Coangos and the stories of the pre-Hispanic axes
- Building a shelter (ayamte) and spending the night in the rainforest
The activities depend on the season and the community's schedule. We are happy to hear and include your wishes and interests.
Farewell and return
At the end we say goodbye with a big celebration with the whole community: a large dinner, music and dancing. There is also a gift exchange – the community gives presents to the visitors, and visitors can give something to the people here too if they like. On day 10 we travel back together to Limón Indanza.
School trips: We also organise 10-day journeys for school groups on request. Contact us →
Included
- Transport from Limón Indanza to Maikiuants and back
- Accommodation in the jea in Maikiuants (bunk beds or a place for your own hammock) and nights in the rainforest
- All meals in Maikiuants, prepared by community cooks
- Our international guide and translator, plus community guides
- All programme activities and ceremonies
- Solar-powered kitchen and electricity
- Free wifi in the village (about a 35-minute walk from the accommodation)
- A river to bathe in
- A tiny shop in the community centre for personal expenses
Not included
- Travel to Limón Indanza and back, including flights (we are happy to advise you; the best route is via Cuenca)
- Travel insurance (we are happy to advise you here too)
- Accommodation and meals before and after the tour
What to bring
- Rubber boots or waterproof hiking boots
- Light long-sleeved clothes
- Rain jacket
- Quick-dry towel
- Mosquito net
- Bed sheets
- Biodegradable soap
- Mosquito repellent
- Sunscreen
- Bathing clothes
- Water bottle
- Water filter (e.g. one that fits on your bottle)
Price
Spiritual journey · 8 daysPrice on request
Arutam journey · 10 daysPrice on request
Write to us and we will send you the price of your journey with all the details. It includes accommodation, meals, transport from Limón Indanza, guides and activities. We pay local guides and cooks, buy food within the community and support Maikiuants financially. If the journey inspires you but you lack the funds, write to us – we can advise you on organising events to raise them.
Upcoming dates
Groups of up to 12 people. Both journeys start and end in Limón Indanza. Exact dates will be confirmed soon – get in touch if you're interested.
Focus 2027: spirituality
In 2027 our tours focus on spirituality: finding yourself, valuing every moment of life, healing, finding harmony and connecting with nature – to live well.
- Spiritual journey · 8 days April / May 2027Exact date to be confirmed Availability on request
- Arutam journey · 10 days August / September 2027Exact date to be confirmed Availability on request
How to book
Write to us
Tell us who you are, how many people are coming and which dates you are interested in.
Booking
We send you the price, confirm your place and arrange the dates, payment and all other details with you.
Get ready
We help you plan your trip to Limón Indanza. We look forward to welcoming you in Maikiuants!
Photos from Maikiuants
See the full gallery →A few moments from tours, volunteering and community life.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be very fit?
Good basic fitness is enough. We walk on muddy trails with climbs and river crossings, sometimes for several hours. It is a real adventure: you should enjoy walking and be ready to leave your comfort zone. If you have any limitations, let us know and we will find alternatives.
How do I get to Limón Indanza?
The best way is via Cuenca: buses run from there to Limón Indanza. We are happy to help you plan the journey.
Is there electricity, phone signal and internet?
The kitchen runs on solar power and you can charge your phone there. There's no wifi and no phone signal at the jea, but there is free wifi in the village, about a 35-minute walk away.
Which languages are spoken?
In Maikiuants people speak Shuar Chicham and Spanish – hardly any other languages. During the tour, Julien, our French-speaking guide and translator, and translators from the community accompany you, and we always find a way to understand each other.
Is it safe?
The Maikiuants community is built on trust, and moving around inside the community is safe. On excursions and in the forest you are always with community members who know the region well.