TAYOS ADVENTURE of your life!
tayos adventure
OVERVIEW
Try the adventure of a lifetime! Our tour for the spelunkers of the world.
Challenge yourself and join this fantastic adventure tour in the Amazon of Ecuador. The Tayos Cave.
A totally specialized activity for speleology lovers, a fascinating and mysterious site with many natural treasures to discover. You will reach a depth of up to 300 meters, where there is everything: slides, waterfalls, rivers, wells, meanders, in short, it is a giant cave, unexplored in many places and totally unique.
A place where the squawking of the Tayos (a unique bird species) invites you to follow every step with incessant curiosity.
The Shuar Indians guard the cave and invite you to get to know their culture, their customs, their history, their gastronomy and their own world.
Dare to explore!
Interested in some experience from other people? Read Las Cuevas de los Tayos – An incredible cave expedition!
TOUR FACTORS
ITINERARY:
Click to see every day in detail
Departure from Quito, private transportation, and the driver will pick you up very early at the agreed-upon location. You will start your journey to the town of Méndez, approximately 445 kilometers away, which takes about 8 hours. You will arrive at your comfortable hotel in a local inn
Accommodation:
Estación del Sol Inn. Double or twin room.
Other services: Private transportation with a Spanish-speaking driver.
Early in the morning, your private transportation will pick you up at the hotel to take you to the meeting point in Méndez. Around 6:00 am, you will meet your specialized guide and receive personal equipment and registration for your adventure insurance. You will be transported by bus to the town of Yukiantza, where you will take a canoe to navigate the Santiago River. During the journey, you will admire the Amazon jungle, landscapes, and waterfalls that will enchant you. Upon disembarking, you will begin a maximum 3-hour hike to the Shuar Community, where lunch will be served with the Shuar family. You will participate in the Shuar protection ceremony, during which you will be granted permission to enter the Tayos Cave. You will continue the hike to the cave entrance.
Once prepared with all the techniques and equipment, you will descend approximately 55 meters using rappelling.
Upon entering the cave, a new world will greet you. You will take internal walks and set up camp.
You will enjoy dinner and share experiences with the Shuar guide and your specialized guide.
It takes approximately 8 hours from the departure in Méndez to reach the Tayos Cave.
Accommodation: Tayos Cave
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Other services:
Specialized caving guide, native guide, shared transportation both by land bus and river transport, personal equipment: helmet, pelvic harness, croll, rubber boots, ascender, stop, anchoring ropes, pedal and carabiners, evacuation ropes and equipment, permits for community and cave entry, trail use, horse(s) for transporting supplies, adventure photographs. Adventure insurance with coverage of US$10,000 per person, up to 65 years old.
On this day, you will explore the caves for a duration of 5 hours, where you will see various galleries and geological formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, pillars, flags, and more. You will be amazed by what you have admired, and furthermore, you will be filled with a series of questions about the geological formation.
The cave is not a lifeless place; on the contrary, in its darkness, you will find abundant life that has adapted to this environment. You may observe Tayos or hear their cries, or perhaps encounter a bat at some point. Sometimes rainbow boas, small forest mice, and many invertebrates such as cockroaches, tarantulas, whip scorpions, scorpions, crickets, and more can be found. Additionally, you will encounter a carpet of seeds, and when these germinate, they form a miniature forest in search of light. This combination of geological formations and life will make your exploration a true experience, as if you were on another planet.
Accommodation: Tayos Cave.
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch at the amphitheater, dinner.
Other services:
Specialized caving guide, native guide, personal equipment: helmet, pelvic harness, croll, rubber boots, ascender, stop, anchoring ropes, pedal and carabiners, evacuation ropes and equipment, adventure insurance with coverage of US$10,000 per person, up to 65 years of age, exploration of underground structures
Once you’ve lived an unforgettable experience, you will return. For this, you must have rested well and saved energy. You will test your physical abilities to exit the cave and ascend the same 55 meters of rope.
You will wake up early to dismantle the camp. Once out of the caves, you will begin the hike to the Shuar Family for a delicious fortified breakfast. You will continue the hike to the Kuankus River to take the canoe and advance to Yukiantza. From this town, you will take the bus back to Méndez and return the equipment.
imón Indanza.
Accommodation: Estación del Sol Inn. Double room.
Meals: Breakfast with the Shuar family.
Other services:
Specialized caving guide, native guide, personal equipment: helmet, pelvic harness, croll, ascender, stop, anchoring ropes, pedal and carabiners, evacuation ropes and equipment, adventure insurance with coverage of US$10,000 per person, up to 65 years of age.
Shared transportation both by river and land via bus, and private transportation with a Spanish-speaking driver.
By prior arrangement of the departure time with the driver, you will be picked up at the hotel to be transferred to the city of Quito. During the journey, you can make a stop for photographs and food.
Meals: Breakfast
Other services: Private transportation with a Spanish-speaking driver
CHOOSE YOUR PERFECT PLAN
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
- Shared private transportation with a Spanish-speaking driver to and from Quito.
- Lodging in the city of Mendez for 2 nights.
- Ground and river transportation from Méndez to the Tayos Cave and vice versa.
- Meals: 4 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 box lunch, and 2 dinners.
- Permission to spend 2 nights in the cave. Community permits for entry into the Shuar Arutam territory and the cave.
- Personal travel equipment: (helmet, pelvic harness, croll, ascender, rubber boots, stop, anchoring lines, carabiners, ropes, and pulleys).
- "Native guide and specialized caving guide: LEVEL 1 CLIMBING INSTRUCTOR International Center for Adventure in Nature (ICAN).
- Use of trails and horses for provisioning and collective equipment
- Accident insurance with coverage of up to US$10,000, for ages 6 to 65.
- 24-hour local emergency support number.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE CUEVA DE LOS TAYOS
The total depth of the cave reached by experts is -250 meters, where a second shaft has been found but has not been crossed due to flooding. The first shaft has been surpassed, leaving a long way to go from there. Crossing the first shaft depends on the water level inside and is assessed once inside the shaft.
Within 60% of the cave, there are large galleries, but the remaining 40% consists of narrow passages, squeezes, sinkholes, and access spaces. There is significant water flow in the aquatic part of the cave, although cave diving gear is not necessary inside, only an outer cave suit. There is also mud in the Devil’s Gallery and a lot of bat guano. It is not highly recommended to go there, but if you want to explore the mystery of strange sounds and a giant footprint, you can.
The cave features include slides, waterfalls, rivers, wells, and meanders; in short, it is a fantastic and unique cave. The temperature inside the cave ranges from 18 to 24 degrees Celsius.
Note: If the journey has not started and there are adverse weather conditions that do not guarantee the expedition’s safety, it will be suspended, and the paid money will be refunded, except for amounts paid for land and river transportation, accident insurance, food for the first journey, and daily operating expenses.
WHAT TO BRING?
- 8 liters of water
- Energy bars, cookies, dried fruits, candies
- Flashlight, preferably with more than 100 lumens and waterproof (brand and model don’t matter)
- Gloves with PVC or Nitrile coating (brand doesn’t matter, but they should fit your size)
- Sleeping bag suitable for tropical climates
- Sleeping pad or insulation
- Plate, spoon, cup (mandatory), and a tomato (optional) for personal use
- Travel backpack with a capacity of 40 to 50 liters, with a rain cover
- Quick-drying lightweight clothing
- Windbreaker
- Cap
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Personal water bottle or canteen
- Spare underwear
- Toiletries
- Crocs-type sandals
- Medium-sized bath towel
- Change of clothes completely sealed in plastic to keep dry (for sleeping)
- Insect repellent
- First aid kit or any medications you take regularly
- Camera and memory card
- Waterproof packaging for your camera
- Binoculars
Consider as you reserve:
Not Included:
International airfare to and from destination; meals not described; cost of medical immunizations as needed; trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance; cost of optional activities; excess baggage charges; airport taxes (if any); alcoholic beverages or soft drinks; optional gratuities to your guides; items of personal nature, Headlamp and batteries, Nitrile covered gloves, Rubber boots, Sleeping bag, Insulating pad or mat, Personal hydration, Extra food: dried fruits, chocolate, energy bars, Camping tent, Horse or mule for carrying each passenger, Backpack chargers, Everything not mentioned in the itinerary, Personal expenses, Optional excursions
Travel Insurance:
To protect your travel investment, we highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance. Travel insurance is intended to cover medical expenses, trip interruption and cancellation, theft and other losses incurred while traveling domestically or internationally.
Visa and Entry Requirements:
Ecuador requires a valid passport (with a minimum 6 months validity). Contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements.
