Tayos Adventure
Exploring the Tayos caves
- 5 days
- min. 4
Highlights of the tour
- Jungle landscape with rivers and waterfalls
- Mysterious and almost unexplored caves
- Tayos bird
- Getting to know the Shuar culture
Overview
The Cueva de los Tayos is located in the province of Morona Santiago, Canton Limón Indanza, in the northern foothills of the Cordillera del Cóndor, on the right bank of the Kuankus River. It is located within the territory of the Shuar nationality, an ethnic group that has guarded it for centuries.
This activity besides being an extreme adventure expedition is a community tourism activity, which means that with this trip you will contribute and share in the Kuankus community who provide various services that will facilitate part of the logistics during this expedition.
Itinerary
Departure from Quito, the private transportation and the driver will pick you up very early in the morning at the place you previously indicated.
You will start your trip to the town of Limón Indanza, approximately 470 kilometers of travel, which takes 8 hours. You will arrive at your comfortable hotel.
Early in the morning your private transporter will pick you up at the hotel to take you to the meeting point in Limón, approximately 06:00 am you will meet your specialized guide, your breakfast will be served, you will receive your personal and you will register for your adventure insurance. In a transportation bus you will be transported by land to the town of Yukiantza, where you will take the canoe for navigation on the Santiago River. During the trip you can admire the Amazon rainforest, landscapes and waterfalls that will delight you. After disembarking, you will begin a 3-hour walk to the Shuar Community, where you will have lunch with a Shuar family. You will participate in the Shuar protection ceremony, where you will be given the permission to enter the Tayos Cave. You will continue the hike to the entrance of the Cave, you will receive the techniques for the descent and ascent and safety demonstration. Once prepared with all the techniques and equipment, you will descend approximately 55 meters using the rappel technique. Upon entering the cave, a new world will welcome you, you will hike inside the cave and set up camp. You will enjoy dinner and share experiences and knowledge with the Shuar guide and your specialized guide. From the departure from Limón Indanza to the Tayos Cave it takes approximately 8 hours.
Difficulty level: Demanding.
Walking time: 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
On this day you will visit the caves during 5 hours, you will be able to see several galleries and geological formations such as: stalactites, stalagmites, pillars, flags, gours, etc. You will be so surprised by what you have admired and even more you will be surprised by a series of mysteries about this geological formation. The cave is not a dead place, on the contrary, in its darkness can be found a lot of life that has adapted to this environment. You can observe tayos or hear their squawks, or maybe at some point you will bump into a bat, sometimes there has been found rainbow boas, small forest mice, you can also find many invertebrates such as cockroaches, tarantulas, amblypygians, scorpions, crickets, etc. At the same time, you will find a carpet of seeds, and when they germinate, they form a miniature forest in search of light. All this set of geological formations and life will make your exploration a real experience, as if you were on another planet. Difficulty level: Demanding.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Once you have lived an unforgettable experience you will start the return trip, for this you should have rested well and have saved energy, you will test your physical skills to leave the cave and climb the same 55 meters of rope.You will wake up early to disassemble the camp. Once out of the caves, you will begin the hike to the Shuar Family for a delicious strengthening breakfast. You will continue the hike to the Kuankus River to take the canoe and advance to Yukiantza, from this village you will take the bus back to Limón Indanza and return the equipment.Your private transportation will pick you up and take you to your hotel in Limón Indanza.
Difficuty level: Demanding
Walking time: 7 hours.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch
Upon agreement 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 trip you can make a stop for pictures, for a short rest and to eat on your own.
Meals: Breakfast
- Included services
- Private transportation with a Spanish-speaking driver from and to Quito
- Accommodation in Limón Indanza for 2 nights.
- Land and river transportation from Limón Indanza to Cueva de los Tayos and return to Limón Indanza.
- Food: 4 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 box lunch and 2 dinners. 1 box lunch and 2 dinners
- Accident insurance with coverage up to US $10,000, from 6 to 65 years old.
- Personal travel equipment: (helmet, pelvic harness, rope clips, ascent, stop, anchor ropes, carabiners, ropes and pulleys).
- Use of trails and horses for supplies and collective equipment.
- Community permits to enter Shuar Arutam territory and the cave.
- Permission to spend 2 nights in the cave.
- Native guide
- Specialized Speleologist Guide: CLIMBING INSTRUCTOR LEVEL 1 International Center for Nature Adventure (ICAN).
- English translator guide.
- Not included services
- 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
- Meals not specified
- Personal expenses
- Optional excursions
- Domestic and international flights
What to bring
- Carry 8 liters of water, energy bars, cookies, dried fruits, sweets.
- Flashlight, preferably with more than 100 lumens and water resistant (No matter the brand or model).
- PVC or Nitrile covered gloves (No matter the brand, but must fit your size)
- Sleeping bag for tropical climates, Insulation or sleeping pad.
- Plate, spoon, pitcher (required) and water bottle (optional) for personal use.
- Mask and antiseptic alcohol
- Traveler’s backpack with a capacity of 40 to 50 liters (No matter the brand or model, but it must have a rain cover.)
- Lightweight, quick-drying clothing
- Windbreaker
- Hat
- Sun block
- Sunglasses
- Personal water bottle or water canteen
- Underwear for change
- Toiletries
- Crocs type slippers
- Medium size bath towel
- 1 change of clothes completely sealed in plastic so that they do not get wet (to sleep in dry clothes).
- Insect repellent
- First aid medications or those that you take frequently.
- Camera and memory card
- Waterproof packing for your camera
- Binoculars Lightweight, quick-drying clothing
Hints
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE CUEVA DE LOS TAYOS
*The total depth of the cave as far as the experts have reached is – 250 m where a second sinkhole has been found which has not been passed through because it is flooded. The first sinkhole has been passed and there is a long way to go from there. This first sinkhole can be passed as long as the water level allows it and this is evaluated once inside the sinkhole.
* Inside 60% of the cave are large galleries but the remaining 40% are narrow, laminators, sumps and crawl spaces, there is a lot of water flow in the aquatic part of the cave, although an inner cave suit is not needed, only an outer cave suit.
*There is also mud in the Devil’s gallery and a lot of bat guano there. It is not highly recommended to go there, but if you want to know the mystery of strange sounds and a giant footprint, you can do it.
*There is everything: water slide, waterfalls, river, wells, meanders in short it is a fantastic and unique cave.
*The air temperature in the cave is 18 to 24 degrees Celsius.
NOTE: If the trip has not yet started and there are adverse weather conditions that do not guarantee the expedition, the expedition will be suspended and the money paid will be refunded, except for the amounts paid for land and river transportation, accident insurance, food for the first day and operating expenses.
Slots subject to availability at the moment of booking.
The travel times described are indicative and may vary depending on traffic conditions, weather, natural events or other cases of force majeure.
All prices are quoted in US dollars.
All bookings are subject to our terms and conditions.
Traveling alone? No problem – we will be happy to provide you with a personalized quote upon request.
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.
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Get in touch:

Dayana Arias Leon
- +593 (0)2 2194333
- hello@soleq.travel