Central & Southern Oriente - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 357

presence known in this area. Unlike Coca and Lago Agrío, however,
Tena remains a tranquil and pleasant town, relatively unspoiled by
the nasty side-effects of the oil industry. The Upper Río Napo region,
accessed from Tena via Puerto Napo and Misahuallí, is the most ac-
cessible and thereforemost commonly sought-after destination in the
country for jungle trips and world-class whitewater rafting and
kayaking. It also has comfortable ecolodges.
From Tena it is just a hop, skip, and jump to Misahuallí and into the
rainforest. Keep in mind that the area is fairly well developed, with
agriculture, banana plantations, and cattle ranching. There are,
however, several ideal places for excursions into la selva (the jungle),
most of which offer lodging, meals, and all-inclusive guided tours.
Nowadays, Tena and Misahuallí cater to the jungle-seeking tourist,
particularly budget travelers. Primarily, they offer places to meet or
organize a tour group, eat, sleep, and pick up a few supplies before
heading into the rainforest. There are a few fairly good beaches and a
nice walkway along the river in and around Tena. Tena is reached
fromQuito in the north via the road through Baeza, or fromBaños on
the road through Puyo. Modern facilities, including banks, post, and
communications, as well as basic accommodations and restaurants
are available here (see Visitor Information , page 355).
Just south of Tena on themain road to Puyo is PuertoNapo , where a
traffic bridge crosses the Río Napo. On the northern bank is the road
heading east to Misahuallí, about 10 miles away. This small port
town at the confluence of the Ríos Napo and Misahuallí now services
jungle tourismas itsmajor focus. Outfitter officesmay well be located
in Tena, but the outfitters and guides themselves are often courting
travelers here, as it is the main jumping-off point into the (less than
virgin) rainforest. Other than that, there is not much else to
Misahuallí.
Puyo
Puyo, the capital of the Pastaza Province, is the jungle's biggest
“city,” though it only has about 20,000 inhabitants. Although rela-
tively friendly and pleasant compared to many Ecuadorian towns,
Puyo doesn't offer too much for the jungle-seeking traveler, other
than a resting and supply pick-up point between Baños and Tena, or
for those heading south to Macas. An Ecuadorian guide friend claims
Puyo is one of his favorite towns for its laid-back, friendly atmo-
sphere, but that may be primarily because he has a girlfriend there!
Either way, it is a long bumpy road to the jungle, and Puyo may well