Caving
By taking a short bus to the nearby town of archidona, one can show to the jumandã caves and pay $5 for a less formal guided tour that involves a bit of swimming and climbing through small spaces. cuevas de jumandy - four kilometers north of archidona on the road to quito is a labyrinth of natural caves and tunnels that extend several kilometers underground. don't be put off by the main entrance, once you get past the gaudy pools and loud music i turned around my first time, thinking "this can't possibly be the place!" you are in for a treat. you can hire a guide from the changing-area reception desk and, reportedly, there are guides in tena who will take you into the caves through other, less obnoxious entrances - ask around.
Sumaco Volcano
Is located in the isolated sumaco napo-galeras national park and it is easily one of the most intense experiences to be had in ecuador. the volcano soars 3732 meters above the jungle and is surrounded by precipitous ravines and dense jungle, which have largely kept humans out and preserved its flora and fauna. you need a guide to reach sumaco. guides can be found in the villages along the loreto road, which meets the tena-quito road approximately 30 kilometers north of tena.
Jatun Sacha Biological Station
Is a great place to learn about the rainforest. the station is continually conducting rainforest research and, as the second largest conservation organization in ecuador, is involved in an array of sustainable development and forest protection projects. jatun sacha is on a road that parallels the southern bank of the napo river. this road branches off the main highway 7km south of the bridge at puerto napo.
·Archidona - a colonial town, founded in 1560, north of Tena, Archidona still serves as one of the region's main missionary outposts. It's also a business and social center for the small Quichua communities in its vicinity. Archidona's festivals attract people from all around and several times throughout the year there are Quichua beauty and culture pageants, in which contestants, drawn from the many Quichua communities in the area, compete for the title of "Queen of the Quichua". The pageants are a unique opportunity to hear Quichua spoken and sung and to see some very old dances and customs. There are several eliminatory rounds and the finale is usually held in April.
Protect the Amazon Rainforest near Tena! - For those of you interested in not only exploring the Amazon Rainforest but in conserving it, as well, you can do your part by adopting an acre of rainforest in the Ecuadorian Amazon or by adopting a chocolate tree, a vital resource in conserving this unique ecosystem for future generations.