Misahualli Tours: Top 5 Sightseeing & River Adventures

Misahualli, a somewhat tiny town located on the edge of the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador, is very known for its playful monkeys and access to totally incredible jungle adventures. When picking your experience, the choices might be more than a little overwhelming. Don’t you worry! I am here to show you the way around some seriously fantastic tours. That way, you have the best experiences.

1. Capuchin Monkey Encounters & Local Culture Tours

One of the main reasons visitors head over to Misahualli is very much to see the capuchin monkeys that chilling hang out around the town’s central plaza. You’ll spot them playing, snacking on bananas, and generally getting up to a bit of mischief, so they definitely make the town incredibly special. Many tours are built around making your visit truly safe and engaging with these small residents. It is super fun because you can snap those picture-perfect memories. Some tours even incorporate visits to local homes where the residents will show you traditional crafts. This is usually a nice way to understand the local culture and it’s all so authentic. Read our full review: Capuchin Monkey Encounters Full Review and Details

This type of tour sometimes provides these:

• Monkey interaction etiquette: The guides show how to responsibly interact with the monkeys to have them be very safe, always.
• Cultural demonstrations: Witness, too, pottery, weaving, and cooking demonstrations done by local artisans.
• Market visits: Opportunity comes up to walk through the local marketplaces to have a peek and purchase locally sourced goods.

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2. River Tubing and Rafting Tours in Misahualli

If you feel really thrilled, consider drifting along one of the rivers. Several tours on offer from Misahualli will get you sliding lazily down calm rivers on big inflatable tubes or paddling faster on rafting excursions that go along more energetic waters. River tubing tends to be incredibly relaxing because you’ll have the time to appreciate the jungle scenery going by slowly. And then, rafting might be awesome because of the extra level of thrills and teamwork that can bond people, in a way. Either way, this brings the outdoors into your Misahualli adventures. Read our full review: River Tubing and Rafting Full Review and Details

Expect such things:

• Safety briefing: Tour operators have you receive detailed safety briefings so they are properly prepared for anything that might pop up there on the water.
• Gear: Tubing or rafting equipment typically provided and maintained so you don’t feel stressed.
• Snacks: Loads of tours also include little local treats to savor while out, more or less relaxing as you float.

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3. Jungle Hiking and Wildlife Spotting Expeditions

For the nature lovers amongst us all, a hike into the rainforest surrounding Misahualli will very likely be an incredibly immersive experience. Tours are usually available so one might explore a variety of trails with the guides teaching loads regarding the ecosystem’s fauna and flora, too. This is pretty awesome, if you dig birds, so make your choice the morning you go on a jungle walk as those birds tend to be lively early, but some hikes provide access at night, when specific amphibians, insects and mammals show their colors and sing, too! Read our full review: Jungle Hiking and Wildlife Spotting Full Review and Details

When on jungle adventures, look out there for:

• Professional guidance: Jungle guides share interesting knowledge regarding plants, animals, and other aspects of rainforest living so you find the answers.
• Wildlife sightings: You’ll probably encounter some colorful birds, cool monkeys and fun insects – have a fun time snapping their pictures.
• Nature walks: Walks on established jungle trails.

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4. Chocolate and Craft Making Experiences

How does taking some part in some workshops that dig deeply into conventional crafts, especially, perhaps, anything associated to cacao processing sounds? This is one of the popular draws around Misahualli that mixes a more laid back cultural aspect and enables the visitor engage to create handmade chocolates. It is going to be awesome. Guided tours, though often very instructive, tend to create interactions within groups so visitors learn with the locals. This boosts cultural exchange, helping everyone, almost. Read our full review: Chocolate and Craft Making Full Review and Details

Typically these sessions involve:

• Cacao education: Understanding where it grew, who tended it. The guides give some insight into the development and farming practices of chocolate cultivation.
• Handmade products: You receive all the supplies to mold, flavor, or even learn how to beautifully package something as simple as delicious chocolate bars.

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5. Community Based Tourism Projects

You get the opportunity now to put a totally ethical tourism spin with some programs working towards giving some back within community based adventures around Misahualli. This covers seeing farming or even participating at sustainable initiatives where one is assisting communities towards generating additional incomes which preserves native jungle lands along the way. This will not feel simply like voyeuristic visiting but rather active inclusion where cultural learning occurs side by side a positive contribution that assists a town. Read our full review: Community Based Tourism Full Review and Details

Engaging generally with indigenous populations entails that:

• Supporting conservation: Your visit aids any attempts aimed to conserve nearby areas to provide more help so conservation might occur!
• Small group interaction: Tours usually hold smaller capacities to maximize environmental interaction which usually causes less detrimental footprint on those sensitive sites, very, very often.

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