Tena, Ecuador

Tena
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Cinnamon Capital
Tena Location of Tena in Ecuador
Coordinates: 0.9890°S 77.8159°W / -0.9890; -77.8159
Country	Ecuador
Province	Napo
Canton	Tena Canton
Elevation	420 m (2,316 ft)
Population
• Total	34,800
Time zone	ECT (UTC-5)
Website	http://www.Tena.gov.ec

Tena, the capital of the Napo Province, is an attractive and quiet city in the Amazon rainforest. Known as the “cinnamon capital" of Ecuador, and originally founded by missionary explorers, Tena has emerged as one of the top industrialized centers of Ecuador. It is the home to a major regional hospital and many tourist related businesses, including a small airport and a vital bus terminal.

Tena is a popular launching point for jungle, kayaking and rafting tours in Ecuador's Amazon rainforest region. The entry to the city is marked by a statue of the indigenous hero Jumandy, who courageously led an uprising against the Spanish colonizers in 1578, and was subsequently executed.

At the confluence of the Tena and Pano rivers in the center of town lies a popular pedestrian bridge, "el puente peatonal". The rivers become the Tena River, which soon joins with the Misahualli and eventually flows into the Napo River. The Napo winds its way south into Peru, and is in effect the 9th largest tributary to the Amazon River.

The town is popular with travelers, since it is known as being peaceful, orderly, clean and more geared towards tourists. Many inexpensive hotels, tourist agencies, and restaurants cater to backpackers who commonly use the town as a jumping-off point for trips into the rainforest. Tena is surrounded by forested hills and is located at the edge of the Andes, which are visible to the west.

Tena and its surrounding indigenous communities are also bases for many volunteers working for reforestation projects, with community support in development initiatives in diverse, and connected areas such as, ecotourism and capacity building. Ecuador has one of the best politically organized indigenous populations in Latin America and Tena houses two major confederations, Fonakin (Federacion de Organisaciones de la Nacionalidades Kichwa de Napo) and Ashin (Association de Shamanes Indigenas de Napo); one of the major stand-offs during the 2001 indigenous uprising in Ecuador, took place here.

Oil prospecting is also set to be a point of contention here, as there is proposed drilling of the 250-square-mile (650 km²) Pungarayacu heavy oil field lying under Tena.

In comparison to Puyo, the capital of the neighboring province Pastaza, which is both bigger and growing faster, Tena has a lively night life with bars that cater to foreigners. Friday and Saturday nights crowds of volunteers, guides (both indigenous and foreign), and local young people assemble in the "discotecas" playing reggaeton, salsa, and pop music. One will also find a wide variety of "comidas tipicas", preparing and serving food in the traditional manners of the local peoples.

Climate

For a rainforest city, Tena's climate is surprisingly comfortable and cooler than the jungle to the east, as it is 500M above sea level. There's rainfall year-round, with an annual average of 171.65 inches (4,359.91 mm). The heaviest rains come in April, May, and June, but even in this very wet time it doesn't necessarily rain every day or all day when it does rain.

Transportation

Most roads in the Oriente are unpaved and subject to landslides and other delays, especially during the rainy season. The road from Quito to Tena is no exception, though it continues to be improved. There is regular bus service to Tena via Baeza, but you should book in advance as the buses fill up fast, particularly on Fridays and Sundays. There is a small airport outside of Tena with commercial flights. Small yellow truck-taxis are abundant in the city. It's a good idea to negotiate your price before getting in because the taxi drivers in Tena, like everywhere else in South America, often overcharge. The new law states that only four people may ride in the back of the truck, exposed to the elements, but individual drivers may bend the rules if there are many of you, especially if some are young children. The standard price is US$1, but this may rise if crossing the river in the centre of the city. Journeys further afield will cost more, for example a taxi to Misahualli will cost approximately US$10. The local bus service is recommended unless you are a large group.

What to Do

Tena is famous for the rainforest and rivers that surround it. The jungle, especially if you get outside the city 15 or 20 kilometers, is impressive. First-timers will be changed forever after they lay their eyes on a pristine stretch of Amazon. There is no shortage of jungle guides or tour operators, many have offices in the center of town on Avenida 15 de Noviembre or Av. Fco de Orellana by the Malecon de la ciudad.

Moreover, Tena has reached near legendary status with whitewater enthusiasts and boasts the best rafting and kayaking in Ecuador and, some say, the world. The jungle rivers on the Amazon side of the Andes are bigger and have more consistent flows than their west-Andean counterparts. They are also the cleanest and most scenic rivers in Ecuador.

You may also want to check out

• 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 7 km south of the bridge at Puerto Napo.

• Misahuallí - is a bustling and somewhat remote port at the juncture of the rivers Napo and Misahuallí. The village was the original Ecuadorian jungle tourist outpost, and after dozens of years and despite the entrance of Tena and other jungle towns into the tourism market, is still a popular starting point for jungle tours and canoe trips. Misahuallí offers well developed, though rustic, tourism services, including good craft shops, cafes, and lodging. The dozen or so capuchin monkeys that inhabit the central park are hilarious (beware- they'll take things out of your hands and bags) and amiable. But please do not feed the monkeys junk food.

• 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.

• 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 Kichwa". 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. Move on to Isla de los monos, a sculpted swimming pool not far from the town centre. Monkeys roam freely and there is a bar/restaurant serving pool side beer and chifles with aji.

campococha, amzoonico, cascada de latas, museo kichwa, mariposero, and much more