{"id":17876,"date":"2019-07-19T08:00:41","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T13:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wanderbusecuador.com\/blog\/2019\/07\/19\/tena-ecuador-things-to-do\/"},"modified":"2021-07-20T13:30:09","modified_gmt":"2021-07-20T18:30:09","slug":"tena-ecuador-things-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderbusecuador.com\/es\/tena-ecuador-things-to-do\/","title":{"rendered":"3 fun things to do in Tena"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m really tempted to call this blog \u201cTena things to do in Tena, Ecuador\u201d instead of \u00abThings to do in Tena\u00bb but I have a feeling that might get flagged.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tena is a decent-sized city on the eastern foothills of the Ecuadorian Andes. As the altitude drops from the <\/span>sierra<\/span><\/i>, the temperature increases and what started as a cloud forest turns into dense, humid, tropical rainforest – the Amazon rainforest, in fact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One thing I love about Tena is that it\u2019s not trying too hard. It\u2019s still very much an Ecuadorian Amazonian city, despite the increase in tourism and resulting improvements to infrastructure. The weather is generally pleasant, in a tropical way. It\u2019s never too muggy and, coming from the oxygen-depleted Andes, breathing the air here is like…I want to say Nutella, but I feel like that\u2019s a weird comparison. You feel like you can finally breathe, in any case.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though many people, Ecuadorians included, consider Tena more of a stepping stone to the deeper Amazon, it offers more than what initially meets the eye! Instead of skipping this stop, consider the following things to do in Tena, Ecuador during your next visit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wondering how to get to <\/span>Tena from Quito<\/span><\/a>? Take the Wanderbus! The <\/span>Wanderbus<\/span><\/a> offer travelers a safe, affordable and highly convenient way to explore Ecuador.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Visit a park or two<\/span><\/h2>\n

Definitely, one to add to your \u00abTena Ecuador things to do\u00bb list: visit the parks and caves located in town.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are a few parks in Tena worth visiting. One of which that can be combined with lunch by the appropriately named Tena River.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first park isn\u2019t technically a park at all and is instead a boardwalk, or <\/span>malec\u00f3n, <\/span><\/i>which happens to have its own <\/span>Facebook Page<\/span><\/a> (very Ecuadorian!). It faces the Tena River and has a few food and drink kiosks, as well as benches and shade. From here you can cross the river and climb up a tower to get a better vantage point for those panoramic shots we all love so much.<\/span><\/p>\n

Across the street, along the <\/span>malec\u00f3n,<\/span><\/i> you\u2019ll find a few restaurants and caf\u00e9s worth checking out. My personal favorite is <\/span>Caf\u00e9 Tortuga<\/b>, which offers wifi, quinoa burgers and is pet-friendly. While you\u2019re there you might meet Luis, a young man who sells hand-made clay sculptures and pipes. I encourage you to support his work!<\/span><\/p>\n

Parque Amaz\u00f3nico \u201cLa Isla\u201d is another popular spot within the city limits. It\u2019s technically a zoo and botanical garden and, as implied by its name, Parque Amaz\u00f3nico \u201cLa Isla\u201d is actually an island. To get there, you\u2019ll need to hire a canoe for a short ride. The entrance fee is minimal and you can explore the island along the signaled trails.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cavernas Jumandi<\/span><\/a>: Closer to Archidona (the town before Tena), Cavernas Jumandy is a great activity to do if you have a morning free in Tena. You\u2019re required to hire an indigenous guide ($3\/hr) who leads you through various caves, many of which have swimming holes. There\u2019s one stalagmite rock formation that resembles a penis, appropriately called Jumandy\u2019s Penis. Supposedly the water dripping from this thing will give you fertility. #WeirdThingsToDoInEcuador<\/span><\/p>\n

Important note: You will get soaking wet on this tour.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

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Experience river life \/ Have a walk along the river<\/span><\/h2>\n

One of the reasons Tena is such a pleasant place to visit, in terms of climate and overall feel, is because of the rivers that run through it. It\u2019s likely the reason people settled here to begin with! One of my favorite things to do in Tena is exploring these waterways.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plan Parents-In-Town<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u00a0The easy way to appreciate Tena River is to walk along it, starting at the <\/span>malec\u00f3n<\/span><\/i> mentioned previously, crossing the bridge to the other bank. Cross back to grab a coffee and brownie at one of the restaurants. This is the plan I would choose if my parents were in town because they get tired quickly and like coffee.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plan Softcore-Nature<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u00a0If you\u2019d rather hike along a river, visit <\/span>Cascada de Latas<\/span><\/a>, about 13 km from Tena along the Tena-Misahualli road. The entire hike takes about 45 minutes and you\u2019ll come across three beautiful waterfalls along this path, one of which is a natural slide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plan Hardcore-Adventure<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u00a0If you happen to be feeling more hard-core though, the ultimate river experience involves white water river rafting. The rivers around Tena offer class I to IV rapids and attract rafters and kayakers world wide. There are a number of tour operators you can go through to organize your trip. In fact, there\u2019s one on the <\/span>malec\u00f3<\/span><\/i>n I mentioned earlier (I basically just live on this malec\u00f3n when I go to Tena – slight bias, I suppose).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Gifts to buy in Tena<\/span><\/h2>\n

Another <\/span>crucial<\/span><\/i> activity to add to your \u00abTena Ecuador Things To Do\u00bb list is shopping for gifts. Though I live in Ecuador and visit the rainforest quite regularly, I always stop through Tena to buy a few gifts. Here are some of my gift recommendations:<\/span><\/p>\n