TOURISM AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Arrival: from the city of Quito, one should take the highway to Baeza, and there turn south towards the city of Tena. Midways towards Tena, just after the town of Jondachi, there is a detour east. This road leads to the towns of Guamaní and Guagua Sumaco, where one can take a trail that leads into the park, eventually starting the climb to volcano Sumaco. There are other trails available, but usually they lead to investigation areas that attract botanists. Services for tourists are practically unavailable, so one should bring sleeping equipment and food.
• Climb to volcano Sumaco: this climb is different from other hiking experiences, because one must face an entangled forest and has to create a path through the vegetation to advance. The climb can take two days or more, starting from the town of Guamaní, and near the crater there is a lake where one can camp. From the summit one can admire Napo River and an island in it, which according to the legend was the peak of Sumaco that was thrust there during an eruption. It is recommendable to get a local guide before the climb to prevent getting lost, and to bring enough food instead of hunting the local animals.