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Voykit pocket guide · Ecuador
Tena
Spend 2 days in Tena to do rafting, jungle tours and a quick visit to Jatun Sacha; add a half‑day for a night‑life stroll.
Tena is the gateway to Ecuador's Amazon, offering river rafting, jungle guides, and easy trips to Jatun Sacha and nearby caves. A short stay covers the main activities; longer stays are for deeper jungle expeditions.
- Country
- Ecuador
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (dry season, lower rain)
- Avoid
- Oct–May (rainier, higher flood risk)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Bring small notes: $50 and $100 bills are often refused.
- Daily spend
- Budget $15–20 excl. bed · Mid $25–35 excl. bed · High $45+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro and Movistar (plus CNT) sell prepaid SIMs in malls and shops with a passport; Claro has the widest coverage.
- Emergency
- Police / Fire / Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · US plugs work without adapters.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% service often included; add a little for good service.; Galápagos naturalists and crew: US$10–20 per person per day in total, split per the boat's guidance.; Drivers and day guides: US$5–10 a day.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap in most places (Quito and Cuenca's water is treated but pipes vary); drink bottled or filtered.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the bowl; bus terminal toilets charge a few cents.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Meal at a local eatery | $3–5 |
| Beer (bottle) | $2–3 |
| Taxi within town (≤5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi within town (≤3.1 mi (5 km)) | $1–2 |
| Bus to Archidona | $2 |
| Entrance to Jatun Sacha (guided tour) | $5–7 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TNF · Jumandy Airport (Ahuano)
- Flights from Quito, 3 per week
Typical fares
- Airport → Tena centre (taxi)
- about $15, agree price before boarding (check)
- Tena → Archidona (taxi)
- $4–5, 8‑10 km (6.2 mi)$4–5, 8‑6.2 mi (10 km)
- Rafting Jatunyacu (day)
- $55 per person, includes gear (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Taxis $1‑$4 within town; negotiate price to airport ($15). Buses to Archidona or Misahuallí run hourly; most tours provide transport.
See and do
Known for
- whitewater rafting on Jatunyacu
- Jatun Sacha Biological Station
- archaeological caves near Archidona
- nightlife on Avenida 15 de Noviembre
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Jatun Sacha Biological Station | Bus 7 km (4.3 mi) south of bridge, 15 minBus 4.3 mi (7 km) south of bridge, 15 min | ≈30 min |
| Archidona caves (Cueva de Jumandy) | Bus to Archidona 30 min, then guide $5 | ≈1 h |
| Misahuallí river port | Bus 45 min, then boat tours | ≈1.5 h |
Sleep
- Hostal Limon Cocha
- Dorm $7, private $8–12; central, tour office onsite
- Hostal Brisa del Rio
- Rooms $7, near footbridge, backpacker vibe
- Terra Luna Lodge
- $35 per person, pool, garden, 5 min taxi from central park
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedisˈkulpe |
| Thank you | Graciasgraˈθjas |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?ˈkwanto ˈkwesta |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?ˈpweðo paˈɣar kon tarˈxeta |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?ˈdonde esˈta el ˈbaɲo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; women often one cheek kiss; avoid: Skipping the greeting before a question
- Time: Allow for 'hora ecuatoriana' socially; avoid: Assuming tours leave late — they do not
- Photos: Ask people first; avoid: Photographing children without permission
- Dress: Layers in the Andes; avoid: Beachwear in city centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Taxi fares are often unmetered – agree price before boarding.
- Some river‑rafting operators have lower safety standards – choose licensed guides.
- Night buses may lack toilets; plan stops.
Generally safe for tourists; keep valuables locked, use licensed guides for river trips, and agree taxi fares beforehand.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tena yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- whitewater rafting on Jatunyacu
- Jatun Sacha Biological Station
- archaeological caves near Archidona
- nightlife on Avenida 15 de Noviembre
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Tena: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: Tena, revision 5202741 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5202741
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tena
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / Fire / Ambulance911
US consulate in Quito; nearest Ecuadorian embassy for other nationals in Quito.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tena). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.