Napo

Tena is the capital of Napo Province and a gateway to Ecuador's Amazon region, set where the Tena and Pano rivers meet in a landscape of rainforest-covered hills. Often called Ecuador's "cinnamon capital", the city is best known as a launch point for jungle trips, river adventures and visits to Kichwa communities.

Founded as San Juan de los Dos Ríos de Tena, the town grew from a colonial trading post linked to the search for cinnamon into the administrative and commercial centre of Napo. Spanish is the main language, while Kichwa remains widely spoken and shapes much of the region's cultural life.

Parque Amazónico La Isla, a forested island park reached by a footbridge, sits near the centre, while the Malecón Escénico offers a riverside walk with views over the water. Nearby attractions include the Jumandy Caves near Archidona, the village of Misahuallí, the Amazoonico wildlife rescue centre, Laguna Azul and waterfalls such as Cascada de Latas.

Tena has built a reputation as one of Ecuador's main whitewater rafting and kayaking hubs, with the Jatunyacu and Misahuallí rivers drawing visitors for day trips and multi-day jungle excursions. Around the city, markets, small restaurants and eco-lodges serve a growing tourism economy that also supports local agriculture and Kichwa enterprises.

For leisure travellers, Tena is a practical base for rainforest stays, wildlife viewing and river sports, while business travellers use the city as a regional hub for tourism, conservation and community projects across Napo Province.