Small World Adventures - Kayaking Ecuador

18/06/2026

Ecuador and Small World Adventures are both super awesome. But don’t take out word for it. Here’s what Gabriel had to say about his trip last February:

This was, hands-down, the BEST experience I’ve ever had. My three friends and I signed up for the Mucha-Aqua trip and were met with the lushest, steepest jungles, surrounded by the warmest, funniest, and safest guides one could ask for. From the moment we stepped off the bus, they made us feel right at home in our boating crag (away from home). Their expertise and methodical love for kayaking these rivers seeps out in every way possible, providing a real community to experience the Ecuadorian majesty... and majestic it really is. I’d reccomend every boater make at least one journey to this mecca in their lifetime, and Small World is THE premier outfitter.

Highlights from our trip included: Boofing into a IV+ cave, witnessing Reventador Volcano “erupt”, amazing cuisine, and without a doubt, the most fun-filled week of IV-V boating I could ask for.

17/06/2026

https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2026/06/student-indigenous-partners-use-edna-aid-biodiversity-ecuador

Check out this great partnership between Yaku Churis and Cornell PHD student.

A Cornell graduate student and indigenous Ecuadorian partners are sampling eDNA in Amazonian riverways to understand how gold mining and other human disturbances impact aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem health.

27/05/2026

I am proud of the direction that Don and I have steered Small World Adventures. SWA has always been about the kayaking; but these days we are about so much more than that. Our business priorities have grown to reflect what we believe in, and now I would say that the top 3 reasons SWA exists are:

1. Taking care of our incredible team of Ecuadorian guides, cooks, and drivers: Bryon, Brayan, Andres, Bladimir, Emerson, Juanito, Alejo, Carmen, Franca, Lobo, and Memo. This is our adopted family and keeping the team learning, growing, engaged, and employed is a top priority.

2. Using kayaking in Ecuador as a way to educate our ourselves and our guests on the threats to the environment, the people, and the critters of the Amazon Basin. We also introduce our guests to some of the incredible initiatives that folks have started in their effort move the needle in a positive direction. This list is not comprehensive by any means, but some of SWA’s favorites are: .churis

3. Showing clients the truly world class whitewater that Ecuador has to offer. Ecuador has more rivers per square kilometer than any other country on earth so it’s no wonder the kayaking is so good! The easy travel time from North America to South America and Ecuador’s great roads and proximity of rivers means you’ll maximize your whitewater time. SWA is super passionate about kayaking and we know that shows in our time on the river with you.

We hope that you’ll join us someday for 7 days of immersion in Ecuador’s Amazon Basin. What we hope you’ll take away from your trip with SWA is a love of Ecuador and its people, uncontainable stoke for kayaking, and a new way of viewing the natural world—one that might help ensure it outlasts us!

04/03/2026

Okay! The trip posts resume after a long hiatus due to too much kayaking. This report is from Jan. 10th-17th. We had a lot going on with a Jondachi Fest Mucha Agua trip and 2 separate III+/IV- trips. We had 3 awesome groups of people including the founding mother of SWA—Enga! Quick history for those who don’t know: Larry and Enga started SWA Ecuador in 1993. We also had Ben, Paul, Craig, Dave, Johnny, David, Sarah, Mags, Rick, Lars, Megan, John, Nick, Peter, and Kaitlin. An all around steller crew who faced some low water, some high water, some grub eating at our first ever Emerson farm tour, and so much more! Ben took 5th in the Upper Jondachi race, Don took 4th and Juanito took 1st place! We played soccer, we toured the isla in the rain using giant leaves as umbrellas, watched Emerson go spear fishing, Rick let Darcy flog him with stinging nettles for therapy, and so much more! Thanks teams for an incredible and memorable week!

01/02/2026

New Year’s Eve in Ecuador is always a fun and interesting and weird time! The combination of the amazing paddling (obviously) with the wonderfully strange traditions of New Year’s Eve make for an unforgettable week (see the video from our last post). Plus, this year we had a combination of impressive characters in the groups! We had whitewater legends—Rafal, USA slalom coach, Manu, 6th place in the Sydney Olympics in slalom and Rok who has done more Class V descents around the world than most people I know. We had crazy smart aerospace engineers—Kristy and Alex—a medical device engineer—Christos—a senior economist for the IMF—Nikola, and Sara, director of business operations at Adobe, who was doing a dryland week with Andres!

Don’s group did multiple Upper Jondachi runs, we got Cheesehouse, Oyacachi, Piatua, and Cosanga. It was a great way to end 2025 and start 2026. Thanks everyone for making it special both on and off the river. We always love learning about the very different ways our guests live their lives and the amazing things they’ve accomplished!

Photos 1 and 12 by






sara.perkovic pappas.3557

18/01/2026

Going back in time to Christmas week here.
We had a crew of 4 kayakers ripping up the rivers of Ecuador. Plus, Owen’s parents were hanging out doing some dryland touring and JD brought his family back to enjoy some rafting, a meal at with us and Christmas dinner in Borja (and to keep Tio Brayan entertained of course)! We got to paddle the Quijos, Misahualli, Piatua, Jondachi and Hollin rivers and it was a great combination of surfing big waves on the Quijos and Hollin and low volume technical creaking on the Upper Mis and Piatua.
Other highlights include: realizing that the town of Archidona included the grinch in their town’s Christmas display, Paul came out in the shredder for a day on the river with his son, feeding squirrel monkeys in Tena, hummingbirds in Borja, seeing Antisana, introducing kids to the slimy joys of the aloe plant, and bridge jumping into the Hollin with the local kids at the take out!

Thanks to and Owen for organizing a donation to the .churis (the local indigenous kids kayak club in Tena), so cool to see youth clubs supporting each other!

09/01/2026

Check out SWA's latest newsletter. We still have room on a few trips in Ecuador this winter and on the Grand Canyon trip that launches August 31st 2026. Check it out:

https://createsend.com/t/y-292FD1558E5860332540EF23F30FEDED

07/01/2026

Week 7 brought us another awesome crew. We had Señor Alan! And Team JD + Liz who melded into a great partnership forging bonds that I’m sure they will carry on when they are all back home in the DC and West Virginia areas. From Cheesehouse laps, to epic surf sessions on the Quijos, to a personal first descent for Alan on the Rio Hollin, it was an awesome week! There was also some grub eating, lots of laughing with the cooks, feeding hummingbirds, admiring local art, and so much more!




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