In 2003 the community of Piedra Blanca decided to address its economic situation by developing a community run ecotourism project. With the help of CRACYP (a local NGO), Global Routes (USA) and Challenges Worldwide (UK), amongst others, the community developed its tourism infrastructure in June 2004.

The ecotourism enterprise now provides the community with an alternative source of income and a direct economic incentive for local conservation and reforestation. The community manages the ecotourism enterprise to distribute the benefits of tourism as widely as possible. For example, local guide services operate on a rotation system – local guides (fully trained) take it in turns to accompany the tourists, thereby sharing the economic benefits of tourism. Tourism therefore provides a valuable injection of money for the community of Piedra Blanca.

Much of the money you will spend as a visitor (accommodation, food, guide services, eco-tours) is destined for a community fund, which the community manages to develop local services. The whole community benefits from the ecotourism project, that's why all of us are pleased to see visitors arriving. The community fund is also used to for local conservation and reforestation projects. Your visit is therefore important for the local community, the local economy and the local environment.

Piedra Blanca Ecolodge
The rustic ecolodge sleeps up to 25 people, though normally there are very few other visitors. You might be the only group staying - this is off the beaten track eco-travel in Ecuador.

The ecolodge was constructed in 2004 - Global Routes (USA) volunteers worked alongside members of the local community (pictured). The community now manages the ecolodge and the community ecotourism project.

At just $5 per person per night (half-price for national tourists), accommodation is cheap. Other ecolodges in Ecuador charge a small fortune for accommodation. Here at the Piedra Blanca community eco-tourism programme, $5 goes a long way towards local conservation and other community projects. By staying in the ecolodge, you're benefiting the local environment and the local community. Other accommodation options include camping in the forest or family homestays.

Camping - $1.50 per person. Camping is possible in the village and in the forest.

Family homestays - $12 per person, including 3 meals a day.

Food
Our restaurant provides various meals, including traditional Ecuadorean foods, at a reasonable price – breakfast is $2, and lunch and dinner cost $3 per meal. Alternatively a packed lunch can be prepared for $3, or you can arrange to eat meals in the houses of local families.

Guide services
A local guide will provide a days service for between $5 and $10 per person depending upon group size.

Forest Ecotours
There are a range of possible eco-tours to the virgin forest of Piedra Blanca, in which you can explore caves, admire waterfalls and relax in crystal clear lagoons. Visit the towering white cliffs after which Piedra Blanca (White Rock) takes its name. Night eco-tours are also available – the rainforest comes alive at night. Some of the animals you might encounter include monkeys, wild boars, armadillos, ocelots and mountain lions, in addition to a range of birdlife including toucans and parrots

Horse hire
Horses can be hired for $6 per day.

Horseback riding tours can be arranged to a variety of attraction in and around Piedra Blanca. This is rural Ecuador where you can visit ancient pre-Incan stone inscriptions, unexcavated ancient tombs, local markets, towering waterfalls and other nearby villages. Some of these attractions in the surroundings of Piedra Blanca can also be visited by foot, alternatively you could cheaply charter a vehicle for the day if you prefer not to go by horse.

Rafting trips
For rafting in Ecuador, the Piedra Blanca Community Ecotourism project offers something unique. It's not whitewater rafting as such, though there are parts of the river that are whitewater. In this part of Ecuador, rafting takes a different form - this is adventure rafting in replica design ancient Ecuadorean rafts.

These rafts are the same as have been traditionally used for thousands of years in the zone, having been originally developed by the Manteño Hauncavilca tribes of Ecuador (pre-Inca). Some academics suggest that these rafts, made from the buoyant balsa wood, were the boats used to colonise Easter Island, thousands of miles west in the Pacific. Thor Heyerdal used this boat design to cross 13000 miles of the Pacific Ocean, later writing his famous book The Kon-Tiki Expedition about his rafting adventure. By doing so, Thor Heyerdal demonstrated that Polynesia might have been colonised from South America, not from Asia as is commonly assumed.

The rafting tours offered by the Piedra Blanca Community Ecotourism Programme can be tailormade to suit your preferences - anything from a short one-day trip to the longer 5 day rafting adventure to Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador. See the way of life on the river-banks as you drift down the rivers of Bolivar Province. Enjoy the beautiful scenery and tranquil setting.

If you're looking to go rafting in Ecuador, this is the unusual alternative. The community of Piedra Blanca cultivates the balsa wood used, will build your wind-powered raft in a day, fully qualified, experienced local guides take you on an all inclusive overnight trip (tents erected aboard the raft). The wood is sold upon arrival at your destination down-river. The balsa wood is sustainably forested to provide the community with alternative sources of income. Local reforestation projects are ongoing.

Prices for rafting trips vary dependent upon group size. Prices for the two day adventure tours are all-inclusive - 3 meals a day, provision of camping equipment, two or three guides per raft, transportation to and from embarcation and disembarcation and traditional alcoholic beverages: Group of up to five - $330 total. Group of up to ten - $600 total. For other group sizes, tours can be tailor-made - phone to ask - 032656018 (add 00593 if calling from outside of Ecuador). International expeditions might also be arranged.

All money spent by visitors remains in the local community. For every service provided for visitors, a percentage of the profit is destined for a community fund that is managed by the local community.

Eco-tourism Guidelines
Our environment is fragile, to help us maintain it please:
Refrain from taking anything from the forest, flora or fauna.
Respect the local environment – do not damage it.
Do not litter in Piedra Blanca.
You can only visit the forest with one of our qualified guides.
The maximum tour group size is 30 people. We do not desire large groups of tourists; it is not sustainable for the environment. If a tour group of more than 30 people arrives, each tourist is obliged to pay an entrance fee of $5.

Further eco-tourism guidelines:
Take only photos, leave only footprints.
Stick to the designated paths. Do not stray from these.
Do not intentionally disturb the local wildlife.
If camping for longer than two days, slightly adjust your tent position to prevent damage to vegetation.
Be culturally and socially sensitive.
Ask before taking photos of local people.
Do not give sweets to children – it encourages begging.
Buy local products - support the local economy.