The testimonies

Find below some testimonials from our English-speaking tourists and/or tryears agolated into English

1. written by Drugeault Stéphane arround 10 years ago

   Simply thank you to Teo, Amélie, and all these genuine people who are fighting for a noble and wonderful cause. Thank you for giving me a human experience in the heart of nature that must continue to be preserved.

   Goodbye fish and see you soon. Stéphane

2. written by Véronique CHARNY arround 11 years ago

   Dear Téo and Amélie, With a little nostalgia I have just visited your site, which reminded me of my excellent stay with you with my friends Anne and her daughter Mélanie (French Alliance) last June.

   Thank you for your welcome, your kindness and your smile.

   At the same time, I wish you and the villagers a happy new year and every success in your projects.

3. written by Philippe Caillau arround 11 years ago

   Hello everyone, great stay in November for three days spent in your company dyears ago in the Amazon rainforest, what happiness this experience of life dyears ago the community, the sharing of daily tasks, the school etc… Not to be missed during a visit to this beautiful country that is Ecuador.

   My only regret is not having spent one more night, the last one, in Shiripuno instead of returning to Tena. Thanks again.

4. written by Morgan arround 11 years ago

   Just a quick note to thank you again and to recommend to anyone passing through Ecuador to visit the Shiripuno community. A very relaxing and peaceful place to relax in the great outdoors and discover some of the local activities. An enriching experience. See you soon, I hope.

5. written by Jean-Louis et Odile arround 12 years ago

   March 2013. Two days in the Amazon rainforest: our guide Leopoldo introduces us to its trees, plants, birds, animals, and insects. Chipin provides canoe navigation on the Napo River, and Natacha practices her cooking skills. We greatly appreciate their expertise and kindness.

   A final day allows us to get closer to the life of the community: it is Janet who shows us around the plantation, introduces us to the school, and introduces us to chocolate making...

   We will not soon forget the very warm welcome from the women of the village.

   Three days that were far too short: we hope to be able to return to Shiripuno for a longer stay.

6. written by Danielle et Thierry (Lyon, France) arround 12 years ago

   We came to Shiripuno through Culture Contact. Two days were too short, and so we only have one desire: to return and stay longer.

   Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this welcome, which we will never forget. We hope to see you soon.

7. written by Alain (Laval, Canada) arround 13 years ago

   We had an unforgettable and enriching experience living in this small village years ago. We immediately felt at ease with such warm people. I particularly appreciated the kind care given by Théo, who quickly treated me with plants following my accident.

8. written by Jean-Pierre Berlemont (Pecq, Belgique) arround 13 years ago

   Thank you, thank you for this fabulous trip! We spent three weeks of pure happiness. We will never forget the smiles and kindness of the Shiripuno Community. Thank you Amélie, thank you Téo, thank you all.

   Don’t hesitate to take the step towards this wonderful country.

9. written by Ludo et Céline (Toulouse, France) arround 16 years ago

   The community of Shiripuno. We arrived in Shiripuno on July 6th in bright sunshine by bus from Tena to Misahualli. Shiripuno is a small village of Amazonian Indigenous people (Kitchua) on the edge of the jungle: There are about 150 of them today, including 25 families. The Shiripunians have been living in brick and wood houses for years, except for Téo and Amélie (our French contact), who have been living in the village annex for volunteers and passing tourists for years. This "annex" consists of wooden cabins (bamboo, Panama leaves, etc.) built 4-5 years ago to promote ecotourism.

   We stayed there for 2 weeks, the time to help a little and especially to discover this Amazonian jungle. Our days were therefore organized in this way: in the morning we worked about 3 hours (dyears ago the cocoa and banana fields or to make small cabanas dedicated to reception at the entrance to the village); in the afternoon after a good cold shower dyears ago our private baño or dyears ago the river, we rested dyears ago the hammock, we had fun with the children or we learned to make necklaces of wild seeds ...).

   The atmosphere of this village years ago is one of permanent zenitude. We are located in the middle of the trees of the so-called secondary forest near the Rio Napo. Our climate alternated between intense humid heat and torrential rains (when it falls... it falls!!!). So, years ago, we lived in one of these wooden cabins with electricity, a mosquito net bed and a bio-toilet. A simplicity that delighted us and conditioned us to live in rhythm with the sun. Everything is green around us. The night gives way to a concert of birdsong, crickets, and other creatures that made us feel safe under the mosquito net! In short, it's difficult to attribute a noise to an animal!

   The ecotourist village comes to life from 2 p.m. where the women of the village (Marina, Joseté, Jeannette, Sonia ...) give demonstrations of traditional dyears agoes, necklace making ... They also explain how the village works as well as the sacred stone ... We spent many wonderful moments with each and every one: making necklaces, talking with the children, constructions, tasting grapefruit directly dyears ago the forest, candlelit dinners, washing our clothes dyears ago the river .... Everyone here is natural, simple ... Everyone here has a smile, the one who tries agomet ... We tasted many fruit salads (made with maracuya, pineapple, mango, papaya ...). Among the animals that we were able to observe in the village, we will remember the tarantulas (years ago one of our cups at night), the beetles, the legionary ants, a sloth, cobras (fortunately dead), monkeys, stick insects, morphos.... and of course the chickens, roosters, dogs and guinea pigs (we built a hut for them). During our stay, we took a 2-day trip to the primary forest (we'll tell you about it in the next article) with Teo (Amélie's husband, our guide and specialist in medicinal plants). Before we finish, we have to tell you about our experiences with traditional medicine. For my part, I was sick when I arrived and I was treated with crushed papaya seeds diluted in a little water. As for Céline, it was the village Shaman, Petronio, who cured her tourista, using leaves and other forest products, the secret of which we won't reveal... obviously it worked, he chased away the negative energies!

   Finally, we left on July 17th with a moving goodbye. The women of the village gave us many necklaces and bracelets, they dressed in traditional clothes so that we could take pictures with them… Amélie took us back to our bus… We still have so much to say about this village and so many images in our heads to describe to you but we must stop there.

10. written by François (Bourg madame, France) arround 17 years ago

    Hi friends, I'm taking a little break thinking about the good times you gave us a few months ago with you.

    I would love to do some more hiking on the Rapo and I would happily return to the forest.

    I can't wait for Jules and Huayra to meet. Kisses, François

11. written by Machi - el loco (France) arround 17 years ago

    An experience that leaves you feeling empowered! Unforgettable, thank you all. (Cacao, Platania, Alfunso, Téo, Janet, Amélie, and all the others.)

12. written by Yaku, para Mercedes y Nelli (Courgent, France) arround 18 years ago

    First of all, I would like to thank Amélie, who, thanks to her, allowed us to fly to Ecuador. You allowed 20 students and 3 teachers to come and discover the Amazon and its secrets, the Andes and its pure breath. A big thank you to you and of course an even bigger thank you to our guides: Téo, his sister Janet, his nephew Léopoldo and the bus driver Fernando. You all worked hard and so did we (especially the language :-D ) to show this landscape years ago that we are scared of the tarantulas and Téo's special friends.

    I would also like to thank my good friends Mercedes and Nelli who we made suffer (especially the boys :lol: ). Another happy birthday to Alfonso who now has my cap and for Javière, I wish him a good operation. We will come to see him often since he will be staying not far from us :)

    See you soon my dear friends, I will come back to see you after my BAC and I hope to be able to stay with you :)

13. written by Nathalie (Paris, France) arround 18 years ago

    Teo is a truly excellent guide and knows the jungle perfectly. He shares his knowledge of plants and animals with emotion and passion. The community is very welcoming and you are totally immersed in the local culture, off the beaten track and in harmony with nature. I spent two weeks there two years ago and since then, what a development! A big congratulations!

14. written by Jean (Toulouse, France) arround 18 years ago

    The community of Shiripuno is more than worth the detour. I spent a few unforgettable days there at the end of March 2008. Close to the tourist activity of Misahuali, yet very close to the inhabitants of the village of Shiripuno, about a hundred very welcoming inhabitants who seem to be years old.

    Then, the cabins just built a hundred meters from the village allow tranquility, but also to find yourself years ago in the selva, the Amazon jungle, while enjoying local crafts and food. The French-Ecuadorian couple who take care of the place, Téorumi and Amélie are truly charming people!! Frankly, go there, you will live simply, close to the people, in an ecological way (bravo for the ecological toilets!) and close to nature,… ENJOY SHIRIPUNO !!!

    Jean

15. written by Julia et François (ERR, France) arround 19 years ago

    Although we cannot share our experience on site, because we have not been able to visit you yet, we can nevertheless testify to the passion, the cultural and human richness of Téo who is undoubtedly a very good guide syears ago. Téo loves his culture, his people and through many discussions, knows very well how to make us travel and understand the problems of his people. A special word for his wife, Amélie…who is at least as great as Téo! Your cabins will surely be the place of our next trip…honeymoon in your community, in this immensely beautiful nature. There you go, keep up the good work, thank you!!!

16. written by Julien (CAHORS, France) arround 19 years ago

    Great experience years ago in this jungle and with these Quichua Indians living in harmony with their environment. Good company with the guide Théorumie where we feel safe. Hello to his French wife who should give birth soon, Julien.

17. written by Eric G (Quebec, Canada) arround 19 years ago

    Very, very good in a few words, authentic and simple community. Respectful and warm people and a guide, Teorumi, who is more than excellent. Probably one of my best jungle experiences of my life! Go there, don't hesitate.

18. written by Claire (Tours , France) arround 19 years ago

    5 days spent in Shiripuno were the highlight of our trip to Ecuador: the welcome from the community, the visit to the forest, the tour on the Napo and the swimming, the dyears agoes will remain dyears ago the most cherished memories. Congratulations to everyone for the progress of the project, the opportunity to sleep dyears ago in the forest and to hear the wonderful sounds at sunset. Go there everyone to discover the Amazon and its warm inhabitants.

19. written by Michaela Moya Calle arround 10 years ago

    Hi Theo!

    I'm so grateful for what you've taught me; to this day, I carry the jungle life in my heart. You're a very trustworthy and authentic guide. I'll come back anytime soon to take a tour with you and your family, along with my family.

    Greetings from Austria, Miki

20. written by Ana (Paris, France) arround 12 years ago

    Hi,

    I'm writing to tell you that I miss you so much, and I want to come again. I'd like Maria Belem and Blanquita to know that I'm thinking about them and that I miss them...

    I hope this is just a see you later.

21. written by Juan Otarola S. (Santiago, Chili) arround 12 years ago

    I wholeheartedly wish to give my infinite thanks to Teo, his family, and the entire Shiripuno Community. These wonderful people do magnificent work for their community and the delight of all those fortunate enough to visit them and share experiences of all kinds. Their main goal is to make us aware of the greatness and care of nature, so that we may learn to respect it and all of us. A thousand thanks, Teo, his family, and all of us Shiripunos. Always keep up the great work.

    I recommend it with my eyes closed.

22. written by NELSON MECIAS (La Concordia, Equateur) arround 12 years ago

    I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO KNOW THIS GREAT PLACE IN MY BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY AND I INVITE ALL MY FOREIGN BROTHERS TO GET TO KNOW THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS OF THIS CORNER. THE COOLEST THING FOR ME WAS THE TRIP ON THE NAPO RIVER.

23. written by Carlos Viera (Cordova, Argentine) arround 13 years ago

    Hello, our guide friend Teorumi, one of the greatest professionals in tourism. We are grateful to his wife Amelie, who organized this tour with Teo. We had a great time and we recommend people to visit Teorumi and Shiripuno, a community where you can live in harmony and feel at home. Shiripuno is only two kilometers from the town of Misahualli. Thank you again for welcoming us and showing us your culture. Teo and Shiripuno, see you soon.

24. written by Juan Carlos Miranda R. (Santiago, Chili) arround 13 years ago

    Our thanks to Ameli, Nelson our guide, and José his assistant; they were the people who gave us an example of communion with nature.

    Our stay was a pleasure thanks to the organization, care, and attention of the managers, the community, and our guides.

    The people are pleasant, friendly, and cordial, eager to continue cultivating their craft.

    I hope to be back there soon and continue further downriver.

    Thanks again.

    RECOMMEND.

25. written by Sergio (Guayaquil, Equateur) arround 15 years ago

    Dear friends, Amelie, Teo, the great shaman, Eddie, and everyone, to my surprise it was a pleasure to have met you. It's easy to understand how many people come to know these types of places and settle down permanently. It's the place where you can find inner peace and find yourself. Fascinating to see how everyone is one, how they work for the common good where there is no envy, no classes, no oppression, where the most primitive and simple part of being human is perceived. For me, two days have been enough to realize that society creates nothing more than a style according to canons based on envy and competition.

    I'd like to tell you something. For me, this isn't just going to be a mere experience, and I'll leave my message here. Ciao, starting today, I'm committed to several proposals I want to offer you to get started, which I hope you'll like. The first thing I'm going to do, if you'd like, is create a more modern, updated website in Flash, where everything is more visually appealing. I think this is extremely important these days, especially to make your presence known to the outside world. It's similar to the marketing method Yarina uses, and which, in that respect, is much more advanced with Shiripuno. It's a shame I don't have my camera with me, but if you like, what I would need would be an updated version of the rates, some more high-quality photos, and starting with that, I would add the Flash version, giving the town and agency a logo, also adding some video clips I took with my camcorder, a comments and contact section. I think this will be an ideal place for people to see something professional. We also need to highlight the volunteer aspect so that many people looking for tourism or volunteering have direct access to this page. I would also need a brief description of the activities the volunteers carry out in the town.

    You can send all this to my email: kiru_cine@hotmail.com

    The second thing I'd like to do is organize myself to volunteer. I hope it's for this year, if not for next year, but that's why I also want to help as much as possible from a distance.

    The key is to include the volunteer program, both in Spain, where I have family, and in Ecuador, in the volunteer programs offered by the Ministries of Labor, Social Security, and also in Red Cross centers, etc., as a way to publicize the volunteer program in more media outlets. Perhaps a campaign of volunteering and donations could also be made for different causes in different cities in Ecuador, Spain, etc... As a documentary filmmaker that I am, the idea of ​​making a documentary in which I would recreate different characters who lived in the purest form of contact with nature, as opposed to the chaotic, helpless and classist life of the city, but focusing on it not as a news report but as a documentary-fiction, where several stories of different characters are told, with the idea that it can be seen in different media such as TV, Internet, and various screening rooms such as the MAAC cinema in Guayaquil, cultural centers, independent theaters, as a way to make this culture and the activities that can be developed in it known to the world. It may also be useful to obtain some form of government funding, so that they commit to funding part of the studies of the children of Shiripuno, so that they can go to university and also have opportunities. You know that the audiovisual medium is the most effective way to claim, show, or demand something in the eyes of the world. To do this, I have to start outlining the script, the outline, and the program of the documentary project, which would take me a few months, since I also have to find some funding to make it, although it doesn't take much. And a team of 3-4 people. As a reference, you can watch a documentary we made that was released in theaters. It's called El Rumor de la Arena (The Rumor of the Sand), and you can find the trailer on YouTube.

    I would like to know your opinion on everything I'm proposing, and I would like to hear the information I requested at the beginning to develop the page. I would also like to hear any suggestions or objections. I also have a variety website managed by my father and me, which offers information on gastronomy, culture, travel, and health. I will undoubtedly include this experience as a tourist destination for relaxation, volunteering, celebrating a spiritual wedding, or entering the purest state of being for everyone. This information is also likely to be published in local newspapers, where I have some contacts, little by little.

    Well, I'm looking forward to your suggestion. I'll also call to see how everything is going and if you received my message. By the way, I hope you remember me. We're two kids (a boy and a girl) who were there on September 8-10, just yesterday.

    I await your response to ensure my information arrives correctly. Hugs to everyone and thanks for the experience.

    One last thing, can you provide me with an email address where we can maintain contact and correspond without being published here?

26. written by Tanja (Winterthur, Suisse) arround 15 years ago

    Dear Teo, thank you so much for the four days with you and the two quiet helpers ;-) The tranquility and peace in the jungle did me good. Besides, you're already a wise man. Thank you for teaching me so many things about plants (how to extract fiber, how to make bags, and so on). I felt safe: at every moment and for every need, you had a solution. You're welcome to my home in Switzerland! And I won't be serving you cheese or chocolate.

27. written by Mar Samos (Valladolid, Espagne) arround 15 years ago

    Hello, Amelie, Teo, family of big and small people,

    I remember your hospitality, the stream, the stones, the dance, the crafts, the cabins, the delicious food, the horizon with the great river, the sounds and paths of the jungle where you live. I was there in January, and you were building rafts with a group of French people. What a wonderful place you live! Next time I'll hike further to get to know it better. Thank you so much for this page, too ;-)

28. written by Mary (Quito, Equateur) arround 15 years ago

    Getting to know this place was truly a unique experience. It's nice to know that our country has tourist spots rich in vegetation, animals, and, above all, culture.

    I would have liked to stay and watch the wedding that was going to take place the day after my visit, but due to the weather it wasn't possible. I hope everything went well for you.

    For those who don't know, I recommend that you visit it, you will definitely like it because it is a unique place full of tranquility.

    A hug to everyone, especially to Teodoro and his work group.

29. written by Patty (Quito, Equateur) arround 16 years ago

    January 17th and 18th were very special days for my colleagues and me… we had the pleasure of getting to know the Shiripuno community; it was a great trip. I can only thank you for your kind welcome and for making us feel at home. We will always be grateful. Thank you, Teodoro, and thank you to all the women in the community. I hope the tourism project continues to thrive. Personally, I'll be back there very soon; being a social communicator is leaving me with fond memories. Thanks again for everything.s

30. written by Roberta (Bologna, Italie) arround 16 years ago

    Last year, my boyfriend, Gigi, and I spent three days in Misahuallì. We wanted to experience the true Amazon rainforest, and we were told there was a certified, very knowledgeable, and expert guide. That's how we met Teo, who brought us into the jungle, explaining and teaching us about the importance of native plants for life there, and for all human beings, and the many uses that indigenous people made and still make of them. He also told us about the problems and difficulties of surviving in a world that is at risk of disappearing under the pressures being placed on the Amazonian territory and its delicate ecosystems. In the end, after a day in the jungle, talking, discovering wonderful places and the power of nature in all its forms, and experiencing intense emotions with every step, we returned happy for having lived a wonderful, fun, and informative experience that we will never forget. The next day we visited the community of Shiripuno, where they welcomed us, demonstrating the efforts and determination, including those of the women, to preserve the culture, knowledge, and places that make the Amazon and its people the special and unique world that it is.

    Thank you very much Teo and a GRAZIE to the entire Shiripuno community!

31. written by Venla, Sari and Iina (Finlande) arround 16 years ago

    It was a short but great stay in primary primary forest with a crazy guide Teo. :-) We got what we were looking for and much more and learned a lot about medical plants and life in the jungle. Thanks for our motivated and energetic guide! The best memory of our stay in Ecuador

32. written by Janine (Frankfurt, Allemagne) arround 17 years ago

    Teo is a very competent guide. He knows all the exotic plants and animals, explains them to you and lets you try both(!) of them. When I was on a tour with him in the jungle we didn’t have any running water or electricity for two days. He showed me how to make clothes and necklaces of palm trees. We also climbed up a liana and vaulted like tarzan. There are so many things to discover. E.g. shampoo, salve, comb, ashtray or the telephone of he jungle. At night we went along the river to see or at least hear animals like caiman, fish or puma. It was very beautifully being in the nature. I had a very exciting and unique experience and felt completely safe in every moment!

    The community is just amazing. The people are so friendly, gladsome and funny! You can learn a lot not only about their food and everyday life, but also about their education, general conditions and perspectives in life. I am very grateful for the time I spent there!