From Quito, it will take approximately 4 hours by bus (7 usd). If you take a taxi (best agency: Taxi amigo, or la cuevita amazonica) it will take only about 2:30 minutes (25 usd). They will take you from door to door. From anyware you are in Quito to anywhere you will stay in Tena. To take pictures or small breaks, you can ask the driver anytime to make a stop.
Buses from the capital of Ecuador to Tena leave 3 times a day from the bus terminal Quitumbe. To get there, it depends where you are. What you can allways do is, take a "alimentador" to the terminal (alimentador is just a type of bus that takes you to "small bus terminals". In this "small bus terminals" you can take buses to towns around Quito or to other cities)
It can be that you have to take more than 1 alimentador depending where you take it. If you ask any quitenian on the street, how to and where to get to the terminal quitumbe, they can answer this question. A taxi is a good option if you are in a group.
During the trip, the temperature changes very clearly since you go from the Andes to the plains of the Ecuadorian Amazon. So if you have problems with dizziness , better take some medicine agains it. You can go directly from Quito to Tena or, I strongly recommend doing a Break between Quito and Tena and spend the day in the Papallacta thermal springs. If you are planing doing that, leave early (8am), and in the bus terminal, ask for a ticket to Papallacta (all buses going to Tena will pass through Papallacta and it will take about 2,30 hours to get there).
Once in the bus, tell the bus driver to tell you when you arrive to Papallacta. The bus will let you out on the road/small town called Papallacta. Once you get out of the bus, from there you can walk 30 to 40 minutes or hitchhike to the thermal springs.
Try to get out of the pools by about 3pm or 4pm to arrive early to Tena. Remember that you have to go back to the main road and then wait for transportation. Do not forget to bring warm clothing as it is very very cold in Papallacta, and of course new clothes for afther the refreshing bath. Have fun!!!!
Buses from the capital of Ecuador to Tena leave 3 times a day from the bus terminal Quitumbe. To get there, it depends where you are. What you can allways do is, take a "alimentador" to the terminal (alimentador is just a type of bus that takes you to "small bus terminals". In this "small bus terminals" you can take buses to towns around Quito or to other cities)
It can be that you have to take more than 1 alimentador depending where you take it. If you ask any quitenian on the street, how to and where to get to the terminal quitumbe, they can answer this question. A taxi is a good option if you are in a group.
During the trip, the temperature changes very clearly since you go from the Andes to the plains of the Ecuadorian Amazon. So if you have problems with dizziness , better take some medicine agains it. You can go directly from Quito to Tena or, I strongly recommend doing a Break between Quito and Tena and spend the day in the Papallacta thermal springs. If you are planing doing that, leave early (8am), and in the bus terminal, ask for a ticket to Papallacta (all buses going to Tena will pass through Papallacta and it will take about 2,30 hours to get there).
Once in the bus, tell the bus driver to tell you when you arrive to Papallacta. The bus will let you out on the road/small town called Papallacta. Once you get out of the bus, from there you can walk 30 to 40 minutes or hitchhike to the thermal springs.
Try to get out of the pools by about 3pm or 4pm to arrive early to Tena. Remember that you have to go back to the main road and then wait for transportation. Do not forget to bring warm clothing as it is very very cold in Papallacta, and of course new clothes for afther the refreshing bath. Have fun!!!!