Napo Province stretches from the high páramo east of Quito down through cloud forest into the upper Amazon basin. It is one of the easiest routes into Ecuador's Oriente — the road from Quito drops through Papallacta pass and descends to the lowland town of Tena in a few hours.
The landscape is extraordinary. The snow-capped volcano Antisana (5,704m) dominates the western edge of the province, surrounded by high-altitude grasslands and glacial lakes. Lower down, the cloud forests are dense with orchids, bromeliads, and hummingbirds. At the bottom, the Napo River — a major tributary of the Amazon — winds through primary rainforest where indigenous Kichwa communities offer guided visits.
Tena, the provincial capital, is a base for whitewater rafting, jungle trips, and visits to nearby waterfalls. Misahuallí, further downstream, was once the main gateway to Ecuador's jungle lodges and still makes a good starting point for river travel.