Explore Morona Santiago

Morona Santiago is one of Ecuador's Amazon provinces, stretching from the eastern slopes of the Andes down into lowland rainforest along the border with Peru. Its capital is Macas, a river town on the Upano with the snow-capped Sangay volcano on the horizon on clear mornings.

This is Shuar country. Shuar communities make up a large part of the population, and their crafts, food and knowledge of the forest are part of everyday life here. Much of the province is still forested, and the Sangay National Park protects a huge sweep of mountain and jungle on its western edge.

The province covers about 24004 square kilometres and had around 192508 residents in the 2022 count, so it feels spacious and green, with small towns strung along the roads that run north to south through the foothills. Rivers such as the Upano are used for rafting and kayaking, and the warm, wet climate makes for very productive fruit farming.

Off-grid life here usually means solar power, stream or rain water and a lot of fruit trees. In the south of the province, near Gualaquiza, Fruit Haven Ecovillage is building a vegan permaculture community and fruit forest, with rooms to rent and a volunteer programme.

Tours and activities. Rafting, waterfall and rainforest tours in and around Morona Santiago: see what is on offer on GetYourGuide.