The 5 Day Build and Jungle Experience in Ecuador. A comprehensive build and rainforest experience for creatives, bamboo and wood enthusiasts, builders, architects, and landscape gardeners.

In Collaboration With Guayusa Runa and Gemma Roe

Immersed in the most beautiful and captivating natural environment in the Amazon Rainforest, in Ecuador. Join the designers, builders and the visionaries, who protect and live in the jungle using bamboo, and sustainable wood to transform it into creative natural building material for structure design, furniture and useful objects. Connect with mother nature, wild animals, birds, medicinal plants, rivers, enchanting waterfalls, indigenous culture, and local cuisine.

This is where all the magic begins. Ecuador: the biodiversity corridor to the world!

NOVEMBER, DECEMBER 2024 & JANUARY 2025

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The jungle Puma Urku is a magical green rainforest where you will encounter an array of birds, animals, trees, and medicinal plants. This is an incredible experience where you are able to live, learn, and protect our mother jungle Puma Urku. This project is extremely important as a way to preserve wildlife, plants, our kichwa community Guayusa Runa, and our Earth as a whole. This experience will be incredibly fulfilling given that you get to unify all your skills in a hands-on, practical, and tangible way.

WAMBI MWSKWI
BIRD’S NEST CO-FOUNDER & ARTISANAL MASTER FROM GUAYUSA RUNA, ECUADOR

The Bird’s Nest project is set in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest, one of Ecuador’s most spectacular conservation, and biodiversity corridors. Our Bird’s Nest will be a one-of-a-kind wildlife mirador perched amid the treetops on a hill teeming with wildlife. It will open the door for you to experience an unforgettable journey constructing a real-scale building, and time spent with an indigenous family and new friends together in the beauty of the natural world, supporting the protection of the jungle.

GEMMA ROE
BIRD’S NEST CO-FOUNDER & DESIGNER, ECUADOR & THE UNITED KINGDOM

OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERTISE IN BUILDING SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS IN ECUADOR.

WHAT BEGAN WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST GUAYUSA RUNA CABIN IN 2017 AND CONTINUED ON WITH BUILDING AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY SHARED WITH GUESTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

Let us invite you inside our magical Amazonia, to share with you how we’ve built our creative little community in the jungle of Ecuador, and be part of our ever-growing project.

Share Landscape, Wood, and Bamboo Construction Essentials in a Unique Conservation Area.

You will leave with a more advanced set of tools to support your build and landscape journey, while protecting the Amazon Rainforest. 

Build For A Sustainable Future

Engaging hands on with natural materials, and mother nature and see our jungle from a new prospective. 

Connect With Wood, Bamboo, and Nature Experts.

An indigenous community of 40 people, experts and facilitators.

During the experience you will get a chance to build a real-scale bamboo and wood structure under the guidance of our jungle team.

BIRD’S NEST PROJECT VIEW

The Bird’s Nest project is set in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest, one of Ecuador’s most spectacular conservation and biodiversity corridors, Guayusa Runa and Gemma Roe Bird’s Nest will be a one-of-a-kind wildlife mirador in Puma Urku in the territory of Guayusa Runa, a sustainable indigenous community eco-tourism destination. Perched amid the treetops on a hill teeming with wildlife, the Birds Nest will offer views of the jungle by day that are paired only by those of the stars at night. At sunrise, guests will encounter the magical sights and sounds of animals awakening for the day. Toucans, hummingbirds, tamarin monkeys, and an array of wildlife at play. By night, as the sun dips below the horizon, a spectacle of nocturnal magic begins, stargazing over the Amazon with an enchanting symphony of sounds, and the wonders of the rainforest life that comes alive at night. The calls of frogs, insects, and nocturnal birds.

“Our Birds Nest will opens the door for you to experience life’s greatest adventure - unforgettable time spent with an indigenous family and new friends together in the beauty of the natural world.”

GEMMA ROE, CO-FOUNDER & DESIGNER

SHOW ME INSIDE THE EXPERIENCE!

Arrival

Welcome, tour of the Guayusa Runa community, settle in to your shared lodge and enjoy the story of Guayusa Runa, and the project outline.

Day 1- Day 4: Create the Bird’s Nest Mirador

Begin the day at 6am with the Guayusa Runa family and drink the morning ritual of guayusa tea around the fire. Enjoy a cultural breakfast at 7am. Begin project work at 8am. Visit the Puma Urku mirador location where the mirador will be built, and begin the project lead by Gemma Roe, and Wanbi Mwskwi. Prepare the land, and create structural systems. Engage in a full scale bamboo, and wood construction. Lunch at 1pm. Continue project from 2pm - 3pm. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the natural beauty of the surroundings of Guayusa Runa or visit the Pastaza region.

Day 5: Complete the week of the Mirador Structure

Begin the day at 6am with the Guayusa Runa family and drink the morning ritual of guayusa tea around the fire. Enjoy a cultural breakfast at 7am. Begin project work at 8am. Continue creating full scale bamboo and wood structural systems at Puma Urku mirador location lead by Gemma Roe and Wanbi Mwskwi. Lunch at 1pm. Complete your project from 2pm-3pm. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the natural beauty of the surroundings of Guayusa Runa or visit the Pastaza region. Reflect on your experience living and working in the Amazon Rainforest. 

PLUS MORE!

Live in a bamboo, wood & sustainable jungle for 5 days

Tour of Guayusa Runa, and meet the family

Tour of the Guayusa Runa architecture where bamboo and wood dreams are made!

Work in a beautiful landscape where the Bird’s Nest Mirador will be built with your hands.

Enjoy the natural beauty of the Guayusa Runa community with flowing rivers, enchanting waterfalls, jungle, magical wildlife, stargazing by night, all in a tropical paradise.

The most deliciously curated local cuisines you’ve ever tasted (vegan, vegetarian & meat options available)

LIVE AND BREATHE IN THE JUNGLE FOR 5 DAYS IMMERSED IN NATURE LIVING IN THE GUAYUSA RUNA COMMUNITY!

Your Ticket Includes Shared Accommodation In A Bamboo Cabin Residing In Guayusa Runa, in the Amazon Rainforest in Puyo, Pastaza, Ecuador. Open To Natural Elements But Protected By A Bamboo and Wood Structure. Surrounded By Trees, Plants, Birds, And The Sound Of Nature.

For more information WhatsApp Gemma Roe on +593981766190, Wanbi Mwskwi on +593995417293, or email us at info@gemmaroe.co.uk

IF YOU ARE AN BUILDER, ENGINEER, CARPENTER OR LANDSCAPE GARDENER THIS EXPERIENCE IS FOR YOU!

The 5 Day Experience in Ecuador Is For You, If:

You want to live a life that is connected to nature and are interested in organic design and natural architecture.

You’re passionate about sustainability and have a desire to create a better world

You value working with your hands, creating beautiful structures, and learning new skills

You are creative, a builder, or landscape gardener and wish to incorporate sustainable materials into your work and practice

You currently work with bamboo or wood and are wishing to improve your practical skills by learning from indigenous bamboo and wood experts from the Amazonia

You want to connect with a like-minded community of bamboo and wood enthusiasts

You are a builder, an architect, carpenter, engineer, or landscape gardener and you’re keen to learn more about bamboo and wood as a natural building material, and learn how to make bamboo structures!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE COST OF THE EXPERIENCE?

The cost of the 5 day experience is £165 ($215).

The cost includes all experiences, materials, cultural meals, morning rituals - with Guayusa tea, tobacco, music, dream interpretation, kichwa naming, body painting with natural plants, spiritual cleansing, medicinal plant walks, cultural fire dance with music, ancestral hunting techniques, canoe rides, day and night jungle walks, waterfall swimming, and shared accommodation. (Additional ceremonies including Ayahuasca is an extra cost). The hours of build experience per day are 6 hours, with time to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings.

Not included:
1. Airfare
2. Airport transportation (not included but we are happy to help arrange this)
3. Health Insurance

WHO IS THIS EXPERIENCE FOR?

The experience is open to ages 18 + and is tailored for people studying or working in the fields of construction, architecture, engineering, carpentry, or landscape gardening but for anyone inspired by bamboo, wood and the natural world looking for ways to create a better world and protect the rainforest!

Wear appropriate protective clothing for the rainforest. Quick-dry, anti-mosquito trousers and long sleeved shirts or tops. Sun protective hat. Swimwear. Alternative clothing to wear while in the city, and shorts or other comfortable clothing. Quick-dry socks. Comfortable clothing for the evening and night. Trainers, sandals or crocs. Wellington Boots provided. Sun protection. Mosquito repellant. Rain jacket or poncho. Head-torch for the evenings. International adapter for the US (for Ecuador), cables. Toiletries. Notebook. Pens, and pencils. Small waterproof backpack. Water bottle. Snacks. Optional: Binoculars, camera, drone.

Not able to attend the 5 day experience but would like to support this conservation project? You can donate below with much love and thanks from the Guayusa Runa community.