DIRECTIONS

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Lumicon, Serena, Parroquia Talag, Tena, Ecuador

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We are listed as "Fruit Forest Center" on Google Maps.

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From Quito:
Buses leave from the Quitumbe terminal around every hour for Tena. The ride takes about 4-5 hours. The road is well-paved. From Quito airport, you can go to the Pifo intersection and catch a direct bus to Tena without entering the city of Quito.

From Guayaquil:
There are no direct buses to Tena. Buses leave Terminal Terrestre for Ambato throughout the day and night. The roads crossing the mountains are sometimes damaged by landslides, but they are usually passable. From Ambato, there are direct buses to Tena.

From Cuenca:
For a scenic trip through the páramos of the Andes, take a bus from Cuenca to Ambato, and then from Ambato to Tena. The roads are generally well-maintained. For a scenic trip through the upper Amazon jungle, take a bus from Cuenca to Macas. The road may be in a state of disrepair. From Macas, there are buses to Puyo, some of which continue to Tena. Buses run from Puyo to Tena throughout the day. The road between Macas and Tena (E-45) is well-paved and crosses mostly flat terrain.

When you exit Tena's bus terminal, walk to the intersection with Tia (the large red-and-white supermarket) at one corner. Stay on the side across from Tia, cross the intersection, and walk for 2 blocks. You'll see the local Centinela del Tena terminal. Wait here for a bus that says "Serena" on the front windshield. There are 6 buses per day. The first leaves at 05:45 and the last at 17:45. There is no 05:45 bus on Saturday/Sunday. You can also take a taxi for $8-$10 to the bridge (puente) in Serena (piedra grande - lugar de rafting). From "Puente Serena" (the last stop for the bus), walk across the long old pedestrian bridge over the big Jatun Yacu river. (Don't be deterred; they are constructing a new big bridge here. Just get through the site.) From the old pedestrian bridge, you can see the green round roof of our yoga house, a small cabin near the beach, and views of the mountains if it's not too cloudy. After the bridge, you will take a right where the road becomes a "T." Walk for about 200 meters, and you'll see our round yellow spiral sign, a yellow bus stop and a big sign reading Comunidad Serena at a  checkpoint  Here you'll turn right again, crossing the football/soccer field of the local school. Follow the fencing on your right (likely covered with vines), and you'll see another yellow, circular sign and a small door. There will be dogs, and they might bark, but just enter slowly and show no fear. If we are not here, make friends with the dogs, and have a rest. We will be around. There is a local store across from the school where you can also rest and buy a drink, but normally we'll be here. To find us easily, avoid travelling at night from Tena (so try to avoid the last bus).

Buses from Tena to Serena: 05:45, 06:45, 09:45, 13:45, 16:45, 17:45

We do not use a phone as it barely works here.

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DONATIONS

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In order to provide the amenities described elsewhere on this website and to further develop the Lumicon project and continue to improve the place, we request the following donation amounts from everyone living here:

Basic cabin rent:    $20 per day/person including food
Volunteers:        $10 per day/person including food

Discounts
Cabin rent:

more than  1 month:      $15 per day/person
       more than  3 months:    $400 per month/person
       more than  6 months:    $300 per month/person
       more than 12 months:    $200 per month/person

Volunteers:

more than  1 month:       $8 per day/person
       more than  3 months:    $200 per month/person
       more than  6 months:    $150 per month/person
       more than 12 months:    $100 per month/person

If you get your own food, we will accordingly ask for a smaller donation (though the exact discount will vary).        

At Lumicon, we recognise that everyone arrives in their own unique situation and with their own unique capacities and goals. We strive to provide an environment where one can feel free to pursue all manner of personal growth, creative projects, rest and healing, or any other positive endeavours. For those who do not have the desire and/or ability for full-time (physical) volunteer work but still want to contribute some amount of time and effort, we offer a "sliding scale" between monetary donations ("renting") and volunteer work:

One can contribute less volunteer work and a (proportionally) greater monetary donation...
...or one can contribute volunteer work above and beyond what we typically request and a (proportionally) smaller monetary donation.

All contribution amounts remain open to negotiation for the benefit of all concerned.

Please contribute your donations in ADVANCE and also let us know in advance about any changes of your stay.

We very much welcome and appreciate any additional donations, as we have no other income to keep this place alive.

Enjoy the place and feel yourself like at home!!

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