We stayed in an eco-lodge for four nights within the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest. We flew from Quito to Coca and were met by our guide who escorted us to a boat for the two-and-a-half hour ride down the Napo River which eventually empties into the Amazon River. After the long boat ride, we transferred to paddle canoes for another 30-minute ride along a smaller tributary to the Garza Cocha lagoon where La Selva Ecolodge sits. The lodge is completely remote and all provisions, including food, drinking water, and even the laundry must be canoed in and out to and from Coca. Conservation is key and they are very conscious to remind guests not to waste resources. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a fresh juice and snacks then sat for a briefing about the lodge and what we could expect over the next few days.
The eco-lodge provided us with a local guide Chicuqui (pronounced Chi-coo-key) from the Kitchwa community who has lived here his entire life. We were also assigned an expert naturalist guide (Paúl) for all our outings. Both were amazing, incredibly knowledgeable, and had eagle eyes. We were grateful for them. Without them, we would not have seen as much as we did nor learned so much about the various symbiotic relationships between everything living in the rainforest.
Fun fact: A rainforest is any forested area located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn receiving more than 200 cm or 6 ft of rain per year.
Our days were scheduled with morning and late afternoon/evening activities each day. We began each morning with a 5:30 am knock on our door. This was our “alarm” telling us it was time to get up and go to breakfast. The morning activities started at 6:30 each day just as the sun was rising and the jungle was coming back to life.
We had free time during the mid-day hours where we could explore on our own or partake in other activities around the lodge such as kayaking, fishing, yoga, or getting a spa treatment. It was also a chance to escape the hottest part of the day and cool down in our rooms under the strong ceiling fans.
Evening activities began at 4:30 pm. This is when we would explore the lagoon by canoe or the forest on foot to watch the jungle transition into nighttime.
We saw so much on day one. I can’t imagine what day two will bring.
Wow! Loved reading this and seeing tour pictures!
Love this 💖 So well written, you really captured the experience! Beautiful photos! We are so happy to meet you guys and can’t wait to continue following along your journey!
Thank you Sammy and Tommy! It was great meeting you and sharing the Amazon adventure with you.