For the first time on our trip, we left civilization far behind. With a group of people and local guides, we explored the Amazon, specifically the Cuyabeno nature reserve in Ecuador. Getting to our accommodation was already part of the journey because we had to take one of the boats that are used to traverse the river delta, already spotting some animals on the way. After 2½ hours we reached the Cayman Lodge, which is a small assembly of buildings with a watch tower located in the middle of the jungle.

The first day was already packed with activities. Soon after reaching there, we exchanged the motorboat for a canoe and paddled along the rivers in perfect tranquility. Along the way, we were looking out for animals and appreciated the wild nature on both shores. Just before sunset, we reached the nearby lagoon and went for a refreshing swim after the exercise. Next up was dinner. And it was just excellent. This is particularly notable because we ordered the vegetarian menu which is not something the South American kitchen is known for.

Even then, the day wasn’t over as our guide announced that we should get ready for the night walk. And it turned out to be really intense. There were a lot of insects buzzing and flying around us and even being fully covered by clothes it was hardly bearable. Occasionally, mosquitos or ants got underneath our clothes and bit us, which was quite unpleasant. We were all carrying flashlights and looking out for spiders, scorpions, snakes, frogs, and other small animals (and attracting more insects that way). We found a lot, including scorpions, huge spiders, and a lot of tarantulas, which were really cool and only slightly scary. Towards the end of our stay, we did another night walk which was much nicer, mostly because of light rain that kept the insects at bay.

Day two was similarly eventful but that helped us to forget about everything else and fully immerse ourselves in the nature and wildlife of the Amazon. Unfortunately, Katy didn’t feel well that day but me and the rest of the group boarded our canoe again and went off to another hiking trail. Just before reaching there, the clouds opened their gates and it started pouring. Fortunately, we all got ponchos that we quickly put on before continuing to paddle. One out of the group had the job to keep the water level inside the canoe low using a small plastic bucket. During the hike, we again saw a huge variety of animals and had the chance to eat lemon ants peeled out of a branch of a specific tree (did that), swing at a root hanging from a tree (did that too), and let ourselves get bitten by bullet ants (no way! — one of us did it though and slightly regretted his choice, anecdotally it hurts like their name suggests). In the afternoon Katy joined in again for another boat trip and swim in the lagoon.

Part of the trip was a visit to a native community in the Amazon. We were a bit wary because these are usually not very authentic, specifically by pretending to be authentic, and can have negative effects on the community. Our guide explained to us upfront, though, that we should expect a mix of traditional life paired with modern influences like modern clothes, which is much more realistic than a “fully traditional” community. And they visit a different one every time, to spread the income from tourism, as well as rent their boats from the communities for even more revenue share. We very much liked that model and it helped us to appreciate what was to come.

Part one of the visit consisted of us collaboratively making bread from the yuka trees with a woman from one of those local communities. We very much enjoyed the process and it was surprisingly quick. The result was better than most contemporary bread we had in Colombia (still missing our German bread, though!). We ate it with Ceviche that our guide prepared in the meantime. All in all, it was a very delicious meal.

Next up was the visit of a traditional Shaman and learning about their lives and rituals. Our guide gave us an intro before we could volunteer for a treatment that consisted of the Shaman singing while scratching your back with a slightly poisonous, prickly branch of a specific plant (seen 7 vs. Wild? It’s one of those plants that leaves a “burn” mark on the skin) and the blowing of grated tabaco into your nose. I did it with three other guys as you can see in the photo. Besides the pain during the treatment and a bit of dizziness afterward, it wasn’t too bad. I didn’t feel enlightened either, though 😉

Day four was dominated by dangerous animals. After another hike in the morning (where we walked through a swamp that produced so much methane that we could ignite it with a lighter when stepping through it), we did recreational Piranha fishing in the afternoon. It wasn’t listed as part of our trip and we wouldn’t have chosen this activity, but it was still an adrenaline rush to see their sharp teeth up close. One fell off the hook into the boat which caused quite a bit of movement as everyone tried to save their naked toes. After we were done with no one harmed, we took another swim in the lagoon.

It was interrupted, though, by a group of boats collecting nearby. As it turned out, one of the deadliest snakes in the world, a fer-de-lance, was crossing the lagoon. We didn’t swim close by but it was still an unsettling thought. While our guide tried to bring us as close as possible to get a good view, the snake started charging at us. He really looked scared for a short moment, before he started to splash water at the snake to stop it. It worked, but it’s never a good sign if your guide looks frightened… To top the day off, we could watch a caiman in the dark on our way back to the lodge. After all this excitement, we were ready for dinner and could really enjoy the delicious eggplant dish with passion fruit sauce that was served.

On the last day, we did another boat tour in the morning before doing the trip back to the “Amazon gateway town” Lago Agrio. There, most of our co-travelers boarded a long bus ride back to Quito while we were relaxing in the pool at our accommodation ✌️

Gallery

Gallery with Pictures from our Group