The Adventure: Deep Jungle of Ecuador
Physical rating: 3-5 seeing is believing….
Adventure rating: 3-5 requires nothing more than inquisitiveness,
Adventure Highlights: Spotting a Pink amazon dolfin. Amazing views. Fresh jungle air, great guides, see all the wildlife and maybe getting to meet the Huarani people themselves. Or go by boat.

Ecuador has a huge selection of multi day expeditions into the jungle areas, some of these on the edge and others in the depth of the virgin Jungle. Being deep in the Jungle is really a special feeling that has to be experienced. Ecuador is one of the few places in the world where it is possible to stay deep in the jungle without a lot difficulty in getting there. Join us for the thrill of being deep in the jungle, feeling life all around you . Ecuador is surrounded by such diversity that it is hard to see everything but I do suggest you try and get at least a 4 day trip into this great jungle lodge. In just one day, it is possible to get you to this most remote and beautiful place.

Below is the 4 and 5 day itinerary in the Bataburo Jungle Lodge. However, it is only with the 8 day itinerary that you get to visit the Huarani village.

4 Day Jungle Ecuador

Day 1-Transfer from Coca to the Huaorani village of Tiguino by canoe. Lunch on the Tiguino River. Welcome cocktail and dinner on arrival, explanation of program by guide.
Day 2- Early morning navigation downstream to observe birds and mammals. Breakfast. 4-6 hours jungle trek accompanied by a native guide and a translator. The chance to learn about the flora and fauna of the region, the Huaorani culture and the use of various medicinal plants. Return to the camp for lunch. In the afternoon fishing for piranhas and observation of caiman alligators. Dinner.
Day 3- Early morning excursion in search of mammals, especially monkeys. Breakfast. Jungle hike with guides explaining more about the complex ecosystem of the rainforest. Lunch at lodge. In the afternoon rowing in the dug-out canoe in the lagoon and a competition with the blowpipe. Dinner. Night walk in the forest to observe inescts and nocturnal animals.
Day 4- Early morning hike to observe birds and mammals. Breakfast. Navigation by canoe back to Coca with lunch on-route.

5Day Jungle Ecuador

Day 1-Transfer from Coca to the Huaorani village of Tuguino by canoe. Lunch on the Tiguino River. Welcome cocktail and dinner on arrival, explanation of program by guide.
Day 2- Early morning navigation downstream to observe birds and mammals. Breakfast. 4-6 hours jungle trek accompanied by a native guide and a translator. The chance to learn about the flora and fauna of the region, the Huaorani culture and the use of various medicinal plants. Return to the camp for lunch. In the afternoon fishing for piranhas and observation of caiman alligators. Dinner.
Day 3- Early morning excursion in search of mammals, especially monkeys. Breakfast. Jungle hike with guides explaining more about the complex ecosystem of the rainforest. Lunch at lodge. In the afternoon rowing in the dug-out canoe in the lagoon and a competition with the blowpipe. Dinner. Night walk in the forest to observe inescts and nocturnal animals.
Day 4- Breakfast. 4-6 hours jungle hike where amongst other things the the guide will explain about the preparation of the curare - a very strong poison that the huoarani use to hunt with the blowpipe. In the afternoon on the river for sport fishing. Dinner.
Day 5- Early morning hike to observe birds and mammals. Breakfast. Navigation by canoe back to Coca with lunch on-route.

If you are on the jungle boat tour, they follow a set route, which can be seen here on link.

Mode of Transport:
The tour starts and finishes in the town of Coca.

It is most recommended to fly directly from Quito - return fare is $122 and the flight takes 30 minutes. For the more daring it is also possible to travel by bus - a 10 to 12 hour trip costing approx $10 each way.

What’s included?

• Accommodation in twin cabins with shared bath
• 3 meals per day & drinking water
• All activities as detailed in itinerary
• Native guide and translator
• Return transport to/from Coca and the lodge (9 hours each way)

Exclusions

• National park entrance fee ($20)
• 3 meals per day & drinking water
• Transport from Quito to/from Coca
• Private bathroom supplement ($20 per person)
• Tips / drinks from bar / other personal expenses

Cost.
Prices start at just $85 per day, per person.

If you have questions, require further information or to reserve a space please email or telephone (English spoken). To read more information about booking, click here.

jon@ola-adventures.com
www.ola-adventures.com
00-593 2 2562699

River Trips at Kapawi Days 5/8 - Tuesday 27th/ Friday 30th March I referred to our first river trip to the Rio Pastaza sandbanks in my blog for 26th March. I have now accumulated the various river trips by motorised canoe for the other four days.

Kapawi Ecolodge is located a 10 minute river ride from the major Rio Pastaza. Our tributary is the Rio Capahuari. The lodges are situated at the edge of a flooded oxbow lake, or cocha. When we arrived the stilts supporting the lodges had dry feet and the lagoon was almost dry with vegetation extensive. During the next three days the river and lagoon levels would rise some 11 feet (3.5m), as the tropical rains falling on the eastern Andes arrived at Kapawi.

One of our first early morning trips was to the banks of the Rio Pastaza, where we gradually drifted shorewards from the middle of the 250m wide river, The Ashuar boatman maintained our position against the building current, keeping a wary eye open for debris. Apparently, the parrots, macaws and parakeets ingest the mud from the forrested river banks as an aid to digestion, in view of all the fruit and seeds that that they eat. The parrot-lick provides a very useful way of getting close. I discard my earlier photos as we drift nearer. The noise is impressive. Especially when alarmed, some 150 Chestnut-fronted Macaws, Ara severa, see photo, (Chestnut-fronted Macaws) rise as one, circle and crash back into the foliage. A flurry of Dusky-headed Parakeets, Aratinga weddellii, see photo, (Dusky-headed Parakeets -above), maintain their prime spot beneath the overhanging bushes, despite the best efforts of the Macaws to dislodge them. As the colourful birds alight on the branches their bright colours merge with the varied foliage, photo. (Acrobatic Chestnut-fronted Macaws -below).

One afternoon we motor the 4km upriver to the junction of the Rios Capahuari and Kusutkau where we fish for Piranha. Our bait is thin strips of red meat. Immediately, small, fat-bellied, black and yellow Piranha miniatures are razoring the bait from our hooks. As we coax them to the surface they dart away.

Naturally, the local Ashuar, the boatman and our guide demonstrate the method. Soon, a respectable number of the more familiar Piranha have been landed, demanding some initiative to remove the hook from those eager jaws. The gringos make a small contribution. Returning along the Capahuari we spot a Pink River Dolphin, Inia geoffrensis. The gentle creature rises a number of times as we follow its path, but we fail to get a photo. The guides suggest that they are coming this far up because river levels are rising. We also glimpse a medium sized Capybara, Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris, as it swims into the vegetation. Its’ reddish rectangular head held above the surface.

That evening we dine with an elegant side dish of grilled Piranha. Highly recommended.

On other morning river excursions many birds and the occasional monkey, see photo, (Red Howler monkey) could be seen from the boat as we drifted along the Rio Capahuari and its creeks. There were regular sightings of the noisy and garrulous Hoatzin, (Opithocomous hoazin),see photo, (Hoatzin) as small groups perched ungainly in the tops of the riverside bushes. These colourful turkey-like birds hissed and croaked their displeasure at our presence.

The local indigenous Ashuar pole their dugout canoe upstream, clinging to the slacker waters of the shallows.(Dugout punt), The morning light mirrors the vegetation of the river banks, see photo, (Capahuari reflections). As morning develops, the birds quieten and breakfast beckons.

Our final river trip was in a 12ft rubber dinghy (rib), which was taken several km upstream strapped to the bows of the canoe. We then drifted lazily with the current. Three of us decided to go for a swim. The water was blissfully cool as our sweaty bodies were cleansed. Our legs were not nibbled, (piranhas preferring the slacker waters), we had seen no Caimen, and only one water snake. We had heard stories of strange methods of entry by parasites, but the water was coo……ool. We drifted with the dinghy. As we turned to swim back to the boat, we recognised the pull of the current. It was a tough swim the 30m back, during which time we probably drifted 300m.

The attraction of this vessel was the silent approach, No vibrating , chuntering outboard, no clanking gearbox. We see a number of birds. A sleek flycatcher, the Tropical Kingbird, Tyrannus melancholicus , that tirelessly and repeatedly dives into the water after insects, See photo,(Tropical Kingbird). two other birds of particular note, which also drew enthusiastic murmurings from the guides were, the Plumbeous Kite, Ictinea plumbea,see photo, (Plumbeous Kite) and the Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Cathartes melambrotus, photo (Greater Yellow-headed Vulture).

Our Friday morning river trip was cancelled due to torrential rain from 04:00 hrs. I was awake at six, and dressed nonetheless to watch the sun rise a few minutes later. As I looked over the cocha from my dry verandah, the rain formed a moving curtain in front of me. Gradually it stopped. The cocha had now filled from the shallow connection to the Capahuari. The water was only 3 feet below my feet. Four days ago the water had ben less than a foot deep, and some 14 feet below. The level had risen 11 feet in less than three days.

The rain stopped. As it did, the Philodendron plants, an antidote to the mosquito, were occupied by the morning chorus. Three yellow-breasted Social Flycatchers scattered back and forth, photo (Social Flycatcher). A pair of Masked Crimson Tanagers courted brazenly between the large round leaves, photo (Masked Crimson Tanagers). An Amazonian Kingfisher, Chloroceryle amazona, photo,(Amazonian Kingfisher), vies with a White-winged Swallow, Tachycineta albiventer, photo (White-winged Swallow), for the best perch. Two poles in the mud and the boardwalk rail, perfect models!

(

Jungle Treks at Kapawi Ecolodge - Days 5/8 - Tuesday 27th/ Friday 30th March

I’ve decided to accumulate the Treks into one Blog, and then perhaps one for the river trips.

They certainly work you hard at Kapawi ecolodge. There are many options on offer, and the daily activities can readily be suited to your particular needs or interests.

Our daily routine settled into an early morning (06:30 hrs) birdwatch from the motorised canoe & back for breakfast. This was a good start to the day. We usually returned at 09:00 hrs for an excellent breakfast followed by a short briefing. Mornings were occupied by a 2 - 3 hour jungle trek. We would then return for lunch, wringing wet from our exertions, shower from the solar-heated bag and then relax on the boardwalks and verandahs overlooking the lagoon (cocha), see photo,(Kapawi Ecolodge - relaxing). The afternoon would be filled with another trek, a river trip, or perhaps fishing for Piranha and Catfish. The evening meal was at 19:00 hrs. followed by a night jungle trek or a presentation. The day ended at 22:00 hrs, just in time for a beer in the very cosy bar/lounge.

A number of different treks gave varied experiences of the distinct habitats that were represented, from wet forest floor to well drained hillocks. Rarely was the vegetation impenetrable. The density of the understory was also limited by the exclusion of light by the larger trees, see photo, (Jungle Trek ).

Our first impression of the jungle (Tropical lowland forest), is of serious information overload. One of our group, John, from New York, aptly summed this up. “Every smallest thing, every large tree that you see has its’ own immense beauty, yet taken as a whole the first impression is one of unmitigated chaos”.

The strange names, the wierd adaptations, 2000 major plant species in each square kilometre. The challenge set was to spot a plant that was similar to the one we saw five minutes previously. Diversity at its most extreme. The fascinating links, particularly between the many fungal micorrhiza, plants and trees. Chemical warfare on a major and unseen scale. Plant with plant associations, animal with plant, super complex food webs and inter-relationships.

Then there were the animals. Warning!! Do not come to the jungle for five days, noisily tramp around with a small group of chatty people, and expect to be tripping over the odd snake, puma, jaguar, tapir, peccary, or any other mammal. The same goes for iguanas and birds. Twittering ecotourists are the real reason that interested ecotourists do not realise their expectations.

If however, you would enjoy the experience of convivial company, excellent food, a cultural enlightenment, wet and warm jungle treks, exploration by river canoe, and the frequent sighting of interesting species, then Kapawi would give you all of this.

If you really want to see animals in the jungle, you can of course go it alone. Naturally, Kapawi ecolodge makes this all possible.

Just behind my lodge was the entrance to a 3 km self-guided trail. This was the first trail that we had walked. Elestino, our Achuar field guide, introduced us to the animals. We saw tracks, many many insects, see photos, (Ants Nest),(False Scorpion), (Red Stick Insect) and an Iguana stalking a Ruby poison dart frog, (Iguana) and (Ruby Poison Dart Frog)

If you wanted to see the wildlife on offer, you really had to dig deeper. At the edge of our track we see a Tarantula, photo,(Tarantula in tunnel). It was wise to watch your feet.

The many vines, decaying logs and plant runners were a continual hazard. You would not want to trip and grab at the many spines and needles adorning palm trunks and aerial roots.

Near to the start of the self-guided trail, there was a resident monkey. Several of our group had seen it, so one night I ventured along the track alone to the monkey’s tree. As instructed, I diligently knocked on the tree trunk with a piece of wood. In the light of my head torch, I saw the small shape of a head appear some 40 feet above. Then it retreated. This was so often the case with birds and scurrying insects. They were there, but only briefly showed themselves.

The eerie light of the moon dimly lit the forest floor, black and grey patches moving and changing. If you listened, the jungle was talking to you. The rasp of cicadas, see photos, (Cicada in Tree) and (Cicadas mating) The clicks and taps of the frogs. Leaves rustling suddenly as an iguana was disturbed. Occasional contact calls between monkeys. Little to see.

Only in the light of a head-torch did you see the frogs (see photo, Christmas Tree Frog) and insects such as the aggressive Conga Ant, (Conga ant) as they moved at night from the forest floor to the understorey foliage. The sting of a conga ant is described as an experience that you will soon not forget - avoid being stung at all times. Only at the edge of the forest, was it possible to make out the many bats that flew low over the lagoon and between the stilts of the lodges.

One of our treks was designed to explore the extremely comprehensive medicinal possiblities of jungle plants. From cures for muscle pain to stomach disorders, the Cinchona plant that gave us quinine, treatments for hepatitis, and the use of poison seed extracts for stunning fish, and curare for poison darts used in blowpipes. The list is endless.

The science of Ethnobotany explores the diversity of plant species and suggests that lowland tropical rainforests are a treasure trove of medicinal plants. One critical question that must be posed is, “whose treasure trove?”

Where the scientists suggest that something in the order of 75% of all modern drugs have their origins in the rain forests, it is important that this resource is maintained for the future. The knowledge accumulated over millennia by the shaman, bee-keepers and elders of the many indigenous peoples is their intellectual property. The clear-cutting of the forest for timber, cattle pasture, and soya bean culture removes the medicine library and `westernises’ the indigenous peoples. Such a valuable resource is extremely precious. Probable cures for disease are being removed before they can be identified. Equally, the indigenous peoples should be acknowledged and rewarded for sharing their `intellectual property’.

Fortunately, areas like Kapawi and the southern Oriente can help to demonstrate these relationships. The simple examples given by our Ashuar guides readily highlight the importance of the rain forest for the western medical professions.

Similary, we were treated to a demonstration of hunting and trapping techniques. Elestino built a spring loaded trap for small animals, see photo, (Ashuar setting trap). No equipment - everything came from the jungle. The spring was a young sapling. The snare and other cords made from rolled palm leaf fibres. The fence to guide the prey towards the snare made from woven palm fronds. No metal, no string or any manufacted material. The forest is aptly labelled as the Achuar supermarket. All that you need is here.

Another time we are shown how to make a blow-pipe. The pipe made from two pieces of Palm stem, hollowed out with abrasive sand. The two halves are then heated and straightened. Then these two pieces are horizontally mated together in forked sticks set in the ground. The formation of the tube takes five days, each piece being rubbed against the other with the sand. The straightened and hollowed halves are then bound together with jungle twines and finally coated with a sticky secretion that is baked on, leaving the outer surface as though it had been laquered. In all, the full process takes a month.

Next blog - Jungle River Trips