The jungle rhythms are what stays in your head, long after you've left the meandering muddy rivers. The cicada buzz, the bird calls, the cries of the howler monkeys and the rain filtering through the canopy layers. An incredible Amazon orchestra that we were privileged to listen to for four amazing days and which resulted in the best nights sleep we have had on our trip so far.
We took an 8hr overnight bus to Lago Agrio, followed by a 2hr connecting bus to Cuyabeno River and a 2hr canoe ride up stream to get to Siona Lodge: our amazon home. The cabins were rustic and beautiful with hammocks on the balcony that overlooked Lago Grande. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that the lakes water was too acidic for mosquitoes so we could enjoy hammock time without the threat of malaria.
Jacob was our guide and he never failed to amaze us with his ability to recognise bird calls and animals given a small patch of fur or feathers in an upmost branch. He had grown up in the jungle and was so passionate about sharing his home with us. His enthusiasm was infectious and the group readily ignored sore, stiff butts from hours in wooden canoes and relished each opportunity to search for animals in rain, hail or shine.
The days were filled with canoe trips or hikes through primary forest, observing animals, ancient trees, learning about medicinal plants and bush survival. One day we visited a local community where we learnt to make Yucca bread and visited a Shaman. The afternoons were for relaxing in hammocks, chatting with new friends, swimming, siestas and watching the most incredible sunsets. At night we took to the jungle again in search of nocturnal forest friends.
After being spoilt by the curious and social animals of the Galapagos we had to adjust our viewing expectations. The animals of the Amazon have many predators and in a fight for survival they are well camouflaged and shy. Whilst the jungle was alive with sounds and we knew animals were lurking in every tree hollow, it was often very hard to see them. Saying that the binoculars got a work out and we saw seven different species of monkeys playing and feeding, the glowing red eyes of caiman, boas in trees, a clump of sloth fur and many exotic birds. We also saw bird-eating tarantulas, tiny bats, scorpions, soldier ants and the ever-ugly pink dolphins! Colleen had a midnight bed-visit from a very dangerous banana spider and Ged took on a puma and won!
Though the animals were cool it was the wild and wonderful trees that were my favourite. The way they were entwined, covered in moss, dangled with vines and home to a plethora of animals. The way they would work together in symbiotic relationships or fight each other to the death for every skerick of sunlight. Thousands of shades of green and brown, some growing towards the ground in search of nutrients and others towards the sun. Some were higher and wider than the magic faraway tree and got me wondering if MoonFace's slippery slide did in fact run down the middle. It felt very surreal being in the middle of the world's biggest rainforest and amidst our greatest source of oxygen. A powerful feeling of energy that I doubt we will ever forget.
Below are some of our jungle sightings, some of the animal and the fantastic group we spent our time with.
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