My experience in the Jungle with Nicky Lodge
My name is Mel and I am originally from Ecuador. However, I have lived my whole life in Europe (Spain and UK). Now that I am back in Ecuador to get to know the culture and country, visiting the Amazon was a must-do!
The accommodation that I chose is Nicky Lodge, because it has the best reviews on TripAdvisor and has won some environmental awards, which is important to me. I spent 4 days and 3 nights in the Cuyabeno reserve and my experience with them was amazing!
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The lodge itself has around 8 cabins of which some are shared and others are private. To me, they were jungle luxury! The roof is made from impermeable leaves that are renewed every 5 years. This really gave me “George of the jungle” or “Tarzan” vibes. Each cabin has a terrace with its own hammock. Perfect for some relaxation between the expeditions! Also, every bed has a mosquito net so you don’t have to worry during your sleep. The worst that can happen is that a frog or, in my case, a giant loud cicada that gets in.
Everything about the culture of the lodge just seemed right! From the way we were treated to the way that the crew works together. They have absolutely amazing guides that genuinely are passionate about the birds, the monkeys, the frogs, and every living creature around. For me, this is a golden point! They made all the activities so unique and memorable. Oh! And don’t even get me started on the flora and fauna of the Amazon. It’s mind-blowing! From small flowers to huge 30-meter-high and 300-year-old trees! It is a unique ecosystem, perfectly established by Mother Nature. Every single plant and insect help each other out to survive and flourish. It’s the cycle of life!
My favorite activity was visiting the Siona indigenous community, where we got to try exotic fruits straight from the tree, make yucca bread and witness how people are still living from what the jungle gives them. Besides this activity, we did a lot of birdwatching’s early in the morning and night walks to look for insects! We even got to see a Tarantula hidden next to the lodge.
During the canoe expedition to Laguna Grande we experienced one of the greatest sunsets I have ever seen. Here, we could jump out of the canoe to swim. No worries! The guides scare the caimans away before ;). On our way back, we got to paddle the canoe by ourselves which added to the team spirit and created a blanket of silence over the Amazon.
A great experience that you cannot miss when visiting Ecuador!
Written by: Mel