I had the amazing opportunity to spend 4 days in the Amazon jungle. These days I spent at Waita Amazon Lodge, located in the Cuyabeno reserve in Ecuador. 4 days might seem like a short amount of time for a trip, but I truly experienced so many things, that it felt like much longer. My time in the jungle may have been the best 4 days of my life so far, and I would love to tell you all about this beautiful experience!
Day one:
The trip started at midnight in Quito, where the bus left taking us on an 8-hour long ride to Nueva Loja. Upon arrival, I was offered a delicious breakfast and before I knew it, it was already 9:30 a.m. Time to start the road trip to Aguarico River. During the bus ride, it was so interesting to see the transition from a crowded city with a lot of cars and traffic, to a secluded quiet road surrounded by only nature and a small number of houses. After around two hours we reached Aguarico River, here we had the opportunity to use the restroom, change our clothes, and eat some lunch before going on the canoe.
The canoe ride took around 3 hours and if it were up to me, a few hours longer would have been fine too. I was honestly just mesmerized by my surroundings. The river, the trees, the pink dolphins, and all the birds, it was beautiful. I took so many pictures, but it really does not do justice to the view in real life. For the canoe ride, I recommend wearing sunscreen and bringing a cap and sunglasses with you, as the sun is really strong.
After three hours on the river, we arrived at Waita Lodge. We all got assigned our rooms and had some time to relax and get settled into our cabins. Around 8 pm it was time for dinner. We all sat together around the big table, ate our delicious food, and got to know each other.
After dinner, our guide told us we were going on a night walk through the dark jungle. I put on long clothes and sprayed myself with mosquito repellent, grabbed my flashlight, put on my rubber boots and I was ready to explore the nocturnal animals. And that happened, we barely took 2 steps into the forest, and we immediately came face to face with a tarantula. Diego, our amazing guide, told us all about it. We kept walking through the muddy path, and we found so many more spiders ants, and other insects. I have never really been an insect kind of person, but it was very interesting learning about the little creatures of the forest.
When we got back to the lodge, I sat on the front deck with a few others. We watched the mesmerizing sky full of so many stars while enjoying some drinks and getting to know each other better
Day 2:
The first morning at the Lodge was an early one. There was an early-morning canoe ride planned for us to enjoy the sunrise and spot birds. I found the boat ride so peaceful with the sound of the birds chirping as they were waking up. We were able to see so many different types of birds, my personal favorites were definitely the parakeets eating from the clay and the toucans. The activity lasted about 2 hours. When we returned, a delicious breakfast was already waiting for us at the lodge.
After breakfast, I decided to go swimming in the river behind the lodge until the next activity started. The sun was shining so bright and for the time of day, it was very warm, so it was nice to be able to freshen up in the river.
At 10 am the second activity of the day started. It was time for another exploration through the jungle. We began the walk at the same starting place as the night walk, but this time we explored a different part of the forest. As we kept walking deeper into the jungle, Diego told us more about the different animals and insects we saw along the way. The way he talks about the jungle and explains everything makes you want to listen; he really knows how to get everyone’s attention. Along the way, we also learned about some special plants and their healing effects. We were headed to see a giant tree with huge roots, and on our way, we saw a group of adorable little monkeys! When we arrived at the giant tree, I was in shock at how tall it actually was. We walked all the way around it, took some pictures, touched the huge roots for good energy, and then started the walk back to the lodge.
This day was extremely hot, so after the walk, I went for another swim to cool off a little. As the next activity was at 5 pm, we had the whole afternoon free. I chilled all day, enjoyed the sun, and read my book. I absolutely loved the fact that there was no internet connection at the lodge, it meant I had to disconnect from my phone, and it led me to be more present and in the moment.
Our last activity of the day was before dinner. At 5 pm we got on the canoe for an evening boat ride. We saw pink dolphins again and were able to stop and swim next to them. It was so surreal to swim in the river and see the dolphins just a few meters away! We got back in the boat and went to the Bocanada, where the two rivers meet. We stopped and got out of the canoe to watch the sun setting beautifully behind the trees. When the sun set, we got back in the canoe and sailed back to the lodge through the dark. Being in the total dark on a river surrounded by trees and nothing else, the sky was insane. Never in my life have I seen more stars in the sky. It was not only the millions of stars that you could see, but the whole Milky Way was also visible. We stopped the canoe and sat there in 10 minutes of pure silence just taking everything in and enjoying the stars. When we arrived back at the lodge, dinner was already waiting for us.
Day 3:
Even when we didn’t have an early morning activity planned, I still got woken up around 6:30 am by the sun shining and the birds chirping. I got out of bed and sat in a hammock reading my book until breakfast was served. Breakfast was delicious, just as any meal I had during my stay at the lodge.
After breakfast, I got ready for our first activity of the day: paddle boarding! We took the boards on the boat and went upstream. After a little while the boat stopped, and it was time for us to get on the paddle boards. While on the boards on the water, we saw some pink dolphins really close next to us. It was crazy to be so close to them, again! Driven by the current we began paddling back to the lodge. It was a long way, but I really enjoyed it. It was easy to paddle thanks to the current being in our favor.
15 minutes after we got back to the lodge we were hit with a huge downpour of rain. The weather took a huge turn from warm and sunny when we were on the river, to dark and rainy while we were having lunch. It rained until around 4:30 pm, so in the meantime, we all hung out and relaxed in de common area and played some card games.
It stopped raining just in time for our second activity of the day. We took the boats again and went fishing, or at least we tried. The activity was very calm and straightforward. Each pair received a fishing rod and bait. We all tried our best but did not really succeed. Our group of 14 people caught 4 fish in total. All 4 very small piranhas that we had to throw back because they were too small to eat. Even though we didn’t catch much, I still had so much fun trying it for myself and seeing the rest of the group trying their best too.
After our not-so-successful fishing trip, we got back to the lodge and went straight on our last night walk of the trip. During this last walk, we were able to see a snake hanging in a tree, we also saw a huge toad and of course a lot of spiders and ants. We returned back to the lodge for our last dinner all together, as this was our last night in the lodge.
Day 4:
Time at Waita Lodge flew, and it was already time to leave this amazing place. Before leaving we still had one last activity planned: climbing the bird observation tower. The almost 30-meter-tall tower is built around one of the largest trees in the area. From up there you get the last chance to see the beautiful jungle from such a unique perspective. Afterward, it was time to enjoy our last breakfast together at the lodge. I prepared my luggage for the return trip and said goodbye to the lodge and the amazing people working there.
After saying goodbye, we got on the canoes and left the Amazon jungle. And that concludes the 4 most amazing days at Waita Amazon Lodge. It was so peaceful and comfortable.
I am so grateful that I got to explore this beautiful place and meet some amazing people along the way. I already can’t wait to go back someday!
Written by Laura Bravo
