Ecuador

Jungle Fever - What to Expect from an Amazon Adventure

The Amazon. Otherwise known as the ‘Lungs of Planet Earth’ because it produces more than 20% of the world’s oxygen. It is a vast rainforest reaching into Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia, and boasts one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. Life here moves at a different pace, and you’ll find it easy to slip into the jungle way of life – early starts to watch the sunrise, daily excursions to visit remote tribes and learn about their culture, boat trips to see endless wildlife and night-time adventures to discover the magic that goes on when the sun sets and the jungle comes alive with nocturnal creatures.

I was lucky enough to enjoy a few days in the Ecuadorian Amazon earlier this year, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Here are a few of my highlights...

All You Need is Ecuador

Catherine! Un gusto conocerte! This was a phrase I heard over and over again in Ecuador, always with the emphasis on gusto – it was a genuine pleasure to meet me. Contrary to how this might be construed, it says more about the Ecuadorian people than it does about my likeability as a person (although I am charming).

I crossed the border into Ecuador at 5am on a dark, but already warm and sticky morning. Going through immigration was a shock to the system, ejected from the dark morning into the harsh fluorescent lighting, to stand in line for a passport stamp while babies cried and a group of teenagers on a school trip shouted excitedly over one another. It was not a particularly pleasant experience, but it was soon forgotten. Back on the bus, I could not bring myself to doze, overcome as I was by the sensation of being in a new country.