Snaking through the bends of the Cuyabeno River one final time, my mind wandered back to those days of intense planning, documentation, and embassy visits for Ecuador. Never before had we spent so much time and money to visit a single country. But since childhood, I had dreamt of what the Amazon would look like, smell like, and feel like; speculating in my mind about what lies deep inside, further upstream.
And here I am, after crossing two continents from India , spending 5 amazing days in Galapagos and travelling 12 hours by road through the Ecuadorian countrysideโready to lay my eyes on the Amazon!
Did the thought of โwill it be worth all the pain and money spent to visit Amazon rainforest from Indiaโ cross my mind? Well, I would be lying if I say โNoโ!
Table of Contents
Is it really special?
What was special? What was the allure?
Well, let me tell you, we hadnโt seen even 10% of the total life out there during the 120 hours spent deep inside the Cuyabeno National Park of the Ecuadorian Amazon. But the uncertainty at every serpentine bend, the uncompromisingly thick vegetation, the bizarre junglescape, and not knowing which pair of eyes from the jungle-sky-water were watching us, blew our minds!
Walking into the heart of the Amazon in the darkest hours of night, seeing an army of leaf-cutter ants carrying leaves more than seven times their weight in perfect synchronization, being amazed by observing how caimans hunt at night, how the roars of red howler monkeys can freak one out, and how capuchin and squirrel monkey gangs move together through the branchesโthe very act of tracking shapes, smells, colors, and sounds to locate animals was goosebump-inducing!
No two people in a group can see the same number of animals, and even your guide can only identify 50% of things out there after spending 15 years in the same jungle. It is no national park where safari vans take you to predefined places to see designated animals up close. Here you have to wait, keep your eyes open, and trust your guideโs instincts to spot that one perfectly camouflaged common potooโwho is holding on for dear life from the eyes of the harpy eagle. If he moves his head by an inch, he will become a thing of the pastโwelcome to the true Wild. In a square acre, there is more life eating another life than anywhere else on our planet. Life is just a temporary show here; evolution and death make the Amazon the largest battlefieldโand that is what makes everything worth it!
The first view after 18 hours on road
After spending five amazing days in the Galapagos Islands, we were back in Quito (the capital of Ecuador). Then we took an overnight bus from Quito to a small town called Lago Agrio. From there, we were picked up by our lodge hosts in the Amazon.
After a 3.5-hour drive through some villages of Ecuador, we reached the starting point of our boat ride on Aguarico River. We had a quick lunch and got into a motorized canoe for the final leg of our journey. After a 2.5-hour upstream ride on the Aguarico River and then 30 minutes more on the Cuyabeno River, we finally reached our home for the next four nights: Waita Lodge, deep inside the Cuyabeno National Park of the Ecuadorian Amazon, completely surrounded by untouched primary forest!
No amount of imagining, hoping, waiting have prepared me for the mind-blowing reality of setting eyes on it for the first time! No books, documentaries, or daydreaming can prepare you for this!
Waita Lodge and Our First Night
As soon as we reached the lodge, our guide Diego welcomed us with some delicious fryums and drinks. Let me tell you, in the heart of the Amazon, you canโt expect luxuryโbut you can expect warmth and amazing hospitality. At that time, it hadnโt rained for seven days, and the weather was quite humid. Amidst limited electricity, no fans, and creepy crawliesโwe were privileged to have a cozy hut, a comfortable bed, and hammocks to chill in endlessly.
After dinner, we were all set for our first night walk. And what an experience it was. To walk the Amazon by night is to enter a world where you are overwhelmed by the million heartbeats around you. Some exchange chemical signals, others complex vocalizations outside our auditory spectrum, and almost all have night vision. The jungle at night is the greatest freak show on earthโwe saw a sloth sleeping up in the trees, an army of ants, a couple of snakes, frogs, and numerous insects.
As soon as we got into bed after 48 hours (since we left the Galapagos two days before) and were ready to fall asleepโthe sky burst! Thatโs when the whole jungle came alive. The song of a million insects and frogs filled that night. Out there in the jungle, in the darkness, there were a million heartbeats around us. We were out in the real earthโthe wild earthโsurrounded by snakes, jaguars, and tarantulas.
First Day in the Amazon
The rain continued throughout the night and into the morning. The other group staying there, who had already been there for four days when we arrived, left amidst the rain.
We skipped our morning activity; however, after breakfast, Diego took us for a jungle walk. Rain in the rainforest and walking inside a dense primary forest can be the most surreal combination in the world. Seeing the forest from inside is like looking at the vault of the universe where all secrets are kept. Diego showed us various species and poured out his years of knowledge about the forest around us.
In the evening, we went for our first canoe ride on the river. We saw the elusive pink river dolphin and quite a few species of birdsโand then we experienced the most magical thing: sunset over the canopy!
It was undoubtedly one of the most surreal experiences of our lives. Climbing a wobbly tower, we were presented with the most magical sky of our lives. Half the life in the Amazon is up in the canopy, which in some places is 150 feet high and inaccessible to us. Species roam in those branches, many of them unseen by anyoneโwithout any names!
At night, we went for a canoe ride in the river with darkness all around and our boat as the only thing in the middle of nowhere. Nights on the river can be the most goosebump-inducing thing ever. Putting on a headlamp and going out at night in the middle of it is a dizzying high.
The next few days
On our third day at Waita Lodge on the Cuyabeno River, we went for an early morning boat ride to see the forest waking up. We saw insanely colorful macaws and parrots at a clay lick where they come to eat salt.
Later that day, we went again on the river to spot several monkeysโcapuchin, red howler, squirrel, titi, to name a few. We also saw pink river dolphins.
While the sun was shining, we went for a quick swim in the river. Yes, in the Amazon River. I tried not to think of what could be under that brown waterโthe hundreds of caimans, piranhas, the penis-eating fish, stingrays, electric eels, or even worse things we didnโt know about. But when we plunged in, there was nothing. The river bottom was sandy and free of seaweed or leaves, only smooth, uninterrupted sand. The water was cool and refreshing.
In the afternoon, we went for some piranha fishing, and at night, Diego took us for another night walk in the jungle where we saw the iconic tarantula.
On our last day in the Amazon, we did three amazing things
Canoeing Through a Floating Forest:
Navigating through the floating forest at dawn is a surreal and very spooky experience. The floating part isnโt very stable; one wrong step and your canoe may hit a tree. It was a totally different place, we had to navigate carefully and scan the submerged trees for any sign of elusive anacondas . As we slowly moved, we passed only the tops of the aguaje palms whose bases lay rooted to the lakeโs floor forty or fifty feet below. While this unique ecosystem is home to a number of animals, including caimans, owls, numerous fish, and the queen of the Amazonโanacondas! We were unlucky (or lucky!) not to spot one.
Walking Through a Swamp in the Forest:
A swamp is a forested wetland, and like marshes, theyโre often found near lakes or rivers or inside forests where water and mud are stored with slow-draining mineral soil. In the Amazon, swamps sustain communities of animals that benefit from the ecosystemโs rich nutrients, water, and shelter.Itโs not just animals that benefit from the mineral-rich soil; people living in the Amazon region also take advantage of the ecosystemโs resources. For almost two hours, we walked through a lot of swampy areas.
Catching Piranhas:
We finally got lucky as two of our group-mates from Canada caught piranhasโand we had them for dinner. They were really tasty!
Do you know?ย Forty percent of South America is covered by the Amazon, and it can be seen from nine countries. The Amazon River, stretching from the Peruvian Andes to the Atlantic coast of Brazil, serves as the lifeblood of this immense region.
How to choose the right place to see the Amazon
If you are visiting Amazon rainforest from India, you have so many options. Let’s first see them and then will break down where you need to go to see what
Brazilian Amazon
Brazil offers extensive river cruises, the famous Pantanal wetlands, and numerous eco-lodges.
Gateway : ย Manaus
How to reach :Fly to Manaus from Rio or Sao Paulo
Choose because :
It has Largest share of the rainforest
Watch Giant Water Lilies
See the main Amazon River in full size where Rio Negro and Rio Solimo mixed and retain their own colours.
VISA requirement :Yes for Indian Passport holders (need to visit embassy), irrespective of having US or long term Schengen VISA
For tours, you can try this one 3, 4 or 5-Day Tour at Tapiri Rio Negro Lodge
Peruvian Amazon
Peru has two amazing places to see Amazon
Tambopata National Park in south
Gateway :ย Puerto Mandonado
How to reach :ย Fly to Puerto Maldonado from Lima or Cusco
Choose because :
- Easily accessible and cost effective
- Largest clay licks to see parrot and macaw
- Two great rivers – Madre di Dios and Tambopata
- Can take budget day tours from Puerto Maldonado
Pacaya Samiria National Park in North
Gateway :ย Iquitos
How to reach :ย Fly to Iquitos from Lima or Cusco
Choose because :
- One of the most pristine and secluded areas of Amazon
- Look for pink river dolphins
- Sit on river Amazon itself
- Take multi-day boat tour to access remote areas
VISA requirement :ย Yes for Indian Passport holders (need to visit embassy), on arrival if you have US or long term Schengen VISA
For tours, you can try this one Iquitos, Peru 3 day tour :
Ecuadorian Amazon
Again has two amazing national parks and situated in the eastern slope of Andes where bio diversity is really high. Also on the opposite side of Brazil and Peruvian Amazon – which are more closer to Atlantic ocean
Cuyabeno National Parkย (we visited this)
Gateway :ย Lago Agrio
How to reach :ย Overnight bus to Lago Agrio from Quito
Choose because :
- Easily accessible and cost effective
- Largest number of lakes and creeks
- Great wildlife viewing opportunity
- Highest bio diversity in the world
Yasuni National Parkย (we recommend this among all of Brazil/Peru/Ecuador)
Gateway :ย Coca
How to reach :ย Overnight bus to Coca from Quito
Choose because :
- Most pristine forest of Amazon
- A bit costly but exclusive and pure
- Sitting on Napo river and feels more untouched
- Canopy walk is one of the best here
VISA requirement :ย Yes for Indian Passport holders (need to visit embassy)
You can check our very detailed video on how to get Ecuador VISAย on YouTube
For tours to Amazon in Ecuador , can’t recommend Ecuatraveling more – we had the best expereience with them at Waita Lodge.ย
Which type of experience to choose
Jungle Lodges in the Amazon Rainforest:
Jungle lodges provide an immersive experience by being set within or near wildlife reserves. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of the jungle, these lodges offer guests the opportunity to explore the rainforest through guided excursions, allowing a deeper understanding of the ecosystem. The more remote the lodge, the greater the chances of wildlife sightings, providing a more intimate encounter with the jungle environment.
River Cruises in the Amazon Rainforest:
River cruises offer the advantage of mobility, enabling guests to explore a larger area and various ecosystems within the Amazon rainforest. These cruises feature several excursions where guests disembark for daytime activities before returning to the ship in the evening to sleep in their cabins. This allows for a diverse and comprehensive exploration of the Amazon while maintaining comfortable accommodations.
5 things you can't miss packing while visiting Amazon Rainforest from India
1 – Water Bottle
2 – Mosquito repelent
3 – Hat
4 – Rain poncho
5- Slippers
Closing thoughts
So that was it. After spending four unforgettable nights, we left the place. From where we had seen โlifeโ to reach the heart of so-called civilization!
As our motor canoe finally left the Cuyabeno River, a pair of oropendolas crossed flying above to say โAdios!โ
Want us to help you plan your trip? We would love to !! ย
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