A wonder of nature
One of the four worlds that Ecuador has to offer is the Amazon Rainforest, a true wonder of nature that can give you that plus that you were looking for when visiting this great country. You will be thrilled with everything that can be found in there, having the chance to bring memories home in this once in a lifetime experience, so better to be safe than sorry, bring enough battery and memory cards for your camera as you won’t stop shooting pictures.
The Amazon Rainforest largely covers the Amazon River Basin with a region of 1.7 billion acres. 60% of the rainforest is contained in Brazil with the remainder spreading through Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and of course, Ecuador. The Amazon covers slightly less than half of Ecuador, although less than 5% of the population lives in this dense rainforest. According to Conservation International, Ecuador has more biodiversity per square meter than any other nation largely due to the rich biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest and the Galapagos Islands.
The variety of wildlife in the Amazonian jungle ranges from large mammals like tapirs, jaguars, monkeys, and river dolphins, to colorful birds including macaws, parrots, tanagers, millions of fascinating insects, and even a species of fungus that has been recently discovered to possess the ability to biodegrade plastic. The Amazon rain forest is truly the treasure chest of life on Earth.
The Ecuadorian Amazon is an ideal location for visitors. There is a wide variety of visitor lodges in this region offering guests comfortable accommodations and a seemingly endless list of daily activities. Most of these jungle lodges are all inclusive providing housing, food, and naturalist guides to accompany guests on their adventurous excursions in the woods.
Tourism in the Amazon region is well developed in Ecuador, but the important conservation of this remote, rich, and magical region is never pushed to the side. The jungle lodges are all designed with ecofriendly intentions and work hard to preserve the environment. Besides offering visitors a chance to experience the wild Amazon, they also educate them about the crucial conservation of the region.
Colloquially known as El Oriente, the Ecuadorian Amazon region occupies the eastern portion of the country from the eastern slopes of the Andes to the eastern border. The climate is warm and tropical and as any rainforest, receives plenty of precipitation. Despite being a remote region, it can be easily accessed from Quito by airplanes offering nonstop service to towns such as Coca and Lago Agrio.
Cuyabeno and Yasuní National Parks are world class biological reserves in Ecuador’s Amazonia preserving millions of species. This region is also home to several vibrant indigenous cultures, and visitors often have the chance to interact with them in special ways. The Amazon has all the allure that any guest could imagine when visiting such a famous, exotic land.
Flora & Fauna in the Amazon Jungle
9 countries. 1.2 billion acres. 20% of the world’s oxygen. Over 10 million species of animals, plants and insects. The figures are outstanding and quite frankly overwhelming.
There is no doubt that the Amazon rainforest is a place like no other and Ecuador’s Amazonia offers it’s very own taste of this captivating abundance of flora and fauna.
The interesting Flora and Fauna in the Amazon Jungle gives the impression of living in a paradise. Practically with every step a new species of plant is revealed. Half the world’s species of plant including exotic species of trees, flowers, herbs and spices such as the Yuca root, cinnamon and orchids, that provide the base for many medicines, foods and decorations can be enjoyed in their natural environment.
While the flora provides the backdrop to this Amazonian experience, mammals, birds and insects play above, below and alongside you as you journey through the rich jungle. Fifteen types of primates call the Ecuadorian Amazon Jungle home, swinging from tree to tree, as birds representing half of South American avifauna fly overhead. The Amazon River Dolphin swims the streams, as jaguars and white lipped peccaries hide in the dense forest.
A journey to the Amazon Jungle is a discovery of the senses as the cries of howler monkeys, fragrant plants, colourful birds and unusual flavours merge to offer an experience like you have never known. As you divulge into the wild, what better way to experience the Amazon Jungle than from a Jungle Lodge?