INTO THE JUNGLE: My enchanted Amazon safari

#Myenchantedadventure is coming to an end, and my travels with Enchanted Expeditions have taken me from the Andean Mountains to the Galapagos Islands, so it was only fitting that I finish off in epic fashion: The Amazon Rainforest.

Here are the links to my other Ecuador blogs if you wanna take a look!

It’s so amazing how many diverse landscapes can be found in the small country of Ecuador, each experience has been so different and special in its own way. And everything is so CLOSE — I flew from Quito to Coca, the gateway to the Amazon, and the flight was about 40 minutes (and SO beautiful).

Arriving in the Amazon I was just so so excited and grateful to be there. I mean it’s THE AMAZON. The lungs of our planet, the lushest most alive jungle I have ever experienced, home to fascinating (/terrifying) creatures that you won’t find anywhere else, it is such a special place and getting to experience it through Enchanted was truly AMAZING.

I stayed at Sacha Lodge, which is an absolutely stunning ecolodge set deep in the jungle (a 3-hour boat-walk-canoe journey from Coca), it feels so remote and removed from civilization and is just set to the most captivating soundtrack of the jungle. I think my favourite memory from here will just be laying in my beautiful room, listening to the jungle roar outside — frogs and crickets and birds on max volume all night long, and our first night there was a wild thunderstorm that make the ground shake, the rain was pounding on my roof and I loved every moment of it. Who needs sleep anyway.

Last time I went to the Amazon my experience was a lot more … rustic … so having my own luxurious, clean, *sealed* room to come back to after our jungle explorations was such a treat. I was obsessed with the shower with its floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the jungle, and my patio had not one but two hammocks (you know how I feel about hammocks). The property also had a beautiful open dining and bar area and the Balsa deck for breakfast (and our BBQ lunch), which looked out onto the majestic lake and Sacha’s caged lake pool. I mean how many people can say they swam in the Amazon (without risking piranha or caiman attacks)? It was seriously one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever stayed.

We woke up early and were out for our morning activity by 6:00, and an afternoon activity by 4 and sometimes a night activity after dinner. During the day we would enjoy a delicious lunch and some downtime. It all reminded me of safari, which is my favourite lifestyle in the world!

For our activities, we enjoyed canoe rides getting paddled peacefully through the canals, admiring the scenery — it was seriously so stunning. I could not get enough of it. Palm trees, kapok trees, vines wrapping around the trunks or hanging in strands for us to dodge with our heads as we glided along. We would sometimes see monkeys swinging from the trees (or breaking the branches to try and scare us away, lawl) or birds flying across the sky.

One morning we went to an Indigenous village with the Kichwa tribe, and the women showed us their way of life from preparing tea and chicha (which is quite potent), to the blow dart weapons, to cooking us local delicacies including palm hearts, plantains, and yes, some sus larvae (I didn’t try it but I have eaten all the bugs on my previous travels so just let me live ok). We saw their handicrafts, jewelry, and carvings and the common areas in which they congregate. There are 180 people in the village and some of them never leave the jungle. It’s an incredible lifestyle and kinda makes you think maybe we’re doing it wrong back home in the cities.

My favourite parts were going up to Sacha’s canopy structures, the suspension bridge and treehouse. Up here you can see the jungle in action, where the birds are soaring from tree-to-tree (sometimes right past our heads!) and we even saw a sloth in the very very very distance. The toucans were my favourite, and they posed for us for awhile. My new friend Ana from Guatemala is a hardcore birder and it was really cool to see their passion for the unique species here. We also did jungle walks where we saw animals like an owl, frogs, butterflies, a snake, and the newest creature of my nightmares, the bullet ant. No anaconda but that’s for next time!

I’m including an Amazon add-on to my next year’s #Galapalust tour so hope some of you can join me in experiencing this jungle magic. It was truly amazing and I am so grateful!!

Don’t forget your travel insurance!

Make sure you’re covered for your next adventure with SafetyWing Travel Medical Insurance. I use this for all my travelling, it’s great for the nomadic life and the cheapest option i’ve seen at $42/4 weeks, with a $250 deductible and $250 000 max limit. SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance also covers COVID-19!

If you use this link here, I will get a teeny commission to help fund my adventures (at no extra cost to you) and would love you forever!