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| Amazon
Guide |
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Introduction
In the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin, know as the Oriente, much is still
as it always has been. A tropical rainforest of towering trees,
diverse flora and inhabited by the birds, animals, insects, reptiles
and fish, much as it always has been. Sharing this forest are the
indigenous of Ecuador's’ nine Amazon tribal groups, many of
whom still live a traditional lifestyle and some of whom have avoided
completely contact with our culture.
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Getting There
Access to the Jungle is down one of the three roads from the Andes.
In the north from Quito, the best and most reliable, to the south
there is a road from Baños to Puyo, the largest town in the
Ecuadorian Amazon, and in the south there is access from Cuenca
to Macas. The forest along the roads has been opened for settlement,
and so for at least 10 kilometers either side of the roads there
are coffee, cacao and banana plantations and pastures for cattle.
Larger areas around the towns are also settled by colonists, making
a home for themselves in the jungle.
There are airfields at Lago Agrio, Coca and Macas, all with scheduled
flights from Quito. These services are notoriously unreliable, and
the weather can also stop flights. Many villages in the forest
have landing strips cut out of the forest, and air charters are
arranged from Shell in light aircraft.
Once away from the roads inside the rainforest the rivers are used
for travel, and so most settlements are along the banks of the rivers
where dugout canoes can be used for transport. Hiking through the
rainforest is tough and muddy, a challenge for the adventurer, although
from November to April there are some fantastic hikes from Andes
to Amazon, passing down ancient trade routes, through cloud forest
and remote villages.
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Health
The Amazon rainforest, contrary to its image can be a very comfortable
and healthy place to visit. To avoid health problems the three most
important things are to try to avoid being bitten by insects, and
be careful with personal hygiene, and to drink only boiled water.
It is usually not necessary to take prophylactics for malaria,
cholera etc. These many tropical diseases exist only at a background
level, and the temporary visitor is very unlikely to be exposed
to them. The only time it is certainly worth taking prophylactics
is if there is something epidemic in the area to be visited, or
if you plan to stay in the jungle for more than a few days. The
malaria that we have in the Amazon basin is cloroquil resistant,
and so the weekly tablet, Larium, is the best choice normally, if
you run the risk of being exposed to malaria by living with a family,
or if it becomes epidemic. Yellow fever injections are worth while,
as is an anti-tetanus booster. Injections against hepatitis should
be up to date.
The precautions that you can take to avoid insect bits include
the use of personal insect repellent, long sleeve shirts and slacks,
never leave the door to your room or tents open, even during the
day, not turning on an indoor light while the door or tent flap
is opened at night. Be cautious about laying on the beaches, as
sandflies may be a problem.
Don't pet the animals or birds that many people have living around
their homes. In pasture or grass areas be cautious about the possibility
of chiggers. Rubber boots provide protection for your legs against
both chiggers and sandflies, another strong reason for using them
in the jungle.
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Climate
Rainfall averages about 350 millimeters per month throughout the
year, although the second half of the year tends to be slightly
less than during the first half, there can be enormous daily variations.
The rainfall is usually limited to short periods of heavy rain,
although it can rain all day. September is usually the driest month
and March the wettest.
Temperature remains very steady through the year, and only varies
with altitude. In Puyo at 600 meters it is usually around 20C and
at Limoncocha at 200 meters the average temperature is 24.5C. The
coolest month is usually July and the hottest November, but the
range is little over 1C.
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Programs
For the visitor there are different ways to explore the rainforest:
- There are jungle lodges, usually expensive, deep in the forest
where visitors can experience the forest and have their best chance
of seeing monkeys and other mammals.
- There are canoe expeditions, combined with camping or basic
accommodation, usually these include something of the culture
of the area often with a community or family visit.
- There are both indigenous families and communities who welcome
visitors and are as interested in your culture as you are in theirs.
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are two distinct classes of trip. There are those that visit the
more populated areas with vehicle access to the destination, or
very close to it. Many of these tours are near the towns of Misahualli,
Tena and Puyo. While you are going to see the birds and butterflies,
and experience the rainforest, there is little chance of seeing
animals in the wild, because of the pressure of population. The
emphasis on many of these expeditions is more recreational.
The other class of trip use canoes as their principal form of transport,
and go deep into the forest, increasing the chance of seeing animals.
These trips are usually run out of Coca, Largo Agrio and also out
of Macas. You can also fly into the jungle by light aircraft. from
Shell, near Puyo. Often these trips will be more informative. Different
types of trips in different areas can be combined to create a more
complete jungle experience.
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