Life in the Rainforest

Pilchicocha Lake
View from the Capoc Tree
Amazing sunset
Poison Dart Frog
Warrior of the Jungle!

The lodge covers a large area and as well as the lake and raised walk ways there is a butterfly farm, many many trails through the rainforest, a 45m tree house, or viewing tower if you want to be boring, built around a capoc tree and three 45m look out towers connected with above canopy walk ways. The best time to see, hear and feel the wildlife is early morning, late afternoon and at night, so with 5am wake up calls and 8pm night walks and canoes there was plenty of time mid day to rest - if you hadn´t eaten too much or wanted to visit the butterflies, or go in search of the pygmy marmasets or watch the spider monkeys, or, or or. Night walks produced many spiders, grass hoppers, crickets, tiny snails, lizard type things, fire flies along with all the noise of the forest including an owl and the movement of monkies. The night canoe was very peaceful with many fireflies flitting about the forest in the distance and a very large caiman that scared the beegeebers out of me as we canoed into it and it launched itself into the lake. The mornings and afternoons had many bird sightings, far too many to name them all but among the more common ones were toucans, parrots, hawks, kites, woodpeckers, vultures and many many more. We also saw and heard many groups of red howler monkies, along with the spider and capachin monkies around the lodge and the tiny tiny pygmy marmaset, that is so small it can only eat the sap from one particular tree. We had an Ecuadorian and Quichian guide for all activities so we learnt many things about the plants in the jungle and the way of life of the local people that still live in and for the jungle. There was also a visit to a local women´s house where we were shown how she lives, her house and garden and all the plants and their uses that are just common day to day happens for the local people. We were also privelaged to share with her some cooked yucca, breadfruit, plaintain, all served with hot sauce and washed down with chica - the local alcoholic beverage made from corn. A great experience all round and a great lodge and location.