This has been the absolute highlight of our trip so far, from the moment we arrived we were impressed. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to do it justice!
We were always going to the Amazon but after a chance conversation Stewart had in a hostel kitchen in Guatemala with a young guy who was passionate about Waita Lodge being the best place you could go, as it was further down the river, away from the tourist area, we switched plans and booked with Waita Lodge. We are so pleased we did. It was idyllic and secluded; we didn’t see another tour boat the whole time we were there.
Getting there was a trek though. Everyone does an overnight bus from Quito (Secret Garden Hostel pick-up) regardless of what destination you’re going to in the Amazon, (unless you have money and want to fly closer). Then at the ‘meeting point’ in Nueva Loja in the morning, everyone disembarks. Some go into the restaurant for a complimentary breakfast, others get on a bus straightaway to their lodge or if you’re with Waita, you wait … with a free coffee.
A bus then turned up … a whole bus just for the two of us! (Waita usually have up to 10 people at a time). We then had 2 more hours down towards a river, where we sat on a bench and waited at the last proper outpost before the Amazon rainforest starts. This was my least favourite bit. It was hot, a bit smelly, the toilets were locked and we weren’t sure what was happening and how long anything would be.
After an hour, our boat turned up with last week’s guests (8 of them) and we were taken to the loos; our bags and supplies for the week were loaded on a motor boat. We then had 3 hours on two different rivers, either marvelling at how crazy it felt to be in the Amazon or dozing.
Arriving at Waita was a little bit of magic. Thatched roofed buildings nestled on the edge of a lagoon, with a comfortable communal space and simple thatched bedrooms. We were greeted with fresh juice and lunch, before we paddled out with our guide, Jefferson, to get to know the area around the lodge and be introduced to the ‘stinky turkeys’ who lived across the pond.
We were quite apprehensive at first to be the only 2 there all week with a guide as there’s no one to share the guide’s attention with, especially when it’s just the 3 of you for breakfast, lunch and tea; at first it felt a bit awkwards but it actually turned out to be brilliant. We felt spoilt by the end of the week. On our last day we did have the company of a couple from the UK, just into their 30s, who had done much the same as us – given it all up for a while. It was lovely to share in their wonder, after getting used to it all week.
Every day, we got up at 6.30am for an early morning paddle in a canoe around the lagoons. It was beautiful: eerie with the mist – almost like a Jurassic adventure, and silent, apart from the occasional outburst of birds or monkeys. Breakfast was at 8am. Fruit, eggs, bread and maybe a plantain type thing.
Then we’d go for a jungle walk. This was like going to battle with mosquitoes. They are the size of huge house-flies and behave like drones. We had to be as covered as possible! It was fab though. Huge colourful insects and well-camouflaged lizards (one of my ‘spots’ on the one day I was ‘on fire’ apparently!) Jeff explained lots of plants, symbiotic relationships and indigenous medicines, like the red roots of a tree that can banish toothache for 6 months! And a fungi petal that makes a good band-aid, which he demonstrated. We passed trees that ‘walk’ up to 20m a year (I know! It is a process — but google it — BBC says!) On one of the days Stewart and Jeff came to a sudden halt, as a whipsnake reared itself at them and was so grumpy we had to wait 10 minutes for it to oblige us by moving along a bit. I was quite impressed with the plant that gives you yellow food colouring – Annato. I managed to get covered in it, painting it on my hands to try it – only to wipe my face of perspiration and mosquitoes during the walk. A great look. Yellow mustache.
After a lunch of soup and rice, roasted vegetables (and meat for me), and a few hour’s free time, we were out on the boat again with Jeff, watching hundreds of spider, capuchin and howler monkeys, spotting birds, including macaws and toucans, spying pink river dolphins and even a manatee. These animals are high up or fleeting so ordinary cameras can’t do them the justice a set of binoculars could. We’d usually be in the boat for sunset which was lovely and then it was back for our evening meal. More soup but with popcorn this time ( you have to try it – it’s an Ecuadorian thing) and a vegetarian dinner and pudding.
After dinner, we’d wrap up tight again and go for an exciting night walk through the jungle. Weirdly the mossies were less intense at night. But that was probably due to the plentiful bats, their natural predator. Night brought bigger spiders, colourful crickets, toads and armadillos. It was all an adventure – torch light, small steps and ‘What was thats!?’ At one point, Jeff shone his torch under a leaf near his face and shot back much faster than the grumpy snake made him move! The infamous banana spider. Apparently it when it stings men it replicates a viagra type experience and may leave him with some permanent dysfunction.
Sometimes we didn’t have to go anywhere, the creatures came to us. A band of red titi monkeys played in the trees next to our lodge; we were ‘knocked-on’ for at 10pm one night because a family of capybaras were outside; a giant otter decided to fish in the lake by the boats while we were eating; a cane toad sat outside our lodge and I found a tree frog in the toilet! And yes, the toilets were not very ‘clean’ looking. River water and eco cleaners.
Every day there was something new. It’s not my expression unless I’m describing a good kid in the classroom, but I can honestly say it was ‘a delight.’ I felt like I was in a children’s storybook.
In our breaks we’d go out on a canoe ourselves, which was so peaceful and on the last day we paddle boarded in the ‘safe’ lagoon despite knowing there were piranhas and caimans in there (apparently they’re shy!) Miraculously, I didn’t fall in (even though Mr Learoyd was poised with his camera ready for his £250 ‘You’ve Been Framed’ cheque) despite having never paddle boarded before – it must have been the fear!
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