Cuyabeno

Date: October 10th, 2023

What can be said…

What words can be used to describe what it feels like to be in the Amazon rainforest? There are none I can think of that can properly describe the magic of this place. This being my second visit, I figured I’d see many of the same sights, however this section of the Amazon boasted a whole different variety of animals. From tayras and an army of wasps, to caiman and macaws, there were so many different animals to see.

Animals are not the only residents of the Amazon. About 7,000 people call the Cuyabeno Nature Reserve home. They live off of the land, but are connected to nearby cities through the river system if needs arise.

At night, the stars alight the sky and the forest roars to life with insects, night birds and amphibians blending into a euphony of sound. Anywhere you shine a flashlight, you’re bound to see the reflection of eyes in the beam.

If you want to truly get off the grid and experience beauty in nature, then this may be the perfect place for you.

The ground in the Amazon has nearly no nutrients, so unless you are very skilled, you won’t be able to grow any food there. Not to mention, that anything growing on the ground would be basically cut off from the sun because of the canopy. Sunlight only brakes through the treetops in bits and pieces.

During the rainy season, the river is 6 feet higher and the current is much swifter. The water in this photo is probably no more than a few feet deep.

Prettiest sunset I’ve ever seen…

Just a sunset boat ride through the Amazon.

The indigenous population of the Cuyabeno Nature Reserve numbers near 600 amongst 11 different communities and they are very hospitable. Tourism in the preserve brings money to their communities. This is a picture of the lunch prepared for myself and my group by a Siona woman. Yes, those are grubs, and yes, I ate one.