Tubbing in the rivers of the Ecuadorian Amazon
15/08/2023
A guide to Napo’s Amazonian gastronomy
15/11/2023Exploring the secret lagoon of Yacuma and the biomes of the Amazon region
I don’t know what is more impressive, the path we took to get there, or the beautiful reflection of the sunset on the lagoon
The Amazon is immense, and each small area of this place has an infinite number of species so different from each other, the fact that such varied forms of life can coexist in harmony is only thanks to the balance maintained by the small Amazonian ecosystems called biomes. each other.
On a small trip I took with other nature lovers, I walked some trails in the Yacuma Ecolodge Private Reserve and while we walked through the jungle we didn’t think about how different each place was from another, we just let ourselves be amazed by the beauty of each view. and from every angle, because although many think that the Amazon is simply a mixture of green weeds, they are certainly wrong.
A biome is a community of ecosystems that share climatic factors such as temperature, seasons, precipitation; and where various species of plants, animals, insects and other organisms live.
Rivers and Water Streams
The trip to Yacuma is made up of a long drive from Quito to a large open area where the Santa Rosa Indigenous community is located, from there we boarded a boat and set out on the road across the Napo River.
The Ecuadorian Amazon is crossed by a large system of rivers that flow to feed the Amazon basin. The great river we navigate makes up one of the most important biomes in the region.
The banks of the Napo are made up of sand and vegetation a couple of centimeters higher; As we sailed we saw small boats “parked” in front of the roads that surely go to the homes of local families.
However, this is not the only river we crossed, because when we reached the beach and took a light walk between the sand and gray rocks, another canoe was waiting for us on a much narrower water path than the previous one: The Chontayacu River After a couple of minutes we got out of the canoe and a group of butterflies of all colors and sizes that fed on the salt in the sand finally welcomed us to the lodge.
Dry land forests
During our excursions through the dry land forest we found giant ceibo trees, Drago’s blood and toquilla straws, among other species of plants and flowers that marked the path; Our incredible guide made a pair of braided toquilla crowns for us and showed us the Dragon’s Blood sap that heals and heals wounds and relieved a couple of bites we had on our ankles.
This biome is formed by the state of the vegetation in times of drought and river growth; The dry land forests in the Amazon are the sectors that never flood.
On the way we came across a beautiful walking palm, a gigantic tree that has a complex system of roots that grow from the trunk visible above the ground. The main characteristic of this palm is its peculiar ability to move through the forest. There are studies which suggest that it moves between 2 to 3 cm per day in search of sunlight, reaching 20 meters per year.
The Amazon savannah
The open areas where grasslands form and low plants such as grasses, shrubs and crooked trees grow are the Amazonian savannahs.
We walked along a path between grasslands and an area of low vegetation. Our guide pointed out to us that when the Napo River rises, this area is prone to flooding and this situation can last several months; Furthermore, unlike the well-known African savanna (which are dry, golden-hued settings), here they tend to be rather humid terrain.
As the walk continued, we wondered how plants and animals can adapt to these radical conditions, but the Amazon is a fascinating place and all species have adapted perfectly to the dry and wet seasonality; The diversity that lives here ranges from birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects coexisting peacefully.
Swamps and Marshes
Crossing a cocoa cultivation field, we finally arrived at one of the most beautiful settings in the reserve: A small lagoon covered with a green layer of algae and water lilies invited us to sail.
The plain of this place was flooded years ago due to an overflow of the Napo River and the water stagnated when the flow decreased, forming a swamp full of life and color.
This type of wetland is the least common among the flood-prone areas of the Ecuadorian Amazon. This biome is characterized by a soil saturated with water and vegetation adapted to these conditions.
Rolando paddled calmly through the water and the algae that made their way with each stroke of the paddle formed beautiful swirls of bright water, while a group of insects slid through the circles next to our canoe.
Low weeds protruded from the bottom of the water creating a beautiful open area between the trees that enclosed the lagoon and allowed us to fully admire the beautiful sunset with pairs of birds that crossed the sky sporadically.
Personally, I would call it the lagoon of the hoatzines, since at least two groups were placed at the top of each tree, and accompanied the chorus of birds and frogs that we saw on board.
While we were enjoying the scenery inside the canoe, it was getting darker and darker, setting the horizon on fire. At the end of the day, already inside the comfortable bungalow, looking for an excuse not to let ourselves get carried away by fatigue, we recapitulated in our memory the incredible scenes of the Amazon and the moments that we experienced during the day: the road through the cocoa plantations, the low grasslands, the low angle view of the walking palms, however (and personally) there was no view that equaled the beauty of the lagoon and its sunset.
