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To get to the jungle, travel overland from Quito, or take
a quick flight to Coca or Lago Agrio. From there, take a boat down the river
to a jungle lodge. The lodges, often staffed with indigenous peoples, will
organize hikes, canoeing, and other activities in the rain forest. |
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Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve – Fly to
Lago Agrio, then take a boat down the Aguarico river (one option is the
floating hotel, Flotel Orellana). Cuyabeno is a partially flooded rainforest
(igapo), that is a maze of lagoons, rivers and watery forests. This
region is famous for its pink river dolphins, and kids can spot manatees
and piranhas, paiches (a fish that can grow to 6 feet long), squirrel monkeys,
red howler monkeys, spider monkeys, hundreds of species of tropical birds. |
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 Paddle
dugout canoes, in the Caiman Cocha, a lagoon populated with caymans. |
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Swim
with pink river dolphins and piranhas – major bragging rights for swimming
with piranhas! |
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Hike
with a Cofan, Siona or Secoya guide through jungle to learn about medicinal
herbs and poisonous plants, local folklore and how to use a blow gun (bring
back one as a souvenir). |
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Nighttime
excursions to see tree frogs, fruit bats and kinkajous and cayman. |
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Yachana Lodge – Take a boat down the Rio Napo from Misahualli to the
Yachana Lodge (between Ahuana and Coca). Life jackets are provided for the
two hour boat ride and you'll see incredible jungle along the Rio Napo. |
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See
how to roast coca beans, grind them, then make your own hot chocolate to
drink. |
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Visit
a local healer who uses indigenous plants for healing. Learn how to blow
darts from a big blow guns, aimed at a papaya, or throw spears. Try your
hand with a fishing net or gold panning. |
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Take
hikes in the jungle. Your guides will provide boots in kid's sizes for the
hikes through the dripping wet rainforest. Kids will love the amazing bug
life in the jungle, grasshoppers the size of a desk stapler and huge leaf
cutter ants. |
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La
Selva Jungle Lodge – Fly to Coca, then it's a 2-3 hour boat
ride down the Rio Napo. |
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Paddle
dugout canoes and take motorized canoe rides to explore the Rio Napo and
Lake Garzacocha. Fish for piranhas (if you catch some, try eating them for
dinner). |
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Hike
through primary rainforest where you can see leafcutter and lemon ants (they
taste like lemons if you eat them), howler monkeys, butterflies and, if
you're lucky, jaguars. Picnic with parrots, parakeets and macaws. Go up
the observation tower to watch birds in the jungle. |
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Take
a night time excursion to see caiman, monkeys, bats and owls. |
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Tip: It does rain in the rainforest. Bring
ponchos or lightweight anoraks, and consider bringing boots in kids sizes. |
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In the Amazon rain forest, a tree-cutter falls asleep under a spreading Kapok tree. In his dreams, a boa constrictor, monkeys, toucan and macaw, tree frog, anteater, jaguar,and sloth, all speak to the man of the wonder, beauty and importance of a single tree in the rain forest. Marvelously illustrated! (Picture book)
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The magic tree
house drops Jack and Annie into a tropical rain forest. On the run
from army ants, floating down the river in a dugout canoe, Jack
and Annie are saved by a monkey, but will they escape an angry mother
jaguar? (Easy reader)
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Sunrise to sunset in the Amazon rainforest – monkeys hang by their tails, sloths snooze in the trees, pink dolphins swin in the river, poison dart frogs hide under logs, otters cuddle together till they fall asleep. Two page, colorful collage illustrations, fun for little kids. (Picture book)
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