Following a sunrise SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) Yoga session in the middle of one of the flooded lagoons of the Amazon Rainforest, I sat still on my board, and observed as a family of pink dolphins swam around us. The sun coming up, howler monkeys in the background, birds of all colours and sizes flying above our heads, in a view that I had only ever imagined and seen on National Geographic.
One of the most bio-diverse ecosystems in the world with the highest concentration of plant and animal life per square meter than any other place in the world, SUP’ing the Cuyabeno Reserve is a bucket list opportunity for any person who decides to expedition down to the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador. It is the most unique and incredible way to see the jungle. No fences or barriers preventing you from connecting to wildlife in its real habitat or motors to scare it away or contaminate its waters.
The Cuyabeno is a protected natural reserve accessible only via water. As far as transportation is concerned, both driving (approximately 9 hours) and flying (approximately 40 minutes) from Quito are an option, yet once you get to the main port in Lago Agrio, a 2-hour traditional motor boat journey or a 2-day journey on paddleboards are the only options. Although flying seems like the ideal alternative, the road trip is worth every minute as the landscape changes drastically around three times throughout the trip. Beginning with the highest mountain pass in the country, home of the Andean Bear, winding roads will eventually turn into lush cloud forests and waterfalls leaving snow covered peaks behind. Rivers of all shapes and sizes and landscapes of every colour of green line the way into the port of what will become the most epic adventure.
A typical eco adventure tour lasts for 3 nights 4 days, but can be extended upon request. Most of the time will be spent out on the water swimming and exploring the flooded forest lagoons on SUPs spotting wildlife—including but not limited to caimans, pink dolphins, anacondas, manatees and monkeys.
Even though the trip’s effort level is easy to moderate and is suitable for all ages and levels of expertise, Day 3 will challenge everyone with an exciting 5 hours of paddling across jungle channels to visit a Siona Indigenous Community who will share a bit of their culture and teach us how to make a traditional dish called cassave.
A final note on weather: temperatures in the jungle vary from hot to really hot and be prepared for it to rain.
Check out the video I posted earlier on Amazon SUP Adventures
Photo Credits go to Flow Motion Aerials
Travelling Vibes 