2026 Ecuador Amazon Jungle Dispatch – Echoes of a Former Guide

Where My Soul Learned to Breathe

Quite often, when we hear Amazon, we think about a river cruise, or we are not sure which part of the Amazon to visit. And for many of us, we also think of a certain online shopping outlet that’s in its ‘prime’.

Well my colleague Tatiana, a former guide in the Ecuadorian Amazon herself, was recently back for visit and below is her dispatch report. We are so excited to share her notes because we believe no visit to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands is complete without a stay in the heart of the Amazon Jungle.  Reach out to Tatiana if you have any questions (Tatiana@bigfive.com) or just want to hear some cool stories. She speaks 6 languages so pick your dialect.

“As I cruised along the Napo River in a motorized canoe, wrapped in the lush, endless green of the rainforest, the breeze on my face pulled me straight back to my younger years, those days when I worked as a guide in the jungle. It had been so long since I had stepped foot in this part of Ecuador, this beautiful, often‑overlooked corner of the country that many people never quite reach. It feels far and remote, yet it is only a short 45‑minute flight from Quito to Coca, crossing the Andes to the east and gliding over volcanoes and snowcapped mountains, some quiet, some very much alive, like the Reventador volcano. What a sight! Still releasing gentle fumes out from its caldera. A visit to the jungle was long overdue, but I was back.

Coca used to be a tiny town with an “airport” that was basically an open cement room, just a bare space that somehow managed to get the job done. Now it’s a real airport, and the town has grown into a lively place with shops and restaurants. Still, it remains the last touch of civilization before disappearing into the forest for the next few days, and that was exactly what I was looking forward to. I could already hear the jungle calling my name.

After a 2.5‑hour canoe ride, we reached the point where the next chapter began. My tennis shoes went into my bag, and on went the rubber boots provided by the lodge. We stepped onto a comfortable boardwalk that wounded through the trees, each step taking us deeper into the reason we were all here: to be closer to nature. And for me, it was something even more personal, a quiet return to my sanctuary, the place where my soul first learned to breathe alongside the forest, the Yasuni National Park.

Then, came the moment that, for me, felt like the true beginning of the adventure. We boarded small canoes, and if you wanted, you could help paddle or simply let yourself melt into the silence of the ride. A huge blue morpho butterfly appeared in front of us, its bright blue wings flashing against the deep green of the forest, flying low as if welcoming us and showing us the way. Seeing a blue morpho has always been a sign of good luck for natives and I welcomed that sign, as my old friend, the jungle, coming to say hello to me.

That canoe ride was the first real moment of connection. No engines. No outside noise. Just us, the soft dip of paddles touching the water, a few branches cracking somewhere in the distance, a few birds calling from different corners of the forest. The vegetation was so dense that the sun barely reached us, but the humidity wrapped around everything, and we witnessed the lungs of our planet working right in front of us. I took deep breaths, wanting to hold onto that feeling.

We followed a narrow river arm until it opened into a lake with water like a mirror, every tree perfectly reflected on its surface. And there, tucked into the greenery, was our lodge, so thoughtfully and respectfully built that it blended into the landscape, leaving the lightest footprint possible. All our needs were fulfilled, amazing food with infusions from different regions of Ecuador, comfortable beds, spacious rooms, and hot showers. We had everything we needed.

Every morning brought a new hike along well‑marked paths, led by expert guides who were either born in this forest and grew up learning every single secret of it or who later in life had fallen in love with it so deeply that they dedicated years to learning its plants, its riddles, and its creatures. There is still so much to discover here that scientists from different parts of the world are coming every year, and all have a heyday, and we were lucky enough to be there in this natural living laboratory.

Just to think that one single tree can host so many ecosystems,  plants growing on its bark and branches, tiny frogs hiding in those plants, insects feeding on them, birds and reptiles feeding on these insects. And that’s just one tree. I was particularly mesmerized by the majestic kapok trees, towering giants that have stood some of them for at least 300 years, and others 500 or maybe more. I can feel the energy from the trees, they remembered me.

The real magic of the jungle is not in spotting big animals, those are rare, as they can easily be hidden by the density of leaves and vines. The magic is in the small lives, perfectly camouflaged, waiting to be discovered by your eyes after adjusting and learning how to see again in the jungle.

The boat rides have always been my favorite activity, even when I was a guide. From the water, you could reach untouched places with no paths, where nature has remained completely wild. It was easy to spot squirrel monkeys and capuchins leaping, playing, exploring and the tiny babies clinging to their mothers melted my heart every time. And the sound of the howler monkeys… I will never forget those deep, echoing calls in the early morning and late afternoon.

Even if you are not a bird lover, you become one here. So many species, in every color, shape and size, each with its own personality. I still remember the oropendolas with their long hanging nests, their yellow tails, and that water‑drop sound they make. And the parakeets, noisy, playful, impossible not to smile at, with their bright blue, yellow or red heads, just to name a few.

Nighttime in the jungle is a whole different world. The sounds shift, the air thickens, and believe it or not, everything feels more alive than during the day. We went out on canoes searching for caimans, following the glow of their red eyes, and saw so many. I even dared to take a night walk with our guide. At one point, he asked me to close my eyes, which seemed crazy as it was already pitch‑black darkness, and he whispered to me, just listen to what the jungle had to say to you….. And the jungle spoke. I listened. I felt it and I understood.”

Enjoy this week’s video.