Kongo arrived at the La Selva Lodge in the middle of the afternoon after a 60 miles motorized canoe trip down the Napo River from Coca, Ecuador and then another half-hour in a paddle canoe. It was a fun trip. See my previous post for how to get to Coca from Quito, Ecuador.
The monkey is part of a photo safari sponsored by Fancy Girl/Street Boy Productions. Joe McNally, the iconic photographer from National Geographic, Life, and elsewhere, accompanied us as mentor and expert. There were 18 of us in the photography group from all over the United States and two from Canada. Ages varied between early fifties to 80 and all were avid photographers, well-travelled, and veterans of photo expeditions with Joe McNally and the Fancy Girl outfit.
La Selva literally means “The Jungle” and that’s exactly where we were. Deep in the jungle. At night, howler monkeys do their distinctive cry for hours from their treetop home across the lake. Frogs chirp in a variety of accents. Insects provide a background buzzing noise. Giant pirarucu fish that sometimes reach ten feet in length smack the water and it sounds exactly like a gunshot. While it might sound chaotic reading this, it is actually quite peaceful and lulls you to sleep within minutes.
Kongo’s photo group had reserved the entire lodge. It would be our headquarters for exploring the rainforest for the next five days. Miguel, the manager, greeted us and after welcome drinks, gave us a thorough overview of the lodge and surrounding area. He went over our agenda, described the dos and don’ts while in the jungle habitat, and described all the available amenities like yoga, fishing for piranha, spa treatments, wake up times, meal schedules and so forth. Chef Elvis described the meals. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style while each dinner had four options, two of which were vegetarian. Fish and chicken or pork were non-vegetarian options. The food, by-the-way, was superb. Elvis has visions of getting a Michelin star and I think he might do it!
We divided into smaller groups that changed around so we weren’t with the same people all the time. Each group would have at least two excursions a day in the morning and evening. In the afternoons after lunch, while the animals were resting during the hottest part of the day, we met with Joe for a critique of our photos and some lessons and insights into photography. Excursions were often canoe paddles about the lake, hikes through the jungle, trips to a canopy observation tower, trips up and down the Napo River to visit the nearby Kichwa (say keech-WA) indigenous groups, visit parrot licks, and so forth. Each excursion was accompanied by a naturalist and native guide (they did the paddling, bird calls, spotting, and explained what we were looking at). It was a busy schedule, and the day usually started with a knock on your door at 5 AM. Breakfast was at six, and we were off exploring by 6:30.
The lodge consists of a main center with lobby, restaurant and bar (Bernardo makes a mean Pisco Sour), and access to the docks and floating swimming pool that keeps the pirana at bay. Spread throughout the jungle forest are a series of private bungalows for guests. Kongo was in the Tapir room. The room had walls made of wood and screens, a balcony out over the jungle, king-sized bed, large bath and shower, closets, security safe, overhead fans, mosquito netting, a fold-out bed, electrical outlets, and other furniture. The rooms are tasteful and comfortable.
Internet connectivity throughout the lodge is available and fast using a Starlink connection. Cell phone service was an available within several hundred yards of the main lobby. Not bad for being in the middle of nowhere.
The lodge is located adjacent to the Yasuní National Park, located in northeastern Ecuador within the Amazon rainforest. It is is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. Spanning approximately 9,823 square kilometers, it lies between the Napo and Curaray Rivers and intersects the Andes, Amazon Basin, and the Equator. This unique geography fosters exceptional biodiversity.
Yasuní is home to over 4,000 plant species, 600 bird species, 200 mammal species (including jaguars and giant otters), 500 fish species, and more than 100,000 insect species in a single hectare—more than all of North America combined.
For more details about the La Selva Lodge please visit their website. It’s informative and has some great pictures and videos about what it’s like to stay there.
The monkey was psyched up and ready to go exploring! Stay tuned as he explores the jungle.
Travel safe. Have fun!
