In this occasion, I decided to go to the Ecuadorian jungle and I hire a tour. This tour was only one day long but if you want you more days you can do it.
After that I went to Puyo, which is the nearest gateway to Ecuadorian Amazon. We were Italian, Chilean and Ecuadorian people in this new adventure to the jungle.
We left at 9 am in Baños de Ambato, people on the tour asked for the Chontacuro, it is a worm that lives in the palm tree and which grows into a beetle. We arrived at a market and bought the worms to try them, so raw !!!! Their heads are taken off and we ate chontacuros. After an hour of travel we arrived at a fish conservatory, that is a place where we can see a fish in danger of extinction which is known as Paiche, Arapaime, Araguano or Pirarucu. This is a fish that reaches up to 5 meters in length, and they are carnivores, on this visit the guide gave us pieces of chicken to feed these fish.
We also saw a dissected insect called Machaca, this insect has something particular that at the moment of stinging a person, the infected has 24 hours to have sex or dies. Very peculiar medicine that help to save your life.
The next point we visited was the HOLA VIDA waterfall, after about 30 minutes of walking, we arrived at the entrance of this waterfall.
To get to this waterfall our guide took us along a path to get to the waterfall on the way we found rivers that crossed the jungle, he taught us how we could find water in the jungle, eat termites and ants from the lemon tree, as well as medicinal mud that helps to improve the texture of the skin; nature is wise and truly shows us how to live on it.
Upon arriving at the waterfall was a breathtaking view of Hola Vida, a beautiful waterfall of refreshing water that all of us who visited loved it.
This visit to the waterfall left everyone hungry, we went to eat at a local restaurant. It was chicken and guayusa water. A very good food that is not served here. In the restaurant the chontacuros were prepared,It has an oily flavor.
On this site there is a place where you can observe caimans, It was a very entertaining place to meet near the caimans.
The afternoon advanced and our next point to know was the Alto Pastaza viewpoint. he main entrance to this viewpoint was destroyed by the heavy rains that had fallen during this time in Ecuador, but we did it for another path that took us 30 minutes to reach the lookout.
This viewpoint gave us a perfect view of the Puyo River, you can rest in the hammocks that were in that place and take photos.
To conclude our trip we went to a Kichwa community where they explained their way of life, how to use a blowgun and drink chicha, It is a drink made from yucca and that is given to all people who visit the community as a sign of respect we must drink it , I loved the chicha, it was something acid and with some alcohol with an Argentinian girl we finished drinking the whole container.
In this community there is a parrot that it was rescued from hunters and it lives here, You could buy handicrafts made by the women who live here.
Leaving the community we went to the banks of the Puyo River, where we took a few canoes and began the descent on the river, a quiet navigation in most of the river that had parts that stirred something; it was very cool in fact I recommended the trip on the river, you will enjoy it.
You can feel peace and feel that we are so small on this green planet.
What to bring:
Comfortable clothing for walking, insect repellent, sunglasses, bathing suit, water. Rubber boots and raincoats are given by the tourism agency where you hire the tour. The tour includes visits to some places (ask what places are you going to visit) and lunch.