Surrounded by the dark waters of a tropical lagoon, we waited in our tiny canoe as the hot ball of the tropical sun descended over the jungle, shining a golden path across the laguna.  From the rocking canoe we plunge into the gilded water, the water dripping off us in resplendent rivulets of pure gold.

Swimming in a pool of gold, with piranhas and the deadly electric eels, is the crowning glory of each of our days in the Cuyabeno Reserve in North Eastern Ecuador

The Cuyabeno Reserve is deep in the jungle of the Amazon basin - an elaborate system of wild lagoons, rivers and flooded forest which is home to an incredible array of unique and diverse flora.  As such, the Cuyabeno is one of the world’s areas of highest biodiversity and the waters that flow through this area eventually reach the great Amazon River.

The closest town is a rough and ready Ecuadorian oil town, Lago Agrio, just 20 kilometres from the Colombian border.  Lago Agrio is a place that no one wants to visit except Colombian rebels and army on R & R, who give the town a reputation for shootings on the street. 

Leaving Lago Agrio felt like excaping the scene of a gunfight in a bad western – for five hours we followed the Ecuadorian oil pipeline, transporting the black gold from oilfields in “protected jungle reserves of the amazon” to  the western world. Not only is such oil exploitation threatening the valuable biodiversity of the Amazon, the road has opened up the jungle to colonists who clear the jungle ad hoc in an attempt to eke out a living. 

Deep in the jungle we are met by a small motor canoe, the only means to access our camp. The canopy of the jungle completely encloses the Cuyabeno River  and it is like stepping onto the scene of Jurassic Park – mysterious, a bit frightening and awe inspiring.

Two screeching toucans alert us to their presence as they fly over head, and we spot the bright yellow of the macaws high up in the canopy – just some of the 500 species of birds that have been identified in this reserve.

As the crow flies, we are close to the Colombian border  and despite tourists being captured by guerillas in the past two years, we are overcome by tranquility.  Our guide tells us that he was once a stressed businessman, and was scared by sounds of animals in the jungle at night, but after a few days he was charmed by this place.

He quit his job in the busy capital Quito, returned to the jungle, and is now at peace. His confession on our first meeting sounds simplistic, idealistic and just a bit nutty.

Stretched on a hammock, the heavy thud of rain on a palm thatched roof in a tropical jungle far from anywhere we are convinced that this is indeed paradise.

The Cuyabeno area is rich in Igapó forest, that is, flooded forest in black water streams. Our camp is isolated on a peninsula and it is necessary to take the canoe to go anywhere.  However, in the summertime the Lagunas are dry and visitors walk through the dry landscape to the camp.

This is genuinely a “flooded forest” - the trees are perhaps three or four metres tall, primordial and primeval with their distorted branches bleached white and stark against the sky. In an abstract of nature  bromeliads and orchids reach upwards to the sun like contortionists.

Now we glide through the arching branches of their canopy, gazing down at their lower limbs below us in the water.  The water is almost black, still and languid, a mirror of astounding depths, mysterious, and bewitching. Then you see them – so perfect on the water you are forced to draw breath and tears prick your eyes.

They are the reflections – the images of the twisted and ghoulish macrolobio (Macrolobium acaciaefolium), overladen with epiphytes.  Such is the intensity of the reflections the images in the water surpass the beauty of the actual plants. 

We head through flooded forest to go piranha fishing and learn that the piranha don´t eat  people, only dead flesh!  Still, their razor sharp teeth appear strangely out of place in the normally toothless mouth of a fish.

There is a commotion in the scrub, flapping of wings and then we see a huge bird that resembles a turkey. A Hoatzin - a practically flightless bird with a punk haircut that is said to have prehistoric links.

An increasing crescendo of noise disturbs the tranquility of the jungle as a family of monkeys no bigger than rabbits swing into sight chattering and feeding.

From across the Laguna comes a low grumble, a little like thunder – but it is the Red Howler monkey, almost as a big as a man, rarely seen but often heard, distinguished by its growling call which is the loudest  of all land animals.

We trudge through primary rain forest in rubber boots with our native Indian guide hacking away branches in order to make a path for us. The expedition is a revelation in bush craft and our guide assures us if we come down with a malady (from diorrhea to period pain) using the native plants of the forest he will have a remedy. It pours with tropical rain and he makes umbrellas for us from leaves, taking one type of one palm frond to make a shelter and another to make a mattress.

With a swift blow of his machete our guide slashes a thick vine and holds it above his open mouth, gesturing for us to have a taste. It is water, pure water, sweet and refreshing in the tropical heat.

Our guide grins with glee when he comes upon yet another type of ant busily working in the jungle. Popping one in his mouth, he offers us some. They are a little crunchy though not unpleasant, with  a slightly sour taste, hence the name “Lemon Ants”.

All too soon its time to leave this jungle paradise, where the chattering of monkeys enterain us during lunch, the sounds of the jungle lull us to sleep at night  and the clouds are reflected phantasmagorically in the silent dark waters of the laguna.

As we wind up the tributaries of the Cuyabeno River, the guide’s three year old grandson gives a cry - he has already learned the ways of the jungle and has spotted an anaconda sleeping in the crook of a tree overhanging the river.

A week in the jungle and we know that we have barely touched the mysteries, animals  and plants of this awesome place.  Our first experience of the Amazon has ensured that for us this amazing place will be a lifelong addiction.

Copyright Ariana Svenson, 2005 - Comments and enquiries, please email us.