Galapagos

Since 1993 the best option to visit Ecuador and Galapagos

In the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin, known as the Oriente, much is still as it always has been. A tropical rainforest of towering trees, diverse flora and inhabited by the birds, animals, insects, reptiles and fish, much as it always has been. Sharing this forest are the indigenous ofEcuador's’ nine Amazon tribal groups many of whom still live a traditional lifestyle and some of whom

have avoided completely contact with our culture. The rainforest of the Amazon jungle is home to many Indian tribes from history like the Jivaro (the head hunters) and the Aucas (who were first contacted in 1956). These people still maintain much of their culture and traditional lifestyle. The historical names, often coined as insults by outsiders, have now been replaced in favor of the correct tribal names, the Shuar and the Huaorani . The intrepid adventurer traveling with Safari can explore these rainforests by dugout canoe , along the rivers of the upper Amazon, while our guides explain the ways of the jungle. These rivers are home to a variety of wildlife including piranha, caymen, electric eel, pink dolphins and giant peiche, a variety of monkeys, river otters, jaguars and other mammal species. Toucans, parrots, macaws and the hundreds of other species of birds make the Amazon jungle one of the best birding spots in the world. Safari offers weekly camping expeditions to meet the Indigenous and to see the rainforest they call there home. In the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin, know as the Oriente, much is still as it always has been. A tropical rainforest of towering trees, diverse flora and inhabited by the birds, animals, insects, reptiles and fish, much as it always has been. Sharing this forest are the indigenous of Ecuador's’ nine Amazon tribal groups, many of whom still live a traditional lifestyle and some of whom have avoided completely contact with our culture.

Access to the Jungle is down one of the three roads from the Andes. In the north from Quito, the best and most reliable, to the south there is a road from Baños to Puyo, the largest town in the Ecuadorian Amazon, and in the south there is access from Cuenca to Macas.

The forest along the roads has been opened for settlement, and so for at least 10 kilometers either side of the roads there are coffee, cacao and banana plantations and pastures for cattle. Larger areas around the towns are also settled by colonists, making a home for themselves in the jungle. There are airfields at Lago Agrio, Coca and Macas, all with scheduled flights

from Quito. These services are notoriously unreliable, and the weather can also stop flights. Many villages in the forest have landing strips cut out of the forest, and air charters are arranged from Shell in light aircraft. Once away from the roads inside the rainforest the rivers are used for travel, and so most settlements are along the banks of the rivers where dugout canoes can be used for transport. Hiking through the rainforest is tough and muddy, a challenge for the adventurer, although from November to April there are some fantastic hikes from Andes to Amazon, passing down ancient trade routes, through cloud forest and remote villages.

The Amazon rainforest, contrary to its image can be a very comfortable and healthy place to visit. To avoid health problems the three most important things are to try to avoid being bitten by insects, and be careful with personal hygiene, and to drink only boiled water.

It is usually not necessary to take prophylactics for malaria, cholera etc. These many tropical diseases exist only at a background level, and the temporary visitor is very unlikely to be exposed to them. The only time it is certainly worth taking prophylactics is if there is something epidemic in the area to be visited, or if you plan to stay in the jungle for more than a few days. The malaria that we have in the Amazon basin is cloroquil resistant, and so the weekly tablet, Larium, is the best choice normally, if you run the risk of being exposed to malaria by living with a family, or if it becomes epidemic. Yellow fever injections are worth while, as is an anti- tetanus booster. Injections against hepatitis should be up to date.

The precautions that you can take to avoid insect bits include the use of personal insect repellent, long sleeve shirts and slacks, never leave the door to your room or tents open, even during the day, not turning on an indoor light while the door or tent flap is opened at night. Be cautious about laying on the beaches, as sandflies may be a problem. Don't pet the animals or birds that many people have living around their homes. In pasture or grass areas be cautious about the possibility of chiggers. Rubber boots provide protection for your legs against both chiggers and sandflies, another strong reason for using them in the jungle.

Rainfall averages about 350 millimeters per month throughout the year, although the second half of the year tends to be slightly less than during the first half, there can be enormous daily variations. The rainfall is usually limited to short periods of heavy rain, although it can rain all day. September is usually the driest month and March the

wettest. Temperature remains very steady through the year, and only varies with altitude. In Puyo at 600 meters it is usually around 20C and at Limoncocha at 200 meters the average temperature is 24.5C. The coolest month is usually July and the hottest November, but the range is little over 1C.

There are two distinct classes of trip. There are those that visit the more populated areas with vehicle access to the destination, or very close to it. Many of these tours are near the towns of Misahualli, Tena and Puyo. While you are going to see the birds and butterflies, and experience the rainforest, there is little chance of seeing animals in the wild,

because of the pressure of population. The emphasis on many of these expeditions is more recreational. The other class of trip use canoes as their principal form of transport, and go deep into the forest, increasing the chance of seeing animals. These trips are usually run out of Coca, Largo Agrio and also out of Macas. You can also fly into the jungle by light aircraft. from Shell, near Puyo. Often these trips will be more informative. Different types of trips in different areas can be combined to create a more complete jungle experience. For the visitor there are different ways to explore the rainforest: 1. There are jungle lodges, usually expensive, deep in the forest where visitors can experience the forest and have their best chance of seeing monkeys and other mammals. 2.There are canoe expeditions, combined with camping or basic accommodation, usually these include something of the culture of the area often with a community or family visit. 3.There are both indigenous families and communities who welcome visitors and are as interested in your culture as you are in theirs.

Av. Del Establo 118 - Site Center Valle de Cumbaya Ecuador: (593) 2 3670120 France 09.75.18.03.40 e-mail: admin@safari.com.ec Quito-Ecuador

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“We just came back for a 21 days traveling around Ecuador and Galapagos. We use safari tours by recommendation of a friend. They were very professional and help us with a lot of particular things. Hugo our guide for the land travel shows us many things that were not even included in our itinerary. The cruise on board the Archipell yacht was unforgettable. Safari organizes everything for us, all the transfers and hotels. We really can recommend Safari tours Ecuador. ” Michel and Francoise, France

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