"Leave no leaf unt ..." a Provincia de Napo Travel Page by richiecdisc

When most people think of the jungle their thoughts run to the Amazon and though a few countries can claim having a portion of the massive river within their boundaries Brazil is most popularly seen as the access point for such visits. Few realize just how big Brazil is and accordingly how far the river is from any of its International airports making visits time consuming and expensive. Tributaries of the Amazon while perhaps not as romantic offer the intrepid traveler a chance to experience the jungle a bit closer to civilization and thus reduce some of its inherent cost and travel time. One such area is that surrounding the Napo River in Ecuador. This small South American country is terrain dense and the relative close proximity of a a few massive volcanoes in such close proximity to a lush jungle is just one of its alluring signatures. That you can fly into capital Quito and be in either the high Andes or floating down a tributary of the Amazon in a few hours time is part of Ecuador's great appeal.

The Napo River, much like the Amazon is a “jungle highway” and to truly experience the jungle as most envision it, one must get onto one of the smaller streams that meander from it. It's only then that the world you came from finally fades away and more than the profuse and diverse wildlife you'll undoubtedly encounter, it's this very separation from civilization that you will cherish most.

The stream we chose was the Challuayacu which led to Lake Challuacocha where the Isla Sani contingent of the great Kichwa community has created a little paradise known as Sani Lodge. It was a choice we were glad we made. If you're in the mood for the jungle, perhaps you should too.