Cruising the Amazon on the Manatee

When you think of Ecuador, you don’t usually think of the Amazon river. 

Normally Ecuador is associated with the Andes and high altitude cites such as Quito and Cuenca. And of course there’s the amazing Galápagos Islands. If you are a surfer you’d know about the excellent surf beaches on La Costa – Ecuador’s tropical Pacific coast. 

Much less well known is El Orient – the part of Ecuador on the eastern side of the Andes. That’s where the Amazon basin begins.

Amazonia extends 6400 kms to Atlantic Ocean. It spans 8 different countries and is the largest tropical ecosystem in the world.  It was and still is one of the richest hot spots for biodiversity.

Much of Amazonia is under threat from logging, land clearing and the impact of the oil industry, but it’s possible to visit and explore some of it in an eco-friendly way. And at the same time contribute to an alternative and renewable source of income for the local people. 

It’s not a cheap destination, but no amount of watching David Attenborough documentaries can prepare you for the physical experience of being there – paddling in a canoe, feeling the thickness of the air, and listening to the lush sounds of life all around you. 

This video was shot in December 2016. Since then our ship, the Manatee, has been replaced with a newer state-of-the-art model – the Manatee Explorer.  

This video has optional sub-titles in English and Spanish.

Este video tiene subtítulos opcionales en inglés y español.