PUERTO MISAHUALLI and TENA
Western edge of the Amazon rain forest
Hamadryade Lodge
Another stunning ecolodge built with wood from local renewable forest plantations to respect the balance between nature and comfort. A 4x4 was needed for the long, steep rocky drive up through the forest to get there but it was heaven once there. Trails owned by the lodge criss-crossed the huge tract of land surrounding the lodge.
The food was fantastic! The lovely chef combines the flavours and techniques of French cuisine with the fresh, exotic ingredients of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Dishes such as spicy jungle-style ceviche, plantain-crusted piranha with a citrus aioli, and chocolate-covered ants with coconut foam were on the menu.
AMA ECOLODGE & RESERVE
Puerto Misahualli
https://www.amaecolodge.com/
My guide from Napo, Sergio actually lives in Tena and I gave him a lift back home in my taxi. I hired him for two day tours while I was staying at Hamadryade Lodge which worked out brilliantly as he took me to Ama Ecolodge which is owned by one of Ecuador's most renowned ornithologists and authors, Giovanni Rivadeneira. Ama is the Kichwa word for ‘soul’ and Giovanni’s lodge is built with this in mind. He's built a new raised wooden platform on his lush property where we spent an amazing four hours (including a fantastic breakfast) watching and photographing the comings and goings. The variety of birds was astounding.
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TENA
(capital and largest city of Napo Province)
The Tena and Pano rivers join in the centre of town to become the Tena River, which then joins the Misahualli and eventually flows into the Napo River. A pedestrian bridge - el Puente Espiral - gives access to the amazing Parque Amazónico La Isla which has a death trap canopy tower (total health hazard with missing steps and no railings but we prevailed) and wild habitat full of birds and mammals. A female Tapir nonchalantly chewed the cud, undisturbed by me snapping away.
