Spot wildlife in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Keep your eyes peeled for magical glimpses of jungle wildlife while exploring the Amazon on land and water.

There’s never a shortage of magical moments on a trip into the Amazon, but often the greatest thrill of all is catching sight of an exotic creature in amongst the dense and lustrous vegetation.

Whether it’s the bedazzling rainbow plumage of a flock of parrots blazing across the sky, a hundred beady reptilian eyes returning your gaze on the surface of a jungle lake, or a mischievous troupe of spider monkeys leaping acrobatically between tree branches, snatched scenes of wildlife at rest and play paint a vivid picture of the inner life of the world’s largest rainforest. Even when you can’t see it, the diverse fauna all around you will be sure to make its presence felt in a cacophony of bird song, insect sounds and echoing monkey calls.

From a lodge tucked deep within the jungle wilderness – or a river boat cruising the Amazon’s steamy waterways – you will head out both on foot and on water in search of animal sightings. Typical wildlife-spotting excursions include sunrise boat journeys, walking safaris by day and night, kayaking, and perhaps a visit to a clay lick to see macaws cluster for their morning feeding ritual in a vibrant burst of colour.