Above and below the trees

The last official activity here at Napo was a walk to a 30 metre high observation tower about 30 minutes into the forest.

At this height it is easily above the canopy and other trees. Sitting on top of a large tree like like platform. We were meant to see toucans, but we ended up seeing everything but. Three different types of monkeys, some macaws flying past, beautiful types of birds with spectacular colours like azure blue and greens, and even some woodpeckers (which was a first for us.)

We stayed up there for a good hour and a half until the sun set.

With the sun down though, that means it was dark, and we were still 45 minutes from the centre... So that meant trekking in darkness and that's when we found out what creatures come out at night. So far just moths, but something needs to eat them. The first couple of holes were giant tarantulas, poking a stick at their home made them show all their glory and come out. Nearby was what is called a whipping spider or tailless whipping scorpion with a whole bunch of babies on his or her back.
Then it was frogs, different types of millipedes, crickets, caterpillars... And that was just the creatures we saw, what about all the ones we didnt...Read more