Welcome back, travelers. We finally made it to our lodge in the Amazon and have officially begun our adventures here.

Our first day started with pottery making alongside a local expert who has worked with clay since she was a little girl. Using colorful clay sourced from over four hours away, we crafted traditional bowls that are now drying before being painted with natural local dyes in red, white, and black.

After that came one of the coolest hikes I’ve ever done. We trekked through a river in the jungle, climbed up a waterfall, swam through a bat-filled cavern, and ended at a natural swimming hole where we jumped off rocks and played in the mud.

The adventure continued at a local yuca and cacao plantation, where we got to see up close how cacao is grown and harvested. One of my favorite memories so far was walking back down the road in the rain, eating fresh cacao straight from the tree while looking out over the jungle.

Tonight ended around the fire as the owner’s daughter shared stories about local spirits, the history of Amazonian tribal conflicts, and the ongoing fight to protect the rainforest from illegal mining. I was fascinated by the centuries of history tied to this small piece of land and the conservation efforts still happening today.

Tomorrow we’ll be visiting the Runa tribe, and I’ll keep you updated when we return.

Until next time,
Matt Hay