Warning this page is loaded with photos give them time to load it is worth the wait.  Take a short photo tour of Quito Ecuador and the Playa de Oro Rainforest Reserve in Ecuadors coastal rainforest

 If you enjoy this then go for yourself and experience first hand the real jungle while we still have places like this left on our planet. Your trip there will help them maintain a way of life they  held dear for almost 500 years.    More Playa de Oro photos

                        Meet Little Chief the baby ocelot who's chances of survival were slim.

Little Chief was confiscated in a sting operation in Ecuador, he was stolen from his mother and offered up on the streets for sale. Tiny and frightened he found his way into the hands of a Tracy Wilson and Rosa Jordan from there he was taken to the Playa de Oro reserve and given all the love and care he could handle.

           Tracy & Little Chief getting some rest

He started his life at the reserve barley old enough to be weaned, but soon he would have to learn to eat in order to survive. Slowly he was introduced to meat and chicken this was now his new home and he would remain at Playa de Oro reserve and the staff had to be shown how to care for the little guy. In a short time they learned what they had to do with the help of the Tracy and Rosa Jordan, Little Chief got what he needed to grow and become strong. He beat the odds and now is a healthy mature young ocelot. He avoided being sold in the markets and ended up in the hands of the people of Playa de Oro, he is the good will ambassador for the reserve now, and those who come to stay will have the privilege of being proudly led through the jungle by this young ocelot who calls this his home.

   Baby Little Chief  then------------------------------------------Little Chief 9/2004 aka Mishi

                                                            Playa De Oro from my eyes to yours.

Have you ever felt that something in your life was missing? No matter how you tried nothing seemed to fill this void. I have surrounded myself with 90+ tropical plants, and taken in the uprooted and unwanted exotic cats. Giving them the love they deserve as if they were mine since their birth. But still with all this, life was still missing something. An empty feeling still filled me, there was a void that needed to be filled; it was yearning for something that I could not find. Then one day I heard of this place far away, on another continent, a place far away from civilization, a step back in time, to the way things were meant to be. Where the people lived as one with the earth, the animals and jungle that surrounded them. This place called Playa de Oro.

 

This has always been a dream for me to go to the jungle and walk the trail of the rainforests, a place untouched by time, and unspoiled by modern man.  

 

I was sure that I would never be able to fulfill this dream to walk the jungle and see the rainforest. But sometimes things happen when we least expect them, and doors of opportunity open for us when we have given up all hope. My dream was soon to become a reality, I would be making this trip and I would be able to walk the jungle trails and listen to the sounds at night, as they lulled me to sleep, a deep peaceful sleep.

 

First step was to overcome the dislike of flying; this was the only way to get there. So I had no choice if I wanted to go. I made it through the flight and spent several days in Quito, it was a city filled with so many wonderful things. But I wanted out and into the jungle. After several days of exploring Quito and the rest of the group arrived we headed out of the mountains and down into the rainforest.

 

                        

            Our chariot to the reserve                                            ride up river

 

Once we entered the rainforest, it was all that I imagined and more. The site of the rolling hills and deep lush green, clouds hanging over the hilltops, just takes your breath away. The trip upriver the reserve was wondrous, the palms, and bamboo that lined the rivers edge, and all the small villages along the way, were so peaceful and tranquil. We made our way along this thick lush green world, upriver to the reserve. Once we arrived on the shore it was as if we had stepped back in time, back to the way life was meant to be, a feeling of peace filled me, emotions stirred deep within, feelings you never knew existed.

 

  

 Home at the Playa de Oro village                 Rio Santiago River in front of reserve, shores of the river

 

The staff quickly became like family, they are by far the gentlest, kindest people you will ever meet. It was hard to leave them when it was time to go home. Life in the jungle is so simple and pure; you live in peace with the jungle around you. It was so easy to forget all you left behind you, and so hard to leave once you were there.

 

We spent time exploring the wonders of the jungle around us, the long trail to the waterfall, the swim in the pool beneath the falls. Our boat ride upriver gave us a chance to see the Bush Dog, one of  the rarest canine on earth, an animal rarely seen even by the villagers who live in this rainforest, and we were fortunate enough to see 3 of them. The walks through the jungle being lead through the trail by Mishi, aka Little Chief, he took you to the stream and guided you back to the reserve, he was your leader, and stayed with you during the entire walk in the jungle. Early mornings before others awoke, I sat at his cage and talked to him, in return I got my face washed, nose kissed, and tons of love from him. After my morning face wash, I sat on the stairs by my room and watch the Toucan and parrots fly overhead, and stare into the jungle around me, just listening to the sounds and feeling at peace.

                            

          Trail to waterfall entrance                Trail deep in jungle                Hidden waterfall in jungle

 

 

         

     Steep drop on trails                     Butterfly on bush at reserve                        Trail to the waterfall

     

       Plant on trail to waterfall               Tree roots above ground          Flowers on bush at reserve

 

The time we spent with the people of the village was so wonderful, such gentle souls, so willing to share their way of life with you and welcome you with open arms into their village. Their homes were a work of art, the skill it takes to work with the bamboo and build the homes as they do is awesome, their talent to use what they have, and turn it all into this warm and wondrous village, a village filled with smiling faces, deserves so much respect. The smiling faces of the children as they performed with pride their dances for you, then when they finished you became a part of the dance with them.

 

         

 House in village made of bamboo        Band at village with home made drums           Dancers at village

 

Some of the best times were spent in the dining room with the staff as we laughed and had fun together. The highlight of one evening was when we corrupted the men and taught them how to string beads. A simple thing like this brought so much pleasure to them and we had so much fun just watching them intensely making their necklace and bracelet, and to see the pride they had when they finished, was so heart warming. These were the same strong hands that wheeled machete and cut the grass, downed trees, and guided the boats in the river. These same strong hands, now holding tiny beads and forming one of a kind necklaces and bracelets for themselves and their children.

 

                          

            Men stringing beads at the reserve                           Rare  Bush Dog climbing to safety

 

I find it hard to tell how I really felt in just this page. I do know that I did something I have been yearning to do most of my life, whether I could afford it or not.  I knew I had to go, knowing when I got back home I would be rushing to finish cages for 2 rescue cougars, I put it on hold to make this trip happen. I had to go I was being called to the jungle and I knew no matter what this had to happen. Sometimes we have to just listen to that little voice in our head and do what it tells us to do, mine had been screaming at me, and it didn’t shut up until I booked my flight and I knew for sure this was a go.

 

To anyone who has even thought of going, I say run to the jungle don’t look back. This is something everyone needs to do for themselves at least once in their life. Go to the rainforest, see life the way it was meant to be, meet the people who live as one with mother earth. Step back in time to Playa de Oro Reserve, life is so simple there. When you return home  you will look at life around you differently, your values in life will change, you cannot spend time in this paradise and not be changed. You will carry this with you for the rest of your life.  This is something modern man lacks, these simple pure values that could change the world back into a better place, the way it was meant to be. I for one did not miss computers, phone, elec., cars or any of these modern things. Playa de Oro and her people are real, we live in a world filled with illusion, nothing around us is what it seems to be, but there deep in the rainforest all is at peace, all is real, life is simple there.

 

       

        Cottage at the village                           Front of the reserve                          Reserve with jungle behind

 

I say, RUN TO THE JUNGLE, do it for yourself and your peace of mind. What is important and real is hidden deep in the rainforest, a way of life that must continue in all its simplicity, honesty and beauty, uncorrupted by the modern world.  These are the people who have been blessed, and their way of life must continue in its entire simple splendor. I sit here now thinking back to my time there, it was not long enough, I miss the many shades of green, the soft earth under my feet, the gentle rain high above you as it touches the canopy of the jungle, but can not reach you far below the dense tropical growth, and most of all the gentle kind people that make this their home, and the early morning face wash from Mishi, our Little Chief, and his proud way he would guide you through his jungle home.

 

                                 If you do only one thing for yourself in your life, do this.

 

        

             Jungle by my room at  reserve                 Jungle on the way to reserve           Waterfall on Rio Santiago

Your trip will begin in Quito, and you will spend time seeing the sites and the markets. You will be able to go to Mitad del Mundo, middle earth and stand on the equator, spend time in all the small shops there and eat at one of the cafe's. Listen to the sounds of the pan pipes and bamboo flutes that fill the air every where you go.

          

              Musicians play at the park in Quito                 Spotless clean city streets of brick

            

                        Mitad  del  Mundo                                                               Equator                         Middle Earth

Spend a day in the markets in Otavala and enjoy the hand made goods and all the small shops in the city. Dine at one of the many great restaurants in Quito and enjoy a meal of filet mignon for $6.50 or choose many other places where can eat your fill for $5.00. So much to see and enjoy through out Ecuador, but the greatest place of all is the rainforest. Join a tour and experience first hand all there is to see and help keep the reserve going through your trip, this is a way for them to bring an income to their village and to help preserve the rainforest and the animals that call this their home.

                            

             Market square in Otavala                                                 Looking down on market

     Hotel in Otavala                                         Massive Palms                      Dormant volcano outside Otavala

You can help educate the people of Ecuador and let them know that selling endangered species' for pets in the open markets or the hides of the animal itself is not acceptable and this is wrong. Help more like Mishi return to a safe jungle home and not end up like this, on the wall of a shop for sale to tourist.

                Ocelot hide hanging in shop!         Ocelot with hide were it belongs on his living healthy body

If you would like to experience the wonders of the jungle first hand go to the  TOUCH THE JUNGLE  to book your time in the jungle at the reserve. Experience first hand the pristine rainforest, surround yourself with nature and all the wonders it has to offer, meet the people who care for this magnificent place and make this their home. Join a tour and sit on the stairs that enter the lodge deep in the jungle far from modern man, learn how life was meant to be, deep in the rainforest, find total peace for body and soul. I left my a piece of my soul deep in the jungle far from modern times, someday if it is meant to be I will return, and once again walk the trails and feel the soft earth under my feet, surrounded by life the way it should be, man living in harmony with the earth.

                           Hammock room on 2nd floor at reserve        Rio Santiago by natural cathedral             Mishi leads us in the jungle

     Creek behind Reserve                                            Mishi leading the way                                 Mishi playing in tree

Children gather for photos                                 Working on the shores                            Pavilion on river in village

Villagers along Rio Santiago                             Banana hut along the river                    Working on garden at reserve

Rio Santiago in front of the reserve                                 Mishi rest after playing hard in front of porch

Mishi climbs tree  to play                        Dense jungle trail                Climbing vine behind reserve       Guiding boat up river

 Thank you for taking the time to view some of the hundreds of photos taken at the village and reserve.

If this has peaked your interest in any way and you think you would like to make this journey to the Rain Forest to see it first hand while we still have places like this left on our earth, then contact Tracy Wilson at www.touchthejungle.org for more information about upcoming tours.

EIN #32-00791998