DRY SEASON IN THE CUYABENO RESERVE
A lot of people hesitate to visit the Cuyabeno Reserve in the dry season, due to the low water level in the river and the lagoon and the poorer chances of spotting pink river dolphins. What they don’t realize thought is that it is a great adventure as well in an entirely different world; scenery you can’t imagine when you have only seen the Big Lagoon (in person or in pictures) completely filled with water, dotted with green macrolobium trees.
Usually there are two dry seasons each year: one from approx. the end of January until the end of February / beginning of March, and a second one from approx. middle of September until middle of October. But of course the climate is always changing and we can’t tell for sure. In 2016 for example, the lagoon already dried up around Christmas. So, you see, each year it might be a little bit different.v
Things are different and harder during the dry season for the people working and / or living in the Cuyabeno Reserve. Just imagine the logistics: everything is brought in and out by canoe, and if there is no or very little water in the lagoon and the river, the journey from the entrance of the National Park to the Lodges or the villages can be long and difficult. The canoes can’t be loaded too heavily, so luggage and other freight have to be lighter than usual.
Nevertheless, there are also many advantages for the people visiting the Cuyabeno Reserve in this time of the year. During dry season, in general you have better chances of spotting anacondas or caimans. This is due to the fact that for example caimans are always staying in or close to the water. So during the dry season, when there is almost no water left – they stay closer to the few wet spots. This way it is easier to look for them and spot them close to the remaining pools. Besides this, it is also easier to see some types of birds, like different herons or kingfishers, as they also keep close to the water and tend to congregate around the same pools.
So if you are curious now to experience the Cuyabeno Reserve during dry season, pick a month and join one of our tours!