The Amazon rainforest gets its name from the Amazon River, the largest river by volume of water in the world. Ecuador sits at the very top of this river system — rivers here flow eastward, joining the Amazon and eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean thousands of kilometres away.
The forest is so thick that light barely reaches the ground. Trees grow in layers: the tallest trees form the 'emergent layer', below that is the 'canopy' where most animals live, then the 'understorey' of smaller trees and shrubs, and finally the dark forest floor. Each layer has its own community of creatures.
Indigenous communities have lived in Ecuador's Amazon for thousands of years, and their knowledge of the forest's plants and animals is extraordinary. Many medicines we use today were first discovered by Indigenous peoples who knew which plants had healing properties. Today, some communities offer visitors guided experiences to share this knowledge with the wider world.
The biodiversity here is staggering. Ecuador's Amazon is home to over 600 species of fish, more than 1,000 types of birds, and so many insect species they have not all been counted yet. A single large tree can host hundreds of different insect species — the rainforest is like a city packed with tiny residents.