If you are visiting Ecuador, you must have read about how accessible the Ecuadorian Amazon is and how Ecuador is home to the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve. Yasuni was designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1989 and is one of the richest biodiversity hotspots on the planet. During your search you may have also seen the flooded forests of the Cuyabeno Reserve. This protected area is named after the Cuyabeno River that overflows, creating a lagoon and one of the most extensive wetland areas of the Ecuadorian Amazon.
So, as you can see, the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador is something you simply cannot miss!
Once you have decided to travel to the rainforest, you may be wondering when is the best time to visit the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador? Of course, you don’t want to miss anything due to unpleasant weather conditions or rain. However, one might ask,” Does the rain ever stop in the Amazon rainforest?” Let’s just say there is a “rainy” season and a “rainier” season.
Before booking your flights, let’s see what the real difference is between both seasons.
First, you need to remember that the Ecuadorian Amazon is located on the earth’s equator. This means the sun rises and sets at the same time every day, neither does it experience extreme temperature changes throughout the year; and instead of 4 seasons Ecuador in general has two: the dry and rainy seasons.
The dry season normally begins during the month of December and ends in February.
December and January are the months when the weather is hotter and are the “driest” months out of the year. (The average temperature in the hottest months of the Amazon is about 35 C / 95 F.)
Visiting the rainforest during the dry season is advantageous if you are looking forward to getting rained on less than what it would normally be.
More rain tends to attract more mosquitoes and other insects, so if you are not a fan of these creatures, then the dry season is perfect for you. You also must not forget that mosquitoes and insects are a fundamental part of the Amazon’s diverse ecosystem and you will still find them during the dry season but in smaller quantities, so don’t forget to take your bug repellent along.
Other advantages of traveling during the dry season are lower rivers and better access to trails, and possible sightings of caimans.
You will not be able to find wildlife species that rely on the rainy weather to survive and the level of flowering flora is a bit lower than compared to the rainy season, which means some birds may not be spotted during your trip.
Related: The Best Way to Travel to Galapagos
The rainy season in the Ecuadorian rainforest begins towards the end of February and lasts until the end of November. May and June are considered the months with the highest rainfall and the average temperature is 24 C / 75 F.
One of the main advantages of traveling during the rainy season | better river accessibility and navigation. It is the perfect time to swim in the blackwater creeks and the temperature is cooler. With lots of rain, the lush vegetation attracts more animals.
Expect intermittent rain every day, which sometimes can turn into a heavy rain during this season.
At times, trails may be inaccessible due to the heavy rain. This is nothing to worry about as there are always alternative routes accessible.
And the Amazon’s best friend, the mosquito will be abundant during this season. So, don’t forget to cover up and bring along your repellent.
Weather in the Ecuadorian Amazon does not vary much as you have previously read and as this is the rainforest, the wildlife will continue to come out during the breaks in the rain as it is a normal part of their daily lives. Just make sure you bring along proper equipment such as binoculars, rain jackets or ponchos, a wide-brimmed hat and walking sticks if you feel you need them for assistance.
You can visit the Ecuadorian rainforest any time that is best for you to get out of monotonous routines and experience an adventure to Ecuador. Overall, weather is not set in stone and one should always be prepared for rain anyways.
Your adventure to Ecuador starts when you want it to!