The Amazon Rainforest region blankets much of South America and reaches as far as the Andes, lying just east of the mountain chain a mere 30 minutes from Quito. The Ecuadorian wedge of jungle is home to indigenous communities who manage to maintain their ancestor’s traditions in our constantly developing world. Amazon holidays are ideal for wildlife spotting; staying at a lodge puts you in the heart of the action, usually accompanied by guides who come from the indigenous communities that live here. You’ll be greeted by a cacophony of birdsong, the flutter of wings and the whooping call of playful monkeys as they swing through the canopy.