Welcome to the Jungle

File this corner of Amazonia under “hard to get to, but worth the trek.” It sounded so easy: a short plane hop from Quito to Coca Town, a boat ride down the Napo River, and boom, there you are at La Selva Lodge.

In reality, our luggage didn’t make the journey until the following day, the boat ride was two. full. hours, and then we had a canoe ride from the river to the lodge. But when our guide Rodrigo started pointing out the wildlife that had come out to greet us, all was forgiven: snakes hanging from the trees, caymans posing as river flotsam, spiders and birds and all manner of critters. “I feel like we’re on the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland,” said Princess 5-Star—which is huge, since Disneyland is the highest praise a destination can get in her book.

Once at the Lodge, we were issued Wellies (good thing, too!) and began a grueling schedule of excursions, lakeside yoga (made mas picante by the presence of piranhas and paiche, the latter of which make periodic shotgun noises with their tails—namaste!) , and food, food, and more food. For sure our canoe was riding a little lower in the water on our way out. Gracias, La Selva—it was a blast!