DAY THREE
Based on our guides’ briefing the night before, I’d shown up this morning ready to roll up my sleeves for some serious manual labor. As it turned out, the “work” was far more academic than physical. Rather than a day of farm chores, the excursion was a guided educational tour of a local family’s “forest garden.”
Vertical Supermarket
We arrived by canoe to meet Cecilia—a widow, mother of 10, and grandmother of 25. She’s part of the Kichwa community, the most populous Indigenous group in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Their way of life centers on sumak kawsay, or living in harmony with nature.
This philosophy is best demonstrated in the chakra, a form of agroforestry that mimics the jungle’s natural layers. Rather than clearing the land, the Kichwa cultivate forest gardens where canopy timber, mid-level cacao, and ground-layer medicinal herbs thrive together. It’s a sustainable, organic “vertical supermarket” that has supported the Kichwa for more than 2,500 years.
We spent the morning “shopping” from the land: pulling yuca from the soil, using a machete to cut down plantains, harvesting hearts of palm, and picking ripe limes. Then came the taste test: chili peppers. My son volunteered—and immediately paid the price. As tears rolled down his cheeks from the heat, I politely declined.
Back on the Manatee, the chef led a cooking demonstration using our harvest. With my son and another young passenger acting as sous chefs, they whipped up a fresh shrimp ceviche and a vegetarian hearts-of-palm version. Our bartender, Vicente, put the limes to even better use, crafting me a perfect caipirinha.
Swimming with Piranhas
After lunch, we took to the water in kayaks. With temperatures in the low 90s and humidity nearing 100%, the urge to jump into the Napo River was intense. However, this is the Amazon. Even though piranhas tend to favor smaller blackwater creeks, the possibility of an encounter with those teeth was enough to keep me on the beach. But my husband and son took the plunge—and, fortunately, returned to the shore with all their toes.
KidTripster Tip: You’re provided with a reusable water bottle when you board the Manatee, but I’d recommend bringing a larger 32-ounce bottle. Staying hydrated is critically important in the Amazon.
Unexpected Nat Geo Moment
The Amazon is full of surprises; a moment’s disappointment can quickly turn to delight. That’s exactly what happened during our attempted night safari.
We had planned a night walk to see the jungle’s “creepy crawlies,” but low water levels and shifting sandbars prevented our canoe from reaching the trailhead. Even worse—we got stuck. The canoe’s hull settled deep into the silt. For 20 minutes, we tried to rock the boat free, throwing our weight from side to side in unison and even breaking out in song to keep spirits up. But the boat wouldn’t budge. Finally, our fearless driver, Tito, jumped into the water in his underwear and dislodged the canoe through sheer will.
As we dejectedly headed back to the Manatee, our luck changed. Our guides, Kevin and Victor, were scanning the shoreline with high-powered flashlights when they suddenly signaled. Tito cut the engine, and we floated silently toward a bank of tangled roots and vines.
There it was: a 10-foot juvenile green anaconda.
Victor did the unthinkable, leaping from the canoe to gently prod the snake so we could see its full length. It reluctantly moved, slithering over a rock and into the water just inches from our canoe. Kevin exclaimed, “A Nat Geo moment!” Indeed, it was.
Keep reading: Click on “4” below to find out why the next day’s wildlife experience was the best of the trip.
