DAY EIGHT
We departed at sunrise for the final two-hour transit back to Coca. As the motorized canoe cut through the morning mist, I made a conscious effort to put my phone away and simply be in the moment. I wanted to soak up the last few miles of such an iconic landscape—memorizing the specific, deep shade of the canopy and the rhythmic slap of the Napo River against the hull.
Returning to the dock in Coca was a jolt to the system. After a week of listening to the Amazonian orchestra of howler monkeys and birds, the sound of car horns felt foreign. Leaving the jungle behind is never easy, but we left knowing we had experienced one of the most vital, vibrant places on the planet.
KidTripster Tip: Your guides will escort you directly to the Coca airport for the short flight back to Quito. Keep in mind that most international flights to the U.S. depart either in the early morning or after midnight, leaving you with a long layover. We booked an inexpensive hotel in Old Town Quito to shower and stash our bags while we explored the city for the day. If you aren’t headed home, Quito is the primary jumping-off point for the next logical Ecuadorian adventure: the Galápagos Islands.
This writer received a complimentary cruise for the purpose of this review. However, all opinions expressed are solely her own.
