Today was beautiful. Adventurous. Amazing. I loved everything about today.

We rolled out early so we could make it to the lodge in time to do a waterfall hike. It was a pretty ride, as always. The roads were good, the weather was great & this would be our first venture into the Amazon, and I was so excited!

Again today we passed by so many hard working people. Children walking long distances to school, and families doing daily tasks like laundry. On this trip we have seen very few tourists, so we continue to draw attention wherever we go on our big bikes. This trip has reminded me that we have so much to be thankful for!

Cotococha Amazon Lodge is located on the South bank of the Napo River. Like many of our stays, the parking area was a decent walk from our room, so again I wished I had packed a bit lighter as I hauled our luggage down the long path.

Our open air cabins along the water were so cute! They had screens on all sides for ventilation & very little privacy. They were set up with oil lamps since we did not have electricity. Hot water came from a tank that was warmed by the sun for efficiency. The dining and bar area did have electricity and wifi so we could charge our phones and cameras.

We grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading down to the river where we were set up with rubber boots & a life vest. We headed upstream on the boat where we would begin our waterfall hike.

We saw amazing plants, GIGANTIC tarantulas, ants with death grip claws, and amazing views. Once again, the wildlife was extremely scarce. We barely saw any animals on this trip, which was a huge surprise.

When we reached the waterfall we went for a swim in the pool, took photos & enjoyed a short break before the return hike. It was muddy, slick & not really ideal conditions for wearing sloppy rubber boots. However, my shoes would have been a mess & the boots did provide some protection for my legs since we hiked in shorts.

When we returned to the boat, we were given the option to ride back, or hop in a tube & float back to the lodge. We all jumped in the water for a fun float down the river! The view of the Amazon from the tube was beautiful! The plant life is so green! On this float I confirmed again that my camera has truly lost its waterproofing & when it gets wet, it fogs over. Sad after a short 9ish years of service! It was a good run!

We enjoyed dinner at the lodge & hung out in the public area that evening. There were only a few other guests while we were there. It was so peaceful! This would be our last night on the road & it was kind of sad. Tomorrow we would return to Quito.