The morning started like most others, with eggs and bread (there’s definitely a pattern forming, lol). After breakfast, we boarded the bus and began our long travel day to the Iyarina Lodge. While most of the day was spent driving, we made several stops along the way to break it up.

Our first stop was at an Ecuadorian museum, where a guide explained how solstices and equinoxes work. We also had the chance to stand directly on the equator and, of course, take lots of photos. It was a quick visit, but a great way to kick off the day.

Next, we stopped at a mountain pass, which marked the highest altitude we’ll reach during the trip—about 14,000 feet above sea level. You could definitely feel the difference in the air, especially if you tried running!

After that, we visited my favorite spot of the day: the hot springs. We had an hour to relax in the natural pools and even try a cold plunge. It felt amazing to slow down and just unwind for a bit. We then had lunch at the hot springs’ restaurant—steak, rice, salad, and lentils. It was delicious and gave me the energy I needed for the rest of the ride.

We made a few more quick stops, including a gas station snack run and a visit to the cloud forest (though it was too dark to explore). After nearly 12 hours of travel, we finally arrived at Iyarina Lodge. Our warm welcome was the tarantula waiting for us in the food cabin!