By Car

Car travel to this region should be undertaken only with much caution and advance preparation. Be forewarned, however, that in some areas of El Oriente you will find yourself driving alongside ugly oil pipelines; roads are periodically blocked by environmentalists protesting petroleum exploration. The trip between Quito and Coca takes eight hours. Misahuallí can be reached in 5-5½ hours by car. Since Macas is so remote, and the road sometimes becomes impassable, you shouldn't attempt to drive. No roads pass near Kapawi, making air travel your only option.