The Flotel was a three deck paddlewheel boat, 40m long. It was transported in pieces to Belem, Brazil and assembled on the river in three months then took three months to motor up the Rio Napo to its base at San Carlos. It traveled 8 knots at top speed so with the river flowing at 4 knots, going upriver was leisurely. It towed two long wooden dugout canoes each with one outboard motor for land and side excursions. The cabins were small but the entire upper deck was covered in artificial turf carpet with plenty of umbrella tables, chairs, loungers for outstanding viewing of the river and forest. Our guide was Argentinian; other passengers were from Spain, France, Ecuador, and there were a few other Americans in addition to our group of sixteen.