Exploring the Amazon

Although slightly shorter than the Nile, the Amazon dwarfs all other rivers in the world. From its source in the Peruvian Andes, the Amazon travels over 6000 km to its estuary, a mouth so large that it holds an island (Marajó) the size of Denmark. The Amazon is not one river, it is a myriad of rivers. Draining an area from Guyana and Venezuela in the North to Bolivia and Argentina in the South, the tributaries of the vast Amazon Basin together form an inland sea that holds more than one fifth of the world’s fresh water.

Like specks on the ocean, there are now dozens of jungle lodges dotted throughout the Amazon. Journey Latin America regularly inspects many of them. We take close note of their "green credentials"; to what extent are they in harmony with the environment, what impact do they have on the local indigenous settlements, how they dispose of their waste. All of the lodges quoted below have been inspected recently. For information on the whole range of lodges, visit our website (see below) or ask for our Tailor-made brochure.

Peru

The land area covered by the Peruvian Amazon area is larger than Spain, France and Germany combined and makes up two thirds of Peru’s territory. Journey Latin America can arrange jungle expeditions to three main regions in Peru’s Amazon Basin - Puerto Maldonado (Tambopata), Manú and Iquitos.

Puerto Maldonado

Accessible by air from both Cusco and Lima, Puerto Maldonado lies on the eastern flank of the Andes. The main rivers in the region - Rio Tambopata and Madre de Dios - are characterised by high clay banks, the nutrients in which attract birds like macaws and mammals such as tapirs. The 2 or 3-night expeditions offered by the lodges do not differ greatly from one another, consisting of jungle walks with English speaking guides, and river excursions by canoe (both day and night). All lodges offer full board.

Journey Latin America’s David Nichols gives us his opinion on the best lodges in Peru’s Amazon Basin.

Sandoval Lake Lodge isn’t the easiest place to reach. And if it’s raining, the hour or so by motorised canoe from Puerto Maldonado, 3km stomp along a rutted jungle track, and final half-hour’s paddle across the glassy waters of Lake Sandoval will probably leave you craving a decent scrub when you arrive. Don’t worry: Sandoval is the only lodge in the area which spoils its guests with warm showers and electricity in its 24 rooms, amazing considering its remoteness. Its lakeshore setting is incomparable and a late afternoon paddle on Lago Sandoval is particularly magical. The use of motor craft is forbidden, so the birds remain untroubled by the presence of guests gliding silently by on the lodge’s "catamarans". You may well spot freshwater turtles, black caiman and piranha, but the big draw here is the giant otter population, of which you are mostly likely to catch a glimpse during the dry season months of May to October. Sandoval Lodge is associated with the Heath River Wildlife Centre, a 6-room project owned by the indigenous Ese- Eja community of Sonene, on the Bolivian border. Longer programmes can be organised to combine both lodges.

Sandoval Lake Lodge - 4 days, 3 nights from £154 per person + flights from Cusco.

Posada Amazonas is a shining example of eco-tourism in Peru. The lodge is managed by a Lima-based operator, but its structure and the land beneath it is owned by the indigenous Ese-Eja community of Infierno which benefits from sixty percent of the profits. Praiseworthy as this may be, Posada Amazonas does not rest on its laurels; it’s an impeccably run operation, with excellent guides, delicious food and a programme of varied, stimulating excursions. Its design is also innovative; all of the 30 ensuite rooms are elevated on stilts, with one side completely exposed to the forest. If you let your imagination play games with the lullaby of the rainforest, you could be fooled into thinking that you are sleeping between the trees. Those with a head for heights shouldn’t miss the view from the top of the lodge’s 35-metre observation tower.

Posada Amazonas - 4 days, 3 nights from £193 per person + flights from Cusco.

You’ll need five days if you plan to venture as far as the Tambopata Research Centre (TRC), managed by the same company as Posada Amazonas, several hours downstream. Distance from civilisation places the TRC in a league of its own. The minimal comforts of the 13 basic rooms and shared facilities are a tiny price to pay for the privilege of being surrounded by uninhabited primary rainforest, just 500 metres from the world’s largest macaw clay lick. On fine, clear mornings the claylick is visited by up to six species of macaw and throngs of parakeets who feed on the mineral rich soil creating a mesmerising spectacle of colour and sound. Even if the macaws are deterred from the claylick by inclement conditions, you’ll probably see quantities of them in the trees as you enjoy your breakfast, and besides, there are some 500 other bird species to look out for in the grounds of the TRC, part of the Tambopata National Reserve.

Tambopata Research Centre - 5 day, 4 night package combining 2 nights at the TRC and 2 nights at Posada Amazonas, from £434 per person + flights from Cusco.

NB: All of the prices quoted for the lodges include full board accommodation, guided excursions and land transport to the lodge. Flights to the region are at additional cost (unless otherwise stated) and will vary depending upon the rest of your itinerary.

Manu

It is said that almost one thousand bird species have been identified in the Manu Biosphere Reserve. And although jaguars are believed to roam throughout the Peruvian Amazon, only at Manú have a very few lucky Journey Latin America staff actually seen them. Merely a fraction of the Biosphere is accessible to eco-tourists; those with the inclination, time and budget required to get here rarely seem to return disappointed with their visit to one of the planet’s last surviving areas of largely unexplored wilderness. The first day of the road journey alone, a descent from the high Andes around Cusco to the cloud forests at Cock-of-the-rock Lodge, is eyewateringly magnificent. It’s at least another day by road and river to the 22-room Manú Wildlife Centre, from where guests can view both tapir and macaw clay licks and explore some of the 48km of forest trails. Around 550 bird species and twelve types of monkey have been logged around the Wildlife Centre and nearby there are ox-bow lakes, where giant otters reside. You may not see jaguar during your visit to Manú, but just knowing they’re there is satisfying in itself.

Manu Biosphere Reserve - 6 day, 5 night expedition combining the Cock-of-the-rock Lodge and Manú Wildlife Centre starts from £989 per person including transfers from Cusco.

Iquitos

Having started life as a small Jesuit mission, Iquitos grew rapidly as the centre for the rubber industry. Today, it is a city of a million people and still only accessible by air and river - the Amazon, some 3600km from its mouth. There are three main lodges in the Iquitos area, all of which offer a good range of excursions including guided jungle walks (day and night), canoe trips for bird watching, boat trips in search of pink river dolphins, piranha fishing and visits to local indigenous communities.

Located closest (40km) to Iquitos, the Ceiba Tops Lodge is the most comfortable of the three, designed to offer maximum comfort in an Amazon rainforest setting. It consists of 75 spacious rooms with 24-hour electricity, each with air-conditioning, beds with mosquito nets and private facilities (hot water). There is a large dining/bar area, swimming pool, Jacuzzi and waterslide in lush tropical gardens.

Ceiba Tops Lodge - 3 days, 2 nights from £191 per person + flights from Lima.

A further 40km down river, the Yanomamo Explorama Lodge is located in primary rainforest and comprises 50 rustic rooms in three large blocks, each connected with the restaurant and dining area by long covered walkways. The rooms, divided by partition walls, are simple but functional with twin beds, oil lamp and shared bathroom facilities (cold showers).

Yanomamo Explorama Lodge - 3 days, 2 nights from £191 per person + flights from Lima.

Run by the same company and located deep in the 250,000-acre Amazon Rainforest Reserve (160km by boat from Iquitos), the Explornapo Lodge is a smaller lodge with 21 rooms in two palm-thatched blocks with shared facilities. Excursions include a visit to the nearby Botanical Gardens or a walk along the 500-metre long Canopy Walkway at the nearby ACTS laboratory (Amazon Centre for Tropical Species) and the overnight expedition to a jungle shelter (tambo), giving you the chance to "camp" in the middle of the rainforest.

Explornapo expedition - 5 day, 4 night package, incorporating 2 nights at Explorama Lodge, 1 night at Explornapo Lodge and 1 night at the tambo, from £605 per person + flights from Lima.

There are also several options for those looking to take a riverboat cruise from Iquitos, either upstream or downstream towards the border with Colombia and Brazil (Leticia and Tabatinga), or further field to Manaus. Most boats are historic vessels, with bags of charm, private facilities and offer a good range of excursions.

Originally built in Scotland in 1896, the MV Amazonas has been working on the Amazon for over 100 years. Last refurbished in 1994, she is a historic, old paddle steamer with 21 simple but comfortable cabins on two decks, each with outside portholes, air-conditioning and private facilities. Excursions vary according to river levels and local conditions. This is a relaxing way to see the jungle and an excellent way of combining Peru with either Colombia or Brazil.

MV Amazonas cruise between Iquitos and Leticia or Tabatinga - 4 days, 3 nights from £421 per person + connecting flights.

Ecuador

Rio Napo

The journey to the jungle lodges in the Rio Napo region of Ecuador’s Amazon Basin, is an adventure in itself. Starting in Quito, you take a short 45-minute flight over the snow-capped Andes to the river port of Puerto Francisco de Orellana, known locally as Coca. From Coca, you transfer to the river and are taken in a motorised dugout canoe for two hours down the Río Napo, from where it’s a short walk through the forest and paddle across a jungle lagoon to arrive at your lodge.

This remote area is particularly good for birders, with a great diversity of species such as greater yellow-headed vultures, chestnut woodpeckers, white-winged swallows, toucans, kingfishers and many different species of macaws, parrots, parakeets and tanagers.

Journey Latin America’s Diana Henderson reports on the best of Ecuador’s jungle lodges...

Return to nature and leave some of the trappings of your comfortable daily life behind you. Enjoy the romance with storm lanterns and candles instead of electricity, and a bamboo hut instead of brick walls. A rustic lodge, built entirely from natural materials, with 20 or so individual bamboo cabins each with private facilities, warm water showers, twin beds and mosquito nets, La Selva Lodge is a unique place to stay. The 180-degree vista from the main lodge set high up on the bank overlooking the lagoon is ideal for bird watching. The butterfly farm, canopy observation tower and flexible programme of excursions add to the experience.

La Selva Lodge - 4 days, 3 nights from £476 per person including return flights from Quito.

If you are looking for a more comfortable stay, search no further than Sacha Lodge. Set within a 3,200-acre private jungle reserve and nestled on the edge of a lagoon just behind the main river, Sacha’s 10 comfortable, screened bungalows are built in a rustic style and each have two rooms with private facilities with hot water, ceiling fan, two double beds and a private veranda. The bar and restaurant, which offers good international and local cuisine, are perched on a thatched lookout with fabulous views over the Pichicocha Lagoon. Get up early and climb the 135-foot tower for sunrise or enjoy the sunset from the jetty or while paddling on the lagoon.

An excellent range of small group excursions are available (both day and night), all led by a bilingual naturalist guide and a native guide with expert knowledge of the rainforest’s medicinal plants. Walking along the 300-metre long Canopy Walkway is a highlight for most visitors - suspended 30 metres above the forest floor, the trail takes you through the treetops for a close up view of the animals and birds in the upper canopy.

Sacha Lodge - 4 days, 3 nights from £488 per person including return flights from Quito.

The most remote and eco-friendly of Ecuador’s Amazon lodges, Kapawi Lodge is a project to bring the indigenous Achuar community in touch with the western world. The local people work in the lodge and are learning how to run it. Through this joint ecotourism venture the lodge and all its infrastructure and installations will revert to the Achuar community in 8 years time.

Reachable only by small planes on dirt runways and then by canoe, the lodge is built on stilts on the shores of Kapawi Lagoon surrounded by pristine primary rainforest. The number of bird species registered in the lodge area alone is close to 500. There are 20 double rooms, built using the traditional Achuar wood and thatch, each with private facilities, solar-heated showers, mosquito screens and a large terrace right over the lagoon - wonderful for snoozing in your hammock and watching the reflection of the stars at night.

The many excursions available are led by a naturalist and Achuar guide and include visits to the Achuar communities, hikes in the rainforest, canoeing, kayaking, fishing and bird watching.

Kapawi Lodge - 4 days, 3 nights from £520 per person including return flights from Quito.