From: £932
From: $1,241
Upon arrival from Lima or Cusco, we will welcome you at the airport and drive you ten minutes to our Puerto Maldonado headquarters. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in our gardens we will ask you to pack only the necessary gear for your next few days, and leave the rest at our safe deposit. This helps us keep the boats and cargo light.
Skirting Puerto Maldonado, we drive 20 kilometers to the Tambopata River Port, entering the Native Community of Infierno. The port is a communal business.
The two and a half hour boat ride from the Tambopata Port to Refugio Amazonas will take us past the Community of Infierno and the Tambopata National Reserve´s checkpoint and into the buffer zone of this 1.3 million hectare conservation unit.
Those who want can join us as we venture out to the river’s edge at night, scanning the shores with headlamps and flashlights to catch the red gleams of reflection from caiman eyes.
Night Walk: Experience the sounds of frogs, insects, and other nocturnal animals.
Canopy Tower: An opportunity to view the rainforest from the heights of the 25 meter scaffolding canopy tower.
Discover New Species: Become a scientist and get the chance to discover a new species, led by our team of researchers.
Oxbow Lake Visit: We will visit an oxbow lake, observing wildlife from a traditional canoe.
Birdwatching: More than 600 bird species await on this birdwatching-specific tour.
Chuncho Macaw Claylick Expeditions: A two hour boat trip brings us to this fascinating clay lick, attracting large macaws, parrots and parakeets.
Ethnobotanical Tour: On a rainforest trail we will learn about the traditional and medicinal use of local plants.
Children’s Trail: Expert guides bring the forest to life with scavenger hunts and gripping stories.
Farm Visit: We visit a family owned farm growing popular and little known Amazonian crops.
Sunset Cruise: Enjoy the river and its surroundings at sunset.
Circle of Fire: Fireside stories to connect children with nature and the environment.
AmazonCam: Explore the world of camera traps and the amazing wildlife they capture.
Brazil Trail Nut Trail: A chance to learn about the harvesting of Brazil nuts.
Rainforest tattoo: A beautiful, artistic, and temporary reminder of your time in the Amazon.
Aerobotany: We will learn about the use of drones to aid research, and get to try our hand at it.
Mammal Clay Lick: A feeding spot for wildlife such as wild pigs and deer, as well as a chance to spot the rare Harpy Eagle.
Tambopata National Reserve Lecture: Nightly lectures on conservation, threats, opportunities, and projects in the Tambopata National Reserve.
Parakeet clay lick: A dawn visit to a clay lick attracting both parrots and parakeets.
Mountain biking: Ten kilometres of bike trails await.
We will paddle around the lake on a canoe or a catamaran, looking for lakeside wildlife such as hoatzin, caiman and hornerd screamers, hoping to see the otters which are infrequently seen here. You will also be rewarded with overhead sightings of macaws.
After lunch we head five minutes downriver from the lodge to a farm owned and managed by charismatic Don Manuel from the neighbouring community of Condenado. He grows a variety of popular and unknown Amazon crops – just about every plant and tree you see serves a purpose.
Along this trail we will find a variety of plants and trees that are used by the local population with at least the same variety of purposes. We will learn about the medicinal (and other) uses of Ajo-Sacha, Yuca de Venado, Uña de Gato, Charcot-Sacha, Para-Para, among several others.
Nightly lectures prepared by the staff of Refugio Amazonas cover conservation threats, opportunities and projects in the Tambopata National Reserve.
Twenty minutes walking from Refugio Amazonas is a peccary clay lick. These wild rain forest pigs show up in herds of five to twenty individuals to eat clay in the late morning. Chances of spotting them are around 15%, but well worth the short hike. Other wildlife also shows up including deer, guan and parakeets.
After lunch we visit the Brazil Nut Trail: A few minutes hike from the lodge is a beautiful old growth patch of Brazil Nut forest that has been harvested for decades (if not centuries) where the precarious remains of a camp used two months a year by Brazil Nut gatherers can still be experienced. We will be demonstrating the whole process of the rain forest’s only sustainably harvested product from collection through transportation to drying.
A thirty minute walk from Refugio Amazonas leads to the 25 meter scaffolding canopy tower. A bannistered staircase running through the middle provides safe access to the platforms above. The tower has been built upon high ground, therefore increasing your horizon of the continuous primary forest extending out towards the Tambopata National Reserve. From here views of mixed species canopy flocks as well as toucans, macaws and raptors are likely.
You will have the option of hiking out at night, when most of the mammals are active but difficult to see. Easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories.
Note: The described itinerary many vary according to the weather, season, flight times or personal choice.
Rise before dawn for an early breakfast and depart to journey downriver connecting by car and boat again in order to catch the flight from Puerto Maldonado to Lima or Cusco.
Quaint, comfortable rooms in the middle of the tropical rainforest let guests experience this global biodiversity hotspot even during downtime.
Monkeys, many species of birds, frogs, and other rainforest wildlife are often visible from our signature windowless verandahs. Those same verandahs also add comfort with excellent ventilation. Comfort rooms are built with local materials such as tropical hardwoods, palms, bamboo, and adobe.
They are available as doubles or triples and come equipped with mosquito nets for the beds, as well as spacious private bathrooms with hot water. Numerous kerosene lamps and candles provide soft lighting.
All rooms feature:
Electricity and internet are just a short walk to the common areas of the lodge.
These are the same as the premium rooms with these additions:
These are the same as the suite rooms with these additions:
These trips are designed to all ages and abilities.
You need to be able to step into and out of a boat and the fitter you are the more you will enjoy the trip.
Walks are short in length but adults may be on your feet for 2-3 hours as you stop to look at wildlife.
There are shorter walks for those who don’t want to walk so far – your guide will talk to you about preferred activity levels.
There are also rides in boats/canoes that can last up to 1.5 hours, depending on the tour.
The “A la Carte” options have varying levels of fitness requirements – please ask.
Almost all dietary requirements can be catered for – please contact us for more information.
The lodge’s dedicated kitchen staff serve up a mix of local dishes and international plates using food from the rainforest wherever possible.
This means a delight for the tastebuds as there are so many tasty treats growing around the lodge.
Breakfasts are usually early and there are fruit juices made from local plants – some of which you may have never heard of – along with teas and locally-grown coffee. There are usually cakes, jams and a choice of eggs, toasts and cereals.
Lunch and dinner are usually three courses – a soup to start followed by a hearty main and then pudding.
Fish, chicken and beef all feature, and there is always a vegetarian option, too (almost all dietary requirements can be catered for). Side dishes include yams and potatoes and rice, plus more rainforest delicacies.
Pudding is often fruit or a cake made in the local style.
Local native guides come from the community and/or the area surrounding the lodge. Some specialist guides do come from other parts of Peru.
They speak English and will bring the rainforest alive for you. Each has a speciality/interest as well as a broad overview of the forest.
The lodge itself is staffed by community members, so you visit really means giving back to the locals.
A flawlessly organized Ausangate trek delivered stunning wilderness views, exceptional guiding, and unforgettable camaraderie.
A flawlessly organised South American adventure with great food, welcoming people, perfect timing, and the reassuring support of Andean Trails every step of the way.
If your dream is to see the wildlife from nature documentaries up close, then Refugio Amazonas is the perfect place to accomplish this.
The trees, rivers and air are full of wildlife, with the chance to see macaws, monkeys, caiman and maybe even a jaguar.
You can help identify new species in night traps, participate in camera programmes that are mapping out the area’s mammals or try aerobotany – flying drones over the trees.
Facilities in the Refugio eco-lodge are excellent – beautiful local food, rooms that blend into the canopy plus all the home comforts after a day in the jungle.
From: $4430 per person
Duration
15 days
From: $690 per person
Duration
4 days
Peru is made up of 3 distinct geographical areas: the coast, the mountains and the jungle.
The costa or coastal region is a narrow ribbon of desert 2,250 km long, crossed by fertile river valleys flowing from the Andes. It takes up 11% of the country and holds more than 40% of the population.
The cold Humboldt current gives rise to a blanket of mist – the garua – which hangs above coastal cities like the capital Lima from May to November.
Heading east, you’re soon climbing above the garua and into the Andes. The sierra, or mountainous region, covers some 25% of Peru’s territory and contains 50% of the population. The sierra inhabitants are mainly Indigenous or Mestizo, and many still speak Quechua or Aymara.
The sierra contains dozens of 6,000-metre snow peaks and volcanoes, including Huascaran (6,768m) the highest mountain in the tropics. The deep valley basins contain most of the towns and arable land; the terracing and canal systems of the Incas and pre-Incas are often still used today.
The eastern Andes are heavily forested up to 3,350m and sweep down into the Amazon Basin.
Peru’s selva or jungle makes up almost two thirds of the country’s area, but holds only about 6% of the population: the only towns with significant populations are Iquitos and Pucallpa.
Peru is the perfect holiday destination for adventure travellers that want an amazing variety of activity, geography and cultural travel experiences.
The breadth of travel experiences in Peru is breathtaking – from trekking in the Andes to Machu Picchu to the tropical jungle of the Amazon, and plenty in between.
The people of Peru make it a special destination too, with its colourful and traditional street life and friendly locals.
Good kit is vital for every trip.
Book with Andean Trails and get 15% off Páramo’s fantastic ethical and high-performance outdoor gear.
You can also read our blog about a day in the Amazon rainforest of Peru.
Please note: Guests should arrive in clothes which they do not mind getting slightly dirty or wet, and should wear footwear that is suitable to walk on a rainforest trail. Sun cream, insect repellent, hat and waterproof clothing should be carried in hand luggage and kept accessible for the journey to the lodge.
You may want to keep your binoculars and camera handy, too.
All bedding, toilet paper etc. is provided at the lodge (or camp, if camping).
Year-round, weather conditions are hot and humid and there is always the risk of rain
There is a ‘dry season’ in Tambopata and Manu between May and October. The average daytime high temperature is between 25°C and 34°C and the average nighttime low is between 16°C and 22°C. Heavy downpours typically occur every few days.
Around 80% of annual average rainfall – approx 2,000 mm in Manu and Tambopata and 1,400 mm in Iquitos – occurs in the wet season Nov-April.
On rare occasions, between May and September, cold fronts from Argentina – ‘friajes’ – can sweep into southwest Amazonia and push temperatures down to 9° C. (Friajes usually last between 1 and 3 days).
A flawlessly organized Ausangate trek delivered stunning wilderness views, exceptional guiding, and unforgettable camaraderie.
A flawlessly organised South American adventure with great food, welcoming people, perfect timing, and the reassuring support of Andean Trails every step of the way.
