Stories
One of the most lodges in Peru, the Tambopata Research Center
White-fronted Capuchin at Tambopata Research Center
I was floored by the Amazon before I’d even got on the boat. Fluttering around the dock was an enormous cloud of butterflies of every shape and colour. They were everywhere. I’d never experienced so many of them in one place. The mineral-rich mud of the river attracts them in flocks, and I was to discover that it is entirely normal to come across fairytale scenes such as this one when walking through the jungle. The guides were completely unfazed. Only when one of them called me over to the boat did I realise how long I’d been staring.
The Tambopata Research Center (TRC) is only accessible by a long ride upriver, taking you deep into the Amazon Jungle. It is one of the most remote lodges in Peru, and the only one actually within the Tambopata National Reserve – the others are located in the ‘buffer zone’ on the fringes. Even from the top of the TRC’s observation tower, you can look to the horizon in every direction and not see a single sign of human habitation. The boat journey is long (about 2 and half hours), but it’s also one of the highlights, as this is where you have the best chance of seeing the jungle’s more elusive wildlife. If you have the privilege of seeing a jaguar on your trip, as 40% of visitors do between July and September, it will be whilst on the boat. The water and the clay deposits on the banks attract all kinds of wildlife, from monkeys to macaws. Within 20 minutes of getting on the boat, we’d stopped to watch a capybara on the shore – it was so close that you could even get a decent video of it on your phone.
Boat drive to TRC & capybara on the shore
Upon arrival at the lodge, I was greeted with a cold drink, a face towel, and some plantain chips to enjoy whilst I was briefed on the features of the lodge. Then I was shown to my room, which had one wall completely open to the jungle. The guides called this ‘the Big Window’. ‘Don’t be afraid of the Big Window’ they said, since the animals have no interest in climbing into your room, and the bed is protected by a sturdy mosquito net. No sooner had the guide left than I watched an enormous morpho butterfly the size of a small bird drift erratically past the Big Window. It’s these sorts of sporadic encounters with wildlife that make staying in a lodge so special, and they happen all the time. Once, when walking to lunch, I watched a family of howler monkeys swing through the trees just above my head. Other times I’d watch hummingbirds’ flit busily through the garden, or curious macaws sitting on the roofbeams whilst eyeing up the bread rolls at the buffet.
Tambopata Research Center lodge & rooms
Each morning and every evening, I went out with my guide to explore the forest. ‘What do you want to see?’ he’d ask, and my answer would determine the route. There’s a catalogue of trips in the lobby that you can flick through for inspiration, including climbing the observation tower to watch the canopy birds or enjoying a sundowner on an evening boat ride. If you’re interested in birds, then the clay lick is well worth a visit. These are riverside cliffs where mixed flocks of parrots, macaws and parakeets come to lick the clay to help them digest the unripe fruits they consume. Some days there will be hundreds of parrots lining the cliff like a very noisy tapestry. The guides all have telescopes, so you can observe them close-up from the opposite bank.
Canopy Tower & Macaw Clay Lick
If you’re interested in seeing monkeys, then you’re spoiled for choice. Eight unique species live along the Tambopata River, which are currently being studied by the researchers at the lodge to observe their behaviour. The 8Primates project is collecting the calls of dusky titi monkeys, squirrel monkeys, brown capuchins, white-face capuchins, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, night monkeys and saddleback tamarins so that they can track them as they move through the forest. You have the option of going out with the scientists on one of their audio-collecting walks, where you can capture monkey calls with a parabolic mic. This is a fantastic way to learn about the rainforest. They will even send you the clips you recorded afterwards via email. I managed to spot at least five of the eight species during my three-day stay at the lodge.
The 8 Primates Project at the TRC
My most spectacular moment in the Amazon came from one of the other research projects, one I didn’t expect to be so inspiring – collecting moths. I went out one evening with a researcher named Gabriel, armed with a backpack full of jam jars and specimen tubes. Gabriel took me to a moth trap consisting of a powerful light next to a white sheet. On the sheet, there were thousands of moths of every shape and size. Some were bone white with a metallic gold lining on their wings like fine crockery, whilst others were yellow and stripy trying their best to imitate bumble bees. They ranged in size from ‘microlepidotera’ that could stand on a pinhead, to enormous hawk moths that would be comfortable on your actual head. The ones we were looking for were about the size of a one-pound coin. Gabriel is currently trying to find new types of tiger moths. Whilst we filled the jars, he took the time to tell me about the different species, and what it’s like studying in the Amazon for eight months of the year, including the seasons where the whole forest floor is submerged. The next day when I visited the research station, Gabriel excitedly told me that we’d discovered a new species! He had its DNA ‘barcoded’ and sent it to be analysed by the researchers in Lima, who responded positively. I was elated! It felt incredible to be at the forefront of science and to have found something that perhaps no one had ever seen before. This is the fourth new species that Gabriel has found, and one of many that have been discovered by the team at the TRC.
Hawk Moth in the Light Trap – Discovering New Species project
On my final night at the lodge, I signed up for the Sunset Cruise, which is included in the stay. I bought myself a bottle of beer, which was put in a cooler so I could enjoy it cold on the boat. We set off before dinner and explored the banks, stopping to watch a family of squirrel monkeys jump through the treetops. We spotted caimans and hawks and turkeys and macaws, then disembarked on a pebble beach to watch the sun go down over the treetops.
Written by Josh McMinn
Thanks to Llama Travel
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What our guest say
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- Valuation Excellent
- 5/5
Jacob Shama May 2024
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Dreamer627120 March 2024
The lodge is located in the middle of the forest accessible only by boat. The experience was very unique and exciting. Service is great, and the fun part are the nature activities and tours the hotel offers for free. We had an amazing tour guide that had a lot of knowledge and was fun to spend time with. The rooms are totally open to the forest which is really cool the struggle is the there is no privacy at all in between the rooms, also food was pretty basic. All together a very unique experience. Read all
This hotel is the perfect blend of comfort and hospitality, with the natural experience. The hotel is reached by a hours boat ride from Puerto Maldonado, expertly organized and accomplished. Most staff are members of the local Esa Ejja community. The food is good and plentiful. Hot water is always available and lovely bedding features mosquito nets. There is of course no air conditioning (one side wall is open in rach room) and the electricity is off for a few hours at night affecting overhead fans, so I was glad to have brought a small battery powered fan for sleeping. But the best of the experience is the wildlife. Our expert guide Oscar Mishaja introduced us to nearly 100 bird species, along with caimans, river otters, poison dart frogs and capybara. A trip of a lifetime. Read all
Excellent experience overall— really kind and welcoming staff at every point of the journey. All transfers were well organized and smooth. Excellent and educational excursions all around the rainforest. Delicious food for every meal. We had wonderful guides- Freet and Alvaro. Enjoyed our time here! Read all
We had a surreal experience at Refugio Amazonas. From the well organized transportation to the warm welcome, hospitality and the experience of living in nature - we loved it all. Huge shout out to our guide Boris who went out of his way to ensure we had a good experience and got to watch all kinds of wild life. The meals and cocktails were delicious. And even though this place is smack in the middle of the jungle there was super fast WiFi available. We made unforgettable memories. Read all
We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. Read all
We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. This is the only lounge available in Tambopata national park, and this eco lounge takes environment seriously. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. If you are a natural lover, you can’t miss this place Read all
Excellent and luxurious place, wonderful experience and our guide Boris was first class, he had a unique patience with my 8 year old son. An experience in the tropical rainforest that marks the life of its visitors. In addition to the scientific research that takes place in the place: a whole research center. Rooms: Very comfortable and luxuriou Read all
El mejor hotel para visitar la Amazonia peruana. Hotel eco turístico metido en medio de la selva, equipado para visitar y vivir la selva, su flora y fauna, en todas sus facetas. Todo incluido, con guías preparados y amables, resultó una experiencia increíble para mi familia. Dentro de las opciones no se debe perder el Canopy de 45 metros de altura para observar y escuchar la selva, así como el lago de las tres Chimbadas, lugar único para ver caimanes, nutrias gigantes, monos y aves exóticas. Recomiendo mínimo dos noches!!! Read all
Wunderbare lodge mit freundlichen Menschen. sehr persönliche guides, tolle Tourangebote und super kulinarische Verpflegung ! Wir wurden herzlichst von Caesar empfangen und unser guide JuanJo hat uns phantastische Dinge gezeigt. Wir können die lodge nur wärmstens empfehlen! Read all
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