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Blog - Jim's Thoughts

Peru Tours and Travel

Suggested Packages / Amazon / Cusco / Lima / Lake Titicaca / Arequipa / Nazca
Trujillo & Chiclayo / Chachapoyas / Trekking / Multisport / Rafting / Biking

Posada Amazonas, Refugio Amazonas
and the Tambopata Research Center

The Tambopata Research Center is a spartan yet comfortable 13 bedroom lodge built with the object of lodging tourists and researchers alike and of protecting the adjacent macaw clay lick. Because of its remote location in a Connecticut-sized tract of uninhabited wilderness housing stable populations of endangered wildlife, the small scale of its infrastructure and operations and the presence of researchers and naturalist guides, Tambopata Research Center is an excellent headquarters for in depth explorations of Amazonian nature and wildlife.

Designed using traditional, low impact native architecture to provide the creature comforts necessary for enhancing the wilderness experience without compromising its authenticity. Each bedroom is furnished with two beds draped in mosquito netting, a chair, a night table with a kerosene windlamp, and a table for luggage and clothing. Each room is also designed to have a permanent, unobstacled view of the forest surrounding the clearing in order to maximize wildlife observation time: the wall looking out into the forest is a waist-high verandah. To the left of the main building a 20 foot-long, roofed passageway connects to the bathrooms containing 4 flush toilets and 4 shower stalls, offering cold water only.

The Research Center offers:
*Unobstacled view of forest ten meters from lodge perimeter maximizes wildlife encounter possibilities.
*Daily departures with no minimum number of passengers assure utmost flexibility at great value.
*Buffet meals combine international, Peruvian and local cuisine. Vegetarians are welcome. *Guides are young, English-speaking Peruvian biologists who. Additionally, the presence of professional researchers at different times of the year may present ample opportunity to interact with them.
*An experienced, well-trained staff hired at a 2.5:1 tourist to staff ratio assures excellent service throughout your stay.
*Walks on trails are kept at a 6:1 tourist to guide ratio, increasing wildlife encounter opportunities.
*Natural history attractions include world's largest known macaw clay lick, over twenty five identified macaw nesting sites, primates and other larger mammals, and a high bird diversity concentrated in seven distinc habitats that are easily accesible from TRC.

Posada Amazonas is a 30 bedroom lodge owned by the Community of Infierno. Thanks to its accesibility, excellent wildlife observation opportunities, cultural context and comfortable accommodations, Posada Amazonas is ideal for a two night introduction to Amazonia´s richest rain forests.

Posada Amazonas is located within the territory of the Infierno Community. It is built within the 2,000 hectare, private, communal reserve, which in turn is directly adjacent to the Tambopata National Reserve. To get there you must fly to Puerto Maldonado from Lima or Cusco on daily commercial flights lasting 45 or 90 minutes respectively. From the airport you are transported by truck to the Infierno River Port where you board our boats for a forty five minute trip to Posada Amazonas. Posada Amazonas is located ten minutes walking from the river.

Posada Amazonas is ideal for those looking for an introductory experience lasting two nights because:
" The travel time required to get to Posada Amazonas from Puerto Maldonado is less than two hours, therefore you have time to explore the forest from the very same afternoon you arrive.
" It offers enough quality natural and cultural resources to keep your agenda full for your two night stay: giant river otters at an oxbow lake, parrots at a clay lick, a canopy tower and an ethnobotanical trail.

Posada Amazonas is built using a combination of traditional native materials (wood, palm fronds, wild cane and clay) and architecture and modern day eco-lodge technology. The lodge itself consists of a complex of four sections: rooms, dining area and kitchen, relaxation area and internal support facilities. The entire roof of the lodge is constructed using high quality crisneja palm fronds, whereas the floors are of tropical mahogany. The rooms complex is built of four 9 X 24 meter structures with six rooms per facility, for a total of 30 double bedrooms. The rooms are 7 x 4 meters so they can comfortably hold three beds, although most are set up for two. The walls dividing each room are built using cane, and extend from the floor to about 2.5 meters height making each room private. The side that looks out to the forest does not have a wall or screening of any kind, acting as a large window facing the forest. The reason we have been able to incorporate this "luxurious" design into our lodge is because mosquitos are not really a problem around the lodge clearing and the open section allows for an intimate contact with the rain forest. A second small window on the opposite side, set up very high, keeps the rooms well ventilated. Doors are replaced with drapes. Rooms are not soundproof.
Each room has a private bathroom with cold water only. Rooms and bathrooms are separated by drapes. Each room has beds, mosquito nets, bedside tables and hammocks or lounge chairs. Rooms are decorated with bas- relief wood-carvings representing stories and characters from Ese-eja traditions. Common areas are open and spacey and offer ample area for resting and socializing. They include a dining room and bar, a reception lounge with souvenir shop, and an interpretation center.

We provide self-serve three course meals at Posada Amazonas. Meals consist of soup or appetizers, salad, main course, and desserts combining Peruvian and international cuisine. All fresh fruits and salads are thoroughly disinfected before serving. We also provide at all times unlimited amounts of boiled, filtered, cooled drinking water, coffee or tea and we provide fruit juices during the meals. If any visitor has special dietary requirements, we are happy to make individual arrangements, but please notify us.

Posada Amazonas is in daily HF radio contact with our offices in Puerto Maldonado and Lima from where we are able to communicate by email, fax or phone with the rest of the world.

Posada Amazonas has no electricity. Light is provided by numerous kerosene lamps and candles. A generator is turned on once a day to recharge batteries for guests or lodge facilities. At night it is very dark, so we recommend good flashlights.

*Daily departures assure utmost flexibility at great value.
*Built combining traditional native architecture and materials (wood, palm fronds, wild cane and clay) with modern, low-impact, eco-lodge technology.
*Room size (7X4 meters) keeps them airy and well - ventilated.
*Clay walls regulate heat while providing a charming final appereance.
*Visitors are in permanent contact with the forest: the wall looking into the forest is a waist-high verandah.
*Private bathrooms have with showers and flush toilets.
*Dining and lounge areas are designed for 80 people, offering ample space to rest and socialize.
*Buffet meals combine universal, Peruvian and local cuisine. Vegetarians are welcome.
*Guides are Ese'eja and English-speaking Peruvian naturalists: the unsurpassable field lore of the former complements the technical knowledge and communication skills of the latter.
*Our lodge staff not only sets the regional standard for quality service but is also made up of a majority of Ese'eja community members, providing valuable income from tourism to their families.
*Canopy tower provides easy access to one of the world's final biological frontiers: the rain forest canopy.
*Natural history attractions include oxbow lake with giant river otters, parrot and small macaw clay licks and small monkeys.
*Opportunities for cultural interaction with the Ese'eja: guided activities include ethnobotanical walks, visits to small scale farms, and other experiences we are developing in association with our native partners.

Refugio Amazonas is a "sister lodge" to Posada Amazonas. It was built in mind to offer more variety, particularly for families. See the fact sheet for the lodge, with lodge description and photos.

See Videos of the Lodges and Soft Adventure Activities

We were most pleased with the lodge, its food & other catering and our accommodation. We were also impressed with the itinerary of events and, in particular, our guide, Oscar. Oscar was exceptionally helpful, demonstrated a very good command of English and, most importantly, was a highly skilled bird-watcher & identifier. It was his guiding that raised our trip from a good experience into a really great one. We don't know how Oscar does it, but he drew in and spotted for us a number of birds, including a couple which were new ticks for him (everything we saw were new ticks for us) so we were rather priveliged to share in these special events.
All-in-all we had a great trip from a great lodge being led by a fantastic guide.
Ros Beeston

Itineraries for Posada and Refugio Amazonas

2010 Prices per person for Posada and Refugio Amazonas:

Includes: All Lodge accomodations based on double occupancy, all scheduled land and river transportation, all transfers all scheduled excursions with English Speaking guide services, All entrance fees. Meals as specified in the Itinerary.

Itineraries for the Tambopata Research Center

2010 Price per person double occupancy in US$ for Tambopata Research Center programs

extra nights $100 at PA or TRC . Single supplement at TRC is $55 per night
a $50 per person tax will be added to all Tambopata Research Center programs

Reservations and Cancellations Policies

• There is no limit for anticipation in booking a tour. Our reservations department can book spaces with years in advance.
  
• Booking status will be respected on a first come first serve basis.
  
• Tentative bookings are confirmed only with a rooming list and pre-payment of the trip.
  
• Rooming lists must be submitted 45 days before the first day of the itinerary.
  
• Nameless spaces after this deadline will be replaced by bookings with names in waiting list, after notification to the original booking owner.
  
• No charge will be made to bookings cancelled 48 or more hours before the first day of the itinerary, except those paid with a credit card.
  
• Bookings cancelled 48 hours or less before day 1 of the itinerary will be subject to retentions of 20% for groups from 1 to 4 people, and 30% for more than 4 people, unless cancellation is due to circumstances out of the guest's control, such weather, accidents, unsolvable problems with airlines, etc.

I had a fantastic time. I was fortunate enough to have two(2) guides Yuri and Aldo as my itinerary was similar to another gentleman from the US. They were both very professional and it was quite obvious they enjoy their work. They were both very enthusiastic, knowledgable and passionate about the enviornment they work in. The accommodation was wonderful, the rooms were clean and more than adequate, and the staff were very accommodating and friendly. Anna Fracala