sb1020

Hi all

We are off to Peru for 3 weeks in May 2012
We plan to end with 6-7 days in the Amazon jungle and are actually booked at Inkaterra
To my dismay, I have read (review September 2011) that there are gasoline engines creating terrible and constant noise as people are searching/drilling the area for gold.
Inkaterra can do nothing about the situation,
Does anyone have any infor about this?
What are people's experience with Explorama?
I really do not see going to this pristine (?) area and having the jungle noises drowned out by constant and ceaseless noise caused by motors and engines
Thanks
Sandy

ckotula

I've been going to the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica lodge over many years, working as a tour guide, so can speak to this.

The motors the recent reviews are commenting on have always been an issue at the Inkaterra property, it's just a matter that this recent review focused on it. The lodge is situated right along the river. There are local people that use the river as transport and their motorized dugout canoe motors can be heard in passing on occasion, also the local people do have portable floating gold panning machines to sift river deposits for gold. They work up and down the river, it's not a permanent installation right in front of the lodge. Probably some locals decided to use their machine on the banks across from the lodge during that reviewers stay, and it annoyed them. Chances are they are not there anymore.

I've noticed this noise and issue at times in the past, but for me it has never taken away from the high quality of the lodge, guides, excursions, etc. The lodge will usually ask the miners not to work the riverbank right across from the lodge (which is like 1/4 mile away, so distant) but at the end of the day it's the local people's right to do what they want.

Never been to Explorama/Ceiba Tops - but you are talking about the far north of Peru, Iquitos. It is an hour flight from Cusco to Lima and then another 2 hour flight up to Iquitos to get there. Compared to a 30 minute flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado to get to the Inkaterra lodge.

qwovadis

explorama.com best for wildlife of your 2 but www.inkanatura.com Manu Biosphere Reserve way
better nature and way less dodgier than PM or Iquitos.
Best for large mammals wildlife in Peru so Manu for me.

lcuy

We spent 4 days at Explorama last May. It was a wonderful trip, and quite reasonable as we got the TGIF special.

I don't think it was a two hour flight from Lima; more like an hour. Your guide will pick you up at the airport and take you everywhere. I highly recommend Armando. We had lunch at Ceiba Tops. It is run by the same comany, and a bit closer on the river, but it looked a lot more "touristy".

mlgb

You fly directly from Lima to Iquitos, I assume you are going through Lima on your international flight anyways. Yes, it's closer to two hours (the airlines list it as generally 1:40 or thereabouts).

There are a number of options around Iquitos depending on how much remoteness or comfort you want (Ceiba Tops has A/C I believe). You can also do an Amazon cruise (M/V Aqua, http://aquaexpeditions.com/)

This whole debate about how Manu is better than Iquitos is a bit skewed, it really depends on how good your guide is and which lodge option you chose. Most people will see monkeys, caiman, sloths, birds and butterflies, frogs, snakes, etc. at either location. You won't see river dolphin at Manu, and you probably won't see a jungle cat no matter where you go.

Treepol

I really enjoyed my stay at Ceiba Tops last year and would recommend it. I also travelled to Manu cloud forest and would say that the wildlife experiences are very different. Manu was very wild with not many people whilst Ceiba Tops is located on a busy part of the river and affords great viewing of local craft and wonderful opportunities to observe life on the river. I don't recall noise from river traffic being an issue, can't remember any at all actually.

We visited the Monkey Island and saw macaws, monkeys and snakes in a free roaming environment, although it was a bit zoo-like. If you opt for the full day trip to the canopy walkway you will see more lush rainforest - the trip is well worth the time and money. We booked an Internet special for around $600 single for 3 nights.

Its possible to book private boat trips provided there are boats available - we did this and spent a wonderful morning birdwatching with Abelardo Flores our Ceiba Tops guide.

Photos are here, the first 34 were taking during our stay at Explorama, https://picasaweb.google.com/Treepol...caPeruInclManu

Regards,


Pol

mlgb

You can of course find more remote lodges within a few hours launch from Iquitos but they won't have air conditioning. Check TA for reviews.

Amy

I've been in Ceiba Tops but actually prefer the more remote lodges of Explorama, especially Explornapo. It's a wonderful experience; I expected to go once and be done, but I've been there three times--so far. (And Armando is a wonderful guide.)

sb1020

Thanks to all!!

We will be spending the 5 nights at the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica-much easier to get to-30 min from Cusco to PM and will not have to change itinerary because of flights to and from Iniqitos

Sandy