We are going to Peru and considering either a cruise on the Amazon or a jungle lodge. We are most interested in seeing birds in particular and wildlife. If you would recommend a lodge, which one and why? Are there any security issues re: jungle lodges?

Hi tecwwrite, I'm copying a section from my September 2009 trip report to give you an idea of the jungle lodge experience we had. I'd never do it again.

After about a 45 min ride on about a 30' wooden squareback longboat with motor up the Rio Madre de Dios, a tributary of the Amazon, to our lodge, the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, we arrived and disembarked. The others on the boat would be in our excursion group for the rest of the stay. These included a couple from Australia, a couple from Lake Tahoe, another couple from Florida and us.

We had a Topolabampo Suite Villa # 10, nice end thatched roof villa next to the forest so we had a little more privacy, and a bigger unit. Two hammocks and two chairs on the screened in porch, a big king size bed draped in mosquito netting, and separate commode and shower. It's very hot and humid and the ceiling fan doesn't work so well through the netting.

After a fantastic 3 course lunch (similar to dinner), we met at 3p for a short walk around the jungle grounds, with Alan as our guide. Then, we rested briefly, had our free pisco sour, and went on an evening river cruise for an hour. They shone a spotlight on the banks looking for wildlife, but we didn't see much....a possum, a caiman(small alligator) and some birds. But, it was a beautiful evening with almost a full moon. During the day we had seen several agoutis, a cross between a larger rat & a squirrel. Went right to dinner afterwards without a chance to clean up. In bed by 9:30pm....no electricity at night, just keronsene latterns.

Next am came with a 5am wakeup call. Had a little difficulty sleeping night before because it's so warm and close....but the jungle noises weren't that loud. Got to breakfast by 5:30am and shoved off at 6am for our morning excursion to Lake Sandoval. First, we took a 30 min boat ride up the river, then they bill this as a 45 min- hr hike to the lake. Well, this was a 2 hr. horrible slog through thick mud, almost pulling off our wellies. We had to walk on the edges and then grab tree branches so we wouldn't fall in. That worked, until i grabbed a tree that fire ants live in and they proceeded to sting my hand. Several people slipped and fell and were encrusted with mud. One guy in our group was a retired naval fighter pilot and he said this was worse than anything he did in bootcamp! We did see some red howler, black capuchin and spider monkeys playing in the tree tops.

The reward for this torture was a boat ride on Lake Sandoval, an oxbow lake to see wildlife. All we saw was a green parrot and a kingfisher.

The walk back took about an hour and a quarter. I had rolled my sleeves up and then got scratched by the branches and bled profusely. My husband used a bandana to stop the bleeding, but by that time our group had gone way ahead and we hurried to catch up. We were all soaked with sweat, muddy and hot and couldn't wait to get back about noon. A shower never felt so good!

After another great lunch, we met at 3pm for the jungle canopy walk. Now this was fun!
Got to wear our tennis shoes and walked about 30 min to the 80' tower. Climbed up and we were at the top of the tree canopy....cool! Then, one at a time, we walked across swinging bridges made of wooden slats, and steel cable railings, with a net inbetween. There were 6 bridges in all. Very fun, but again, very hot with no breeze. A boat took us back to the lodge and our group met for pisco sours in the lodge.

Next morning, we got to sleep a little later...up at 6:40am, breakfast at 7:30am and we're off at 8am on a large wooden boat to Gamitana Creek, about a 45 min ride. Then, it was a 2 hour hike through a jungle....no mud, but climbing over twisted roots and fallen logs. That was better (we also saw wild pigs and a tarantula), until I was a little slow climbing over a log and before i knew it, a host of army ants swarmed up my pants, biting me with circle of blood coming through my pants! I frantically was trying to smash them against my thighs to kill them....finally, I had to take my pants off (after telling the rest of the group to go ahead) to get the rest out. Several had made it up to the back of my neck and were biting me! Luckily, I didn't have an allergic reaction, and the pain subsided.

After that, we took a 1 1/2 hr canoe ride up the creek and we had to row a very heavy paddle. The guys tried fishing for catfish or piranha with a bamboo stick, piece of string and a simple hook. My husband was the only one to actually catch anything....a small catfish, but that made his day! The boat ride was pretty boring too...just saw one small caiman.

Stopped for lunch about 1pm for a picnic lunch, but it wasn't very good. We haven't been very happy with our guide, Alan, either. Others seem much better.

Back to the Lodge by 3pm and I had a lovely massage in a room overlooking the Amazon. Tomorrow we're on a 12:50 pm flight to Lima, via Cusco.

@ barefootbeach: BYH! I can't thank you enough for posting these words -- I have been flogging myself for NOT making time in the Amazon basin a part of my upcoming trip, and you just swept ALL of those doubts away.

glad to be of help, kja!

Hi Techwrite,

First, make sure you're at least giving yourself 4D/3N, but ideally at least 5D/4N in the jungle. Travel days end up eating up so much of the day getting to and from jungle lodges. For lodges, I would suggest going the way of Puerto Maldonado -- more amenities, better organized. The only downside is that you're on some tributaries of the Amazon, not the Amazon proper.

I really like Rainforest Expeditions' experience at the Tambopata Research Center. It's certainly out there, and you're spending a lot of time on a boat transfer to the lodge, but the likelihood of a good mix of bird sightings and mammal sightings is high. Accomdations are definitely comfortable and the excursions are 'a la carte' so you have the ability to opt in and out of activites.

If you really want to focus on birding, choose going to Manu National Park. My sister recently did an intesive experience there for 5 Days and saw about 180 species with a private guide. The variety there is incredible there but accomdations are less modern and comfortable than in the Puerto Maldonado/Tambopata area. She went with Peru Birding Tours and loved the expert guiding (Birding Trips in Peru | Birding Tours in Peru | Bird Watching Tours in Peru). Safe travels and enjoy the experience here!

I'm with kja! I decided sometime back that the Amazon was not for me - I have enough hot and humid weather where I live, and that's without the mud and possibly inimical wildlife. I was much happier visiting the glaciers further south.

Thanks for the information!

Hi techwrite, I'm headed to Peru for Cusco/Machu Picchu in May and decided to add on 6 days in the Amazon. I fly from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado and will spend time at Heath River Wildlife Center and Sandoval Lake Lodge. I booked it all through Green Tracks in Colorado, which a safari friend of mine used last year for the same trip with great results. Private message me if you want more info.