The Posada Amazonas is a comfortable, yet unobtrusive 30 bedroom lodge, jointly owned between an eco-tour operator and the Ese'eja Native Community of Tambopata. Thanks to its accessibility, excellent wildlife observation opportunities and first class accomodations, Posada Amazonas is the ideal short, economic introductory nature tours to Amazonia's richest rain forests.

Posada Amazonas is located on the Ese'eje Native Community's territory within the 2000 hectare private communal reserve, which in turn is directly adjacent to the 1.5 million hectare Tambopata Candamo Reserved Zone in southeastern Amazonian Peru. Access is simple: fly from Lima or Cuzco on a daily scheduled commercial flight to the city of Puerto Maldonado and travel by boat two hours up the Tambopata River to Posada Amazonas. The lodge is located less than 10 minutes walking from the river.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Posada Amazonas is ideal for those looking for a short introductory experience of the Tambopata Rainforest, because Travel time required to get to Posada Amazonas from Puerto Maldonado is less than 2 hours. Thus you have time to explore the forest the same afternoon you arrive. It offers enough quality natural and cultural resources to keep your agenda busy for your 2 night stay: giant river otters at an oxbow lake, parrots at a clay lick, a canopy tower and an ethnobotanical trail.

ACCOMMODATIONS AT POSADA AMAZONAS

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 24 double bedrooms. The rooms are 7 x 4 meters so they can comfortably hold three beds, although they are set up for two.

The walls dividing each room are built using cane and clay, and extend from the floor to about 2.5 meters height making each room private. The combination of clay and cane achieves two important objectives: regulating heat and providing a charming final appeareance. However, sounds can be heard from room to room. 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.

Beds are sized for Americans or Europeans (1.05m X 2.05m) with mosquito nets. Each room has a private bathroom with cold water only. Rooms and bathrooms are separated by drapes. The dining room and lounge is spacy and offers ample area for resting and socializing.

PER PERSON RATES AT POSADA AMAZONAS IN 2009/2010

Longer stays can be arranged. Extra Night: US$135.00; Single Supplement: US$45.00 per night

For further information and booking inquiries, contact Sacred Earth

ACTIVITIES

Canopy Tower

A twenty minute walk from the Posada Amazonas leads to the 35 meter scaffolding canopy tower. A banistered staircase running through the middle provides safe access to the platforms above. From atop you obtain spectacular views of the vast expanses of standing forest cut by the Tambopata River winding through the middle. Now and the toucans, parrots, or macaws are seen towards the horizon or mixed species canopy flocks land in the treetop next to you.

Tres Chimbadas Oxbow Lake

Tres Chimbadas is thirty minutes by boat and forty minutes hiking from Posada Amazonas. Once there you will paddle around the lake in a catamaran, searching for the resident family of nine giant river otters and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers.

Parrot Clay Lick

This clay lick is only a twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas. From a blind located about twenty meters away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets descend on most clear mornings to ingest the clay on a river bank. Species such as Mealy and Yellow-headed Amazon, Blue-headed Parrot and Dusky-headed Parakeet descend at this clay lick.

Ethnobotanical Tour

A twenty minute boat drive down-river leads you to a trail designed by the staff of the Centro Ñape. The Centro Ñape is an organization within the community of Infierno that produces medicines based on forest plants. It provides a traditional herbal medicine service to the members of the community. They have produced a trail which explains the different medicinal and practical uses of selected plants.

Trail Hike

We leave from the lobby of Posada Amazonas and embark on a two hour hike that leads to the largest tree in the vicinity: a giant ceiba tree. During the hike we will focus on the natural history of the rainforest and its principal taxonomic groups.

Farm

A thirty minute boat ride down-river takes us to the most complete farm in the community of Infierno. The owner grows a diverse variety of popular and unknown Amazon crops. In his garden, just about every plant and tree serves a purpose.

Nocturnal Walks

You have the opportunity to hike out at night, when most mammals are active, though hard to see. Much easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories.

Presentations

Video presentations or lectures are available every night at the interpretation center. Video topics include the Tambopata National Reserve and the macaw project. Presentations are about the Infierno eco-tourism project.

ACTIVITES INCLUDED IN PROGRAMS:

Optional services, such as the hire of a private birwatching guide or arranging a crafts workshop are available at an extra charge on request, please inquire.

Please view the itinerary page to see the full program.

For further information and booking inquiries, please contact Sacred Earth.