Here is our selection of the top ten Amazon lodges in Peru. The first two are Peru's best deep Amazon lodges.
Our lodge selection offer the best wildlife sightings we have found, while also providing a comfortable base, safety, top rated Amazon guides and a high standard of service in one of the world's wildest regions.
If you have less time available, or would like a lighter Amazon Rainforest experience while maximizing wildlife sightings, we recommend lodges 3 and 4 on this list.
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The Tambopata Research Center
Accessed from Puerto Maldonado, and near one of the largest macaw clay licks in the Amazon Rainforest, the Tambopata Research Center is positioned inside the wildlife-rich Tambopata National Reserve. When you arrive, you will hear the sounds of birds and monkeys in the surrounding rainforest. You will first relax at the comfortable lodge and then begin your rainforest adventure with your skilled local guide.
This region of rainforest is part of one of the world's largest tracts of protected tropical forest. There are also more claylicks than anywhere else in Amazonia. You will visit these with your guide for incredible displays of sound and color as colorful parrots visit the licks.
These are areas of exposed clay where many different animals come to feed off the salt-rich and medicinal substrate. The most famous visitors are the large and colorful macaw parrots. These are often a favorite sight from Peruvian Amazon lodges. Macaws are thought to eat the clay to help obtain salts and detoxify unripe fruits and seeds they have eaten in the forest At the Tambopata Research Center, you can enjoy spotting several species of colorful parrots visiting the licks, which are known locally as colpas.
For an example of the tour and wildlife you can experience at the lodge, you can watch the introductory video above.
Because of the lodge’s fantastic position, the Tambopata Research Center is also visited by researchers studying the macaws. At the lodge, enjoy talking with researchers to see what they’re doing and listen in on talks to learn a little about these interesting animals. In addition to the macaws, the lodge is one of the deepest in the Amazon and the surrounding rainforest is at carrying capacity for animals and plants. This means you can walk the forest trails to see a fantastic amount of species, including many different rainforest monkeys. Enjoy guided tours to spot howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, capuchins, titi monkeys, tamarins, and spider monkeys. Also, because of the high amount of herbivores, around 20% of guests are lucky enough to spot jaguar on the riverbank. This is perhaps the best Amazon lodge in Peru for seeing iconic Amazonian animals.
You can message the lodge directly for activity lists and availability for your travel dates using the tour bubble below.
4, 5 days+The Tambopata Research Center
Puerto Maldonado, PeruPositioned in the middle of the wildlife-rich Tambopata National Reserve, near one of the largest macaw clay licks in the Amazon Rainforest, you will ...
- Deep Rainforest Lodge, Access to Tambopata's Macaw Claylicks
From $ 1,545
/ person -
The Tahuayo Lodge
What sets the Tahuayo Lodge apart from others on this list is the standard customized itinerary and private guide to experience the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve. This is another deep rainforest lodge and is about 150 km from the city of Iquitos in northern Peru. The Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve is a continuous area of rainforest with the highly regarded flooded forest of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. However, the Tahuayo Reserve offers a higher amount of accessible non-flooded forest where you can walk and hike the many trails around the reserve. The reserve here is reported to contain a higher diversity of primates than many other Peruvian protected areas and you can see many of the different monkeys.
On tours of six days or more, you will spend time at both Tahuayo lodges, which are the main Tahuayo Lodge and the Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center located a little deeper in Amazonia. Behind the Amazon Research Center (ARC) is a 1000-acre primate research grid where you can spot howler monkeys, different tamarins, squirrel monkeys, curious capuchin monkeys, titi monkeys, and the tiny pygmy marmosets. The pygmy marmosets are easily seen from the main Tahuayo Lodge as well.
The Tahuayo Lodge itself offers the most itinerary options in Amazonia and you can also enjoy the largest canopy zipline in the rainforest. Spend your time in the rainforest walking the trails, canoeing the tropical environment, spotting poison dart frogs at Frog Valley, watching the small colorful manakins at the manakin lek, and boating around the protected area wildlife watching.
Because you have your own private guide and custom itinerary, you can enjoy exploring the reserve in your own time focusing on a general experience, photography, or a more adventurous tour. Choose to camp in the rainforest for one or two nights to get as close as you can to Amazonia or test yourself on a short Amazon survival course. With the private guide, wildlife-rich rainforest, and friendly staff, the lodge provides a memorable experience of the Amazon and has a number of regular guests. The Tahuayo Lodge is particularly popular with wildlife photographers, nature lovers and guests wanting a little more adventure. You can contact the lodge for a detailed itinerary using the tour bubble below.
6 days+The Tahuayo Lodge
Iquitos, PeruFrom the Tahuayo Lodge, you will explore the Amazon Rainforest’s wildlife-rich Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve with a private guide on a custom itinerary. ...
- Private Guide, Custom Itinerary
From $ 1,295
/ person -
The Refugio Amazonas Lodge
A great choice for families, or for those looking for a short Amazon Rainforest tour of 3 or 4 days, the Refugio Amazonas Lodge is positioned right at the edge of Tambopata National Reserve. This is again accessed from Puerto Maldonado in southern Peru. Some unique features about the Refugio Amazonas Lodge to the others on this list are the larger spa area to enjoy a relaxing massage and the higher chance of spotting a harpy eagles. This is due to harpy eagle nests often being found near the lodge. The Refugio Amazonas also has the only children’s trail and playground in Peru’s Amazonia, which makes it a great place for a family adventure. Aside from these features, the Refugio Amazonas Lodge is otherwise very similar to the Posada Amazonas Lodge mentioned further down the page. Both of these lodges are therefore offered interchangeably if one of the options is fully booked. From the lodge, enjoy guided walks on the Refugio’s different trails to find fascinating Amazon Rainforest wildlife, such as several different monkeys, including saddle backed tamarins, squirrel monkeys, brown capuchin monkeys, red howler monkeys, and dusky titi monkeys. The 30 meter canopy tower then gives a great view of the forest where you have a good chance of spotting different colorful birds like toucans, parrots, macaws or mixed species canopy flocks. You will enjoy lake tours around Lake Condenado to see different lake living wildlife, such as hoatzin, caiman and horned screamers. There is also a small claylicks near the Refugio Amazonas where you can spot parrots and parakeets to watch these beautiful birds. If you want to see the much-loved macaws, you can add a day trip to Chuncho Claylick. While here, you can see hundreds of macaws visiting the clay.
There are also some great cultural activities to enjoy at the Refugio Amazonas. For cultural experiences, you can walk the ethnobotanical trail, visit a working jungle farm, and see a Brazil nut concession. You can also enjoy night walks and a menu of spa treatments.
4, 5 days+The Refugio Amazonas Lodge
Puerto Maldonado, PeruThe Refugio Amazonas Lodge & Spa is an Amazon Rainforest lodge located in the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve. Explore the surrounding rainf...
- Comfort Lodge, Short Travel Time
From $ 826
/ person -
The Posada Amazonas Lodge
A fantastic community owned rainforest lodge, Posada Amazonas Lodge provides a lodge surrounded by a high level of animals and plants very close to the base town of Puerto Maldonado. Puerto Maldonado is gifted with the Tambopata Rainforest less than an hour away.
This means it’s the ideal place for a short Amazon Rainforest tour of two or three days. The reason for this is because you won’t waste time getting to and from the lodge, which if you only have a few days available takes away a significant fraction of time that could be better spent watching Amazonian wildlife. After only 45 minutes traveling from Puerto Maldonado by boat, you will be at the Posada Amazonas. On guided expeditions around the Posada Amazonas Lodge, you can see different monkeys in the forest, parrots, some mammals at the small claylicks, and giant river otters on tours of the nearby Amazonian lake. The Posada Amazonas has a 30 meter canopy tower for views over the rainforest to see some colorful birds, such as parrots, parakeets, macaws, and toucans. From the lodge, you will also visit an ethnobotanical trail and a working farm to see how people live in the rainforest. This makes the Posada Amazonas a fantastic choice for a short adventurous Amazon tour of 3 or 4 days.
Enjoy a balanced nature and cultural experience of Amazonia. The Posada Amazonas Lodge offers a choice of very comfortable rooms, which all open out onto the rainforest to keep you connected with this incredible environment. Mosquito nets on all beds then keep you protected for a comfortable night. In addition to comfortable suites and beds to relax you, Posada Amazonas also offers a small spa whenever you would like a massage.
3, 4 days+The Posada Amazonas Lodge
Puerto Maldonado, PeruAt the Posada Amazonas Lodge, enjoy a comfortable experience of Peru’s Amazon Rainforest from Puerto Maldonado. Because of the position inside the Es...
- Comfort Lodge, Short Travel Time
From $ 814
/ person -
The Kuaii Amazonas Lodge
Opening May 2027, Kuaii Amazonas sits inside the private communal reserve of the Ese Eja Native Community of Infierno in Tambopata, southern Peru. Getting there is part of the trip: a short flight into Puerto Maldonado, an hour by road, then a boat ride up the Tambopata River with no towns or roads in sight. The lodge is built on land owned and run by the community, and your stay funds their conservation and education work directly.
Enjoy a climb up the 40-metre canopy tower, with good views over the forest and a fantastic spot for observing toucans, parrots, and mixed flocks moving through the treetops before dark.
You will also visit Tres Chimbadas Oxbow Lake, which is a short boat ride and walk away, where you paddle a quiet catamaran along the shoreline looking for the resident giant river otter family, plus caimans, hoatzins, and horned screamers.
From there you can visit Centro Ñape, which is a community-run plant medicine centre where local guides explain the traditional uses behind what's growing along the trail.You can also visit the parrot clay lick and enjoy a sunset cruise on the Tambopata in the evening. The open river is a great place to see capybaras, macaws, and other riverside wildlife that tend to show up as things cool off.
What separates Kuaii Amazonas from most Tambopata lodges is how the community partnership actually works. It's a lodge operating on native land and staffed by the Ese Eja community.
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The Pacaya Samiria Lodge
The Pacaya Samiria Lodge sits outside Iquitos, reached by road to Nauta then boat up the Marañón River. The lodge has its own private reserve, which contains 130 hectares of primary forest, and that shapes most of the activities.
Being on the river itself is part of the experience. The water reflects sky and forest so cleanly the area is known locally as the Forest of Mirrors. You will head out to find pink and grey river dolphins around Nauta Caño with many birdwatching opportunities throughout. For example, over 100 species have been recorded.
A trip into the official Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is a highlight of the experience. And you will also visit the Veinte de Enero community to see how locals sustainably manage aguaje palm harvesting. At the lodge's own reserve, you will walk trails through primate-rich forest and past medicinal plants, with your guides explaining traditional uses as you go. Night excursions add a shot at nocturnal wildlife, and camping deeper in the reserve features on longer itineraries.
Cultural contact runs through the experience as well. The cabins carry Kukama Kukamiria names, and visits to communities like San Jorge and the women's artisan center (Pua Kamatawara) give a direct look at Kukama life.
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The Manu Tented Camp
The Manu Tented Camp is a combination lodge offered as a package with the Manu Wildlife Center below. The reason for this is because Manu Tented Camp is a low impact lodge located within the boundary of the Manu National Park itself. This is the largest and more pristine national park in Peru. Because of the strict regulations for tours inside the park boundary, visitors are only permitted within Manu National Park for a few days. This means it makes a perfect combination tour with the nearby Manu Wildlife Center mentioned below. This also means you increase your chances of seeing the larger Amazon Rainforest animals.
While at the Manu Tented Camp, enjoy visiting the oxbow lake of Cocha Salvador to see giant river otters and walk the different trails to see many of the Manu National Park’s 13 monkey species, the many colorful birds, and a diversity of tree frogs. While cruising the waterways, you’re also likely to see a capybara, the world’s largest rodent, walking along the riverbank.
Although the wildlife of Manu National Park is free to move around the continuous forest, such as the forest of the Amarakaeri Reserved Zone, the park itself contains a few more species. You will also visit the Manu Wildlife Center to enjoy the large macaw clay lick, tapir lick, and a higher chance of spotting wild jaguar. -
The Manu Wildlife Center
The Manu Wildlife Center is located at the outside edge of the famous Manu National Park and positioned in the Amarakaeri Reserved Zone. The Manu rainforest contains the highest diversity of life in Peru, including an incredible variety of colorful birds, monkeys, tree frogs, reptiles and butterflies.
The lodge was carefully positioned to maximize wildlife sightings and is located by one of the Amazon’s most photogenic macaw clay licks where hundreds of parrots come to feed from the salt rich and medicinal clay. In addition, from the lodge you can visit a nearby lake for chance sightings of giant river otters and enjoy a tapir lick to spot South America’s largest land-living mammal. From the Manu Wildlife Center, you will then enjoy expertly guided tours on the miles of nature trails winding their way through the forest. This is where you will see several different species of monkeys that call the forest home, such as howler monkeys, capuchins, titi monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and marmosets. The lodge operates its regular departure program from March through December, and to reach the lodge, you will first fly into Puerto Maldonado located just south of Cusco. You will be met by the lodge staff and will travel down the mighty Madre de Dios River to the Amarakaeri Reserved Zone of the Manu rainforest and the Manu Wildlife Center to begin your tour. -
The Heath River Wildlife Center
The Heath River Wildlife Center is another fantastic lodge from Puerto Maldonado where you have a higher chance of spotting South America’s largest land mammal, the tapir, and a great many colorful macaws. The Heath River Wildlife Center is located near another of the Amazon’s largest clay licks where you will view the parrots from the comfort of a floating hide. The floating hide means you can get a little closer to the clay licks for some fantastic photography opportunities. At this particular lick, 260 macaws at once have been spotted at the clay making an incredible display of sound and color.
The Heath River Wildlife Center is the only lodge on the Heath River, which runs between the highly diverse Tambopata National Reserve and the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. This is continuous forest and is part of one of the world's largest tracts of protected tropical forest. The protected areas that make up this section are the Tambopata Reserve, Manu National Park, Madidi National Park, and the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park.
Enjoy guided tours on the many different trails through the Amazon Rainforest to spot several different monkeys, such as the howler monkeys, capuchins, and tamarins. You will also see some other rainforest mammals and fantastic birdlife. What’s unique about this particular lodge is that you are also close to the savannah ecosystem offering a completely different set of animals and plants. This bumps up the biodiversity you can see from one lodge and they have just started seeing evidence of the elegant maned wolves living nearby.
From the lodge, you can also enjoy tours to the remaining Ese’Eja indigenous people and learn of their nomadic ancestors. As a great add-on experience, you can also combine the Heath River Wildlife Center with the Sandoval Lake Lodge to see three of the Amazon Rainforest’s most iconic animals of the tapir, giant macaw parrots, and then the much loved giant river otters at the beautiful Sandoval Lake. -
The Sandoval Lake Lodge
The Sandoval Lake Lodge is another great choice for a short Amazon Rainforest experience of 2 or 3 days. The lodge is nestled on the beautiful Sandoval Lake inside the highly diverse Tambopata National Reserve, which is very close to Puerto Maldonado in southern Peru. Because this is just a short flight south of Cusco, this is often the best choice for an add-on experience with Machu Picchu and there are some great combination packages with Sandoval Lake Lodge specifically.
Each morning, you will explore the lake aboard a small catamaran scouting the lake edges for forest life. This is perhaps the best lodge to see a diversity of monkeys on a short tour, as several different species visit the lake each morning. On Sandoval tours, you're likely to see titi monkeys, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, capuchins and much more. The water birds, including many different types of heron and hoatzin then patrol the lake boundary. Cormorants sit on the logs, and high on the trees you’re likely to spot toucans and macaws. Because of the many stands of palm near the lake, this is also a great place to spot the famed scarlet macaws.
However, the stars of Lake Sandoval are the giant river otters. Enjoy heading out searching for the resident otter family to observe these fantastic mammals playing, hunting, and communication with others in the group. These are a large mammal and one of the only social otter species. While relaxing after dinner, you can also watch a nature documentary on the otters filmed from the Sandoval Lake Lodge.
If you would also like to see a large clay lick and have a high chance of spotting tapir, you can also combine the Sandoval Lake Lodge with the highly regarded Heath River Wildlife Center to enjoy a high chance of seeing three of the Amazon Rainforest’s most iconic animals.
The Best Time to Visit an Amazon Lodge in Peru
For your Peruvian Amazon Rainforest experience, the best time to visit one of these high-rated Amazon Rainforest lodges depends mostly on when you are available.
Most species don't migrate and as we are in the tropical region, there are no seasons. This means you can have a fantastic experience year round. However, although in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest there is often not even an official dry season due to the rainfall in the rainforest, there are wetter months. And in the northern region by the Amazon River, there is a low and high water season, which either means more canoe exploration or more guided walks. This can also affect the likelihood of seeing aquatic and semi-aquatic animals.
We have made a quick guide so you can select your intended month of travel to see what to expect. Note that this changes a little for the northern and southern Amazon Rainforest. See below.
Which Area of Peruvian Amazon to Visit?
The main Amazon Rainforest regions to visit in Peru are from Iquitos in Peru's north, by the Amazon River itself, and from Puerto Maldonado in Peru's southern Amazon region. Our recommendations are to choose from either Iquitos or Puerto Maldonado. Both offer exceptional wildlife viewing and there are different animals to see in each location.
For example, macaw claylicks concentrate in the Amazon region around Puerto Maldonado (especially Tambopata), which makes these lodges better for macaws and parrots. And the Tambopata Research Center is then the lodge to visit to maximize chances of spider monkeys, macaws and jaguar. You can also learn more about these Tambopata Amazon lodges to learn which is best for your interests.
Pink river dolphins, sloths, pygmy marmosets and saki monkeys are then more easily seen in Peru's nothern Amazon. For these experiences, we recommend the Tahuayo Lodge. You can also see our guide to Iquitos Amazon lodges. And for some more information on these areas, you can see our guide on choosing between Puerto Maldonado and Iquitos.
Which Amazon Lodge to Choose for the Best Experience?
The lodges on this page, and on TourTheTropics.com in general, have been selected to give you the best experience of the Amazon Rainforest.
What you won't find are lodges or hotels that offer a guided tour, comfortable accommodation, but very low wildlife opportunities. These may seem attractive at first, as they are usually only 20 to 30 minutes drive from the airport. They are often very close to the base town of either Puerto Maldonado or Iquitos and in areas of heavily disturbed rainforest that wildlife has left a long time ago.
We feel that if you are visiting as your only chance of experiencing the Amazon Rainforest, we want you to have the best chance of experiencing the incredible diversity of animal life in the world's largest container of animals and plants, while enjoying a safe, comfortable and well vetted lodge, with excellent Amazon guides, which is why we created this list. Note, you may also be interested in seeing our interviews and conservation with Amazon Rainforest guides here in our Stories section.
The Amazon lodges listed on TourTheTropics offer you fantastic wildlife opportunities, comfortable accommodation and professionally guided tours. They also include your meals and transfers from either Iquitos or Puerto Maldonado.
We have experienced the majority of lodges ourselves to provide our recommendations and others are from very positive guest feedback. And the selection criteria includes:
- Wildlife-rich rainforest
- Comfortable accommodation
- Professional and experienced Amazon guides
- Environmentally & socially responsible tours
- Very high ratings from previous guests
How to choose your Amazon lodge
If you are wanting to have the best experience of the Amazon Rainforest in terms of the diversity of animals and plants that you can find, while also wanting to feel safe and looked after with some of the top guides in Amazonia, we recommend the very comfortable Tambopata Research Center and rustic comfort of the Tahuayo Lodge on this list.
These lodges are located in some of the most untouched areas of accessible rainforest, which means wildlife is near carrying capacity for the environment. This means excellent wildlife sightings. From these lodges, you will see a higher level diversity and animals and plants that you cannot find from many other jungle lodges in Peru, including spider monkeys, jaguar, macaw claylicks, saki monkeys and pink river dolphins.
The next lodges on the list then offer a little less wildlife but a comfortable base with the same standard of service.
And remember, when choosing an Amazon lodge, look for lodges far from the base town (maximum wildlife sightings) that demonstrate a sustainable approach to tourism while involving the local communities. This means avoiding lodges that encourage guests to touch or handle wildlife, avoiding lodges that have captive animals, and that benefit the communities and help protect the surrounding Amazon Rainforest.
Our select Amazon lodges for your Amazon Rainforest experience
Here are our select Amazon Rainforest lodges for a wildlife-rich rainforest experience with high quality service, excellent guest experiences, and responsible-tourism practices. Prices shown are the lowest published rate per person.
| Tour | Stand-outs | Itinerary lengths | Especially loved for | From, per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Only lodge deep inside Tambopata National ReserveNear 2 claylicks to see macaws20% chance to see jaguarDifferent suite options including luxuryBest wildlife
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4-day6-day
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5-day from$2,060View tour
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Only deep rainforest lodge in Tahuayo ReservePrivate guideCustom itineraryTwo lodges to visit on tours of 6 days+Canopy ziplineBest wildlife
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6-day8-day10-day
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6-day from$1,295View tour
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Comfortable lodgeTambopata Reserve buffer zoneOnly children's trail in the rainforestNew clay lick to see macawsGreat wildlife
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3-day5-day
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4-day from$1,239View tour
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Comfortable lodgeCommunity owned & operatedHigh chance of giant river ottersCanopy towerGood wildife
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3-day5-day
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3-day from$814View tour
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Ash Card
Tour Advisor @TourTheTropicsAsh Card has worked in tourism for 15 years with a background in Science and Zoology, published research in the Journal of Behavioral Ecology and founded TourTheTropics.com to help provide guests with the best experience in tropical regions while protecting habitat. Ash has visited most Amazon Rainforest protected areas in Peru and stayed at the Tambopata Research Center, Tahuayo Lodge, Refugio Amazonas, Manu Wildlife Center, Sandoval Lake Lodge, plus many others. The above article is his personal selection for you to have the best experience of Peru's Amazon Rainforest. His objective is to make sure you have the best experience of the tropics and to help people live in balance with the natural world.
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