The Tahuayo Lodge Tour
From the Tahuayo Lodge, you will explore the Amazon Rainforest’s wildlife-rich Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve with a private guide on a custom itinerary.
On our Tahuayo Lodge Amazon tour, you will be met by Tahuayo Lodge staff at Iquitos airport and will travel 150 km from Iquitos city, northern Peru, and deep into the rainforest. Since 1981, the award-winning lodge has operated highly acclaimed tours of the western Amazon Rainforest to find many different animals and plants.
Researchers have found that this side of Amazonia contains the most wildlife, which makes it a great place to experience this incredible forest. You will experience one of the world’s most wildlife-rich areas to see many different monkeys, colorful birds, interesting reptiles, and much more.
On tours of 6 days and over, you can enjoy both the Tahuayo Lodge and the Tahuayo Lodge Amazon Research Center where you can find a 1000 acre monkey research grid to see different monkeys and other wildlife. However, if you choose to spend fewer days at the lodge, you will be limited to the main Tahuayo Lodge area where there is still a lot of things to see and do, such as canoeing the lakes, wildlife walks, and enjoying the canopy zipline.
The Tahuayo Lodge is one of the only Rainforest Alliance Certified lodges in the Amazon Rainforest and the only lodge in the wildlife-rich Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve. There are enough qualified English speaking men and women guides so every guest can have an itinerary customized to their needs and interests.
If you have specific things to see and do in mind e.g. family tours, photography or bird watching, let us know using the ‘check availability’ tab and we will assign a guide with this specialty.
What we liked? In a word, everything! Our guide, Herzog, was excellent and we enjoyed all of the activities that he organized for us. We learned so much about the varied wildlife in this part of Amazonia. 10/10! Gracias to Herzog. All of the staff were polite, helpful and so good at their jobs. Thank you to all. The food was delicious, nutritious and had lots of variety. We loved all the local vegetables. The food preparation and serving teams did a superb job. Our room was comfortable and spacious. And the mosquito netting was very effective. No mosquitoes! A super enjoyable and educational stay at the 2 lodges.
- Graham
For: The Tahuayo LodgeThe Tahuayo Lodge Accommodation
The Tahuayo Lodge accommodation is rustic yet comfortable. The lodge has 15 rooms, and you can be assigned either a honeymoon cabin (single large bed), a cabin with two beds, or a family cabin with one large bed and several single beds dependent on which you prefer and availability.
In addition to the bedrooms, dining room, laboratory, and library, there is also a hammock room to relax and socialize. Some electricity is provided for guests by solar panels and batteries. The lighting at the lodge is provided by solar panels, but it is best to bring a torch just in case. You can recharge batteries using the lodge generator, provided for this purpose. The electrical outlets are for Peru 220v plugs and US 110v plugs.
Dining
The Tahuayo Lodge culinary staff receive frequent compliments on food quality and special diets can be accommodated with prior knowledge. The staff prepares food under hygienic conditions so you can eat foods at the Tahuayo Lodge not recommended in other areas of South America, such as salads and unpeeled fruit.
The Tahuayo Lodge Tour Summary
Choose a tour from 4 days or more, but note that the Tahuayo Lodge also has the Tahuayo Lodge Research Center you can visit, which is located in more pristine rainforest.
With both of these excellent lodges in the Tamshiyacu and with so much to see and do, we recommend tours of a week and over. Because you have the option of customizing your tour, you will first sit down with your guide to discuss your interests and possible itinerary options.
After this, your tour is shaped around you. Please mention any specific interests on our inquiry form and we will aim to assign you a guide with this specialty. As the only accommodation in the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve, the Tahuayo Lodge provides a base to experience the reserve's rainforest and incredible wildlife.
The Tahuayo Reserve protects a high diversity of species and you will head out with your professional private guide to see many different animals, such as:
- Squirrel monkeys
- Capuchins
- Titi monkeys
- Small pygmy marmosets
- Three-toed and two-toed sloths
- Different tanagers
- Macaws
- Toucans
- Black caiman
- Many different kingfishers
- Iguana
- Pink dolphins
- Brightly colored poison dart frogs
Customize the activities to your interests or let our professional guides suggest a general experience. The activities you can choose from include walks in remote terra firma forest, viewing or swimming with pink dolphins, finding feeding macaw parrots, kayaking Amazon tributaries, visiting Amazon communities, finding poison dart frogs, jungle survival, observing abundant monkeys on our 1000 acre research grid, enjoying our canopy zipline system, and fishing for piranha.
Video Introduction
Tour Info
- Focus Area: Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve
- Duration: 6 days+
- Start Point: Iquitos Airport (IQT)
- End Point: Iquitos Airport (IQT)
Tour Highlights
- Two Unique Lodges & Trail Grid
- You will be assigned a private naturalist jungle guide who will customize your itinerary to your daily needs and interests.
- New Canopy Experience
- We helped to establish the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Regional Conservation Area and are still active in its management. Because of this, we are the only business permitted by the Peruvian Government to have a lodge inside the conservation area.
- Unparalleled access to the 1+ million-acre Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Regional Conservation Area (ACRCTT). This region has been described by biologists as having the greatest biodiversity yet documented in the Amazon Basin.
- All guides certified in wilderness first aid, fluent in English, and frequently given classroom training by doctoral-level biologists.
More About The Tahuayo Lodge
- The Tahuayo Amazon Research Center is formally recognized and registered as a research institution by Peru’s scientific council, CONCYTEC (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnologia e Innovacion)
- In December 2019, the Tahuayo Lodge was granted the Antonio Brack Egg Award (Premio Nacional Ambiental). This is the highest recognition Peru grants for contributions to environmental protection, sustainable management of natural resources. and environmental conservation.
- In 2018 the Tahuayo Lodge became Rainforest Alliance Certified
- The Tahuayo Lodge was the only jungle lodge out of Iquitos to win Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence every year from 2012 to 2020.
- The Tahuayo Lodge was mentioned on the Places to Stay list (page 60) in the May 2012 issue of National Geographic Traveler “50 Tours of a Lifetime.
- A feature article in Science Illustrated describes the trail grid and work at the Tahuayo Amazon Research Center Lodge, investigating population dynamics of primate species and population density of jaguar, as important research in the conservation of these species.
- The lodge won Citation of Honor from Peru’s Dept. of Industry and Tourism for 'adherence to exceptional standards in the field of tourism.'
- The Guide to Peruvian Birds mentions the Tahuayo Lodge as the best place in Peru to see the Rufous-winged Wood Rail, the Rufous-necked Puffbird and other species.
The Tahuayo Lodge Itinerary
Airport or hotel pickup – If flying into Iquitos Airport, upon arrival pick up your luggage (there are carts to use for free if you like) and walk through the only door to exit of the airport. Our staff will be waiting for you just outside with our uniforms and a sign of our logo. Once you are outside, our staff will help you with your bags and take you straight to your transportation. Note: please do not let others (besides our staff) handle your baggage unless you will be paying them. If hotel, please let us know where to pick you up. For your convenience, we have a great B&B in Iquitos city.
Speedboat transfer (note–is 4 hours) up the Amazon River, then the Tahuayo tributary to our lodge.
Evening excursion of your choice
The Canopy Experience–Hike or canoe (depending on the season) through Igapo forest to reach our canopy zipline complex.
Igapo/varzea Forest Exploration– Explore a unique forest with alternating acidic water flooding (from the upper Tahuayo River) with alkaline water flooding (from the nearby Ucayali) with your guide in search of wildlife. Go by foot or canoe while searching for beautiful birds, primates such as pygmy marmosets, night monkeys and howler monkeys, and other wildlife.
Tahuayo River Exploration – Go by boat with your private guide to explore the Tahuayo River. Here you can spot colorful birds (macaws, tanagers, hawks) sloths, neotropical river otters and monkeys along the riverbank.
Cultural Visit– take a short boat ride over to the nearby village of El Chino, this is an experience to see how people live in one of the most remote places on the planet. Visit the school or clinic that we have constructed for the communities. All adults in the communities have been vaccinated.
Tahuampa (flooded forest) Excursion – Canoe in and around permanently flooded forest with a vast diversity of wildlife. Search for the spectacular hoatzin (one of the world’s most interesting and unique birds), black caiman, horned screamers, wattled jacana, giant fishing spiders, giant ficus fig trees and much more.
Piranha Fishing – Head by boat early in the morning or late afternoon to fish for the infamous Amazonian piranha.
Terra firme Excursion – For this full-day excursion, you will ride a motorboat up the Rio Blanco to visit terra firme ecosystem. Hike through the dense forest searching for beautiful little poison dart frogs, harlequin toads, marmosets, leaf cutter ants and more.
Cocha ecosystems – Explore oxbow lakes in search or pink dolphins, wading birds, ospreys, squirrel monkeys and more. Swimming is possible in some lakes.
Night Excursions – if you are still feeling adventurous into the night we offer a variety of night excursions. Go for a night hike or canoe ride to search for scorpions, tarantulas, snakes and other nocturnal wildlife.
Explore by boat on the Tahuayo or Blanco river; here you can search for caimans, snakes, and frogs.
Test your jungle skills and try fishing like the locals do, with a spear and a headlamp. (best during the dry season)
If you are in the mood to relax, sometimes it is nice to ride down the Tahuayo River and find a spot to enjoy the constellations while you listen to the jungle sounds all around you. Have you ever seen the night sky with NO light pollution?
Ask in your request to see full list of activities and excursions. Anything else you want to see or do? Just ask. Your trip is fully customizable.
Cabins are private, simple and comfortable, all have shared bathrooms.
Trail Grid – We have over 75 km of hiking trails from the research center, most of the trails are laid out in a grid to facilitate the scientific collection of population data (In the rainy season these may become canoe trails). The trails go through several varieties of igapo ecosystems, including bajial, high and low restinga as well as palm swamp ecosystem. We can see many different species of monkeys, including brown and white capuchins, saki monkeys, titi monkeys, woolly monkeys, sometimes uakaris, as well as giant tayra weasels and tamandua anteaters. Data collected from camera traps also reveal a high density of jaguar and other predators live here, but these are rarely seen.
Cochas – Boating the various lakes and rivers from the research center we often see caiman and anaconda as well as the highly endangered giant river otter.
Scientific study – Spend a morning or full day with scientific staff studying monkeys.
Hiking to Lake Yarina – Full day or 2 days with camping (camping requires advance reservation) (dry season best) we can see hoatzins on their nests, blue and yellow macaws and caiman.
Night excursions
After lunch boat ride back to Iquitos
Transfer to airport or hotel
Important: Your flight must depart Iquitos 5:00 pm or later on this day.
End of the Trip.
Cabins have private bathrooms Greater variety of activities
The Research Center Lodge (ARC)
Cabins have shared bathrooms Better hiking, over 50 miles of trails through a variety of ecosystems More wildlife Lodge is more remote, in more pristine forest
Rates & Inclusions
4 days / 3 nights
Per Person : $895
6 days / 5 nights
Per Person : $1,295
8 days / 7 nights
Per Person : $1,595
10 days / 9 nights
Per Person : $1,895
Notes
- Minimum trip length: 4 days
- Recommended trip length: 8 days +
- No single supplement
- Additional costs apply for camping, survival, fishing, and birding itineraries.
- Tours of 6-days and over include the main Tahuayo Lodge & Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center
Included
- All transfers from Iquitos
- Lodging
- All meals
- Excursions-customized for your interests
- Entrance fees
- Tourist taxes
- Laundry and tips
Operated By Amazonia Expeditions
About Amazonia Expeditions
The Tahuayo Lodge story began in the early 1980s. This is when American biologist Dr. Paul Beaver founded Amazonia Expeditions. Paul had years of prior experience as a guide leading research trips for his students.
First, camping expeditions were organized to the rainforest for nature lovers and adventurers. Then, after 15 years, in 1995 Paul and his wife Dolly began construction of the Tahuayo Lodge in a region of impressive wildlife. Following this success, in 2006 a second lodge was added to the portfolio even deeper in Amazonia and is known as the A.R.C or research center.
The Tahuayo Lodge and Amazonia Expeditions have become one of the leading tour operators in the rainforest. They consistently receive high praise from guests. And the lodge is regularly featured in travel and outdoor publications, including National Geographic and Outside Magazine.
