Refugio Amazonas

From the moment we arrived at PEM airport, their hospitality started….. we were received and taken to their office that was 5 mins away and was a prelude to all the amazing experiences that we were going to have. We were assigned this amazing guide Luis Pauccara who was extremely knowledgeable, kind and hard working. From the very first moment he made sure that we had our one of the best experiences. He enriched us with his vast knowledge of the jungle, which he was continuously sharing, keeping us involved. In our short stay, he made sure we saw caiman, macaws in the claylick, capybara, tarantulas and many other Amazonian wildlife. He gave us a special tour of the medicinal plants of Amazon, which was so fascinating. And last but not the least, he took me for a special biking tour (which was not part of our itinerary). To sum it up, he went extra miles to give us an unforgettable experience. And the icing on the cake was the sweet gesture of Luis and Tania, who were very kind to accommodate my special request for late departure (owing to late departure of my flight from PEM). I cannot thank them enough and highly recommend Luis to anyone coming to Tambopata.

This place totally stole the show! We came to Peru for Machu Picchu, but I think it’s safe to say Refugio Amazonas became the absolute highlight of our trip.||​It manages to be as luxurious as a stay in the Amazon can be without feeling like too much hand-holding. The rooms don't have windows, which lets you be super close to nature. Sure, that means moths, but it also means drifting off to the peaceful sound of cicadas and waking up to howler monkeys. I honestly can't remember the last time I had such deep, peaceful sleep.||​The food is another major plus; it's exceptionally fresh, especially considering it’s a buffet. You should absolutely check out their menu, too—it’s one of the most thoughtful and best-designed ones I’ve ever seen. Kevin hosted us at dinner most nights, and he was such great company and so mindful of my wife's dietary restrictions. It really adds to the experience when you feel that people genuinely care.||​We also took advantage of the exceptional massage here. After a long trip, a massage by Kelly was exactly what the doctor ordered.||​But the real star of the show is the activities and the guides. We got incredibly lucky with the very best: Juan Carlos. He was funny, great company, and extraordinarily knowledgeable. All the guides at Refugio Amazonas understand that it's not about just ticking a box but about living the experience. That’s why you might take 30 minutes longer to complete a hike—because you decided to spend some time watching Tamarins playing with each other. Jonathan was another guide we had a wonderful, very knowledgeable, and fun time with. We honestly just didn't want to leave and wish we could have stayed longer.

Through a travel agency in Lima we booked a 4day/3-night stay at Refugio Amazonas. We were looking for a lodge that was far away from Puerto Maldonado but didn't require almost a day to get there (like TRC), with extensive walking trails and with the principal jungle highlights nearby. We were not disappointed. As we later learned, this is probably the best lodge in the region! Well run, quiet, excellent food, beautifully located in the middle of the forest, everything was "right". Surprisingly there were few mosquitos or bugs. |Emperatriz (MP as some call her), our guide, has a keen eye and took us on some unforgettable walks and boat rides, both day and night. The birds at the clay lick were fantastic. The lodge also had evening lectures by young researchers as well as special activities such as collecting night moths and setting a trap camera. We later received videos and photo's of what was found (including a puma!). I can recommend this lodge without reservation.

Our Amazon experience with Rainforest Exhibitions was incredible thanks to our guide Juan Carlos Yatto and the team at Refugio Amazonas. Each activity with Yatto was spectacular, and he was very accommodating by individualising each day based on our preferences and creating opportunities to see the awesome Amazon wildlife. His knowledge of the jungle was amazing, and he was constantly pointing out widelife for us to observe (the Capybara family was a highlight) made our visit so memorable. Also, a special shout out the chef team and bartenders for their delicious food and cocktails!

We just finished three weeks in Peru and without a doubt Refugio Amazonas lodge was a real highlight of the trip. You need to know there is NO AC but honestly you don't need it at night in October, There's a ceiling fan and the bed was super comfortable with netting and additional fan within the bed area. The sounds of the jungle at night and Howler monkeys in the morning was great experience. The staff was excellent with a special mention for Paul our guide. He is an excellent Birder as well and can't thank him enough for over 110 new bird species during our four days there. The early morning Macaw clay lick experience with the boat ride in the dark was very cool. The buffet style meals were ok, make sure you bring shoes for mud and extra to walk around with in the lodge. Refugio provides boots for water on trails. See photos

A superb stay in a top class Lodge which gave a wonderful insight into the Amazon wildlife. Our guide was Juan Carlos who has incredible knowledge and a lovely sense of humour. The staff in the lodge were so friendly and the meals provided were something to look forward to. A wonderful experience!

We had the most amazing time EVER at Refugio Amazonas, and I am so very glad I booked our stay here. Honestly, this is to date probably the best travel experience we have ever had and I will never forget our time in the Amazon here. First of all, the lodge is beautiful. Our room was lovely. The beds were comfy. The bathrooms are large. It is incredible waking up to the sounds of the jungle and falling asleep to the insects at night. We did have some insects in our room, and a rodent, and even a tarantula (non poisonous)! But it was part of the experience. The food was great and they prioritize native and local ingredients. My partner and I are both vegan and they took SUCH good care of us. The food was delicious, and we had ample vegan options every meal. Everything from the first email contacts with Katia to the transfers to the first night info session to the activities-- which I will get to in a second-- was incredible. It is a bit pricey, but everything is included and there is nothing you need to worry about, and it was so worth it. OK now for the best part-- the activities. Holy wow. First of all, we had the best guide EVER-- Juan Carlos. He was amazing. He is a bird expert, knows so much about the animals who live in the rainforest, the insects, the trees, the plant life, it was incredible. He also so clearly cared that everyone in our group had an amazing time. He took so many pictures for us, pointed out so many animals for us, and made sure we all enjoyed every moment. I can’t thank him enough because it made our time here so very special. We went on many activities that were amazing, and we saw so many animals— capybaras, howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, so many incredible insects, frogs, tarantulas, so many many birds and butterflies. Every activity was amazing but the highlights were the macaw clay lick and the canopy tower. And we were super impressed and happy to hear about their commitment to conservation, protecting the animals, and supporting the native community nearby. There is so much I could say about our stay here but I would recommend a 3 night stay over 2 nights (so you can do more activities), and make sure you read the guides they send via email before you come so you pack correctly and know what to expect and bring--the guide includes everything so that there are no surprises, and we knew exactly what to expect, although our stay exceeded our expectations! I highly, highly recommend staying here, it was magical, it was a once in a life time adventure, and I will never forget it. I also want to shout out the manager of the lodge, I forgot her name, but she was incredible, as well as the service staff at meal times, who were so kind and helpful to point out what was vegan all of the time. I truly hope we can come back some day!!

What a brilliant adventure from start to finish! The experience kicks off the moment the team scoops you up at the airport and doesn’t end until they wave you off again at the end of your stay. Everything in between? Pure jungle joy.||The lodge itself is gorgeous—spacious, beautifully designed, and spotless. The staff bend over backwards to make sure you’re having the best time possible. Breakfast and dinner were excellent every single day, and the young hospitality lead deserves a medal for enthusiasm, knowledge, and general “Are you happy? No really, are you happy?” vibes. The lodge has loads of comfy corners to flop into after activities, plus a well-stocked bar with surprisingly reasonable prices (considering you’re in the middle of the Amazon and not, say, a Tesco).||Our room was huge and had a fantastic shower, plus one side opened straight into the rainforest. Slightly alarming at first—nothing like brushing your teeth while wondering who’s watching—but it absolutely works and makes you feel truly immersed in nature.||Our guide, appropriately named ‘Listen’, was fantastic. Knowledgeable, energetic, and somehow capable of keeping track of every tiny creature and every human in the group at the same time.||We did every activity on offer: night walks, sunset cruises, the clay lick adventure, and climbing the canopy tower. All were excellent, and I won’t spoil them—just trust me and do everything. (If you survive the night walk, you’ve earned bragging rights.)||Speaking of night walks… nothing quite like strolling through the rainforest under a full moon with the distinct sensation that a million unseen eyes are watching you. Highlights included a tarantula that was *definitely* too comfortable with our presence, plus the unsettling thought of the thousands more we didn’t see.||We also learned about the towering Brazil nut trees and discovered how locals harvest these coconut-like pods that hide the nuts inside. Hard work, but vital for the community—and a fascinating peek into life in the Amazon.||Wildlife was everywhere: frogs, mysterious “creepy-crawlies” (a scientific term, apparently), capybaras, and the majestic owl butterfly, roughly the size of a dinner plate and a total diva when it comes to photography. The macaw clay lick had to be the highlight. ||Days ended drifting along the Amazon as the sky turned molten gold and deep crimson—absolutely magical. The heat and humidity were relentless (36°C and 99% humidity by mid-afternoon!), but that’s all part of the Amazon charm.||An excellent, exhilarating, slightly terrifying, always unforgettable experience. ||Huge thanks to the entire team—absolutely brilliant! 👍😎👍