Refugio Amazonas — Hotel in Tambopata

Our experience in the Amazon was absolutely unforgettable, and while the rainforest’s raw beauty was a huge part of that, it was our guide, Dennis, who truly made it extraordinary. He is incredibly intelligent, warm, kind, and intentional in everything he does. Every day with him felt meaningful — he didn’t just show us the jungle, he taught us how to see it. We learned so much from him, and his passion and care left a deep impression on us. Honestly, the hardest part about leaving wasn’t saying goodbye to the forest — it was saying goodbye to Dennis.

The Refugio itself felt like a hidden gem — a perfect blend of comfort and immersion. The food was amazing, some of the best we had during our entire month-long trip. The staff was incredibly helpful, attentive, and kind. It felt like staying at a 5-star resort: we had hot water, electricity, and even WiFi, which was a pleasant surprise deep in the jungle.

While there were no screens on the bedroom windows, the beds were fully enclosed with mosquito nets, and we never had any issues. In fact, not having screens made us feel even more connected to the Amazon, hearing the sounds of the jungle at night and waking up to the dawn chorus. I had some of the best sleep of our entire trip here — restful, peaceful, and surrounded by nature.

We also absolutely loved the 4 a.m. macaw trip — it was well worth the early wake-up, and the wildlife sightings throughout our stay were phenomenal. Every day brought something new and awe-inspiring.

We also want to recognize Tania, the manager, who is doing an outstanding job. She clearly knows how to run the resort with excellence — everything was smooth, clean, thoughtful, and organized. She’s an A+ leader, and her attention to detail shows in every part of the experience. That said, we’d also like to suggest that Dennis be given more responsibility — he is incredibly capable, professional, and deeply connected to the mission and operations of Refugio. He would be a valuable partner in helping manage and elevate the experience even further.

This trip was one of the highlights of our travels — not just because of the breathtaking surroundings, but because of the people who made it so special. We would...

If you are looking for a taste of the Amazon jungle at a gorgeous eco-lodge that does active research and also provides warm and friendly service, hearty meals, beautiful accommodations and a glimpse of the wild this would be a good place to consider. We stayed 2 nights and 3 days at Refugio Amazons and were not disappointed. The rooms have 3 walls with the “4th wall” open to the jungle. To be that close to the sounds of the jungle was exhilarating. The rooms were well-appointed and had both a shower and bath inside and one outside on your private porch. Top notch biodegradable shampoo, conditioner, body wash and bath salts were provided. We also had a water cooler with purified water and a mini bar/frig with very reasonably priced drinks and snacks. We even had our own resident frog that liked to hang out in our bathroom. The beds and linens were nice and we had mosquito nets on our beds at night. The buffet style meals were delicious, lots of options and hearty amounts. Snacks were available between meals as well as a coffee and tea service. Upon arrival we were assigned a wonderful guide named Paul who helped us plan our activities. There were at least a dozen excursions to choose from. We chose the early bird sunrise boat ride to the Macaw lick and it was stunning with lots of macaws and parrots and got amazing pictures. We also saw Capybaras and Egrets and had breakfast at the beach. We did a late afternoon walk in the jungle where we saw many howler monkeys and got great photos and then headed over to the tower for sunset and amazing views of the canopy and birds. We trekked in the dark searching for glowing eyes on our way back to the lodge which was very exciting. Some tips: bring a day backpack or waist pack, flip flops, water bottle, sunscreen, mosquito spray, multiple lightweight long sleeve shirts, a hat, and head lamp. It is hot and humid and the lodge does not have air conditioning so be prepared to sweat. If you forget anything there is a gift shop on site where you can pick up anything you forgot. We had a great trip and would recommend it to...

We had an absolutely wonderful stay at the Refugio Amazonas Lodge at the beginning of June. ||It started with a seamless airport pickup and provided packed lunch which was absolutely delicious. The lodge itself is gorgeous and well maintained - you will need to bring sandals, flip flops or clean sneakers to change into so that you don't track mud into the lodge when you come back from your excursions! We went at the end of the wet season so we got to experience rain and mud. The lodge provides rubber boots to wear so that you don't need to worry about getting mud all over your hiking boots. ||As for the excursions, we took part in the night hike, the Macaw Clay Lick, the Oxbow Lake, the Mammal Clay Lick, the Canopy Tower and the Farm experience. All of these were excellent and made even better by our great guide, Ederson. He knew exactly where to find the animals and had a keen eye to spot things that we would have walked past! He was also happy to take pictures of the animals through his binocular scope - in fact, some of the best photos we have from our trip were taken by Ederson with his scope! ||The rooms at the lodge were well appointed and even though there are only 3 walls, you feel very safe and comfortable. We loved having a local troop of howler monkeys as our alarm clock when we stayed! You'll be amazed at all of the wildlife you'll see and hear around the lodge. The food for breakfast, lunch and dinner is buffet style and excellent. Everything tasted very fresh and delicious. At night, the lodge hosts a lecture just before dinner about the different research projects they have ongoing with Wired Amazon. These were hosted by Gabriel and were very informative, my family really enjoyed them. ||All in all, our stay at Refugio Amazonas Lodge was a once in a lifetime experience and easily the highlight of our...