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The Tahuayo Lodge

by | Jul 8, 2017 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

THE TAHUAYO LODGE

 

Recognized as one of the ten best wilderness lodges in the world by Outside Magazine

 

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Travel to the lodge requires that you fly into Iquitos, Peru. From Iquitos we take you by boat up the mighty Amazon River, for a distance of about 50 miles, then up the Tahuayo tributary, another 40 miles.

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The trip takes 4 hours by our speedboat. Amazonia’s main lodge on the Tahuayo River is not a resort, nor a hotel, but a rustic lodge, comfortable for adventurous travelers. There are seventeen cabins; some are honeymoon cabins, with a king-size bed, others are cabins with two beds and a few are family style cabins with two floors with a matrimonial bed on the first floor and several single beds on the second floor.

More than half of the cabins now have new private bathrooms. The others, often used for student groups, have shared bathrooms.

Each cabin is raised above the jungle floor on stilts and is connected to other buildings of the lodge by a raised boardwalk. Other buildings include a modern kitchen built to the highest standard of sanitary food preparation, dining hall, bar, areas to socialize and relax and a conservation education laboratory with library. The modern flush toilets and showers use a sanitary septic system. The water used in the plumbing comes from a well rather than water pumped from the river, which is typical of most jungle lodges. There is some electricity provided by solar panels and batteries, so guests can recharge camera batteries or use CPAP machine. Lighting is provided by soft LED lights rather than the more dangerous kerosene lamps used in most other lodges. Satellite based phone, internet, and e-mail service are usually available (the satellite system can be glitchy). The food is prepared by a culinary staff and is considered by our guests as delicious. Special diets can be entertained with prior notice. We have much experience in sanitary food and water handling and preparation and thus you can eat anything served at the lodge, even salads and unpeeled fruit, items that are not generally recommended for consumption by tourists in South America.

There is a laundry staff and daily laundry service is provided for a small charge. We believe that this service is unique among jungle lodges.

In addition to a comfortable stay at our main lodge, tourists can also stay 2 nights or more at our Research Center Lodge, which is located in remote pristine forest. The Research Center Lodge also has comfortable amenities, such as beautiful cabins and satellite services.

 

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Estefani Mishel Maytahuari

Mishel got her degree in tourism from Nauta Institute in 2016. After working as a guide with other companies, Mishel came to study with Amazonia Expeditions as a training guide in 2023. Mishel was promoted to head guide in 2025.

Leyner Arian Ijuma

Leyner got his degree as a tour guide in 2010 at the Nauta Institute and came to work at Amazonia Expeditions in 2021. He was promoted to head guide in 2023. He has biological field work experience from supporting Nicholas Gardner of the University of Florida who he helped study the adaptations of birds in seasonally flooded igapo forests. Birding is one of Leyner's strongest skills.

Julio Pacaya

Julio finished his studies as a tour guide at the Nauta Institute in 2016 and came to work as a training guide with Amazonia Expeditions in 2021. He was promoted to head guide in 2023. Nature photography and birding are among Julio's strongest skills. Julio is fluent in English and French, as well as his native tongue of Spanish.

Claudio Huayllahua Sánchez

Claudio was born and grew up in El Chino Village on the Tahuayo River. He studied primary school in El Chino and continued his education in Iquitos, earning a technical degree from SENATI Institute. He started working for Amazonia Expeditions in 2014 as a field research assistant with several biologists and as an assistant guide. Claudio was promoted to head guide in 2017 and is our camping and jungle survival specialist.

Hersog Chavez Yuyarima

Hersog first got the idea of becoming a guide after watching the tourist boats going by his village every day. He was fascinated that tourists would come to see his home and he loved the way that the guides he saw did their work. He knew that someday he wanted to be just like them. Hersog studied at technical school for 3 years leaning the basics of guiding. After graduating, Hersog worked as a guide for several years working with Peruvian tourists, later coming to work for Amazonia in 2017. Hersog was promoted to head guide in 2019. He has worked as a field research assistant in the study of the elusive pygmy marmoset. Hersog is known for his sharp eyes and his unique stories about the jungle.

Lander Juan Peña Ramirez

Lander was born in the remote jungle community of Santa Victoria. His boyhood dream was to become to best jungle guide in the Amazon. Lander studied at a local institute for several years where he learned basic English and the foundations of the being a tour guide. Later he worked for several years at other jungle loges as a guide, honing his skills as a survival camping guide. Lander came to work for Amazonia Expeditions in 2017 and along with a strong interest in birding and fishing is also one of our lead camping and survival guides.

Aladino Jr. Hidalgo

Aladino was born and raised in El Diamante Village along the Blanco River and attended school in the community of “Valentin” on the Tahuayo River. During this period, Aladino worked with his father as a trailblazer, assisting primate researchers who came to study at a local field station. Afterwards, he moved to Lima where he worked for several years while studying guiding & English. Upon returning in 2019, he was hired by Amazonia as a field assistant and actively supported researchers studying giant river otters, pygmy marmosets, and various bird species. He then joined Amazonia Expeditions as a guide assistant and was later promoted to head guide in 2022.

Jhony Hidalgo

Jhony was born and raised in El Diamante Village along the Blanco River. He attended primary school in his home village and high school in the community of “Valentin” on the Tahuayo River. Jhony later pursued further studies in Iquitos, where he obtained a guide degree from the Milagro Fe & Alegria Institute. After graduating, he worked at the Amazon Rescue Center in Iquitos (CREA), guiding visitors to the center. In 2021 he joined Amazonia Expeditions as a guide assistant and was promoted to head guide in 2023.

Sila Hidalgo

Sila was born and raised in El Diamante Village along the Blanco River. She attended primary school in Diamante village and high school in the community of “El Chino” on the Tahuayo River. Her family moved to El Chino so Sila could attend high school, as it was the closest village offering secondary education. Later, Sila joined our Angels (AoA) scholarship program to further her education in Iquitos, where she earned a guide degree from the Milagro Fe & Alegria Institute. She completed her internship at Tahuayo Lodge. After graduating, Sila began her career with Amazonia Expeditions as a guide assistant and was promoted to head guide in 2022.

Welister Perez

Welister grew up in the small community of Padre Cocha just outside of Iquitos City. He lived there for most of his life, and later worked at several jungle lodges before starting at Amazonia Expeditions. Welister has proven himself as both a talented jungle man and team player with an eagle eye for spotting wildlife. After several months of training with Amazonia he was promoted to a head guiding position in 2017.

Javier Anibal Alván Arévalo

Javier has worked at the Amazonia Expeditions lodges for 10 years, starting as a young teenager as an assistant in building repair, then moving up to motorboat pilot, then camping assistant and assistant guide, and after passing his guide exams with high grades was promoted to head guide in 2014. Javier is also our Canopy Zipline specialist and has taken professional certification classes in Costa Rica. Javier is also a fishing specialist and is beloved by families with children.