Tambopata Research Center One of the most remote lodges in Peru

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One of the most remote lodges in Peru, the Tambopata Research Center

White capuchin monkeyWhite-fronted Capuchin at Tambopata Research Center

I was floored by the Amazon before I’d even got on the boat. Fluttering around the dock was an enormous cloud of butterflies of every shape and colour. They were everywhere. I’d never experienced so many of them in one place. The mineral-rich mud of the river attracts them in flocks, and I was to discover that it is entirely normal to come across fairytale scenes such as this one when walking through the jungle. The guides were completely unfazed. Only when one of them called me over to the boat did I realise how long I’d been staring.

 

The Tambopata Research Center (TRC) is only accessible by a long ride upriver, taking you deep into the Amazon Jungle. It is one of the most remote lodges in Peru, and the only one actually within the Tambopata National Reserve – the others are located in the ‘buffer zone’ on the fringes. Even from the top of the TRC’s observation tower, you can look to the horizon in every direction and not see a single sign of human habitation. The boat journey is long (about 2 and half hours), but it’s also one of the highlights, as this is where you have the best chance of seeing the jungle’s more elusive wildlife. If you have the privilege of seeing a jaguar on your trip, as 40% of visitors do between July and September, it will be whilst on the boat. The water and the clay deposits on the banks attract all kinds of wildlife, from monkeys to macaws. Within 20 minutes of getting on the boat, we’d stopped to watch a capybara on the shore – it was so close that you could even get a decent video of it on your phone.

boat drive to TRCBoat drive to TRC & capybara on the shore  

Upon arrival at the lodge, I was greeted with a cold drink, a face towel, and some plantain chips to enjoy whilst I was briefed on the features of the lodge. Then I was shown to my room, which had one wall completely open to the jungle. The guides called this ‘the Big Window’. ‘Don’t be afraid of the Big Window’ they said, since the animals have no interest in climbing into your room, and the bed is protected by a sturdy mosquito net. No sooner had the guide left than I watched an enormous morpho butterfly the size of a small bird drift erratically past the Big Window. It’s these sorts of sporadic encounters with wildlife that make staying in a lodge so special, and they happen all the time. Once, when walking to lunch, I watched a family of howler monkeys swing through the trees just above my head. Other times I’d watch hummingbirds’ flit busily through the garden, or curious macaws sitting on the roofbeams whilst eyeing up the bread rolls at the buffet.

TRC lodge and roomsTambopata Research Center lodge & rooms  

Each morning and every evening, I went out with my guide to explore the forest. ‘What do you want to see?’ he’d ask, and my answer would determine the route. There’s a catalogue of trips in the lobby that you can flick through for inspiration, including climbing the observation tower to watch the canopy birds or enjoying a sundowner on an evening boat ride. If you’re interested in birds, then the clay lick is well worth a visit. These are riverside cliffs where mixed flocks of parrots, macaws and parakeets come to lick the clay to help them digest the unripe fruits they consume. Some days there will be hundreds of parrots lining the cliff like a very noisy tapestry. The guides all have telescopes, so you can observe them close-up from the opposite bank.

Macaw Clay lick and Canopy towerCanopy Tower & Macaw Clay Lick

If you’re interested in seeing monkeys, then you’re spoiled for choice. Eight unique species live along the Tambopata River, which are currently being studied by the researchers at the lodge to observe their behaviour. The 8Primates project is collecting the calls of dusky titi monkeys, squirrel monkeys, brown capuchins, white-face capuchins, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, night monkeys and saddleback tamarins so that they can track them as they move through the forest. You have the option of going out with the scientists on one of their audio-collecting walks, where you can capture monkey calls with a parabolic mic. This is a fantastic way to learn about the rainforest. They will even send you the clips you recorded afterwards via email. I managed to spot at least five of the eight species during my three-day stay at the lodge.

Tambopata research Center - 8 primatesThe 8 Primates Project at the TRC

My most spectacular moment in the Amazon came from one of the other research projects, one I didn’t expect to be so inspiring – collecting moths. I went out one evening with a researcher named Gabriel, armed with a backpack full of jam jars and specimen tubes. Gabriel took me to a moth trap consisting of a powerful light next to a white sheet. On the sheet, there were thousands of moths of every shape and size. Some were bone white with a metallic gold lining on their wings like fine crockery, whilst others were yellow and stripy trying their best to imitate bumble bees. They ranged in size from ‘microlepidotera’ that could stand on a pinhead, to enormous hawk moths that would be comfortable on your actual head. The ones we were looking for were about the size of a one-pound coin. Gabriel is currently trying to find new types of tiger moths. Whilst we filled the jars, he took the time to tell me about the different species, and what it’s like studying in the Amazon for eight months of the year, including the seasons where the whole forest floor is submerged. The next day when I visited the research station, Gabriel excitedly told me that we’d discovered a new species! He had its DNA ‘barcoded’ and sent it to be analysed by the researchers in Lima, who responded positively. I was elated! It felt incredible to be at the forefront of science and to have found something that perhaps no one had ever seen before. This is the fourth new species that Gabriel has found, and one of many that have been discovered by the team at the TRC.

hawk moth - Discovering New SpeciesHawk Moth in the Light Trap – Discovering New Species project

On my final night at the lodge, I signed up for the Sunset Cruise, which is included in the stay. I bought myself a bottle of beer, which was put in a cooler so I could enjoy it cold on the boat. We set off before dinner and explored the banks, stopping to watch a family of squirrel monkeys jump through the treetops. We spotted caimans and hawks and turkeys and macaws, then disembarked on a pebble beach to watch the sun go down over the treetops.

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Thanks to Llama Travel

 

 

  • What our guest say

    • Valuation Excellent
    • 5/5

Paul H August 2026

FineSpitz August 2026

Jack Looney August 2026

Ching Han Toh August 2026

Maggie Kwok August 2026

Jim July 2026

Kai Liao July 2026

asbraziller July 2026

Tom K July 2026

Maria Carrero June 2026

Lauren Kuenstner June 2026

Adam C June 2026

We had an excellent 5 night stay at TRC with two couples. The remote Lodge and accommodation are unique especially with the open walls to the jungle in the rooms. The guides were first rate with superb knowledge and their ability to spot fauna in the dense jungle was incredible. We saw many species of monkeys; macaws, parrots, tapirs, etc.. even lucky enough to spot a jaguar. Food and service was really good. While not cheap it was I think very good value for money. We really enjoyed all the hikes and citizen science activities as well, he trips on the river and the clay licks. Overall amazing experience! As it’s the jungle not a zoo, you can’t guarantee that you’ll see everything all the time so allow enough days to properly explore. Read all

A once-in-a-lifetime experience in the middle of the rainforest. From airport pickup in Puerto Maldonado to the lodge and back, everything was exceptionally well organised. Communication was clear throughout, with the team always explaining what would happen, where to be and what to take care of. The staff at both HQ and the lodge were incredibly attentive, making the entire stay feel completely carefree. At this price point, this is the level of service you expect, but it is still impressive to experience it in such a remote setting. The food was another highlight: very well curated and balanced, with plenty of options at every buffet and, surprisingly, we never had the same dish twice. Read all

This was an excellent experience!! Highly recommend if you’re interested in visiting the Amazon Rainforest and Tambopata region. Especially happy with our guide Miguel, who was highly professional, informative, and organized. It was an immersive adventure and we got to see so many unique plants and animals. 10/10! Read all

Amazing experience at Refugio Amazonas. Rooms were comfortable and clean. Great buffet spread every day. Staff were friendly and attentive. Our guide Alan was very informative. Overall would definitely recommend a visit! Read all

We stayed 3 nights at Posada Amazonas during our summer trip to Peru, and it was definitely one of the biggest highlights of the whole journey. The staff were incredibly warm and welcoming. Our guide, Joss, was professional, friendly and amazingly knowledgeable. Sometimes it honestly felt like he could communicate with the animals — he could spot black caimans or giant river otters from hundreds of metres away! The excursions were unforgettable. We saw beautiful macaws, giant river otters, capybaras, sloths, tarantulas, an anaconda, different species of monkeys, toucans and so much more. I especially loved the rainforest walks and joined both the daytime and night walks. Every walk felt completely different, and you never knew what you might find. What also made the stay special was the lodge’s involvement in scientific and environmental projects. There was a talk every evening, and we learned a lot about the rainforest and its wildlife. We also joined the “Discover New Species” activity and helped search for possible new species of tiger moths — such a fun and memorable experience. The lodge itself is definitely rustic luxury rather than a city-style 5-star hotel. There is no air conditioning or hair dryer, but the hot shower, fan and hammock in the room were all very comfortable and suited the rainforest setting perfectly. And surprisingly, the internet connection was excellent — even the boats had Starlink! One of the things I appreciated most is that Posada Amazonas is a collaboration between Rainforest Expeditions and the local Indigenous community that owns the land. Many community members are directly involved in running the lodge, and you can really feel how much the staff care about and are connected to this rainforest, which is part of their ancestral home. If you are looking for an authentic, educational and truly memorable Amazon rainforest experience, I highly recommend Posada Amazonas. We absolutely loved our stay. Read all

The Tambopata Research Center (TRC) offers a well-organized immersive rainforest experience within the Tambopata National Reserve. The TRC and its accommodations put a spin on the term creature comforts by keeping guests comfortable while they commune among the creatures within the rainforest. I appreciated, through what I observed and the interactions I had, the attentiveness of the TRC team members. They knew their guests and seamlessly organized a lot for our benefit. The center assigns guests to a small group with a dedicated guide. In my case, Erick Arguedas was a superb ambassador for all things living in the rainforest, in part because it was the environment in which he grew up. His role was to ensure we got the most out of our visit. Being a long-term TRC guide gave him the expertise he needed to easily fulfill this role. Read all

Our stay at Refugio Amazonas was a great experience from beginning to end. The entire trip was very well organized, and having a tour guide with you throughout the experience made everything easy and enjoyable. Our guides, Dennis and Tuto, were excellent. They both spoke English very well and did a fantastic job explaining the different birds, trees, plants, and animals we encountered. Their knowledge really made the excursions much more interesting and helped us appreciate the Amazon on a deeper level. The expeditions were definitely a highlight. I highly recommend the clay lick, sunset cruise, observation tower, river boat tour, and night walk. Each activity offered something different, and we were able to see so much wildlife. The food was also excellent. Everything was fresh and tasted great. I especially enjoyed the protein dishes, fresh fruit, and yuca potatoes. Considering how remote the lodge is, we were very impressed with the quality of the food. The rooms are very open to nature, which is part of what makes the experience so unique. We saw monkeys right from our room, along with many birds and lizards. We even had a frog visit our room at night—which was definitely an interesting Amazon experience! 😂 One thing to be aware of is that the walls between rooms are quite thin, so you can hear your neighbors at times. Overall, the entire experience was absolutely worth the trip. If you’re visiting the Peruvian Amazon, I would strongly recommend Refugio Amazonas. The wildlife, guides, excursions, food, and being completely immersed in nature made this one of the highlights of our Peru trip. 🌿🦜🐒 Read all

Our stay here was one of the favorite parts of our trip to Peru. One of the most memorable parts of the stay is how wonderful the guides were. We had two different guides during our stay: Jos and Jorge. Jos had an amazing connection with the birds, knowing all the bird sounds by ear, he could imitate most of them. His passion for the birds was evident when we went out to see them, and during a visit to look for macaws at the clay lick, he moved locations just so we would have the opportunity to see them. When we viewed them up close through a new blind that had been built, his joy was as much as ours, delighting as if it was his first sighting. Jorge had a beautiful spirit that he shared with us during our time with him. Growing up in the community there, he had so much knowledge about the plants and trees. He introduced us to a medicinal plant, and had stories about some of the different trees. We felt well cared for by both guides. We also enjoyed the nightly science talks, teaching us about some of the ongoing projects which helped us feel more connected to the area. The food was wonderful, and all the staff were extremely helpful throughout our stay. Read all

Amazing location and truly deep jungle. This organisation has three lodges and this is the nearest to Puerto Maldonado but don’t think that the wildlife here is any less than the lodges further along the river. We saw a LOT of different animals, birds and variety of colours. Well worth the stay. Read all

We stayed last february for 4 nights in the TRC lodge. I never could have imagined that I would explore the amazon in such confortable and immersive way. The lodge itself is such a luxurious place, in the middle of nowhere! The food was nicely curated everyday to offer new bits and pieces of the Peruvian cuisine. The absolute highlight of our stay here was for sure the activities and our guide Carmen, who accompanied us everyday! We were able to choose our everydays activities with our very reduced group and our guide. Carmen guided us on very activity, spotting and explaining what animals we saw and interesting facts about our surroundings. Her knowledge and excitement were so infectious that it would even make the sightings even more special! Read all

One of the most unique experiences we’ve had! You are deep in the heart of the Amazon and truly feel immersed in nature. Our guide Dino was awesome and taught us so much about the rainforest-he is like a walking encyclopedia, and his love for the forest really shows. Also very unique to listen to nightly talks from the research team-it really adds to the experience. Food was great and staff very friendly. Bring lots of bug spray and an adventurous spirit! Read all

The lodge was fantastic; they were very attentive to our needs. The dining staff brought special bread for my wife because of her celiac disease and offered to prepare dishes specifically for her to meet her dietary needs. The lodge guides were truly knowledgeable and went out of their way to help us see all the local wildlife. I especially loved the mosquito net service they provided. I was worried we’d be eaten alive, but their setup is fabulous; I had no concerns once I saw how they installed the impenetrable nets and curtains. The meals were as good as—or better than—anywhere else we ate in Peru. We saw the following animals: macaws, parrots, parakeets, pale-winged trumpeters, tamarins, caimans, capybaras, and a ton of insects on our night hike. Read all