Location: The Amazon| Rating: 4 star | Cabins: 32 | Pool: no
Located deep in the Amazon within its own 200-hectare private reserve, Refugio Amazonas is a secluded, 32-bedroom jungle lodge. The lodge is located about two hours from the Puerto Maldonado airport, in Southeastern Peru. Its wide variety of kid-friendly, adventure-focused, and science activities makes Refugio Amazonas a great option for nature-lovers and families alike. From the lodge you can scales the 30 metre canopy tower that rises above the giant treetops, watch hundreds of macaws descend onto a clay lick, paddle around a classic jungle oxbow lake and explore the children’s rainforest trail.
Whilst this will all create the perfect Amazon adventure the lodge is also the headquarters of their Citizen Science program, Wired Amazon. From discovering a new species to learning about Harpy Eagle behaviour, guests at Refugio Amazonas can join the Wired Amazon team and participate in ground breaking research that is advancing knowledge of the rainforest. Each month (on average) a guest discovers a species new to science!
Why we work with them
Indigenous peoples lived off of the natural resources of Tambopata’s tropical forests and savannahs without destroying them for thousands of years. In some parts of the region, they continue to live off the land. Traditionally, certain areas were set aside for hunting, and local people managed these areas responsibly to avoid depleting the wildlife populations they depended on for food. In addition, human population sizes remained fairly small in the past, so they didn’t make a big impact on animals.
In modern times, however, Tambopata’s larger human population and greater access to firearms have resulted in unsustainable hunting levels in some areas. Fortunately, the damages of hunting have been alleviated by establishing protected areas in Tambopata, and promoting ecotourism. Nature tourism provides economic and employment opportunities for locals, allowing them to preserve the environment rather than hunt for sustenance. Today, local indigenous groups, like the Ese Eja, have worked to protect their ancestral lands, collaborating with Rainforest Expeditions on ecotourism and land preservation projects.