Where I Stayed in the Amazon Rainforest

Both in the Posada Amazona and Tambopata Research Center resorts there was no hot water, no electricity, and no doors on the rooms. Showers were cold, the complex was illuminated by burning torches and kerosene lamps. Mosquito nets kept all the creepy crawlies out of your bed at night, since without an entire wall anything could get just walk right in!

$The unique accomodations at the Posada Amazona. Rooms at the Tambopata Research Center were similar, but smaller. The main difference between the two resorts was that rooms at Posada had their own bathrooms, while at TRC the bathrooms were shared.\n\nImmediately noticeable is the complete lack of a wall at the far end. You get the complete nature experience here. Nothing prevents critters or bugs from wandering in. You are protected at night by the mosquito net that you tuck under the entire perimeter of the mattress before retiring.\n\nIf you are used to posh resorts with room service and a poolside drinks, forget about this place. There is no electricity or hot water. Showers are cold water only and may be silt-laden during the rainy season. Nature guides will rouse you as early as 5:00a to eat breakfast and prepare for the days amazing activities.\n\nWith only one exception, meals were outstanding. Breakfast and Dinner were served by candlelight. There is almost no packaging waste and therefore little garbage. Almost everything is recycleable. The resorts have each have a gift shop, which was a godsend for me since I spent the entire week missing my main suitcase thanks to the incompetence of an airline called Tapa. I bought several shirts, a hat, and hand-laundered my unused outfit every day.\n\nI went in July and the weather was excellent. It was always sunny and pleasant, surprisingly never too hot. 2 years after my trip I met a couple who had been there in December, and all they encountered was rain and mud.$

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The Tambopata Research Center was setup to help proliferate macaws in the wild. PVC pipe was identified in a serendipitous manner. Apparently there was a fire in a PVC factory in Lima, and one of the factory employees who was friends with one of the researchers at TRC offered some sections of burnt pipe to try. At the time of my trip it was the most successful makeshift nestbox so far.

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