Arrival at Samiria EcoLodge, Amazon

4°57'41.78"S, 73°70'96.78"W .  Just numbers, GPS coordinates that really tell you nothing, but if you search for them on Google Earth, the little yellow pin comes down on a remote and seemingly insignificant spot in the Amazon jungle, a place called Samiria EcoLodge.  Located near, and named after the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, the largest protected area in Peru, the ten bungalow Samiria EcoLodge represented our oasis in the Amazon jungle for three days. 

 

To get to the Samiria EcoLodge one must first fly into Iquitos, Peru, accessible only by air or boat.  Next, a 2 hour van ride to the port of Nauta, 62 miles southwest, followed by a 45 minute boat ride to the lodge, located on Maranon River, a tributary of the Amazon.   The lodge is surrounded by pristine unspoiled jungle.  

 The lodge itself is comprised of a main lodge, ten private bungalows, game room, pool area and a 40’ observation tower.    After docking one will climb several sets of steps to the main lodge.  Located considerably higher than water level, the steps to the main lodge are covered with periodic flat areas for resting.   The staff transports luggage.  This facility is not handicap accessible and I could not recommend it to anyone who has trouble maneuvering steps.  

The main lodge is large, beautifully appointed and offers panoramic views from it’s elevated vantage point.   All meals are included in the cost of your stay, along with lemonade, coffee or tea.  All alcoholic beverages, wine, beer and water are extra and paid for at time of checkout. 

Upon our arrival we were offered a local drink called ‘camu, camu’ which we came to love.   We found it blended extremely well with Malibu Coconut Rum.  A small bushy riverside tree, it bears a red/purple cherry like fruit and is extremely high in vitamin C.  We were disappointed later in the evening to find that they ran out.   It was only then that we learned they harvest the berries and prepare a fresh batch daily.   We crazy Americans thought they just opened a carton and poured it into a glass.

The elevated accommodations are nicely appointed individual bungalows with large picture windows facing the river.  Five are located on each side of the main lodge with #6-10 being uphill.  We were assigned #7 and Steve and Tamie assigned #8.  More steps.  Ah . . . but so worth it.  

 The room was very clean and configured with 1 Queen bed, 2 twins, refrigerator and a small seating area which included a couch, coffee table and 2 chairs all facing the views of the river and the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.  We relaxed on our front porch, soaking in the spectacular views and listened to the songs of the surrounding birds.   

After a tasty lunch and a little time to relax we headed back down to the docks, boarding a boat to a small nearby village.  Here we were able to take in some local culture and learn how the indigenous people have adapted to their surroundings. 

Local youth serenaded us with song and women of the village afforded us the opportunity to purchase local handcrafted items.  It proved to be a fun afternoon.   

Electricity is available from 6pm-10pm with dinner being served at 7pm.  Only a couple of staff members spoke English but that did not deter from the excellent service and attention we received during our entire stay.  We were always able to communicate our needs so language did not pose a large problem.  When the electricity was finally shut off for the evening we gazed at the stars, listened to the unfamiliar sounds of the jungle and tried to soak in every moment of our new adventure, wondering what tomorrow would bring.