Traveling to the Amazon Rainforest?

Traveling to the Amazon Rainforest?

When is the best time of year to travel to the Peruvian Amazon?

The best time to travel is between November and July. The water is high and the trees are in bloom with fruit that attract wildlife to the banks of the river.

Red Uakari Jungle Tours provides tours to Tamshiyacu Tahuayo and Pacaya Samiria, what is the difference between these two national reserves, are there other areas that Red Uakari travels to?

The Tamshiyacu Tahuayo reserve is about a 4 hour boat ride north of Iquitos.  Currently we are only doing camping tours to Tamshiyacu to look for anacondas.  

We prefer to take travelers to our new lodge in Pacaya Samiria.  Built in 2018, we chose to build our lodge in Pacaya Samiria because it is much easier to get to from Iquitos, it is only about 2 hours from the airport in Iquitos (Coronel (Crnl.) FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta International Airport) to our lodge.   

If travelers choose to come to Pacaya Samiria, how far down the river can they go?

We can take them on a long boat ride down the river (about 6 hours) or we can organize a 3 day long camping trip with treks into the jungle.  It really depends on what the travelers want to do.  There is a lot of wildlife deeper in the jungle, the deeper we go into the forest the probability of discovering different types of wildlife increases.  If we go to the high ground, there is a better chance of finding poison dart frogs and the elusive Red Uakari monkeys.

How many people can stay at the Red Uakari Lodge at one time?  Is the jungle lodge a good place for families with children?

The Red Uakari lodge can accommodate up to 8 travelers at one time, however, we prefer to take groups separately so we can provide a more immersive and inclusive experience.  We have had many families take tours with us over the years, there are a lot of activities to keep kids entertained throughout their stay.  Jungle hikes, boat rides, village visits, camping, fishing, swimming in the river are all fun and safe activities for travelers of all ages.

What can travelers expect to eat while they stay at the lodge?  Is there WiFi?  Can I charge my phone when I am there?

All travelers are served three hot meals a day when they are staying at the lodge.  We have a chef who cooks gourmet meals that will provide our guests with the energy they need to explore the jungle.  For jungle hikes, we provide a nutritious lunch for our explorers so they can continue through the forest.  

Our lodge is powered with solar energy during the day so you can charge your phone but we do not have WiFi.   There is a WiFi hotspot in the village that travelers can use to connect to their loved ones.

The Red Uakari Lodge is close to the community of Puerto Miguel, what connection does Red Uakari have with the village?

The village of Puerto Miguel is located about a 10 minute boat ride up river from the lodge.  Every year we donate clothes, dental hygiene products, and school supplies to the children in the village.  Puerto MIguel is an important resource for Red Uakari because here we can purchase food, cold water, and medical supplies for our guests.  Once a year in December, we hold a holiday party for the village and give toys to all the kids.

Red Uakari Jungle Tours Travel Blog 3.25.22

Welcome to Red Uakari(wah kari) Jungle Tours!!!

Orlando and I (Henry Burgwyn) started Red Uakari Jungle Tours in the winter of 2014. Our mission was to create a safe, fun, and affordable guiding company that could show adventurous travelers the wonders of the Amazon rainforest. In our time as a company we have enlisted a 5 star rating on trip advisor because of our attention to detail and by providing a consistent quality guiding experience.

Recently, we have begun to recover from the pandemic which really took its toll on the tourism industry. Slowly, as we recover from the last two years of almost no travel to the Amazon, we are starting to see an increase in tourism. Access to the vaccine, covid testing sites, and public awareness of CDC guidelines has allowed tourism to resume to this incredible part of the world.

Traveling to the Red Uakari Lodge is comprised of several modes of transportation. First, landing in Lima, Peru at Jorge Chavez international airport. This airport has a Covid testing site which delivers rapid results within 2 hours. Jorge Chavez International Airport is located about 11 km (40 minute taxi ride) from the city center of Mira Flores. There are numerous bars and restaurants in the city center as well as many places to stay.

The next part of the journey is to take a flight (2 hr) to Iquitos, Peru. These flights generally run about $75-$100 with multiple airlines flying back and forth everyday. Here, Orlando or another one of the Red Uakari guiding team will meet you at the airport to take your luggage and help you get to your hotel. If you are heading straight to the jungle, we will take a taxi about an hour a half south of Iquitos to the town of Nauta.

The last part of the trek to the lodge, is about a really enjoyable boat ride to the lodge. It takes about an hour to get there but there is lots of wildlife to be seen, pink dolphins, scarlet macaws, and a wide variety of birds. Upon arrival at the lodge, we will get you settled in and feed you a hot meal.

There is an intricate system of trails behind the lodge that lead to deep into the jungle. Here you will discover all types of amazing wildlife and botany. Early morning hikes are the best way to find woolly monkeys, pygmy marmosets, spiders monkeys, giant sloths, and anacondas. Orlando is a keen observer of everything in the jungle and will show you how to survive the wilderness. Drinking from water vines, making a shelter, hunting, fishing, are just a few of the areas of expertise in his deep knowledge of the jungle. Whether you are an experienced in the wilderness or just experiencing the forest for the first time, Orlando will make sure you have an enjoyable adventure.

We invite you to come enjoy this serene place where you can enjoy an amazing diversity wildlife, plant life, food, and culture.