National Geographic Traveler Interactive - 10.11 2019

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019 101

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The two-story
common area at
Treehouse Lodge
includes dining
facilities and an
upper floor where
hammocks swing.

SLEEP IN THE TREE CANOPY

The Amazon River doesn’t

acquire its name until the

confluence of the Marañón

and Ucayali Rivers, near

Iquitos. But here the river is

already gargantuan, making

it hard to visit without feeling

overwhelmed by its sheer

size. A great way to carve out

an intimate visit is to stay at

the Treehouse Lodge on the

Yarapa River, a small tributary

of the Ucayali, just upstream

from the confluence with

the Marañón. Go on a night

excursion by foot or canoe,

fish for piranhas, and stay in

one of 11 tree houses, built

into ironwood trees dozens

of feet off the forest floor.

treehouselodge.com

CAMP IN THE CLOUD FOREST

Peru has much more to offer

than Machu Picchu. To experi-

ence the cloud forest, consider

a visit to Soqtapata, a few hours

northeast of Ausangate, hidden

just off the Interoceanic High-

way. A 23,722-acre conservation

area, Soqtapata contains six

microclimates (soqta means “six”

in Quechua) and is thickly

forested and steeply sloped,

spanning 3,200 to 15,000 feet

above sea level. You can trek

through the forest looking for

wildlife and orchids and then

cool off in a mountain stream.

Pitch your tent in the preserve’s

open-air lodge and relax with

other travelers or the conser-

vationists frequently doing

research there. soqtapata.com

BE A CITIZEN SCIENTIST

IN THE JUNGLE

For an unmatched adventure

in the Amazon Basin, set

aside three or four days to

stay at the lodges of Rain-

forest Expeditions on the

Tambopata River. You can

see monkeys, macaws, and

jaguars; geek out with scien-

tists at the harpy eagle nest

or over the many variations

of moths and spiders; and

listen to the rainforest while

relaxing in high-end rustic

accommodations. The team

will pick you up in Puerto

Maldonado and get you

to your boat to start your

journey—the several-hour

ride upstream is half the fun.

perunature.com

30C

1S

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200 mi

200 km

PACIFIC

OCEAN

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Lake Palcacocha

Lake Titicaca

de (^) Dios
(^) Madre
Treehouse Lodge,
Puerto Miguel
Tambopata
Machu Picchu Soqtapata Research Center
A
N
D
E
S
AMAZON
BASIN
Ausangate
20,945 ft
6,384 m
JORGE CHÁVEZ
INTL. AIRPORT
ALEJANDRO VELASCO ASTETE
INTL. AIRPORT
MANU
NATIONAL
PARK
Iquitos
Quito
La Paz
Huaraz
Lima
Cusco
Checacupe
Shintuya
Puerto
Maldonado
Nauta
BRAZIL
CHILE
COLOMBIA
ECUADOR
BOLIVIA
P
E
R
U
Travel Wise: Where to Stay in the Peruvian Amazon