OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019 101
NG MAPS AND CRAIG MOLYNEUX, CARTDECO; PARK DATA FROM THE WORLD DATABASE ON PROTECTED AREAS (WDPA), MAP DATA: © OPENSTREETMAP CONTRIBUTORS, AVAILABLE UNDER OPEN DATABASE LICENSE:OPENSTREETMAP.ORG/COPYRIGHTThe two-story
common area at
Treehouse Lodge
includes dining
facilities and an
upper floor where
hammocks swing.
SLEEP IN THE TREE CANOPYThe 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.comCAMP IN THE CLOUD FORESTPeru 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.comBE A CITIZEN SCIENTIST
IN THE JUNGLEFor 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.com30C1S1S1N200 mi
200 kmPACIFIC
OCEAN
U
ca
ya
liMarañónAmazonLake PalcacochaLake Titicacade
Dios(^) Ma
dre
Treehouse Lodge,
Puerto Miguel
Tambopata
Research Center
Machu Picchu Soqtapata
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