Jungle Luxury

When I was looking for an Amazon Rainforest adventure somewhat close to Iquitos in Peru, I had a few accommodation options to choose between, ranging from a research station to an air-conditioned lodge. Had it not been for my great fear of creepy-crawlies, I would have loved to gone with the first one. Instead I went with the last one, hoping to keep as many bugs as possible outside, where they belong. Gee, had I just been so lucky…

I was picked up by my designated guide (I had to share 🙂 ) at my hotel in Iquitos. After doing our pick-up round in the city, we headed for the dock. There we boarded a motor boat, taking us up the Amazon River for 40 km. Some fell asleep, I just enjoyed the immense freedom I felt, the scenery, and wrapping my head around where I in fact was heading.

After an hour or so we arrived at the jetty of my hotel, Ceiba Tops. Making our way up the stairs to the top of the riverbanks, we then followed a walkway through the vegetation passing the houses and huts to the main building. Here you’ll find a pool area, hammock house, small shop, lounge and bar, and restaurant. All surrounded by a garden filled with butterflies, moths, spiders :(, and on occasion a tapir and saddle-back tamarins – my definite highlight!! We were also invited to go for a night walk in the nearby forest. At that time I had already found myself on a 40 min or so involuntary walk through the dense Green Hell, terrified, so I politely declined.

Upon check-in I was assigned one of the small huts. Looked very idyllic, placed among the trees and plants. It had a living room, a bedroom and a private bath. Should not be a problem here. Well, I guess I should have known being stuck in the middle of the greenery, would invite in things I DO NOT LOVE! First there was the gecko which had decided to examine my luggage. When I lifted up some clothes I just saw something running. After a huge cockroach (10 cm long) in China, this was my first thought. Turned out to be a gecko “only”. But being my first in-house gecko experience, I wasn’t too keen on having it running around my place while I was sleeping, even though the staff tried to convince me it was a good thing – it would keep other things away. Luckily I was able to confine it to the living room, at least that’s what I, still, believe. A living room with a doorway sans door leading into the bedroom… Second there was the invasion of the ants. For some reason at one point a good amount of ants came flooding in through the space below the entrance door, like they there running away from something. I was able to stop them by covering the opening with a towel. They disappeared just as mysteriously and quickly as they had appeared. In hindsight, I should have spent a bit more money, and gotten one of the other rooms, which was not placed smack in the forest. Still, falling asleep to the sounds of the rainforest – LIVE – is pretty amazing!

Website: explorama.com/ceiba-tops-lodge

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