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 Ceiba Tops jetty. 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

This slideshow requires JavaScript.