Hostal Búho Amazonas Tours - Hostel

The sunsets from in front of the hostel are stunning, and the hosts made us feel special with how attentive they were. Everything was nice, and I’d sincerely stay here again. It’s a good choice for a first jungle visit since they guide you through whatever activities you might want on the river or in the jungle. Brenda cooks really well and her meals are good.

This clean, beautiful hostel sits right on the Amazon River shore. The community is amazing, and I’d recommend having meals with them if you know some Spanish. The host is kind, friendly and helpful. If you want an immersive experience with the area’s indigenous people, this place is a gem. The tours were amazing, though a bit expensive for me as a solo traveler. I think sharing the cost with a group would make them more affordable. The owner can arrange trips wherever you want to go. Highly recommended!

The rooms were clean and fine, there was complimentary water at all times, and the location beside the police station and Amazon River was very good. The food was good too, though the same local women cook the same food across the hostels in Santa Sofia. For a place to sleep, this hostel works. For everything else, I’d choose another one. I spent a while deciding whether to write this, since many people seem to have had genuinely good experiences. The main issue for us was the tour pricing. The owner quoted 540.000 CUB for a dolphin trip for two, while another hostel further into the village charged us 180.000 CUB for both. For a night jungle walk, he asked 340.00 CUB, and we paid just 20.000 CUB at the other hostel. People in the village didn’t understand his prices either. When we told the owner what we’d found, he seemed annoyed and barely acknowledged us for the rest of our stay. Service was poor as well, and often nobody was around at the hostel.

The family made us feel right at home, and the food was delicious comida tipica. Our bed was comfortable too. The facilities are basic, with outdoor showers and no WiFi. We had no electricity for most of our stay because of a fallen pilon, but it didn’t bother us and became part of the jungle experience. The tours were all great. On the night walk we saw huge tarantulas and other spiders, frogs, a huge toad and a snake. We visited an indigenous community, got henna tattoos and face paint, and made paintings. Fishing for pirhanas and watching dolphins at sunset were highlights. Carlos knows exactly what he’s doing and where to look, and he’s a great guy. Huge thanks to him for making the trip so special. Our flight was too early for the public boat, so Carlos helped arrange a private transfer in the early hours. We had a great time staying in the jungle, and I’d highly recommend the hostel and tours. Thanks again to Carlos and the whole family for showing us such a good time.