Inotawa Lodge

I had a fantastic time on the 3day/2 night mycology tour. I chose it after reading about the owner’s commitment to conserving the Tambopata River area and to genuine eco-tourism. Because of unusually dry weather there weren’t many mushrooms, but a few were spectacular. The tour turned out to be private, and Elder was the best guide I’ve ever had: very friendly, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable about mushrooms and everything else in the region. The lodge has a charming, rustic feel. There’s WiFi in the bar, mosquito netting over the beds, and electricity for charging phones in the evening. The shower was cold, which felt refreshing in the heat and humidity. The barman was friendly, and the food was really good.

Dageur knew so much about the local plants, wildlife, and native history. The accommodation was well serviced, and the food was plentiful and absolutely delicious. On the lake and river boat rides we spotted caimans, giant otters, macaws, toucans, and plenty of other birds. The night walk brought out all kinds of creepy critters. An amazing Amazon experience!

We spent three nights at Inotawa and had a wonderful time. The lodge is beautifully built, and everyone was super friendly. Our guide’s expeditions were great, and because the area around the lodge is so well preserved, we could spot plenty of animals close by. The food was amazing, and they made special dishes for vegans, vegetarians, and others. We’d definitely recommend Inotawa to anyone wanting to experience the rainforest in Tambopata.

Choosing Inotawa Lodge was the best decision we made after researching a lot of places around Puerto Maldonado, including some polished lodges with swimming pools. It was the highlight of our Peru trip and felt like a truly authentic Amazon stay. The lodge sits farther down the Tampopata, deeper in the jungle than many others. Getting there took about an hour by car, then another hour by boat. That distance made it feel like we were properly out in the rainforest, with more wildlife around. Inotawa also trains many guides who go on to work at other lodges, so we knew we’d have a skilled guide. My partner and I stayed four days and three nights, and had the whole place to ourselves apart from our guide, the chefs, and the boat driver. Bryan was excellent, knew loads about the wildlife and area, and was fun to spend those days with. We did so much: piranha fishing; boat rides along the river where we saw capybaras, tortoises, and plenty of birds; a visit to the macaw clay lick; canoeing where we spotted giant otters and caiman; and several jungle walks, including night walks, where we came across tarantulas, snakes, scorpions, and lots of monkeys. The bungalows were a special place to return to after our activities. We could relax in bed and watch monkeys swinging through trees just meters away. Hot water in the showers was a bonus, though not essential in the heat. Food was another highlight, both in quality and quantity. There was something different for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, which was impressive given there’s no electricity and all the food has to come in by boat. The nightly rate included full board and all the activities, usually about 2 to 3 main ones per day, so it was outstanding value. Having it feel like a private stay made it even more special. Thank you, Inotawa Lodge and Bryan, for such a memorable time in the jungle. We’d certainly recommend choosing Inotawa.