Holiday review by Michael Hammond-Kosack
Name: Michael Hammond-KosackDate of trip: 06/05/2011
Number of people: 2
Country: EcuadorOverall level of Satisfaction
Tribes Overall: "The three locations we had chosen were all brilliant. Travel between them turned out to be completely stress-free."
Tribes Service: "Excellent"
Social & Environmental Responsibility: "Excellent"
Accommodation
After 11 hours travel from the Jaguar Lodge to Manaus all we were looking for was a long uninterrupted sleep, which is what we happily got. Amazed by the vastness of the corridors (good indoor training for the 100m finals), but we didn't take advantage of anything this hotel may have offered. Sadly, the zoo and orchid gardens were closed.
A beautifully made wooden boat with comfortable cabins laid out in dark wood. Most of the on-board time was spent on the top observation deck looking out for birds, monkeys and dolphins, though. Meals were excellent without fail, and the whole crew generated a happy atmosphere. We had expected to meet quite a few other tour boats on this cruise, and were amazed to find a virtual absence of ANY other biggish boats. This really emphasised the remote, pristine and vast character of Amazonia in the best possible way. Comment from the Tucano: We are pleased that Mike enjoyed the experience. We might add that in addition to the time spent observing from the top deck of the vessel, there are four or more excurisons off the vessel every day into the forest, each of which is 2-3 hours in duration. We excurison by launch and also on foot looking for the fascinating creatures of the forest.
The location of this lodge is stunning, surrounded by mountains of Atlantic rainforest, a lot of which are already part of the reserve (REGUA). The garden hosts a lot of hummingbirds, flitting between the various feeders, but occasionally resting on a tree branch to give the photographer a brief chance. Hard to believe that this Lodge is only 2 hours drive north of the sprawl of Rio. As we were the only guests (maximum possible 10) we got the best room and felt very privileged. A very nice touch was the jug of cold caipirinha waiting for us after the days excursions, always followed by an excellent meal.
customer rating
5/5 from 70 reviews
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facts and information
Time: GMT -5 hours
Flight time: There is an international airport at Quito and at Guayaquil. KLM and Iberia have routes via Europe to both cities. The flying time is about 14 hours. It is also possible to fly via America.
Language: Spanish is Ecuador's official language.
Visas: Not required for British travellers. Other nationalities should obtain advice from their embassy.
Health: There are no compulsory vaccinations, except yellow fever if visiting the rainforest. Malaria prophylactics are also recommended in the rainforest.
