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The Amazon is the explorer's dream from ancient times to the present day... and it can be your dream too... the dream of visiting a continent sized wilderness rainforest where the beasts of legend still roam and where the kingdom of exotic plants reigns supreme ... You would like to go, but how to choose?

What really counts is the rainforest experience . Cruises on the Motor Yacht Tucano are different. Ours are the only true expedition cruises: we have very small groups, deeply skilled naturalist guides, many thoughtful daily activities, and we explore deep into a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Everyone on our cruises, our guides, mariners, and our travelers, are part of a team of exploration. Our cruises are true expeditions, true journeys of discovery .... and also journeys of the imagination.

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The 10 Best Ecotourism Destinations in the Amazon

• Introduction

Ecotourism has seen a tremendous rise in popularity over recent years as more and more travelers seek out destinations that prioritize sustainability, conservation, and the preservation of local cultures. The Amazon rainforest, spanning over nine countries in South America, is a treasure trove of biodiversity and indigenous communities, making it an ideal destination for ecotourism enthusiasts. In this article, we will explore the 10 best ecotourism destinations in the Amazon, highlighting the unique experiences and wildlife each location has to offer, as well as key information about how to plan your visit.

Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve in Brazil

Tahuayo lodge in peru, los amigos biological station in ecuador, yasuni national park in ecuador, madidi national park in bolivia, cocha cashu biological station in peru, manu national park in peru, tumucumaque national park in brazil, rio negro forest reserve in brazil, xingu national park in brazil.

The Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, located in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, is a shining example of ecotourism done right. This reserve was established to protect the endangered Amazonian manatee, as well as myriad other species that call this area home. The reserve also works closely with local communities, providing them with new economic opportunities while preserving their traditional way of life.

Visiting Mamirauá allows you to witness the unique flooded forest ecosystem, which can be explored via canoe or on foot during the dry season. The reserve also offers the opportunity to spot rare Amazon wildlife, such as the uakari monkey, jaguars, and pink river dolphins. Accommodation in Mamirauá is provided by the sustainable Uakari Lodge, which has been designed to have minimal impact on the environment while providing travelers with a comfortable and memorable experience.

Tahuayo Lodge, located in the remote Peruvian Amazon, is another stellar example of ecotourism in action. This eco-lodge is committed to sustainable practices, from the use of solar power to the employment of local staff. The lodge also works closely with the nearby communities, providing healthcare, education, and opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.

When visiting Tahuayo Lodge, guests can choose from a range of activities, including hiking, canoeing, and wildlife watching. The surrounding area boasts an incredible diversity of flora and fauna, such as the endangered giant river otter, sloths, and various species of monkeys. The lodge’s knowledgeable naturalist guides will help you to make the most of your time in the Amazon, ensuring a truly unforgettable experience.

The Los Amigos Biological Station, nestled in the heart of Ecuador’s Amazon, is a research and conservation facility dedicated to protecting the region’s unique biodiversity. Operated by the Amazon Conservation Association, the station welcomes eco-conscious travelers who wish to immerse themselves in pristine rainforest while contributing to vital conservation efforts.

Guests at Los Amigos can choose from various guided activities, including birdwatching, night hikes, and canoe trips along the river. The station is home to an impressive array of wildlife, including jaguars, tapirs, and over 500 species of birds. Accommodation is provided in simple yet comfortable cabins, allowing visitors to truly connect with nature during their stay.

Yasuni National Park, located in Ecuador’s Amazon Basin, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and for good reason. This vast wilderness is home to an astonishing array of plant and animal species, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth. The park is also home to several indigenous communities, who continue to live in harmony with their environment.

Ecotourism in Yasuni National Park is focused on sustainable lodges, such as the Napo Wildlife Center and La Selva Lodge, both of which offer comfortable accommodations and a range of guided activities. Visitors to the park can expect to encounter a wealth of wildlife, including macaws, harpy eagles, and various species of monkeys. The park also offers opportunities for cultural exchanges with local communities, providing a truly immersive experience in the heart of the Amazon.

Madidi National Park, located in the Bolivian Amazon, is another must-visit destination for ecotourism enthusiasts. This vast protected area is home to a staggering diversity of wildlife, as well as indigenous communities who have inhabited the region for centuries. The park is also part of the larger Andes-Amazon Conservation Corridor, which aims to protect a continuous swath of habitat for the region’s unique flora and fauna.

Visitors to Madidi National Park can choose from several eco-lodges, such as Chalalan Ecolodge and San Miguel del Bala, both of which are committed to sustainable practices and community involvement. Activities in the park include guided hikes, canoe trips, and wildlife watching, with the chance to spot jaguars, Andean bears, and over 1,000 species of birds.

Cocha Cashu Biological Station, located within Manu National Park in Peru, is a renowned research facility dedicated to the study and conservation of the Amazon rainforest. The station welcomes visitors who are interested in learning more about the region’s biodiversity and contributing to ongoing research efforts.

Guests at Cocha Cashu can participate in a range of guided activities, including birdwatching, plant identification, and wildlife monitoring. The station is home to an incredible array of species, including giant river otters, tapirs, and various species of monkeys. Accommodation is provided in simple cabins, allowing visitors to truly immerse themselves in the Amazonian wilderness.

Manu National Park, also located in the Peruvian Amazon, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. The park encompasses a range of habitats, from lowland rainforest to Andean cloud forest, providing a home for countless species of plants and animals.

Ecotourism in Manu National Park is centered around sustainable lodges and guided tours, which aim to minimize their impact on the environment while providing visitors with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Wildlife enthusiasts will not be disappointed, with the chance to spot jaguars, giant river otters, and over 1,000 species of birds. The park also offers opportunities for cultural exchanges with local communities, allowing visitors to gain a deeper understanding of the Amazon and its inhabitants.

Tumucumaque National Park, located in the northern Brazilian Amazon, is the largest tropical forest national park in the world. This vast wilderness is home to numerous endangered species, such as the jaguar, giant anteater, and harpy eagle, as well as several indigenous communities.

Visiting Tumucumaque National Park is not for the faint-hearted, as the park’s remote location and limited infrastructure can make it challenging to reach. However, for those willing to make the journey, the park offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the untouched Amazon wilderness. Visitors can choose from a range of activities, including hiking, camping, and birdwatching, with the chance to spot rare and elusive species such as the black caiman and the white-lipped peccary. Accommodation is limited in the park, but the few lodges that do exist are committed to sustainable practices and providing guests with a unique and immersive experience.

The Rio Negro Forest Reserve, located in the Brazilian state of Amazonas, is a protected area of pristine rainforest that is home to an incredible diversity of plant and animal life. The reserve is managed by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), which works to protect the region’s unique biodiversity and promote sustainable development.

Visiting the Rio Negro Forest Reserve offers the chance to experience the Amazon rainforest in all its glory, with the opportunity to spot rare and endangered species such as the giant otter, the black spider monkey, and the Brazilian tapir. Visitors can choose from a range of activities, including guided hikes, canoe trips, and birdwatching, with the option to stay in sustainable lodges such as the Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge and the Mirante do Gavião Lodge.

Xingu National Park, located in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, is a vast protected area that is home to over 16 indigenous tribes, as well as an incredible array of plant and animal species. The park is managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, which works to protect the region’s unique cultural and natural heritage.

Visiting Xingu National Park offers the chance to learn about the region’s indigenous cultures and traditional way of life, as well as to experience the Amazon rainforest in all its glory. The park is home to a range of wildlife, including jaguars, giant otters, and several species of primates. Visitors can choose from a range of activities, including guided hikes, canoe trips, and cultural exchanges with local communities.

The Amazon rainforest is a true wonder of the world, and ecotourism is a powerful tool for protecting its unique biodiversity and cultural heritage. The 10 destinations highlighted in this article offer a range of experiences, from exploring pristine rainforest to learning about indigenous cultures, while prioritizing sustainability and conservation. By choosing to visit these destinations, travelers can make a positive impact on the region and contribute to the preservation of one of the world’s most important ecosystems.

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The Top 5 Amazon Eco Tours

The Amazon Rainforest is a wildlife-lovers paradise with animals and plants to find at every step. The forest itself crosses nine nations and covers 40% of the South American continent.

We will mention a select group of Amazon tours that are in keeping with the Nature Conservancy’s definition of ecotourism: “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.”

For the list, we will prioritise certification from the reputable environmental organizations.

So let’s get started with the Top 5 Amazon Eco Tours.

The Tahuayo Lodge

The Tahuayo Lodge is an award-winning lodge to experience the wildlife-rich Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve section of Amazon Rainforest in northern Peru.

From the Tahuayo Lodge, you can experience the Amazon on a customised tour with a private guide to choose what you would like to do.

Explore the extensive trail network scouting for many different monkeys, including capuchins, tamarins, squirrel monkeys, sakis, and howler monkeys. Recent research has found this region has one of the highest diversities of primates of the entire Amazon Basin. There are many other animals and plants to find, including the 600 bird species making the lodge a favourite choice among bird watchers.

There is also a fantastic conservation area for bright and colorful poison dart frogs known as Frog Valley. Here you can find a number of different species.

If you choose to stay for 6-days or more, you can experience both the main Tahuayo Lodge and the Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center, which is located in even more pristine rainforest.

The Tahuayo Lodge is particularly popular with wildlife photographers, nature lovers and guests wanting a little more adventure or a more authentic experience of Amazonia.

Environmental Commitment

• Rainforest Alliance Certified making it the only lodge from Iquitos to be certified by Rainforest Alliance.
• Awarded the Antonio Brack Egg Award, which is Peru’s highest award for outstanding commitment to environmental protection, sustainable management of natural resources, and environmental conservation.
• Granted the TraveLife Sustainability in Tourism Gold award.
• The lodge’s Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center is used for research on the forest by Yale University.

Social Responsibility

• The lodge employs staff from the surrounding region as well as from Iquitos city helping to spread the benefit of ecotourism to the community. In addition, the lodge has an associated charity to benefit Amazon communities helping to provide schooling, education supplies, and medical care.

From the Tahuayo Lodge, you will explore the Amazon Rainforest’s wildlife-rich Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve with a private guide on a ...

Includes: all meals, accommodation at 2 rainforest lodges, private guide, custom activities, transfers from and to Iquitos airport. | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 days+

The Posada Amazonas

The Posada Amazonas is a community-owned lodge situated in Peru’s southern Amazon Rainforest from Puerto Maldonado.

Because the lodge is located fairly close to the small jungle gateway town of Puerto Maldonado, this is an excellent choice for tours of 3 or 4 days.

After only 45 minutes traveling from Puerto Maldonado by boat, you will arrive at the Posada Amazonas near the beautiful lake Tres Chimbadas.

In the surrounding rainforest, your local guide will help you spot the different monkeys, birds, giant trees, and interesting plants. You will then tour the lake to find the resident family of endangered giant river otters.

In addition to wildlife, you will enjoy some community experiences as well, including visiting an ethnobotanical trail to learn about medicinal plants and a working jungle farm to learn about life in the rainforest.

The lodge offers a choice of comfortable room options and serves delicious meals in the dining room. There is also a small spa to enjoy a relaxing massage after your walks in the rainforest.

• Energy from a mix of solar panels and a first-generation generator housed in a soundproof house (allows 24 hour electricity).
• 100% carbon neutral lodge
• Single use plastics are prohibited
• Locally sourced building materials
• Winner of World’s Responsible Tourism Award 2020
• Trip Advisor’s Green Leaders Platinum Award
• The lodge is community-owned, staff are employed from the surrounding region, and 75% of profits are returned to the community.

The Posada Amazonas Lodge

We went to Posada Amazona in August and we were not expecting this place. This is a beautiful lodge, incredible ...

Includes: all meals, accommodation, selection of guided tours, transfers from and to Puerto Maldonado airport. | 3, 4, 5 days+

The Tambopata Research Center

The Tambopata Research Center offers a deep experience of the Amazon Rainforest and is positioned in the middle of the incredible Tambopata National Reserve of southern Peru.

The lodge is located next to one of the largest macaw clay licks in Amazonia. The region of rainforest from Puerto Maldonado has one of the highest concentrations of claylicks in the entire Amazon Basin due to a variety of factors, including proximity to the Andes.

Enjoy watching hundreds of brightly colored macaws and other parrots feeding from the salt-rich and medicinal clay.

Explore the surrounding rainforest with you knowledgeable guide to find many different Amazon animals, such as capuchins, tamarins, agouti, tamandua tree-living anteaters, owl monkeys, spider monkeys (the largest monkeys in Amazonia), and many others.

Guests at the Tambopata Research Center are even treated to a 20% chance of seeing wild jaguar, which is one of the highest chances of anywhere in the Amazon.

The lodge offers a comfortable experience with a choice of suite and room options, including the luxury suites with their spacious lounge area.

• World’s Leading Green Hotel 2020: Tambopata Research Center, Peru
• The lodge employs staff from the surrounding regions as well as from Puerto Maldonado and is deeply committed to helping the surrounding communities.

Positioned in the middle of the wildlife-rich Tambopata National Reserve, near one of the largest macaw clay licks in the ...

Includes: all meals, accommodation, selection of guided tours, transfers from and to Puerto Maldonado airport. | 4, 5, 6 days+

La Selva Lodge & Spa

La Selva Lodge & Spa offers a very comfortable lodge located beside the world famous Yasuni National Park.

With your professional guide, head out from the lodge on the extensive trail system to find rainforest animals and plants. Spot several different monkeys, many interesting birds, colorful flowers, and giant Amazonian trees.

You will explore the forest on guided walks and canoe tours exploring the waterways for rainforest life, secluded lakes, and beautiful scenery. You will also visit the Yasuni Claylick to see parrots flocking to the clay.

In addition to relaxing in your luxurious and spacious suite, you can also enjoy a massage and relaxation treatment at the inhouse spa listening to the sounds of Amazonia.

• Committed to create a sustainable high-end ecolodge
• Rainforest Alliance Certified
• Trip Advisor’s Green Leaders Gold Award
• Most of La Selva staff are from the nearby region to spread the benefits of ecotourism to local communities.
• In addition, a monthly contribution to the Pilchi community is made in return for not hunting in forest surrounding the lodge.
• Support is also providing for education, sustainable agriculture, and teaching English.
• A member of pack for a purpose so you can make donations of needed items to the community.

La Selva Lodge

I wanted to let you know that we had an amazing experience at Le Selva! The service, accommodations, guides, tours, ...

Includes: all meals, accommodation, guided tours, transfers from and to Coca airport. | 4, 5 days+

The Cristalino Lodge

The Cristalino Lodge offers a luxury experience of Brazil’s rainforest at the border of the wildlife-rich Pantanal Wetlands and Brazilian Amazonia. This means you will enjoy impressive wildlife-watching opportunities.

The wildlife you can enjoy include the regions several different monkeys, over 500 different birds, and 200 different butterflies and moths.

There are different trails you can enjoy from the lodge on guided tours as well as exploring the forest on canoe trips. Your naturalist guide will help you find many of the fascinating animals and plants. You will also visit the tall canopy towers for exceptional bird watching opportunities and stunning rainforest views.

The lodge itself provides a very comfortable experience with a choice of suite options, delicious meals in the dining room, delicious drinks at the lodge bar, and a floating deck to relax taking in the sounds of Amazonia.

• Rooms powered by photovoltaic panels
• Recycling and separation of inorganic waste (aluminium, plastic, metal and paper).
• Heating water using solar energy
• The Cristalino RPPN (Private National Heritage Reserve) protects 11,399 hectares (28,167 acres) that, along with the larger Cristalino State Park, serves as a wildlife corridor for the incredible diversity of endemic species in the region.
• The Ecolodge supports a variety of regional projects, such as A Day In The Forest, Young Conservationist, as well as research and theatrical programs through the Cristalino Foundation.

Currently, TourTheTropics.com cannot help you book this experience. However, you can visit the tour operator's website for more information.

For some other fantastic Amazon Rainforest tours, you can see our guides to Amazon tours in Peru and Amazon tours in Ecuador .

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Amazon Rainforest / Jungle Tours

Find the right travel package in the Amazon rainforest. We've got 188 jungle adventures and cruises , starting from just 3 days in length, and the longest tour is 65 days. The most popular month to go is May, which has the most number of tour departures.

Best Amazon tours based on 1,248 reviews

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Peru Panorama

What a full laden itinerary, which had a wonderful variety of things to see and do. No wasted time on this great discovery, fully enjoyable from start to finish

Lima to Buenos Aires: Deserts & Dancing

A really good mix of hiking, culture, and exploration. I really enjoyed this tour, as it covers so many places that aren't otherwise accessible on your own. Arguable, Inca Trail was the highlight, but there was so much more. Ballesta Islands, Lake Titicaca, the Yungas Road in Bolivia, steak in Salta, etc etc. I enjoyed Bolivia much more than I expected (the museums in Potosi were world class). You have free time to explore the big cities such as La Paz on your own if you choose. Only downside were some inflexibility in restaurant choice. Overall a good trip I'll remember for a long time.

• Jungle Trekking

3 days - Tambopata Amazon Jungle

What a great experience. The rain pour out, my husband lost his cell phone so, the moods become rocky but Jonathan, our tour guide, managed intelligently to assist us with our stay. He is very professional, knowledgeable on what he is doing, fluent in English and very flexible with the situation. He is also a very high tech that carried a high end binocular to have a better vision from a distance. The people at the lodge are very warm and friendly people. The wild pig they named Pumba, greeted us like she is a dog. She is so adorable and very sweet village pet they raised. We got attached to Pumba because of her personality. She greeted all guest that arrived, how cool is that! And, The food... exceeded our expectations. They fed us a three course meals 3 times a day. It's plenty, delicious, healthy and authentic. We wished we have more days to stay. We got spoiled in this lodge! Thank you so much for the memory and experience!

• Book With Flexibility This operator allows you to rebook your dates or tours with them for free, waiving change fees.

5 Days Amazon Lodge Cuyabeno Reserve

Everything about our trip was outstanding. Before our departure, Daniel from Tourradar set the very highest standards by being extremely helpful, professional and friendly in dealing with all our questions and helping us to arrange our trip. During our stay, Romulo and the rest of the team at Nicky Lodge maintained a highly welcoming atmosphere and our stay was both deeply insightful and comfortable.

4 Days Amazon Lodge Cuyabeno Reserve

Our stay at Nicky Amazon Lodge was fantastic! Communication with Tourradar about pickup location was not. No where on the reservation did it say the pickup changed from Lago Agrio to Rio de Cuyabena. I only found this out once Daniel contacted me and I asked about pick up times. The morning of when we had our transport arranged our driver contacted Daniel and asked for the direct contact for the person who would be waiting for us at the pick up location and was told there was no contact number. The confusion about which “el puente” location we needed to be at was stressful. Communication needs improvement.

3 days Iquitos Amazon Jungle tour with Pink Dolphin watch

Everything was great from the pick up and drop off to the hotel and food. My guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Peru Essentials

That was an impressive tour with a lot of new experiences. Overall, I had a great time, even though there are surely ways to improve the schedule a little (and the breakfast^^)

Amazon Jungle - 3 Days

Jungle James was an amazing guide!!

Peru: Amazon Jungle Short Break

Victor was an amazing guide, very knowledgeable and passionate about the environment and surrounds. He made this trip memorable. His knowledge of the wildlife is extraordinary. We really had a memorable experience. The staff at the Nape lodge were very friendly and made our stay very comfortable. The lodge itself was beautiful and Baawaja expeditions were ifvery professional. All the pick ups and drop offs worked like clockwork.

Amazon Jungle (Air-Conditioned) - 3 Days

• River Cruise

Perú - Luxury Amazonas

Ecuador Treasures Bucket List 8 Days Tour

Great tour. I experienced the best Ecuador has to offer with a professional, knowledgeable and attentive guide. I highly recommend it!

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

5 Day Amazon Cuyabeno Adventure

Everything was great but the lodge did mess up the booking. Paid for 3 privatre rooms but the lodge only booked 1 for my group.

Unique Amazon Sustaintable Comunities Encounter in Ecuador with meals included!

I really enjoyed this beautiful trip. The truth is that I came back very happy with this tour. I recommend them

• Wildlife & Nature Photography

ROYAL IQUITOS - 4 DAYS

Thank you for this amazing adventure! The Amazon is truly a precious, unique and fragile ecosystem that should be preserved at all cost. Special thanks to Luz and Ruth for perfectly organizing our tour! Special thanks to Max for being so knowledgeable and attentive!

Amazon Tour Reviews

An amazing but very full on adventure. From day one, right through to the end it was very eventful, busy, challenging but most of all extremely rewarding. We had no expectations we we began the tour but our expectations were exceeded. We were blessed with mostly great weather, amazing scenery, fabulous fellow travellers and fantastic and very supportive guides.

A really good mix of hiking, culture, and exploration. I really enjoyed this tour, as it covers so many places that aren't otherwise accessible on your own. Arguable, Inca Trail was the highlight, but there was so much more. Ballesta Islands, Lake Titicaca, the Yungas Road in Bolivia, steak in Salta, etc etc. I enjoyed Bolivia much more than I expected (the museums in Potosi were world class). You have free time to explore the big cities such as La Paz on your own if you choose. Only downside were some inflexibility in restaurant choice. Overall a good trip I'll remember for a long time.

This trip was truly the trip of a lifetime. Jesus really submerges you into the Peruvian culture and the three days you’re there, you are nonstop with activities. Our guide was so knowledgeable and he made the trip. His family grew up in the rainforest so he was able to tell you the history about most things there (the families, the foods, the animals etc). We went during rainy season, and still had a wonderful time. If you’re looking for adventure, meeting wonderful people, and being in nature - this trip is for you!

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Amazon Eco Adventures Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• UK Number: 127 325 1860
• US TollFree: 1 877 355 2034
• Direct Ecuador: +593 2 3827 490

Check Availability of La Selva Amazon Lodge Here

La selva amazon eco-lodge, the spirit of the rainforest.

Located within Ecuador’s Yasuní Biosphere Reserve and on the borders of the famous Yasuní National Park — one of the most biodiverse areas of the planet — La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat was among the first Amazon rainforest lodges in Ecuador and today is still regarded as the premier eco lodge in Ecuador’s Amazon basin.

Uniquely located on the shores of stunning Lake Garzacocha, a full 70 km into the rainforest from the nearest urban center, the lodge is a veritable cocoon of comfort and luxury, offering breathtaking views of the incredible life in the Amazon from wherever you are.

La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat is Golden Experiences & Travel’s latest acquisition, marking its expansion across the four regions of Ecuador as a full-service luxury travel company.

The impeccable reputation of Golden’s products, our commitment to excellence, and our profound understanding of the needs of the luxury sector ensures that our guests enjoy enchanting, distinctive and redefined products and adventures in the most remote and privileged places on our planet.

View Location

A Sustainable Lodge

With premium confort.

Caring for rainforest wildlife species is one of the pillars of Golden Sustainability, our multi-faceted sustainability program that we channel our efforts through to care for the delicate ecosystem and pristine reserve where the Lodge is located. La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat is signed its commitment to carbon neutrality, joining our sister company Golden Galapagos in reducing our carbon footprint and preserving the Amazon rainforest for future generations to cherish.

– Swipe to explore –

Wellness and Spiritual

Our remote location and specialized spa services create a heightened sense of relaxation and connection with the unique wonders of the forest.

Enjoy our yoga sessions with expert teachers, having an invigorating select spa treatment after of day of wonder, or simply relaxing to the incredible symphony of nature in the heart of the Amazon.

Disconnect from the outside world and connect with spirit of the amazon jungle with our ceremonies and spiritual packages overlooking the waters and energy of the lake…

Epicure Cuisine

Amazon flavors and sensations.

Overlooking the glassy waters of Lake Garzacocha, our main lodge and restaurant will become your favorite place to spot birds and other wildlife, exchange stories with other guests or simply relax, cocktail in hand, before enjoying the dishes prepared by our passionate team of talented chefs, a gastronomic experience to remember: international cuisine coupled with the finest Ecuadorian ingredients and influences.

Staterooms in the Jungle

Premium and genuine hospitality.

La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat offers 16 spacious luxury suites, three scenic premium rooms overlooking the lake, and four sumptuous family staterooms. Our luxury suites and premium rooms have rainforest showers and private balconies, while the family staterooms have extra-large bathrooms, hammock, and large decks equipped with hot tubs.

The design of the lodge is inspired by the architecture native to the area, and the soaring ceilings and unique layout of the rooms and the lodge help to keep everything cool, even when the renowned Amazon sun is at its hottest.

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Connect with Magic Wildlife

Deep in the amazon.

From your base at La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat, set out to explore Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest and its people, accompanied by our English-speaking naturalist guides and indigenous guides, whether paddling by canoe, kayaking on the lake, walking along trails, birdwatching or seeking out incredible wildlife encounters, enjoying fascinating night walks to discover rare nocturnal species, climbing canopy towers and visiting native communities.

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Promotions & Combinations

Enjoy special offers.

Be sure to check out our special promotions for Amazon rainforest tours, as well as the option to combine your journey to our Amazon ecolodge with a cruise to view the fabled wildlife of the Galapagos Islands or a chance to discover the wonders of Peru.

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Ecuador Amazon Highlights

Enjoy unique experiences.

Deep within the Amazon rainforest lies La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat, an extraordinary destination that immerses guests in the wonders of nature.

Towering trees, vibrant foliage, and captivating sounds of birds surround you. Guided by an experienced team, explore the jungle’s marvels through treks, canoe rides, and wildlife encounters. Witness the astonishing biodiversity and raw beauty of the Amazon, forging lasting connections with nature all while being responsible with the environment. Memories of this extraordinary experience will linger with you beyond your departure!

Wildlife Viewing

You don-t have to be an expert! With the help of our specialist naturalist and native guides, you’ll soon be spotting parrots, monkeys, toucans, caimans, frogs and much, much more.

Birding at La Selva

Bird life is exceptionally diverse at La Selva and one of the highlights of our Amazon ecolodge — even if you’re not a serious birder, you’ll soon become a bird-lover of some of our 600+ species.

Responsible Tourism

We believe in responsible tourism and are proud of the mutually-beneficial relationships we have created with local communities. Interact with local wildlife as well as local people in a sustainable way.

comments from our guests

Networkedrobotics1.

January 25th 2024

A naturalist’s dream An unforgettable experience and a naturalist’s dream.

Our experience at La Selva was magical. Thanks to our guide Ana, who seemed to know all of the animal and plant species in the amazon, and to our indigenous guide Chicha who was able to find things that we would never have been able to find.

Thanks also to Claire who taught yoga. I am stretching at 9PM on a platform surrounded by splashing caymans, 8ft long fish, and piranhas and listening to the sounds of the forest. It was a way to get even closer to nature.

Others in our group enjoyed the spa.

Lodging and food were excellent. The days are quite busy and the amazon environment can be a bit uncomfortable so it’s no beach vacation.

I learned so much here!

January 2nd 2024

1. In places such as the Amazon, the Naturalist Guide makes or breaks the visit – our guide. Omar Ramadan, made “the Amazon Jungle come alive”!!!! We have been fortunate to have traveled to many historic and natural sites/locations around the world and have had guides in most places – Omar has been the best – hands down! I would ask for Omar.

2. The hikes and parrot clay licks were very nice, but the village visit and observation tower were even nicer.

3. We are pure vegetarians – the food was excellent! Never imagined that such tasty dishes could be prepared with heart of palm and yuca.

4. The cottages are luxurious.

5. Boarded a flight to Coca from Quito at 9:15 a.m. and arrived at the lodge at 2 p.m. Takes a while, but worth it. Strongly recommend La Selva Lodge, especially our friend Omar.

December 2023 The trip of a lifetime.

Unforgettable Absolutely stunning vacation; everything we hoped for and more. Paul was our Guide and he was extremely knowledgeable and great with the kids! The lodge itself is beautiful and the location is enchanting. This is a vacation we won’t be forgetting and we’ll be telling our friends all about it!

December 2023

Delivering the experience of a lifetime in the Ecuadorian Amazon

My wife and I stayed at La Selva between November 6 and 10, 2023.

Everything about our stay was excellent, starting with our booking agent, Vlady, who was responsive, professional and knowledgeable from the time we first made contact to book our stay through to the day before our transfer from the hotel in Quito to the airport. It all went exactly as planned. Despite travelling to such a remote location, we were quite comfortable. The motorized canoe that rockets you down the Napo River for 2 hours from Coca to the landing for the lodge is equipped with plush seats from a highway coach and a canopy to protect you from sun and rain. We were then paddled down a creek through the forest from the Napo River to the lagoon that the lodge overlooks. Our room was luxurious, clean and comfortable.

Elvis, the Chef, is a true artist. First class dining! We looked forward to each meal to see what Elvis had created. Also, a big shout out to Pamela, Jimmy and Manuel who attended to our every wish in the dining room and bar with grace and kindness. Our Naturalist, Paul, is deeply knowledgeable of the forest and its inhabitants. He held our interest on every excursion into the forest or onto the water with a seemingly endless well of information. He also provided some great tips on taking photos with cameras and phones.

In addition, we benefited from his knowledge of the stars in the southern hemisphere. Our Local Guides, Darius and Henry were masters of finding wildlife in the forest. It was truly the experience of a lifetime and exceeded our expectations.

November 2023

A magical experience We spent 3 days in this magical place for an experience like no other. Our guides Paul, and Guillermo were wonderful, ensuring interesting engaging experiences in the Amazon rain forest,. The lodge is beautiful, the food fantastic and our room exceeded expectations. The staff at La Selva were all friendly and accommodating, working together as a team to provide the best possible guest experience. Special shout out to Bernardo for his excellent cocktails.

I highly recommend a visit to La Selva Lodge

Experience of a Lifetime

I truly loved our amazing experience at this lodge. The guided walks, canoe rides were exciting and educational. We saw so much wildlife, plant life etc. I love the ecosystem of the Amazon. I will definitely return to the Amazon.

Our guide Paul was superb, I have much praise for his knowledge and personality.

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Maniti Expeditions Eco-Lodge & Amazon Rainforest Tours – Iquitos Peru

Maniti Expeditions Eco-Lodge & Tour Operator is based out of Iquitos, Peru and is locally owned and operated. We are an internationally recognized full-service Amazon Rainforest lodge & eco tour operator that specializes in Iquitos Amazon tours & Pacaya Samiria camping trips.

During our 20+ years of operation, we have worked with the local community by engaging in eco-friendly activities that help stimulate the local economy which allows us to responsibly place nature, fauna, and flora in the reach of travelers from around the world.

Our eco-lodge can accommodate groups of up to 60 travelers but we specialize in small group expeditions allowing a closer and more personal experience, allowing each traveler to enjoy the best of the Amazon Rainforest. Traveling alone? No problem, you will always have private accommodations but may share excursions with other groups but never more than 6 people on an excursion.

Our Most Popular Experiences

Maniti eco-lodge packages.

FROM $418 USD PER PERSON

3 Days / 2 Nights

FROM $560 USD PER PERSON

4 Days / 3 Nights

FROM $698 USD PER PERSON

5 Days / 4 Nights

Iquitos camping tours.

FROM $699 USD PER PERSON

FROM $875 USD PER PERSON

FROM $1050 USD PER PERSON

6 Days / 5 Night

Why choose us.

Our staff’s experience, attention & service has allowed us the privilege to be named the #1 jungle tour guide in Iquitos, Peru. All tour guides are licensed & trained in first-aid providing a fun & safe environment for travelers of all ages to enjoy. All our multi-day jungle tours are operated in English & Spanish.

All Iquitos jungle tours operated by Maniti Expeditions are all-inclusive with no hidden fees. We own all aspects of the business which give us the ability to accommodate all clients unique travel schedules & special requests. Our Iquitos amazon tours are designed for people who are searching for a true “experience”, full of exchanges & authenticity, rather than a commercial tourist package.

We do not focus on being the cheapest nor the most luxurious rainforest tour in Iquitos, but simply to offer an authentic Amazon jungle tour experience at a fair price.

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Iquitos amazon tour experiences.

Maniti Eco-Lodge

Located 70K downriver from the city of Iquitos the Maniti Eco-Lodge offers affordable & authentic Iquitos amazon tours with comfort where you will be exposed to the real amazon but have the comfort of private rooms that include bathrooms, showers, running water, electricity & more.

Pacaya Samiria (Camping)

Only accessible by river, the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is the largest protected natural area in Peru with over 5,139,680 acres of virgin jungle. There are no lodges here - we must camp (sleep in tents). An ideal place for nature enthusiasts to experience a real Iquitos amazon rainforst tour.

Peruvian Amazon Ecotours

3 Day Camping Tour

Comfortable camping experience for those wanting a quick taste of the rainforest

Enjoy a 3 Day / 2 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

3 Day Rustic Tour

Rustic ecolodge experience for those wanting a quick taste of the rainforest

Enjoy a 3 Day / 2 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

4 Day Camping Tour

Comfortable camping experience for those wanting a taste of jungle life

Enjoy a 4 Day / 3 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

4 Day Rustic Tour

Rustic ecolodge experience for those wanting a taste of jungle life

Enjoy a 4 Day / 3 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

5 Day Camping Tour

Enjoy a 5 Day / 4 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

5 Day Rustic Tour

Rustic ecolodge experience for those wanting for a taste of jungle life

Enjoy a 5 Day / 4 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

6 Day Camping Tour

Comfortable camping experience for those with more time to explore

Enjoy a 6 Day / 5 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

6 Day Rustic Tour

Rustic ecolodge experience for those with more time to explore

Enjoy a 6 Day / 5 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

7 Day Camping Tour

Enjoy a 7 Day / 6 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

7 Day Rustic Tour

Enjoy a 7 Day / 6 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

8 Day Camping Tour

Comfortable camping experience for those who want to hang out, monkey style!

Enjoy a 8 Day / 7 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

8 Day Rustic Tour

Rustic ecolodge experience for those who want to hang out, monkey style!

Enjoy a 8 Day / 7 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

9 Day Camping Tour

Enjoy a 9 Day / 8 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

9 Day Rustic Tour

Enjoy a 9 Day / 8 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

10 Day Camping Tour

Comfortable camping experience for those seeking full forest immersion

Enjoy a 10 Day / 9 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

10 Day Rustic Tour

Rustic ecolodge experience for those seeking full forest immersion

Enjoy a 10 Day / 9 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

11 Day Camping Tour

Enjoy a 11 Day / 10 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

11 Day Rustic Tour

Enjoy a 11 Day / 10 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

12 Day Camping Tour

Enjoy a 12 Day / 11 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

12 Day Rustic Tour

Enjoy a 12 Day / 11 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

13 Day Camping Tour

Comfortable camping experience, reserved for jungle kings and queens

Enjoy a 13 Day / 12 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

13 Day Rustic Tour

Rustic ecolodge experience, reserved for jungle kings and queens

Enjoy a 13 Day / 12 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

14 Day Camping Tour

Enjoy a 14 Day / 13 Night Eco Camping Tour on the Las Piedras River

14 Day Rustic Tour

Enjoy a 14 Day / 13 Night Eco Lodge Tour on the Las Piedras River

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Best Place to See the Amazon

Where is the best place to see the amazon.

Popular Countries to See the Amazon

The Amazon Rainforest spans across Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru, with Brazil covering the majority of it. Ecuador offers diverse landscapes and wildlife, while Peru is rich in cultural history. Travelers should consider health risks and respect indigenous cultures.

Covering 60% of the country, most of the Amazon Rainforest is located in Brazil. This land, though largely intact, has been affected drastically by deforestation, reducing the rainforest size by over 13%. Manaus is a popular jumping off point for the Brazilian Amazon. A variety of tour operators are available, but since it’s so commercialized, the forested areas are less pristine, unless you venture deep into the Amazon.

Beyond the Amazon Rainforest, Brazil offers a diverse array of attractions and activities. Visitors can explore the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro, experience the world’s largest carnival celebration, venture into the Amazon Rainforest for wildlife spotting, and relax on stunning beaches like Copacabana. Marvel at the awe-inspiring Iguazu Falls, indulge in Brazilian cuisine, and discover the country’s colonial past in historic cities like Salvador. Attend a football match, hike in national parks, and immerse yourself in Brazil’s rich musical heritage.

In Ecuador, visitors can experience diverse attractions and activities. Explore the enchanting Galapagos Islands, renowned for their unique wildlife and pristine landscapes. Discover the lush Amazon Rainforest with its rich biodiversity and indigenous cultures. Hike through the majestic Andes Mountains, home to picturesque landscapes and traditional villages. Explore charming colonial cities like Quito and Cuenca, with their historic architecture and vibrant culture. Immerse yourself in Ecuador’s diverse ecosystems, from the cloud forests of Mindo to the coastal paradise of Montañita.

Teeming with wildlife and cultural history, Peru is an excellent choice for adventure travellers . Birds, butterflies and orchids are especially renowned in this region. Beginning in Cusco for a trip to Machu Picchu and continuing to the Amazon’s Manú National Park is great for those who want to have it all in one trip. However, being the country with the 2nd most land covered by the Amazon, there are many options for entering the rainforest in Peru.

In Peru, visitors can embark on a myriad of unforgettable experiences. Explore the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu , one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and hike the iconic Inca Trail. Discover the vibrant culture of cities like Lima and Cusco, with their colonial architecture and bustling markets. Cruise along the Amazon River, marveling at the incredible biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest. Visit Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, and immerse yourself in indigenous cultures on its islands.

Before You Travel to the Amazon, Consider…

Before visiting the Amazon, consider its remote and challenging environment, potential health risks like malaria and yellow fever, the need for appropriate vaccinations and medications, the necessity of a knowledgeable guide, respect for indigenous cultures and fragile ecosystems, and preparation for unpredictable weather and wildlife encounters.

Sustainable Travel & Eco-Friendly Tours

Sustainable travel and eco-friendly tours in the Amazon preserve biodiversity, reduce carbon footprints, and support local communities. By fostering cultural exchange and environmental education, these initiatives offer enriching experiences while safeguarding the region’s natural and cultural heritage. Additionally, they promote responsible resource management, create economic opportunities, and contribute to the long-term resilience of Amazonian communities, ensuring the preservation of this vital ecosystem for generations to come. With Gondwana, sustainability and our guest’s needs come first when we travel.

Travel With an Open Mind

Part of adventure travel is learning to adapt and go with the flow when conditions are tough. The Amazon is a pristine rainforest with wild animals — like the howler monkey , not a petting zoo, so there’s no guarantee that you’ll see every animal on your bucket list. Similarly, being in such remote locations with unpredictable weather, conditions aren’t guaranteed to be perfect. However, if you appreciate the beauty in nature, everything from a beetle to a rainstorm can seem like magic.

Visit Ecuador With Gondwana Ecotours

Though seeing the Amazon in any country is an extraordinary experience, we admit to having a slight bias. Our fascination with Ecuador is based on the reasons above, but Gondwana’s trip has both a natural and cultural focus. Gondwana president, Jared Sternberg’s experience volunteering with the Achuar tribe created a lasting relationship that continues today. This insider access gives guests knowledge of how indigenous tribes interact with nature, as they have for thousands of years.

Join our Tour and Discover the Ecuadorian Amazon!

Sunset on the Amazon River

See photos of pink river dolphins and the enchanting beauty of these majestic creatures against the backdrop of the Amazon’s lush waterways. Capturing their graceful movements and distinctive pink hue, these images offer glimpses into the fascinating world of these aquatic mammals.

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Discover the amazon rainforest

Enjoy it's beauty, plants and animals in a great tour

If you  dream to discover the beauty and mystery of the Amazon rainforest, a tour with a native indian for whom the jungle has always been home, is the best choice for you.

Amazon jungle tours

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About your guide

Rosiney Lima Maia

Hi I am Ney and will show you around in the jungle, the place where I grew up.

Sustainable Travel Experiences During Amazon Rainforest EcoTours

The Amazon rainforest has been a huge area of concern in regards to climate change in recent years. However, with ecotourism initiatives becoming more popular in this part of the world, the wellbeing of the rainforest is beginning to potentially improve with these sustainable tourism initiatives.

Ecotourism works to leave the land in the exact way in which it was found and often uses native guides to educate and inform tourists about the issues impacting an area they visit. Amazon rainforest tours are one of the most exciting sustainable travel options for keen travelers, and ecotours are something you’ll want to consider when visiting the Amazon rainforest to ensure you aren’t causing any harm to this stunning part of the world.

Government Initiatives For Sustainable Tourism In The Amazon Rainforest

Within the various countries that the Amazon rainforest stretches through, there are different initiatives in place. For example, in Venezuela, Eco Alianza is a public sector and private interest initiative which unites companies and the government to encourage ecotourism. It works to create jobs for local residents while educating tourists about the native culture and natural environment. Within Brazil, the Ministry of Tourism offers the Braztoa Sustainability Award , which highlights travel agencies and accommodation which are working to educate tourists during Amazon rainforest tours. According to the World Economic Forum, Brazil has been ranked the number one nature tourism location in the world, and they are continuing to put more focus on sustainable travel in this country.

Implementing Sustainable Tourism

Brazil has various laws in place within the country to protect the land, and within Sapezal, which is a municipality in Brazil, landowners must maintain at least 35% of the native vegetation on their land. This increases to 80% in the Amazon biome, where the land is even more protected. A little-known fact about Brazil is that it’s home to more isolated tribes than anywhere else in the world. The National Indian Foundation, FUNAI , works to monitor and protect the Indian community in Brazil, and they are protected from Amazon rainforest tours which could spread disease and illness within their population. When visiting Brazil, add a trip to the Museum of the Indian, run by the organization, to your Amazon rainforest tour. These types of initiatives allow sustainable travel to take place in specified areas without risking the land or the indigenous people who call the Amazon rainforest home.

What Travelers Can Experience on Amazon Rainforest Tours

When selecting between Amazon rainforest tours, it’s crucial to find a sustainable travel option. As the Amazon rainforest stretches over such a vast area, you’ll need to start by deciding where you want to visit. Most visitors fly into Manaus in Brazil, although Iquitos in Peru and Madidi in Bolivia are other popular entry points. During an ecotour in this area, you’ll be guided by a local tour guide, who will educate you about the challenges faced by the local communities who live throughout the rainforest. 

Activities you can expect to enjoy on your trip include rainforest trekking, where you’ll learn more about the ecosystem and the medicinal plants used to cure diseases. You can also explore by boat during Amazon rainforest tours, where you’ll witness the creatures that call the water in this area home. Opt for tours that stay at locations such as Uakari Lodge , where they offer locals a higher than average wage while working in a sustainable manner. When planning an Amazon rainforest tour, we encourage you to check the sustainable travel practices of the company you are traveling with. Travelers should always look to work with a company that employs local tour guides and assists the local economy with their tours. By treating the land with care and leaving everything as you found it, you can enjoy a sustainable travel experience that you’ll never forget in the Amazon rainforest.

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Best Amazon Jungle Tours and River Cruises

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Let us take you on your life time trip into the beauty of the Amazon rain forest and river system. Our experienced team can get you the best out of your expectation, time frame and budget.

We are specialized in Amazon jungle tours, Amazon river cruises, peacock bass fishing trips, jungle expeditions, bird watching tours, kayak tours, day tours and more.

We support sustainable tourism with social inclusion of the local and indigenous population.

We work together with BBC, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Arte TV and other TV stations.

We offer airport transfers, hotel reservations, car and boat charter. We sell bus, boat and airline tickets.

Amazon Eco Travel Rua Barão do Rio Branco, 1333 Manaus, AM 69058-581, Brazil Phone / WhatsApp / Telegram: +55 92 99190-5070

Amazon Eco Travel Ltd. 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden London, WC2H 9JQ, UK Phone: +44 20 3289-7080

Amazon Eco Travel Inc. 5348 Vegas Drive Las Vegas, NV 89108, USA Phone: +1 702 570-1270

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4 Amazon Eco Lodges To Visit In South America’s Rainforest

As travelers become more conscious of their environmental footprint, more sustainable travel opportunities are opening up across the world. One of these growing industries are Amazon eco lodges: hotels that focus on minimizing the negative effects of building new lodging, while also aiming to contribute to local communities or support relevant conservation efforts.

Destinations throughout South America are seeing more and more eco-lodges pop up as communities want to encourage tourism to their beautiful towns, but also want to protect the delicate ecosystems. One extremely popular region these lodges are popping up is the Amazon Rainforest . With rich, lush jungles, unique species, and a wealth of adventure opportunities – a luxury vacation in the Amazon makes perfect sense for the traveler who loves to be immersed in nature. If you hope to enjoy some exciting, but sustainable travel to South America, here are the top four Amazon eco lodges recommended by our Kuoda travel experts.

Escape to the Private Cabanas of Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica

A luxury trip to the Amazon allows for the perfect balance of adventure and romance in the lush rainforest. The private cabanas of the Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica are a dream destination for travelers who want to enjoy a sustainable, five star experience in South America!

Located on the Madre de Dios River in Peru, the individual wooden cabanas provide a peaceful oasis for your tropical escape. While the property is easily accessible, it feels completely remote in the best way possible. Being surrounded by the lush greenery of the treetops make this feel like a secret garden tucked away from the rest of the world. There are four options of cabana which vary in price and features, so you can tailor the experience to your needs. Our favorite is the Tambopata Suite, which gives travelers access to a private terrace with sunbathing chairs, an outdoor shower, and a plunge pool when you need to cool off. Every cabana is constructed beautifully from organic, natural materials such as thatched palm roofs and Ese’ Eja style wooden architecture. No detail is missed here, with hypoallergenic bedding and luxurious, eco-friendly toiletries.

While you stay, take advantage of Inkaterra’s selection of excursions and opportunities, from a relaxing spa to trekking the Amazon. Their activities range between quarter-day activities and full excursions, allowing you to customize your Amazonian vacation. For a romantic adventure, enjoy the Rainforest by Night excursion and see the Inkaterra Ecological Reserve come to life after hours. Lay your eyes on nocturnal animals, such as the Spectacled Owl or the Margay, on this one-of-a-kind adventure! Or, spend a day exploring with their Tambopata excursion, which involves hiking and canoeing as you look for rare animal species and enjoy a guided tour of a lush garden featuring 200 medicinal plants.

And when relaxation is calling your name, take advantage of the heavenly spa, Ena. Select your treatments and enjoy the natural blessings provided by exotic Amazonian ingredients that help hydrate, energize, and improve your skin and body! Views of the Madre de Dios River are right outside this spa, surrounding you in a completely serene environment for the most luxurious, but sustainable indulgence you’ll find in the Amazon.

Best of all, the Inkaterra Association is directly benefited by your stay. Several projects are always ongoing at Inkaterra, such as forest conservation, research for how to sustainably grow and produce new plants in the Amazon, and biodiversity monitoring. Currently, Inkaterra manages over 30,000 acres of land in the Amazon, pouring efforts into rebuilding and conserving land that has been damaged by deforestation over the last several decades. Additionally, their Sustainable Landscape Corridor project aims to provide healthier options for commuting and transportation through the rainforest. Providing eco-friendly connectivity has often been overlooked, but after seeing the damage that current highways cause to nearly 50 plant species as well as nearby communities, Inkaterra made it their mission to restore balance in the forest by developing a corridor that will allow local communities, tourists, and economic transportation an accessible, responsible path to use during their commute through this delicate ecosystem. If you’re looking for a dreamy eco-lodge in the Southern Amazon Rainforest to indulge and explore, Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica is a perfect choice.

Napo Wildlife Center

Photo Source: napowildlifecenter.com

Four individual canopies tower over the river banks running through Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park , creating a small community of hand crafted cabins that invite guests to enjoy the region’s naturally striking beauty. Napo Wildlife Center is one of the most well respected eco-lodges in the Amazon, as they go to every effort to make the most of sustainable travel in South America.

As you abandon city life and enter the vibrant rainforest, this eco-lodge slowly unveils itself as a thriving resort with some stunning views above the treetops. Special eco-friendly touches can be found throughout the property, including the fact that this lodge is powered completely by solar energy and silent generators, leaving the smallest possible footprint on the world around it.

Guests can choose between their own private suite or standard luxury accommodations, all of which serve as a beautiful resting place after a day of thrilling exploration throughout Yasuní. Stay on site for more peaceful activities, or venture out into the world beyond with some of their more active excursions. One stunning amenity that guests have fallen in love with is Napo’s Canopy Observation Tower. Views like this are unimaginable, so when you get the opportunity to see the rainforest from above the trees, take it! Ascend up the ladder to the top of one of their towers, and see what you can spot playing in the Amazon. Flocks of colorful birds chirp and soar in the sky, while monkeys play amongst the trees. This expansive look at the Amazon is a breathtaking and easily accessible activity for the traveler who wants to enjoy a simple activity.

Get rowing with one of their canoe tours if you’re feeling more adventurous! Napo will take you on a journey across the black waters of the Añangu Lake, with the option to paddle board for even more thrilling action! Take a closer look at the beautiful species of fish, caimans, turtles, and, if you’re lucky, the special giant otters! Hikes through the jungle forest are available with opportunities to get a better look at the flora and fauna that make this lush paradise their home.

Napo Wildlife Center is completely community based, which allows your trip to benefit local projects and people first hand. Employing indigenous Kichwa Añangu people allows the resort to employ an authentic sustainability model that supports the ecosystem while providing luxury accommodations. Plus, all processes from this resort are reinvested into their mission to make the community a better place. From renewable energy installations, to local education, and even providing health care for the neighboring people, every step of the journey at Napo is one that helps make lasting change for this region. This destination promises travelers will leave an environmentally positive impact after their stay has come to an end.

Become One With The Amazon At The Yachana Lodge

Head deeper into the Amazon and discover what it’s like to live amongst the trees at the Yachana Lodge , an intimate bungalow resort that is as peaceful as it is fascinating. For travelers looking to truly immerse themselves in the nature and culture of Ecuador’s Amazonian region , this is a bucket list experience.

Built amongst the towering rainforest trees, the bungalows feel well protected and extra serene. This community style environment is small, but mighty, with a total of eight private quarters split between the two main bungalows. And the exclusivity is worth it, as you will be treated to impeccable service and an itinerary of activities that engage all five senses.

Depending on how long you stay, guests will be treated to private experiences such as hiking through the rainforest reserve, making chocolate from local cacao, and even a night hike that will give you a front row seat to the secret world of the nocturnal Amazon. You will be given plenty of opportunities to see this beautiful jungle in a variety of ways, and get the chance to meet and learn about the cultures who make the Amazon their home! Their immersion program introduces travelers to the communities lifestyle, agricultural practices, and the opportunity to work alongside them making culinary creations and harvesting local crops.

The Yachana Foundation makes every effort to ensure that the eco-lodge is providing a positive impact on the rainforest and communities around it. Conservation and maintenance efforts are a huge focus here, as they want to make sure the rainforest can continue to grow and blossom for years to come. They also provide education about how to reduce your carbon footprint, at home and when traveling! Yachana is also on a mission to help and serve the Amazon’s elderly communities, providing activities and resources for these older generations to stay connected to their world and feel healthier while doing it. Joining the Yachana Lodge for an Amazonian adventure goes beyond just the fun excursions; here you are helping make a lasting impact on the world that lives within the rainforest!

Unplug From The Outside World And Relax At The Chalalán Ecolodge

Photo Source: https://chalalan.com/

Built by the indigenous community of Madidi Park who wanted to explore Chalalán with travelers in a responsible way, the Chalalán Ecolodge is a beautiful resort in Bolivia ready to welcome fellow lovers of all things adventure, nature, and culture! Take a short boat ride through the Beni and Tuichi Rivers before arriving at an astounding natural reserve, completely separate from the rest of society, making this an ideal location for unplugging and reconnecting with the Earth!

Chalalán offers guests several fun activities, including rainforest walks, paddling through the lake, and stunning viewpoints that put the natural wonder of Madidi on full display. Wildlife observation opportunities are bountiful here, as you will get to see everything through the lens of the local guides and learn about the diversity of life forms throughout the park.

The lodge itself is made up of several traditional Tacana-style cabins, designed to blend in with the surrounding jungle while providing guests a relaxing, luxurious stay. Handmade furniture and carefully crafted decor make each cabin feel even more special, as if it was carved in preparation for your visit.

Belonging to the people of San José de Uchupiamonas, this culturally diverse lodge allows you to be fully immersed in the unique community that share Qhecua and Tacana roots. Every dish is prepared using local ingredients and ancient techniques, every activity hand selected to give you an enriching luxury vacation. Plus, your stay will help benefit the community by providing sustainable income opportunities, improving local services, supporting conservation efforts of the rainforest they call home, and helping maintain a strong cultural identity worthy of celebration.

Wherever your travels take you in the Amazon, there is a charming eco-lodge tucked within the trees or hiding along a river bank, ready to invite you in! As we move into a more environmentally conscious society, eco-tourism has become much more accessible for every kind of traveler to enjoy. Talk to a Kuoda expert, and we’ll help you find the perfect lodge for you, ensuring your sustainable travel efforts will help support the Amazon and South American ecosystems for years to come!

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Rio Tinto says it's a green mining giant. Investigation shows environmental gaps from Quebec to the Amazon

As part of investigation, radio-canada's enquête team travelled to brazil's amazon region.

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At times, Rio Tinto has spilled dangerous chemicals at several of its Quebec sites without disclosing it to the provincial government — behaviour that contradicts the multinational's brand as an eco-friendly business.

Documents obtained by Radio-Canada's Enquête program through an access-to-information request reveal more than 100 environmental infractions doled out to Rio Tinto's aluminum division in Quebec over the past 15 years. 

The company has also paid $2.1 million in fines in that same period, making it the third biggest environmental offender in the province. 

The company was fingered eight times for either neglecting or waiting to report problems related to pollution to Quebec's Environment Ministry.  The documents include infractions for obstructing the work of public officials and failing to provide mandatory documents when required.

These infractions took place at Rio Tinto's massive Complexe Jonquière, and other nearby sites located around the city of Saguenay. The Complexe Jonquière is an industrial site that employs 1,500 people. It includes two aluminum plants, and various other refining, chemical and research facilities. 

Rio Tinto's environmental missteps have come just as the company amasses tens of millions of dollars in public money. 

Enquête also corroborated the company's spotty environmental record through a whistleblower who works at the Jonquière complex and whose identity it agreed to protect due to fear of professional reprisals.

In addition to looking into Rio Tinto's environmental practices in Quebec, Enquête also travelled to the heart of the Amazon forest in Brazil — to a mine in which Rio Tinto has a 22 per cent stake. It is where the company sources some of its bauxite. 

There, local residents expressed their concerns about the mine's effects on the environment and the long-term health of people who live near it.

'We hide things all the time'

According to the whistleblower, the company has often resorted to hiding spills and altering a substance's colour by using gravel or dirt.

"We hide things all the time, and sweep them under the rug. It will take time to see all the things that are hidden, but it's starting to come out," says the source.

"Only the severity of the fine can make the company react."

Rio Tinto declined our interview requests. In an email, it denied these allegations. 

Rio Tinto Aluminium said "it operates with a strict culture of environmental compliance which includes reporting spills to the competent authorities."

"If an incident occurs, it is thoroughly investigated and corrective measures are put in place to prevent it from recurring," the company said. 

In a letter made public on Friday, Rio Tinto says allegations of cover-ups, obstruction or delays are "not our values and this is not how we behave."

"Our 4,300 employees in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, like those around the world, are concerned about the legacy they will leave to their children," the letter states. 

The industry has for years emphasized its green bonafides by claiming it uses clean hydroelectricity. Quebec aluminum plants emit less carbon dioxide than plants in China and elsewhere that are powered using coal. 

But critics say plans that could have further reduced Rio Tinto's carbon emissions sooner were either never implemented or only materialized much later than promised.

"Investments [were promised] to modernize all the plants, which were outdated, aging, polluting and at the end of their useful lives," said Jacques Dubuc, who is now retired and used to work as a spokesperson for Alcan, which was bought by Rio Tinto in 2007. 

He said "we have a history of broken promises, partially kept promises, with excuses or tricks to try to prolong the life" of aging plants.

In 2007, with talks brewing about the implementation of a cap-and-trade system in Quebec for carbon pollution, "green aluminum" started to become a common industry term. Aluminum producers that were among the province's biggest polluters were expected to have to start paying into the scheme which would have had an impact on profits.

But by playing up the concept of green aluminum behind the scenes, those companies were able to get exemptions, according to Marie-Claude Prémont, a professor at the École nationale d'administration publique.

"Green aluminum is a marketing tool," she said.

"It's a label that was assigned to an industry that barely changed in the last few decades."

According to Prémont, "the public needs more than just marketing" to understand what is going on and to make informed decisions.

Rio Tinto, with its four aluminum smelters and its alumina refinery, still ranks among the province's 20 biggest polluters, and since 2007 its CO2 emissions have hardly budged.

In 2018, Elysis, a joint venture that includes Rio Tinto and Alcoa, was established as a research initiative meant to create aluminum with a zero carbon footprint.  Since then, the Quebec and Canadian governments have doled out $160 million in subsidies. 

On its website, Elysis claims it is developing a "revolutionary" and "disruptive" technology, even calling it "non-polluting" aluminum. But the technology that was supposed to come into large-scale production in the mid-2020s has quietly been pushed back to beyond 2030.

In an email, Elysis did not divulge its new timetable, saying it was concentrating on research and development.

Even if Elysis was fully implemented, between 1.3 and two tonnes of CO2 are generated per tonne of aluminum. That's because bauxite has to be extracted, shipped and refined to alumina before it is made into aluminum — and each part of that process has a carbon footprint.

The wide margin of CO2 produced depends on whether the alumina is refined in Quebec or imported.

Rio Tinto will testify before a Parliamentary committee in Ottawa in April to provide an update on its program. It also says that a commercial prototype will come out later this year.

The company also says it is working systematically to further reduce emissions at each production stage. 

The aluminum industry is expected to grow worldwide by almost 40 per cent by 2030 due largely to increased demand from electric car manufacturers. 

Tracing the production chain back to Brazil

Much of the bauxite used by Rio Tinto comes from a mine in the heart of the Amazon forest. 

"To claim that your product is green is very serious, given the bauxite production chain. How can you call clearing the forest green? How can anyone say that digging up the soil is green?" asks Lilian Braga, a public prosecutor who works in the Amazonian state of Para near the mine run by Mineracao Rio Do Norte (MRN). 

That ore deposit was discovered by Montreal-based Alcan in the 1960s. The mine has been shipping industrial quantities of bauxite to Quebec since 1979.

Because of the mine, "people sometimes get sick," according to local activist Carlos Printes whose family has lived near the MRN owned mining town of Porto Trombetas for many years.

"Many people fall ill because of the company. But they do nothing for these people," he said. 

Although there are no long-term public health studies that confirm this, other people living near the mine repeated these claims. 

"People who drink this water get diarrhea and stomach aches. We can see that this is a water-related problem because not everyone has a well," says Raymundo Wilson, a village head who lives near Lake Batata. 

MRN dumped 18 million cubic metres of bauxite residue into the lake from 1979 to 1989 in what some consider to be one of the most glaring cases of industrial pollution in the Amazon at the time. He told us that 60 out of 120 families living around the lake still don't have access to filtered well water. 

Heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and mercury can be released after bauxite is extracted from the ground. These can also get into water sources. Locals also worry about how safe the tailings dams are. These are similar to wet landfills and MRN has 29 of them where it put the tailings produced after bauxite was washed.

MRN's director of sustainability Vladimir Moreira told Enquête that mine tailings are inert and that there is no danger to human health. Asked if he would eat local fish, he replied: "Of course I would."

The company says it has "around 250 monitoring stations for water, air and noise quality. And all these stations show that there is no contamination."

"Our waste management system is absolutely safe," Moreira said. He added that the mine follows international standards and local communities participate in mine safety protocols.

• Click here to read Radio-Canada's full Enquête story .

In its open letter, Rio Tinto says it also works with MRN to ensure best practices are followed to improve environmental and social performance. These include robust reforestation efforts, and closely monitoring water quality and dam stability as well as health and education services to local communities.

Brazil has had a history of tailing dams ruptures with Mariana in 2015 and Brumadinho in 2019, which killed 19 and 272 people respectively. The latter had a type of dam construction known as upstream.

• Billions of litres of water are used yearly by Quebec's mining and metal industry, data reveals

Vale, the company that owned the Brumadinho mine and was a 40 percent shareholder of MRN until 2023 said in a 2020 statement to the Security and Exchange Commission that MRN had dams similar to those at Brumadinho.

The rupture of any of these structures could cause loss of lives and serious personal, property and environmental damages," Vale said in its statement. 

Jose Domingos, a farmer who lives near Lake Sapucua, which is downstream of the dams, says the threat of an environmental disaster constantly hangs over local communities. 

"If one day, there is a possible problem for the 16 communities of Lake Sapucua, it's over for us, you understand?" Domingos said. "We can't sleep at night during the winter, because it rains so much."

MRN commissioned studies that allowed it to get its dam classifications changed with the Brazilian government's mining oversight body. Dams that were classified as upstream, a category widely considered more dangerous, were given a different designation. 

Moreira says the geography where MRN has its tailings reservoirs is different from what existed in Mariana and Bruhmadino.

But at least one expert questions those reclassifications.  

If there's any doubt about a dam, a preventative approach should be used to "ensure the protection of people and the environment," said Andressa Lanchotti, who sat on the prosecution team in the Bruhmadino case.

Rio Tinto says it is aware of the concerns associated with bauxite mining in Brazil.

• Rule change paving way for controversial Northvolt EV battery plant raises transparency concerns in Quebec

 "We are working tirelessly to improve our operations by promoting a circular economy and furthering the environmental, social and governance best practices throughout our entire supply chain, from mine to consumer," said Nina Mankovitz, vice-president at Rio Tinto Aluminium.

Billions in subsidies and financial benefits in Quebec 

"To call it green aluminum is greenwashing," said Martine Ouellet, a former Quebec minister of natural resources who now heads a small political party dedicated to fighting climate change. 

Ouellet, who was also head of special projects at Hydro-Québec, estimates that with greenhouse gas fee exemptions, tax rebates and through use of their privately-owned dams, Rio Tinto gets about $1.2 billion a year in subsidies.

Rio Tinto says that most of the projects it initiated since 2020, totalling $2 billion in investments, did not get government subsidies.

• Quebec's plan to stop subsidizing electrical vehicle purchases gets mixed reviews

Elysis has gotten buy-in from major brands like Apple, Michelob and BMW, who plan to purchase this product once it is available. 

But the aluminum industry is asking for even more funding.

In early March 2024, the Aluminium Association of Canada asked the Quebec government to continue subsidizing electricity for aluminum and for more investments in Elysis. These subsidies and financial benefits could cost taxpayers further billions over the coming years.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Investigative producer

Gil Shochat is an award-winning investigative producer-director with CBC/Radio-Canada. He's worked in Canada and internationally on subjects including the coal industry, the Russian mafia, TD Bank, the global war on terror, as well as Canada's role in the international asbestos trade.

AWS Open Source Blog

Lean into verified software development.

Some software components are really important to get right, like your application’s access control policies and core business logic. There are a growing number of tools to help you verify the correctness of these components by leveraging automated reasoning . In developing Cedar , an open source authorization policy language, we have found that the Lean proof assistant is a great tool for verifying Cedar’s correctness and security properties.

Over the past 6 months, we built a formal model of Cedar in Lean, and proved that Cedar’s components satisfy key safety and security properties. Lean is a full-featured programming language —writing models and proofs is just like writing code, but Lean checks your work to make sure your proofs are correct. Lean is also extremely fast, allowing us to efficiently test our production code (written in Rust) against the Lean models.

Until now, Lean has been used mostly by mathematicians to formalize complex math proofs . But our experience shows it’s also an excellent tool for proofs about software correctness and security. In this post, we’ll describe how we used Lean for Cedar, highlight some potential bumps in the road, and point to resources where you can learn more. We hope sharing our experience can guide your next high-assurance software project!

A brief introduction to Cedar

Cedar is an open source language for writing authorization policies, which developers can use to define and enforce permissions for their applications. To understand how, imagine you’re developing a cloud application for hosting documents in folders. You can use Cedar policies to restrict which users (“principals”) are allowed to view and edit (perform “actions” on) which documents and folders (“resources”). When a user tries to access a document or folder, your application calls the Cedar authorizer to check if the access is allowed by the policies. Your Cedar policies are separate from your application code, enabling you to update one without impacting the other.

Here is an example Cedar policy that lets users perform any action on documents they own:

This policy allows access depending on the resource’s owner . The expression resource is Document checks that the resource is of type Document , which always has the owner attribute.

In addition to permit policies, which grant permissions, Cedar also supports forbid policies, which remove permissions. For example, say that deleted documents are moved to a special “Trash” folder, and you want to ensure that users can’t edit deleted documents. You can do so with the following policy:

Here, resource in Folder::"Trash" means that the resource is contained in the “Trash” folder, either directly or in a deleted subfolder. This policy prevents everyone, including document owners, from editing deleted documents. That’s because f orbids override permits : If a request satisfies both a permit policy (because the principal owns the document) and a forbid policy (because the document is deleted), the forbid always wins.

The Cedar SDK consists of three core components: the evaluator, the authorizer, and the validator. The evaluator determines the value of expressions like resource.owner == principal , and the authorizer applies the evaluator to your policies to decide whether a request should be allowed. The validator rules out certain classes of evaluation errors by typechecking policies when you create them. For example, in the first policy above, the validator knows that the access resource.owner will never result in an error because resource is guaranteed to be of type Document .

How Cedar uses Lean for verification-guided development

To assure developers that Cedar is correct and secure, we build it using a process called verification-guided development . This process has two parts. First, we create an executable formal model of each core component in Lean. The model is a highly readable prototype, and with it we prove key correctness properties using Lean’s proof assistan t. You construct proofs in Lean by applying tactics — procedures that transform one state of the proof (known facts) into another (implied facts). Lean checks each step, preventing mistakes.

Second, we implement Cedar’s production code in Rust, optimizing for performance and usability. We confirm that the code matches the model by using differential random testing . This involves generating millions of random inputs and checking that both model and code produce the same output on every input. A new version of Cedar isn’t released unless its model, proofs, and differential tests are up to date.

A quick tour of modeling and verifying Cedar with Lean

We model Cedar components as Lean functions. For example, here is the authorizer:

The authorizer first computes the set of all satisfied forbid and permit policies. It returns allow only if there are no satisfied forbids and there is at least one satisfied permit .

The authorizer code denies access if a forbid policy is satisfied. Proving this property in Lean requires stating it as a theorem and providing a formal proof :

The theorem (the part prior to the := ) says the following: if a collection of policies contains a forbid that is satisfied by a given request and entities , then calling isAuthorized on these inputs always returns deny .

Proof of this theorem (the part after the := ) is a series of steps showing the conclusion follows from the premises. Here, the premise is a satisfied forbid policy, and the conclusion is the authorizer denying access. The proof applies tactics to transform the premise into the conclusion. The intro tactic adds the premise to the proof state; unfold inlines the authorizer definition; and simp uses an auxiliary theorem to complete the proof.

Lean helps you develop proofs interactively. The IDE shows you the proof state at each tactic application, and Lean checks that you’re applying the tactics correctly. But you need to figure out which tactics to apply at each step to reach the goal. Writing Lean proofs is similar to how programming: tools give you insight into the program state, and you write the steps to transform the inputs into the desired outputs.

Once you learn common tactics, Lean proofs are quick to develop, extend, and maintain. The following table compares our modeling and proof effort in Lean to our implementation effort in Rust, measured in lines of code (LOC):

Our most complex proof establishes the soundness of Cedar’s validator — if the validator accepts a policy, evaluating the policy won’t result in a type error. At 4,686 lines of code, this proof took 18 person-days to develop. Other proofs were much smaller and even faster to write.

Thanks to Lean’s libraries and features like type classes, our models are highly readable and concise. For example, the validator model is 10X smaller than its corresponding Rust implementation , which includes many test cases and extra code to provide useful diagnostic output. This makes the Lean models useful not only for proofs but also as a form of documentation. They provide a compact yet precise specification of Cedar for both Cedar users and developers.

One challenge of using Lean is its strict termination checking . Lean requires all recursive definitions to be well-founded — basically, to bottom out. This requirement can complicate modeling of complex recursive structures. For example, Rust lets us represent Cedar values as a recursive datatype over built-in sets and maps. Lean prohibits this for the standard set and map data types because their invariants introduce circular (not well-founded) reasoning. We worked around this by developing custom set and map data types that replace embedded invariants with separate theorems. Working with the termination checker takes some getting used to, but it eventually becomes second nature, and the payoff is that you know your code is free of infinite loops.

Lean models are fast to execute and proofs are fast to check. On average, Lean takes 5 microseconds to evaluate a differential testing input, compared to 7 microseconds for Rust. These fast execution times allow us to run millions of test cases nightly to compare the model against the production code. Lean checks individual proofs interactively as you’re working on them, providing instantaneous feedback. It takes 185 seconds in total to check all proofs and compile models for execution. This is pretty fast! As a point of comparison, Rust takes 45 seconds to compile and test the implementation code.

We’ve found Lean to be a great tool for verified software development. You get a full-featured programming language, fast proof checker and runtime, and a familiar way to build both models and proofs — by writing programs. If you try it, keep these tips in mind:

Lean into the curve. Proof assistants like Lean have a steep learning curve. You need to learn which tactics to use, and when and how to use them. With practice, proof development becomes an efficient engineering activity, like programming. Proofs are programs in Lean, after all.

Start simple. Tactics and syntax are also programmable. You can write your own tactics, define custom syntax, and embed whole languages in Lean. Start simple: Customize Lean’s simp tactic with auxiliary theorems tailored to your proofs, and define your own notation for key operators. Simple code and proofs are easier to build and maintain.

Stay flexible. Lean may not let you write code as you would in other languages. For example, you may need to adjust how you define a data structure or recursive function to satisfy the termination checker. There are still some small challenges with Lean, such as its sparse documentation and sluggish termination checking for mutual induction. But the community is constantly improving it, and you can always find a way forward.

This post explored how we use Lean for verification-guided development of Cedar. Lean’s language enables concise modeling of Cedar components. Its proof assistant enables fast proof development and verification. And Lean’s runtime supports efficient differential testing against the models.

If you’d like to try Lean for your own verification efforts, lean into the learning curve, start simple, and stay flexible! It can be rewarding and a lot of fun.

To learn more about Lean and Cedar:

• Check out the Lean proof assistant and join the thriving community around it.
• Try out Cedar policies in the online playground .
• Explore Cedar’s Lean models and differential testing framework on GitHub.
• Join the Cedar Slack channel to connect with the team.
• Check out a Cedar demo and talk to our team in the AWS booth at Open Source Summit in Seattle on April 16-18, 2024.
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