Published on Aug, 2024
Amazon Wonder Expeditions gave us the best experience we could have hoped for. We did the 3D/2N tour, and if you are overwhelmed by all the different options for tour operators (like we were), the let it be all-caps-clear: THIS IS IT.
We were on our honeymoon through South America, and by the time we were booking our Amazon tour our budget had shrunken quite a bit. We were kinda bummed out we didn't have more to spend to make it more "luxurious" or whatever, which in hindsight is one of the stupidest thoughts I've ever had.
I don't think I've experienced more value for money in my life. Our lovely guide Luis, a personal cook (wonderful Rosa) and our own boatman Oscar - all for just the two of us. Everything included; lodging, three meals a day with fresh juices (different for each meal!), entry fees, boots, pick up/drop off - all and everything, except alcohol and soda.
There sure is a jungle (pun intended) of tour operators out there, and it's kinda stressful to pick the "right" one. It seems to me now that they mostly offer the same thing; fishing piranhas, night tour, monkey island, scouting for dolphins blabla. Here's couple of things that seems to set Amazon Wonder apart:
- Entry fee to the real Monkey Island included in the tour (this is a must - it was a great experience, and be wary of operators that don't have this explicitly listed if you want to go. We met people that were taken to a fake one, and it was reeeeeeal_badman.gif).
- Black water river tour, where you get to see another part of the Amazon; a much smaller river with different wildlife and the local community way closer.
- A guide that cares for the jungle, both its wildlife and community.
Now to the longer version. I'm so excited I'll probably break the Viator site with this.
PEOPLE
First and foremost our guide Luis. Born in a small river village on the Amazon and with 30 years experience in guiding? You need to look hard for a more seasoned guide. His keen eye catches about everything of significance both on the jungle floor and in the trees. If you are interested in birds, this is the tour for you. Luis sees them all, and the tour includes a trip down a blackwater river that houses some birds you won't see where the other tour operators go. Luis is a genuinely good man with a heart that beats for the jungle; the animals and their ways, the craziness of deforestation, the impact of climate change on the jungle etc.
Rosa, our cook, added a unique dimension to our tour with her meals. Using ingredients that were sourced in the region, she created dishes that really connected us to the plants and animals we'd just seen. Dining became an extension of our guided tour, enhancing our understanding of the local culture through her cooking.
Oscar the legend. That feeling of pride you get when your boat looks the best among the tour operators (don't get me wrong; it's real rustic, but very well-kept) and the satisfaction when your boat slides perfectly to shore among all the others? It's all Oscar.
LODGE
The lodge is very rural and you shouldn't expect anything other than a very authentic jungle experience. With a power generator that's only used a couple of hours a day, a very warm climate and the simplest of interior a faint-hearted person probably won't be satisfied. For us though, it was perfect; we got to fall asleep to the sound of the jungle as if we were sleeping on the ground outside and wake up to the sound of roosters and the break of dawn. There was no connection or internet, which made it double up as a digital retreat (Luis said they've now gotten a Starlink for future groups - which is great, but I'd recommend against using it if I were you). We were snobby enough to use our silk-pouches for sleeping in though; mostly due to insects - the room was not free of them - as well as the warmth and feeling of hygiene. I'd recommend bringing one.
ALL IN ALL
I'd recommend Amazon Wonder. I think I made that clear, no?
Bring mosquito repellent, sunscreen, silk pouches, cash (for beers and sodas at the lodge), head lamp and binoculars (the last two I borrowed from them free of charge, which is super kind, but if your group is bigger than ours you'd want more). Enjoy.
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