The Lodge
Sitting on 350 acres of preserved, primary Amazon Rainforest, in the San Juan Bautista district, Treehouse Lodge looked like paradise online. Sitting at the confluence of the Yarapa and Cumaceba Rivers, the only way to get to Treehouse Lodge is via boat or airplane. From Iquitos, the journey starts out with an hour and a half drive followed by an hour boat ride. The boat ride begins on the Marañón River, crosses the Amazon River then continues up the Ucayali River before connecting to the Yarapa.
The experience
The lodge features 12 treehouses which tower between 35 – 75 feet above the jungle floor. I called Casa Alta (Treehouse #6) home during my four day, three night stay and loved every second of it. Now, I will admit sleeping 65 feet above the ground took a little getting used to. I had to navigate 96 steps (yes, I counted them) and a canopy bridge to get to and from my bungalow each day but it was an awesome experience in the end. Even though many would consider this roughing it, my chalet had the same comforts of many found on the ground.
Yes, they are actual treehouses!
Every bungalow had electricity and was equipped with a fully functioning shower, sink and toilet. We had hotel quality beds fitted with mosquito netting. The netting really wasn’t needed as the entire bungalow was shrouded in mesh. No need for air conditioning as the bungalows were naturally quite airy. Did I fail to mention the 360 degree views from the top of the canopy? Oh, the views! I don’t know which was better, the views during the day or the sounds of the rainforest at night. Drifting off to sleep to the sound of frogs and crickets was out of this world. One evening it rained, what a glorious sound and smell. Oh, the sleep that was had by all that night.
Day 9:
Each day was filled with activities with my fabulous guide, Brando and my multi-talented boat driver Mr. Alipio. After my pickup from the airport, drive and boat ride we finally arrived at the lodge. I was promptly served lunch and asked which activities I wished to engage in during the course of my stay. With a big grin, I said, “I want to do and see it all”. My guide, Brando, laughed heartily and began working on an activity itinerary. We decided on a night cruise in search of caimans to start things off followed by a 5:30 AM start the next day.
Day 10:
Consisted of a sunrise birdwatching outing, jungle walk and a visit to Monkey Island.
“Mosquiticus Amazonicus”
Monkey Island was superb, minus the mosquitos. Mosquiticus Amazonicus, as I quickly named them, were downright gangster here in the heart of the Amazon. They were no respecters of persons and couldn’t have cared less how much citronella oil, Deep Woods Off or permethrin you bathed in prior to entering “their house”. They were equal opportunity blood suckers who had the patience of Job as they waited for your chosen repellant to die down just a smidge. The minute the repellants showed any signs of easing, it seemed every mosquito in the Amazon was coming for you and flying in formation to attack. With the precision of Tuskegee Airmen, they landed in lines on my skin leaving welts and knots in their wake.
After 45 minutes, my skin was a disaster. I had so many knots rising on my forehead, neck and even on my scalp that Mr. Alipio stopped me to count them. All I remember is him saying, “uno, dos, tres, quatro, oh, no! Ayyeeeeee!” and then we all burst into laughter. It was pretty bad but I wasn’t about to stop watching the monkeys acting the fool on Monkey Island to return to the lodge. Brando took one look at me and quickly decided we needed to shift our activities for the day. Instead of searching for the pink dolphins next, we were going for an Amazon mud bath post haste.
Mud baths have been shown to increase blood flow and stimulate the immune system, while minerals in the mud have a range of healing properties, including detoxifying the body.
Amazon Mud Bath
I had never taken a mud bath but whatever minerals were in that mud, they quickly calmed the irritation and inflammation from the bites. After following that up with some Aveeno anti-itch cream, I was ready for my date with the night crawlers.
Insect Nightwalk
That evening after dinner we went on a night walk around the grounds of the lodge looking for frogs, small mammals and insects. There was a plethora of tarantulas, spiders and frogs just feet away from the dining hall.
After returning to the lodge, it was time to rest up and prepare for our fishing outing in the morning.
Day 11:
At 8:30 AM we set out in search of piranha. I felt it was high time that we ate them instead of them eating us.
I had never been fishing before but quickly caught 2 tiny piranha, which we ultimately used for bait to lure larger fish. Mr. Alipio showed us how it was done first then Brando quickly followed suit. Here is the catch of the day. The fish tasted fantastic – the texture and flavor were similar to that of seabass.
Blowdart Session
After lunch, I had my blowdart session followed by a village walk. Mr. Alipio fashioned my new toy out of a reed, which he had me sand while he whittled 3 darts for me out of wood slivers. He decorated it with slashes and markings and even tied a section of orange twine around it as decoration. The thoughtful Mr. Alipio had heard orange was my favorite color. Brando instructed me how to use it and challenged me to hit the bull’s eye on a target with my razor-sharp darts.
I didn’t have much faith in my ability to hit the bull’s eye and I think Brando half expected me to miss the target entirely, as well. Ready to defy the odds and prove us both wrong, I took careful aim and a deep breath and my first dart hit just above the center of the target. I erupted in celebration and even Brando looked shocked. Armed with my blowdart and a puffed up chest, you couldn’t tell me anything. To close out the day, we went for a community walk to the neighboring island.
Puerto Miguel
Puerto Miguel reminded me immediately of the villages of Papua New Guinea that I had visited in 2023. The thatched roof homes, children playing in the road and the sense of community were exactly the same. The village had no cell service, save by the shoreline, and no electricity as the sole generator that supplied power was broken. They lead a very simple life but everyone looked happy and well cared for. There were two churches, an elementary school, a general store and an open-air art school. The art these young people produced was phenomenal and belied their simple upbringing.
The ladies of the village saw us approaching and quickly assembled in a meeting place. They each laid out their handicrafts for us to peruse, anticipation of a sale gleaming in their eyes. They had coasters, keychains, wicker animals and all manner of household trinkets for sale. Small children either hid behind their mother’s skirts or bounded into the road waving and greeting us.
A little further up the one and only road, the young men of the village were embroiled in a serious game of football (soccer, for all the Americans reading this) on a field in the center of the village. The rest of the villagers looked on in amusement as the men battled it out. Meanwhile, at the far end of the road, four young ladies were hard at work in the community garden where they were weeding and planting beans, peppers and cucumbers.
Love at first sight
It was wonderful to see how the local people actually lived. Mr. Alipio lived in this community and raced into his house eager to show me something. First he returned with a parrot and then he returned with a speckled sloth. The parrot was adorable but the sloth was the cutest sloth I had ever seen. It was love at first sight as you can see from the photo below.
After wishing the villagers well, we returned to the lodge. My time here was slowly coming to an end and it was time to face reality. This would be my last evening residing in treehouse number six.
Day 12:
My final day here saw another 8:30 AM start and a little excursion to see the giant lilypads.
Victoria amazonica
Victoria amazonica is the largest member in the water lily family. The leaves can measure up to 10 feet in diameter and support the weight of a small child. These monsters grow at a rate of almost 20 inches a day. The ones I saw measured approximately three feet around. Each lilypad is anchored to the floor of the lake by a huge stalk, which can grow up to 26 feet in length. While quite impressive viewed from above, I found the underside of the pad even more interesting.
Exceptional construction
The undersurface was covered with an intricate web of yellow ribs or veins. Creating a beautiful contrast against the dark green of the leaf, these veins were not there for their looks. This webbing served a dual purpose and represented nature at its best. The webbing trapped air underneath the pad keeping the pad afloat. The tiny spikes that lined each vein protected the pad from being picked at by herbivorous fish. Mind blown…
The uniqueness of the waterlily
Equally impressive are the unique flowers that accompany these massive lilypads. Measuring almost 16 inches in diameter, the lilies emerge only at night and last for a mere 48 hours. When they first appear, they are white, but by the second evening they take on a purplish-red hue. Although very short-lived they get a lot done in 48 hours.
Lilies are hermaphrodites, having both male and female reproductive structures. The male part of the flower is called the stamen and the female part is called the pistil. They are a truly self-contained reproduction unit with one exception: they cannot pollinate themselves.
Pollination
Pollination occurs when beetles attracted to the smell of the female flowers become trapped inside the flowers the first night. The next morning, the plant shifts from female to male and produces pollen. The trapped beetle is covered in pollen and has become the perfect pollinating agent. When the flower reopens on the second night, the scent has dissipated and the pollen covered beetle is free to visit another lily where it disseminates the pollen. Once the flower has completed reproducing, it closes and submerges to decompose in the water.
Lilies, sunflowers, and tulips are known as bisexual or hermaphroditic flowers because they contain both male and female reproductive parts.
Jungle walk
Leaving the lilypads behind, the gents took me for a walk to explore the medicinal plants of the jungle. The cure for literally whatever ails you could be found in the Amazon. The bark of certain trees could be used to treat coughs, while the leaves of others were good for those suffering from kidney disease. Mr. Alipio brought my attention to a mushroom the locals called “the notebook”. The cap of the mushroom could be used as paper by simply scratching the surface.
Termites
Millipedes
Armored millipedes move slowly and are vulnerable to attack. As a result, they have developed several means of defense. One defense is the armor itself. Many species curl up into a ball when attacked, much like a hedgehog or pangolin.
They also have poison glands. In most cases the poison is constantly secreted to give the millipede a toxic coating. Some larger species of millipede can also spray their poison as far as three feet but don’t worry their venom is generally not poisonous to humans. However, some species can release fluids that may cause minor skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people.
Millipedes can also repel mosquitoes as their secretion contains two chemicals in the benzoquinone family, which are known to be potent insect repellents. Capuchin monkeys apparently are aware of this and have learned to poke around in tree bark or termite mounds to find the crawlers. Once one is located, the triumphant monkey will then proceed to anoint itself head to foot with the repellent secretions by massaging the millipede into its fur. They are so smart!
With an eye on the clock, we returned to the lodge where I bid adieu to my hosts and prepared for my journey back to the airport in Iquitos. It was time to head to my next and final stop: Tambopata Reserve in Puerto Maldonado.
Up Next: Tambopata Chuncho Macaw Reserve
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