Last Updated on February 16, 2025
In March we traveled to Lima to visit JC’s family and escape the cold of Berlin. JC and I always try to take mini trips while in Peru visiting his family to discover new destinations, e.g. Cusco, Ica, Mancora, … This time I was dying to go to the Amazon jungle. Originally, we planned to go to Madre de Dios. However, due to protests in that part of Peru we decided it was too dangerous to travel and instead rebooked our travel plans for Tarapoto. Tarapoto is a city north of Lima located on the border of the Amazonian rainforest. It is known for the Blue Lagoon, and also for its many waterfalls and natural wildlife all located nearby. JC and I knew that for this trip we wanted to escape the city and immerse ourselves in the jungle. Read below for how to plan a trip to the Amazon jungle in Peru as well as our 2 night Tarapoto itinerary.
Read more: How to Plan Your Trip to Mancora & Vichayito | Peru
How to get to Tarapoto from Lima
Tarapoto is an easy 1 hour 20 minute direct plane ride from Lima. There are flights departing everyday with LATAM. The Tarapoto airport is located in the city of Tarapoto. If you are staying in the jungle as we did, you will need to drive upwards of 1 hour from the airport to reach your accomodation.
Where to Stay in Tarapoto; How to Plan Your Trip to the Amazon Jungle
When we traveled to Tarapoto we stayed at the Bosque Guardian Lodge which is located almost an hour driving from the airport of Tarapoto. We chose this lodge based on the relative proximity to the aiport and also its proximity to some of the most popular waterfalls in the area. It was also the only lodge we could find that is actually located inside of the conservation area. Other lodges or hotels are either located in the city of Tarapoto or near the Laguna Azul, which is over 2 hours driving from the airport. The lodge is beautiful. You really feel like you are away from it all. We did not see too many other visitors during our stay. We loved our jungle bungalow. We had a 4 poster bed with fly net, a huge balcony with hammock and beautiful outdoor bathroom and shower. It was exactly the type of remote setting we were looking for with luxurious amenities for an affordable price.
What to do at Bosque Guardian Lodge in Tarapoto; How to Plan Your Trip to the Amazon Jungle
Bosque Guardian offers many different excursions and activities that are all included in the price of your stay. You can see the many different excursions for offer on their website here. Our first excursion was an afternoon walk to discover ”los árboles Guardianes” or the big guardian trees of the jungle. I would highly recommend this excursion, as the huge trees were remarkable and it was an easy walk and reasonable duration. We followed this activity with an excursion to discover a hidden pond, or ”poza escondida”, complete with waterfalls. This was also quite nice, as we could bathe in the pond. That evening, after dinner, we did a night walk, ”caminata de fauna nocturna” and spotted poisonous frogs, snakes and even a tarantula. This was my favorite excursion, as well as JC’s, because we love looking for animals.
The next morning we awoke at 5 am in order to look (and listen) for jungle birds on the ”despertar de la selva” walk. We heard some birds but saw none, making it a disappointing morning. I would not recommend this excursion, especially since you have to wake up so early. After breakfast, we proceeded with a guide to discover several waterfalls of the ”Cataratas El Progreso.” This was another highlight. We had the waterfalls completely to ourselves and got to bathe in all three of them.
Besides the complimentary excursions, Bosque Guardian also offers services such as massages at an extra cost. JC and I both had hour long massages; it really was a great way to unwind and relax in the jungle. I can only recommend!
The food at Bosque Guardian
Bosque Guardian has its own restaurant in the middle of the jungle, called ”Callampa”. I had never had food from the jungle before, but I can definitely say that the cuisine at Bosque Guardian exceeded all of my expectations. The food was fantastic. For breakfast we had fresh fruit, yoghurt, granola, french toast and cheeses. For lunch and dinner we had everything from ceviche to vegetable fried rices to steamed fish served in big banana leaves with a side of banana chips. We always had delicious fresh juices with every meal made of fruits from the Bosque Guardian gardens. A gourmet dining experience in the heart of the jungle, using all local ingredients, you really cannot wish for more. Since you are in the middle of the jungle, you really don’t have other options for dining, but, I can truly say that even if you had more options, you wouldn’t want to eat anywhere else.
Overall, we had a fantastic stay at Bosque Guardian, and I would highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Tarapoto. The quality of the bungalows, the food, the excursions which are included in the price of lodging, it really is fantastic value. The ethos of the establishment with its focus on conservation makes it a very special place.
We hope this post helps you with how to plan your trip to the Amazon jungle in Peru! Have you traveled to Tarapoto before? Let us know what you did and loved! Have you traveled to other parts of the Peruvian Amazon? Let us know about your experiences and where we should go next!
