Community Based Tourism in the Amazon: Uakari Lodge’s 2025 Results
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Uakari Lodge, a community based tourism project located in the heart of the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, closed 2025 with significant results that reinforce its commitment to environmental conservation and the socioeconomic development of local communities.
As Lucas Ramos, the lodge’s Operations Manager, highlights:
“Sharing positive indicators is deeply rewarding. They reflect not only the operational health of Uakari Lodge but also the strength of the model itself: financial resources transferred directly to community associations, continued investment in training, and the strengthening of community autonomy and governance in protecting their territory.”
These figures reveal not only the operational vitality of the lodge but also the success of a model that, for more than two decades, has demonstrated a sustainable path for tourism in the Amazon.
Co management: the foundation of a sustainable model
At the core of Uakari Lodge’s operations is a co management model shared by the communities of the Mamirauá Sector and the Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development.
This partnership ensures that the lodge operates in a way that is both economically and environmentally sustainable, while remaining aligned with the conservation research and management programs carried out within the reserve.
More than a tourism operation, Uakari Lodge is a project built collectively. Over more than 20 years, it has served as a space for continuous learning about what it truly means to develop community based tourism in the Amazon.
Responsible growth in visitor numbers
Visitor numbers at Uakari Lodge have shown gradual growth over the past three years.
In 2023, the lodge welcomed 551 visitors.
In 2024, that number rose to 676.
In 2025, the lodge hosted 653 guests.
This growth reflects a broader shift in traveler behavior. More and more visitors are seeking authentic destinations, immersive experiences, and direct contact with nature.
Even with this increased demand, the lodge’s management maintains strict control over annual visitor numbers. The goal is to ensure tourism remains within safe limits, preventing negative environmental or social impacts within the reserve.
An Amazon destination with international reach
An analysis of visitor origins highlights the strong international appeal of Uakari Lodge.
In 2025:
• 66 percent of visitors were international travelers
• 34 percent were Brazilian
The main countries of origin included:
• United States – 18 percent
• United Kingdom – 6 percent
• Germany – 4 percent
• France – 4 percent
Another important indicator is the average length of stay. More than half of guests chose the four night program, considered ideal for a full immersion in the Mamirauá Reserve.
During their stay, visitors take part in guided forest walks, canoe excursions through flooded forests, visits to local communities, sunset observation along the Amazonian waterways, and nighttime wildlife observation outings.
This longer stay allows visitors to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of the Amazon ecosystem and the tourism model developed in the region.
Direct impact on local communities
Uakari Lodge’s community based tourism model generates benefits that extend far beyond the visitor experience, directly strengthening both the economy and social organization of the reserve’s communities.
In 2025:
• more than 90 community members provided services directly at the lodge
Local residents worked as guides, housekeepers, cooks, carpenters, maintenance staff and kitchen assistants, while also taking on supervisory and local management roles within the lodge.
Financial transfers to AAGEMAM (the Association of Ecotourism Assistants and Guides of Mamirauá) reached R$ 607,688.05, the highest amount recorded in the past four years.
In addition to service provision, the lodge also supports the local economy by purchasing products and supplies directly from surrounding communities, generating additional income and diversifying household livelihoods.
Another important mechanism is the Socio Environmental Fee, included in each guest’s stay. In 2025, this fee generated R$ 36,000.
These funds are distributed among the communities through a point based system created and managed by the communities themselves. The system encourages participation in conservation activities, such as lake monitoring, and ensures that the funds are invested in projects that benefit the collective.
Transparency and community participation
Transparency is one of the pillars of Uakari Lodge’s management model.
Every year, the full operational results are presented during the Meeting of Community Presidents, which brings together presidents and vice presidents from the partner communities.
During this meeting, data such as revenue, visitor numbers and guest evaluations are shared.
Community leaders also play an active role in the discussions, contributing perspectives that help guide future decisions for the lodge.
In 2025, the meeting took place in the community of Boca do Mamirauá.
A journey built collectively
The results of 2025 demonstrate that tourism can be a concrete tool for environmental conservation and local development when it is built through participatory processes.
At Uakari Lodge, every visitor directly contributes to strengthening the communities that live within the Mamirauá Reserve while helping protect this unique territory.
It is a model that shows it is possible to bring together tourism, conservation and social development within a single project.
Experience the Amazon with purpose
Visiting the Amazon is more than a journey. It is an invitation to understand one of the most important ecosystems on the planet and the people who shape its story every day.
At Uakari Lodge, every experience is designed to foster a deep connection with the forest, respecting the rhythm of the waters and the knowledge of local communities.
To learn more about accommodations, experiences and travel planning, visit our official website and follow our daily life on the Uakari Lodge Instagram page.
We look forward to welcoming you.
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