Staying in the Amazon Rainforest: Why Uakari Lodge is a Responsible Choice
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
Discover what makes Uakari Lodge a project committed to conservation and learn how to plan your visit.
What is a stay in the Amazon rainforest?
Most travellers looking to stay in the Amazon usually search for structures that are integrated into the forest, such as lodges that float on the river or bungalows in the middle of the forest, with access to guided tours, wildlife observation and contact with local communities. Uakari Lodge, located in the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, is one of the few lodges inside a flooded forest reserve recognized by UNESCO in Brazil. It operates with solar energy, community management and capacity for around 20 guests, which ensures a low-impact and highly immersive experience.
What differentiates a rainforest lodge from other types of accommodation
Jungle hotels and Amazon lodges are designed to minimize impact on the ecosystem and maximize contact with the forest. Unlike urban resorts or city hotels, these properties are located within or near protected areas, with restricted access and activities organized around local biodiversity. Choosing the right lodge determines not only the comfort of your stay, but also the type of forest you will experience, the level of immersion available and the impact your trip will generate.
A structure designed for intimate experiences
Uakari Lodge has 10 rooms, distributed in 5 floating bungalows. Each bungalow has two rooms with private bathrooms. The total capacity is around 20 guests at a time. This limitation is not accidental. It ensures that each group experiences the Mamirauá Reserve in a responsible way, with personalized access to local guides, researchers and ecotourism activities. Small groups cause less impact on the ecosystem and allow closer wildlife encounters. In practice, available dates tend to sell out in advance, especially during peak periods, June, the peak of the high-water season, and October, during the dry season. Booking at least two months in advance is something the Uakari Lodge team often recommends.
Who is Uakari Lodge for
The experience is recommended for travelers looking for real immersion in the Amazon rainforest, contact with scientific research and connection with riverside communities. The lodge welcomes couples, solo travelers, groups of friends and families with children over 10 years old. Activities range from light to moderate intensity and do not require specific physical preparation. For birdwatchers, the Birdwatching Tour offers a four-night program focused exclusively on the reserve’s birdlife, with specialized guides and itineraries adapted to the visitor’s interests.
How to get there: flight logistics to Tefé
The Mamirauá Reserve is part of the Central Amazon Corridor, in the middle Solimões region. This corridor is composed of several legally protected conservation areas that safegard biodiversity and support the communities that inhabit these territories of the Brazilian Amazon. Because it is located in a flooded forest reserve, the ecosystem changes completely throughout the year. During the high water season, the forest is submerged and tours are done by canoe between the treetops. In the dry season, trails reveal the forest from within. This dynamic does not exist in lodges located on non-flooded land or near Manaus, where easier access reduces isolation and environmental integrity.
The gateway to the Mamirauá Reserve is the city of Tefé, in the state of Amazonas. Azul Airlines operates regular flights between Manaus and Tefé, with a duration of approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. Flights are not daily and have fixed schedules, which requires attention when coordinating with lodge check-in and check-out dates. Check-ins and check-outs take place on specific days of the week, Mondays and Fridays until the end of May, from June onwards they change to Tuesdays and Saturdays. Outside these dates, transfers between Tefé and the lodge have an additional cost. For this reason, flights should be booked considering the available entry and departure days. It is also important to always check availability before purchasing airline tickets.
The lodge team welcomes guests at Tefé Airport and provides transfer to the city port, where a speedboat departs to the lodge in approximately one hour, crossing Lake Tefé, the Solimões River, one of the branches of the Japurá River and then entering Lake Mamirauá. This transfer, both arrival and departure, is included in the stay.
What is included in the experience
The proposal of Uakari Lodge is a complete experience, with no hidden costs or fragmented services. When booking, guests have access to:
Accommodation in a floating bungalow with solar energy, natural ventilation and views of Lake Mamirauá or the flooded forest. The structure was built on assacu logs, a native species adapted to the Amazon’s flood cycle, and as it floats it follows the variation of water levels throughout the year.
Full board meals, prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The menu reflects the traditional riverside cuisine of the region. All three meals are included in the experience.
Guided tours led by residents of the Mamirauá Reserve and bilingual ecotourism guides. Activities include canoe trips through flooded forests, interpretive trails, visits to riverside communities, night caiman spotting, traditional piranha fishing, pink river dolphin sightings and meetings with researchers from the Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development.
Transfers between Tefé Airport and the lodge, both ways.
Available itineraries last 3, 4 or 7 nights, with activities adapted to the season, high water or dry season, to make the most of what each period offers in the Amazon rainforest.
Each guest helps support 10 communities in the Mamirauá Reserve
Uakari Lodge is a community-based tourism project managed in partnership between the Mamirauá Institute and riverside communities in the reserve. More than 90% of the staff are local residents, working as guides, cooks, boat drivers, maintenance and supervision team.The work is organized by the Mamirauá Ecotourism Guides and Assistants Association, created by the residents themselves. Staff work in a rotation system, around 12 days per month, allowing them to maintain their traditional activities in their communities while ensuring opportunities for others to work as well.Each stay includes a Socio-environmental Support Fee, already incorporated into the daily rate. These resources fund community projects such as the purchase of boats for transport, construction of community centers and installation of communication radios.In 2025 alone, communities in the reserve received R$ 623,778.05 in direct benefits from the lodge’s operation. Since 1998, the total has exceeded R$ 6.4 million distributed among 10 communities in the area.
By booking a stay at Uakari Lodge, guests contribute directly to the conservation of the largest protected flooded forest area in the world and to the maintenance of the way of life of the families living in the Mamirauá Reserve.
International recognition
Over more than 25 years of operation, Uakari Lodge has been recognized by globally respected institutions and publications. In 2003, Condé Nast Traveler named the lodge as the best ecotourism destination in the world. In the same year, the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Tour Operators Association granted awards related to sustainability. Twelve years later, in 2015, the project gained international recognition again by receiving an award at the World Responsible Tourism Awards, during the World Travel Market, in the category Best for Poverty Reduction. In November 2025, The New York Times featured Uakari Lodge in a report about floating lodges around the world. The project was also a finalist in the 2025 National Tourism Award, by Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism, in the Community-Based Tourism category.
Frequently asked questions about staying in the Amazon rainforest
Does Uakari Lodge accept children? Yes, as long as they are over 10 years old. Activities can be adapted and local guides accompany all tours.
What is the best time to stay? The lodge operates year-round. The high water season, from December to July, is ideal for canoe trips through flooded forests. The dry season, from August to November, opens forest trails. Both periods offer wildlife sightings.
Do I need experience in ecotourism? No. Activities do not require specific physical preparation or previous experience. Local guides lead and explain each step.
Is it possible to get there without passing through Manaus? More or less. Tefé receives flights from other cities, but there is always a connection in Manaus. Check available connections when booking flights.
What happens if the flight is delayed? The lodge team monitors flights and adjusts transfers when necessary. It is recommended to inform your flight number at the time of booking.
How to book Uakari Lodge
Visit the official website and check available dates directly with the sales team
Align your flights to Tefé with the regular check-in and check-out days
Choose a 3, 4 or 7-night program
Complete your booking at least two months in advance
The Amazon rainforest is not a destination for last-minute decisions. The earlier you book, the smoother your planning will be. At Uakari Lodge, staying in the Amazon means sleeping over the waters of the Mamirauá Reserve, alongside those who were born and raised there.
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