The Amazon's Only All-Inclusive Treehouse Lodge Lets You Sleep High In A Gorgeous Jungle Canopy

Whether you came to the Amazon rainforest looking for the best Amazon River cruise for your travel style or aspiring to avoid the dangerous animals you wouldn't want to see in the rainforest, the best way to get into the spirit of the jungle is to make like a monkey and sleep in a tree. The Treehouse Lodge, located south of Iquitos, Peru, on a tributary of the Amazon River called the Yarapa River, is a network of 12 tree houses connected by wood bridges with foot and hand cables, nestled anywhere from 35 to 75 feet above the ground. It's the kind of thing that should surely be on your ultimate bucket list for a vacation to South America, or at least an adventure vacation to the Amazon.

TripAdvisor's travelers have given the lodge a 2024 Travelers' Choice Award, scoring their experiences between 4.5 to 4.9 on everything from location to food (three daily meals are included, even if you're away from the lodge at meal times) to sleep quality. Each treehouse has its own river or forest view and is enclosed by a mesh mosquito net; an additional net can be placed around each bed. The largest treehouse, Casa Grande, can accommodate up to five people. Below, we'll look at reviewer tips, some frequent questions, and what you can expect from the entire experience.

Your adventure begins with hotel pickup. The closest city to this remote collection of forest treehouses is Iquitos, an island city that is not accessible by road. You can fly from Lima to Iquitos' Francisco Vigneta International Airport on Peru's major airlines, or from Cuzco, near Machu Picchu. Travelers can also board cargo ships moving down the Amazon River from Lima to Iquitos. This will mean bringing your own hammock onboard, and not expecting any luxury options. Once in Iquitos, Treehouse Lodge staff can pick visitors up from anywhere in the city, including the airport. You'll take a 75-minute car ride, then transfer to a river boat for another 75-minute trip crossing three rivers before connecting to the Yarapa River and arriving at the lodge.

Besides accommodation and meals, the lodge also provides guides and up to six excursions each day. Popular excursions include a sunrise breakfast or a sunset with dolphins, swimming or canoeing in the Amazon River, fishing for piranhas, learning about the medicinal plants of the Amazon in the jungle, taking a night walk in the jungle, or a cruise on the river to spot different animals, stargazing, and visiting an indigenous community. While you can visit the lodge year-round, the wet season of December through March will limit offerings to mostly boat-based excursions.

You can choose a daytime and an afternoon-slash-evening excursion, or plan to spend some time lounging on your own in the provided hammocks, playing games with other guests, or simply enjoying your treehouse. Guests speak English and Spanish, but if you have a different language request, the lodge is happy to accommodate with advanced notice.

Because safety and structural integrity are severely important when staying in a treehouse, arborists carry out annual inspections to ensure tree integrity, and structural engineers ensure the steel cables that connect the treehouses maintain their safety. And because cellular service is generally not available, walkie talkies connect visitors to the main lodge, which has the safety, first-aid, fire extinguisher, and backup generators that reassure guests in the remote environment. Water at the treehouse comes from the river, but it is purified through a four-tank system for cooking and cleaning, as well as for the showers, toilets, and sinks in the individual treehouses. Filtered drinking water and juice is provided to all guests; alcohol and tips are not included.

We can help prepare for the 11 things you should never do in the rainforest, but other visitors to the Treehouse Lodge have some advice too. Travelers noted the long transfer time from the airport (bring your own snacks!) and the many stairs and walking at the lodge, which require an appropriate level of fitness. There is no air conditioning, and electricity can be a little intermittent. And, of course, bug spray is a must. Expect the heat, humidity, and rainy jungle climate to be with you at all times. Make peace with the discomfort.