Amazon Muyuna Lodge

Muyuna Amazon Lodge is an Eco-Lodge located in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. We are 140 kilometers (87 miles) upriver from Iquitos, in the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo National Reserve, and near the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve.

Due to our remote location, it is the main reason for which we guarantee the observation of flora and fauna in their natural habitat. For this reason, tourists from all over the world choose Muyuna Lodge.

With more than 20 years of experience, being pioneers in sustainable tourism, and offering high quality and personalized service, we are the best choice to live an authentic and unique experience in the Amazon rainforest.

All our excursions are carried out by bilingual expert guides so you can understand and explore the jungle safely. In the jungle, we don’t have Internet, but we promise that you will find a unique connection with yourself.

THE HISTORY
We are Analía, Percy, and Santiago, our son. In 1999, we were a young couple of Peruvians with their heads full of dreams, looking for adventures throughout Peru. We traveled along the beaches, rivers, valleys, and mountains of Peru, but none of that caused the visual impact like the Amazon River and its jungle.

For this reason, we seek a place far away from civilization, and with the help of the community of San Juan de Yanayacu, our dream came true. The beauty of the Amazon Rainforest was so beautiful that we wanted to share all its wonders with the world.

At the same time, we were looking to protect this region from illegal logging and hunting. It was at this moment when we decided to create this life project called Muyuna Lodge. Since then, Muyuna has demonstrated to the world a sustainable approach to responsible and conscious tourism. Countless travelers have been caught by the legend of Muyuna, returning more than once to where it all began.

Muyuna is 100% Peruvian, and we want to contribute and invest in the Peruvian economy. For this reason, we use products that are produced in Peru. We hope you can help us continue with this beautiful story called Muyuna. We hope we can have you with us and live the Muyuna Experience.

Many travelers have been trapped by Muyuna, returning more than once to where it all began. Muyuna (Quechua word) means whirlpool. According to the legend, whoever falls into it is trapped and will never be able to escape. It has a force which will remain inside you, and when you think you are at home, safe and far from this spell, Muyuna will obligate you to return to this hidden corner of the world.

PROUDLY PERUVIANS
In Muyuna we are more than a lodge: We are family. Muyuna is 100% Peruvian. Our family has more than 40 members, including people from Iquitos (city), Lima and San Juan de Yanayacu (jungle). From the airport, you will be transferred by our drivers.

You will also be under the guidance of the Administrator of the Iquitos office; and in the jungle: waiters, guards, guides, motorcyclists, assistants, and chefs under the supervision of the Lodge Manager.

As a family, we want each of our members to have the best opportunities. Some arrive at Muyuna with a limited level of education, but if through enough motivation and incentives, we give them the necessary tools to rise up the hierarchy.

Erinson Panduro, our Office Manager, is an excellent example of this practice. When Erinson started working in Muyuna, he was a motorcyclist assistant. Now, he speaks English and is an excellent manager.

All the guides of Muyuna are Peruvian, some speak English and several have been born in the area, growing up with such knowledge that in a given moment can make them a medic or a naturalist, and in other moments they will be so camouflaged with the jungle that you will think that they had a hyper-developed sense of vision and smell.

Thanks to your visit, you collaborate to make this kind of stories continue. From the people in the Lodge, the town, and Iquitos, we thank you!

ARCHITECTURE
Muyuna has been designed and built thanks to the support of the community of San Juan de Yanayacu, keeping a traditional architecture design of the jungle. The entire Eco-lodge has been built on high wood platforms since we are in the Yanayacu River, and the water level increase depending on the season.

The lodge walls and floors are made with local wood and ceilings with palm leaves by hand. Every window and ceiling in the lodge are covered and protected with mosquito nets. Solar roof fans are located in all our rooms and common areas to counteract the heat of the jungle.

The main cabin is a large dining room where we serve an ecological buffet-style food to minimize leftovers. There are three small rooms to play board games, have a beer or converse with other travelers.

During the dry season (when the river level decreases) in the garden: we set soccer (foosball) table, and a volleyball net. Besides, water activities such as kayaking, boating, and paddle-up are free, and you can use them at any time during your stay.

ECO-LODGE BOUTIQUE 
Muyuna is a boutique Eco-Lodge that provides a personalized service in which our main objective is your comfort, security, and enjoyment. Our 17 cabins, located in front of the Yanayacu River and the jungle, are independent and ensuring total privacy. The distribution of the beds is according to the requests from our guests. (single, marriages, families, etc.)

Each private cabin has a large bathroom with hot water. The comfortable and orthopedic mattresses with sheets made of pure Peruvian cotton will give the maximum comfort to all our adventurers. Every cabin has a private terrace with hammocks, where you can enjoy the jungle symphony at night while drinking a cup of wine.

In the bathrooms, you will find towels for swimming in the river, and biodegradable shampoo, conditioner, soap, and detergent to wash your clothes. Remember: the energy and electricity in the Lodge come from solar panels (if there is no sun, there is no hot water or could take longer to heat).

DINING
The Peruvian gastronomy is one of the most delicious and famous in the world; it has won international awards for its fascinating flavor and rich history. For this reason, at Muyuna, we are proud to offer national plates in an authentic gastronomic experience.

Our menu has international and national plates; therefore, everyone can enjoy a gastronomic experience. Our varied menu always has vegetables, carbohydrates, and animal protein (pork, beef, fish, eggs, and chicken).

Vegetables and fruits are brought daily from Iquitos. We cook moderate in salt, sugar, and oil; also, we do not use monosodium glutamate (Aji-no-moto in Peru). We care about the environment and social problems, and for these reasons, we have sustainable eco-buffets.

We want a world with #zerohunger, and for this reason, we plan with time all our meals. In this way, we reduce our food waste as much as possible, and with the organic waste, we create compost for our vegetable gardens.

Also, find in the dining room a table with exotic and organic fruits of the jungle, tea, and coffee, so that you serve yourself as many times as you want during your stay. We have drinking water dispensers brought daily from Iquitos with which you can fill your water bottle as much as you want.

In the dry season, from June to November, we have a small vegetable garden, which it´s free of pesticides and contaminants. Also, we have free-range chickens that give us the best eggs in the region. These chickens are part of the Muyuna family, our little daughters. Did you know that the fruit Camu Camu has 30 times more vitamin C than an orange? Do not forget to try it in your next visit to Muyuna Amazon Lodge!

THE AMAZON RIVER
The Amazon River and its forest is an inseparable couple. It is one of the places that have more biodiversity in the world. It is a responsibility, and our duty to take care of it. Its loss could cause severe and irreversible damage to humanity.

More than a third of the world’s species live in it. The Amazon River is the longest and supports 20% of the freshwater in the world and the forest of the Amazon River has 15,000 species of the 40,000 that there are on the whole planet. With a diversity of flora like this, many animals find a perfect habitat to live and many of them can be observed in your visit to the Muyuna Lodge.

YANAYACU RIVER
We are in the Yanayacu River, 140 kilometers (83 miles) to the southeast and upstream of Iquitos, capital of Loreto, in the buffer zone of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve and inside the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve. Being located in a small tributary of the Amazon with only one entrance, there is no presence of fishing boats, or loggers, or many travelers. The place is intimate and solitary, surrounded only by nature.

Yanayacu (Quechua word) means black water due to the minerals that are crawling kilometers from the mountains of the sierra; This is why there are several rivers with the same name. The ten lagoons that are around the Muyuna also have black water, making it easy for bird watching and fishing excursions, since these minerals are the food base of the ecological chain.

NAVIGATING THE AMAZON RIVER
After taking note of last details in the office, we’ll take you to the port in San Joaquin De Omaguas for about 1:50 hours by car. From the port, we’ll sail through the Amazon River for 1 hour, enter the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve, and arrive in Muyuna Lodge. We are about 140 kilometers away from Iquitos.

This remoteness guarantees observation of birds, monkeys, sloths, caymans, fish, pink dolphins, amongst many others, in their natural habitat, without human intervention.

FLORA & FAUNA
Muyuna Lodge is the home of incredible species. Thanks to the inaccessibility of the Muyuna’s location, we feel safe saying that we guarantee the observation of monkeys, sloths, pink and gray dolphins, alligators, hundreds of birds, piranhas, as well as a variety of plants such as Victoria Regia, Creeper, heliconia, among others, all of them in their natural habitat. We are ubicated in one of the most biodiverse places in the world.

Peru is a country with few laws against animal abuse. Because of this, not promoting the hunting and life in captivity of animals is our slogan. For an animal in captivity to be seen by tourists, means a cruel process. They have to live in small spaces, coexisting with their mud and without comforts to lie down, play, jump, hunt. The animals in captivity live less time and go through unnatural pain and adversities.

A clear example is the wild monkeys that live in communities of the same species. When we have tried to introduce a rescued copy that we have taken from Iquitos, the group no longer accepts it.

And this also happens with other species such as the lazy bear that clings and hugs its tree until humans make it fall from several meters high to take a picture; or the macaws that pose with tourists as pets because they have wings cut off and can not fly, in addition to changing their natural diet.

In Muyuna we reject any aforementioned practices and encourage the non-interruption of wildlife in the area. It is up to us to choose whether Tourism turns black or not.

DESIGN YOUR TRIP
The programs listed below have been created by all our team so that you can best take advantage of your time in the jungle. What we want is that your stay in Muyuna be unforgettable, and we will do all that we can to facilitate that.

In the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve animals are in their natural habitat, and we can observe them easily. The excursions in Muyuna vary every day and can change in the last minute; depending on the level of the river, weather, conditions, etc.

If you prefer to observe the immense variety of flora and fauna, relax in the hammocks take part of an excursion full of adventure, Muyuna offers experiences to everyone to enjoy the most of time.

FULL ADVENTURE (6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS)
Do you want something more intrepid and extreme? This package is designed for our travelers who want to experience the jungle as a local. “Full Adventure” Includes the activities of all the previous packages plus a day of camping. We will take you camping in a remote area and establish a base camp in the heart of the jungle.

We will make a picnic abroad and at the end of a long excursion in which your guide will explain the different types of plants and animals that are around you. Before sunset you will fish and prepare your dinner, and before finishing your day, a last night excursion to discover the mysteries that the Amazon awaits you at night.

BIRDWATCHING (4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS)
The Peruvian Amazon groups together more than 2,000 species of birds and some 250 aquatic species. Although it is a large number, it increases seasonally with the migratory birds of Patagonia and North America.

For this reason, in Muyuna we thought it was necessary to give it the importance it deserves, making a special program to observe birds and learn their customs, told by expert guides from the area. There is no other paradise in the whole world like the one around the Amazon River, specially for those who love bird watching.

The most important and emblematic bird in the area of Muyuna is the Wattled Curassow (Crax globulosa). It is an Amazonian bird in critical danger of extinction, which sighting motivates birdwatchers to travel from all around the globe to observe this majestic bird. Peter Kaestner, among the top-5 Ornithologists on the planet according to ebird.org, recommend this package.

CONSERVATION
One of our tasks is to conserve the environment where we work, from the office located in Iquitos, the Lodge, and the jungle communities. Therefore, in Muyuna, in addition to creating memories, we want to create awareness in our travelers.

Our work in the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve is to consolidate its conservation; Therefore, we commit with the communities, animals, jungle, and our guests to protect it. Destiny may change due to something as small as the flutter of a butterfly. Therefore, our Eco-Lodge maintains high standards of social responsibility that make us prioritize the care of the environment.

An example of our mission and values ​​is our guide René, who used to be a hunter; Now, he had modified his practices to collaborate with Muyuna. René is a faithful protector of the environment that sensitizes the jungle communities, and residents of Iquitos about the importance of keeping the ecosystem of the Amazon rainforest safe.

SOCIAL RESPONSABILITY
Thirty families of San Juan de Yanayacu welcomed us with open arms and in a gesture of gratitude, we have created a strategic alliance to preserve the habitat where we are located, benefiting the inhabitants, the animals, the jungle, and our travelers.

Unfortunately, the actions of the Government are less than enough; our commitment is towards the community. Through a system of rotation, locals collaborate with the activities of Muyuna. In addition, we provide medicines, assist with river transport and facilitate logistics.

In San Juan, life is quiet and moves at the pace of nature, without fashions, electricity or Internet. We intend to maintain their customs, thus, our visits to the town are spontaneous and authentic, without a script to follow.

ENVIRONMENT CARE
Muyuna has been constructed with materials from the area, keeping a strict relationship with the environment. Our sewer system goes to a septic tank where our employees perform the necessary sewage treatment to avoid water pollution.

Additionally, organic and inorganic waste is separated, using organic waste as fertilizer and compost. The rest of the trash is delivered to Iquitos City, where plastic will go to a recycling center and the rest to a landfill.

Regarding food, we use fresh products from the area, such as fruits, vegetables, and fish. We have a vegetarian and vegan menu, it is necessary to mention that at Muyuna Amazon Lodge we do not kill any kind of animal, especially those that are in danger of extinction, even if some passengers insist.

We have our own organic vegetable garden that works when the river level decreases. We also have a flock of free chickens that give us organic eggs, which are free of animal abuse.

Rooms: 5

Price: from 473 EUR per night

Source: www.muyuna.com