Juma Lodge: Amazon Family Adventure at Its Best

Couched in pristine and largely untouched rainforest on the banks of Lake Juma, the Juma Amazon Lodge provides authentic and eco-friendly accommodation in the heart of the Amazon. Made en-tirely of local materials and using indigenous building methods, the lodge is designed to work in harmony with and minimize impact on the surrounding environment.

To get to the lodge after landing in Manaus, start your adventure with either a 25 minute hydroplane ride or a 3 hour boat ride deep into the Amazon forest. On the way, stop at “The Meeting of the Waters,” where the dark Rio Negro runs for miles alongside the sandy-colored Amazon river without mixing. The 23 lodge bungalows, complete with private veranda, fans, hammocks, optional mini bar, and private bathroom are situated in the heart of the Amazon forest and offer either forest bungalows or more secluded and private lake-view cabins. All, however, are engulfed by other “guests” – macaws, toucans, and the occasional monkey. Typical to the region’s architecture, all the bungalows are built on stilts to handle seasonal flooding, where waters can rise 15 to 20 feet. The on-site restaurant, built within view of the lake, offers a variety of sumptuous local dishes – If you manage to catch a fish, the chef will prepare it specially to your liking.

Guided rainforest tours allow adventurers to explore and learn about local flora and fauna. Knowledgeable guides introduce you to age-old tribal medicinal wisdom and teach you about some of the essential plants that go into making healing concoctions. As you continue further along, you’ll have the opportunity to see Sumaúma trees up close. Reaching up to 40 feet with their branches stretching high into the forest and creating the most remarkable of canopies, these are the tallest trees in the Amazon. If you feel particularly adventurous, spend an unforgettable night out in the open, beneath the verdant, overarching Amazon canopy with only the netting of a hammock separating you from the forest at large.

Lake Juma and its surrounding Amazonian tributaries provide some of the most adventurous activities available. While a simple dip in the murky mysterious lake with its caiman and piranha inhabitants may provide excitement enough, you can also canoe to some of the reserve’s more remote spots, searching for colorful birds and primates in areas untouched by mankind. Among the secluded waterways and forests, when fishing, catch one of those vicious piranhas you were concerned about earlier. As for the caimans, here is an opportunity to join a caiman-spotting adventure, as guides track down and catch the elusive reptile, allowing you to marvel close-up at its tiny but savage teeth!

The accommodations and activities offered by the Juma lodge go hand-in-hand with its dedication to preserving the area’s unique culture and ecosystem. Working with local residents, including members of the Mura tribe, the lodge has restored 3,500 hectares of depleted forest region with native tree species, and works to preserve the local Mura language, at risk of extinction. At Juma Lodge, you’ll undoubtedly reap the benefits of these endeavors by getting an up-close view of local Amazon life, while discovering nature’s best in the great adventures the Amazon has on offer.