Two Canadian students, Patrick Duke and Austin Pugh, spent 6 days at Muyuna Amazon Lodge in September 2022. Here is what they said about the experience:
‘We had an amazing time in the Amazon with Muyuna.
We saw a ton of wildlife from caiman, sloths, river dolphins, capybaras, to lots of different birds including prehistoric birds and macaws!
The Muyuna team was awesome! Our guide was super knowledgeable and accommodating, and we loved hearing about his experiences growing up and guiding in the jungle.
Camping out a night in the jungle and swimming with the dolphins in the Amazon River were for sure some of the highlights, plus the food at the lodge!
Who was your guide? How did they perform?
Edgar. He was excellent, super knowledgeable, passionate about the outdoors, and put his expertise on traditional jungle medicine on display.
How was the accommodation?
Great. The rooms were quite luxurious for being that far into the jungle, great bedding, amazing cold showers, and super clean.
Which was your favourite dish?
All the freshwater fish dishes from the amazon plus the fried plantains.
Did you lose or gain weight over the course of the stay?!
About the same.
Did your itinerary involve any hiking? How would you rate it in terms of difficulty?
Yes. Easy to moderate for most hikers. We are young and had no problems.
What was the most pointless item in your luggage!?
I packed very light.
What was your favourite natural encounter?
Dolphins.
Did you suffer any insect bites?
Yes but nothing too bad.
Did you have much interaction with locals? Where and how did this occur?
Yes in the nearby town we looked around the village square, grabbed a cola, and checked the trinkets market.
Did you feel your money was going to local businesses and people?
Our tips hopefully really helped the people that worked there and will circulate in those communities.
Were you given any information regarding sustainability during the course of your trip (e.g. talks on environmental issues from guides)?
Yes, climate change, slash and burn agriculture, the rubber boom.
Did you notice any areas where environmental practices could be improved?
Improved / increased renewable energy generation plus electric motors for the small boats. Big investment but with on site renewables and charging stations, and spare batteries, this would reduce noise pollution on night tours, reduce gas pollution of waterways especially as traffic increases with tourism