Post #13: Jungle Day 1b - Tambopata Lodge

February 3 - 7, 2011
Tambopata Eco-Lodge


Map showing Puerto Maldonado and Tambopata River area.  What's Baltimore doing out here?
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge


In the small library at the lodge, a book called Where the Andes Meets the Amazon (named in caption of the following photograph) had a wonderful history of the area.  Opening line, "In 1910, a six-foot tall, 36-year-old English explorer named Colonel Percy Harrison-Fawcett - inflamed by the possibility of finding lost cities in the jungle-found himself walking overland from Bolivia and down into the cloud-forest to the headwaters of the Tambopota River in Peru."


Page from book, Where the Andes Meet the Amazon by Kim MacQuarrie,
Photographs by Andre Bartschi.  Preface by Russell A. Mittermeier.  2001. 
Photo of book by Charlene Lamy Edge

 My post here describes and shows the Tambopata lodge and environs.  The following posts describe what we did and saw.

What did I expect?  Wasn't sure.  We were happy to see residential cabins for staff and guests sprinkled along pebbled paths nearby.  Lush tropical plants and colorful flowering bushes in yellow, orange, and red grew everywhere.  I saw dieffumbachia plants as tall as me. 

The extensive lodge layout had a large central lodge building with an outdoor sitting area overlooking a hummingbird feeding spot and banana haven for neighborhood monkeys. 

Inside the screend-in lodge was a large dining room and kitchen, 24/7 coffee and tea table, bar and lounge, library, and restrooms. 

Enjoy some photos of the lodge and environs.

Cabins

Neat, lantern-lit pathways led to each cabin at Tambopata Eco Lodge
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

We wound our way to the little cabin in the jungle just for us. #121. Because so few people were staying at the lodge during this off-season, we were the only people in this duplex.  We settled in.  Yippee.  Beds AND sheets.

Our cabin #121 at Tambopata EcoLodge
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

Charlene Edge in our jungle home.  Mosquito netting above beds.  We used them.  Windows were screened-in.
Photo by Hoyt Edge

Electrical outlets are installed in the wall on the right ready for when they get electricity out there. Shower was on right.  Opposite the bathroom were built in shelves and drawers for clothes and geer.  Hooks provided hanging spots for jackets and hats. 
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

On the inside of our bedroom door. Stay out, mosquitoes!
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

Boot washing area on our porch.  Love that look!  Mosquito netting on hat is from our trip to the Outback in Australia's Central Desert where flies are the pests.  Came in handy here for keeping mosquitoes off my face.
Photo by Hoyt Edge

Around the Lodge 

Hoyt Edge and another guest, an Englishman who'd been a guide in the area in the 1980s, chatting on lodge "porch."
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

Hummingbird haven across from the porch at Tambopata Ecolodge
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge



Coconut preparation area next to the hummingbird shelter
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge



Green hummingbird on right side of feeder
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

View from the porch over at the banana stand in the forest beyond the hummingbird haven.
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

View from where I sat on the porch next to Hoyt
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge



Across from porch, satellite disk tower for emergency communications
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

 

Tamarin monkeys show up for lunch across from the porch at Tambopata Ecolodge
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge



Lodge Administrative office nearby
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

Really large rodent sneaking around
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

Inside the Lodge

Charlene Edge asks, Where's the beer?
Photo by Hoyt Edge

The library and sales area for tee-shirts and hats
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

Hanging bird's nest - can't seem to get the photo turned, sorry.
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

Hoyt Edge bargaining with the cook
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

The lounge area opposite the bar
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

Breakfast table with Elvis's group - that's us!
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

Elvis demonstrating old pounding method of de-husking rice.
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

A few artsy shots

Done its duty
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge



These boots were made for walkin'.  Wear Wellingtons on most jungle walks.
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge



Bridge down to the river
Photo by Charlene Lamy Edge

We loved this place!  The food was excellent and the staff competent!



Travel tip:  Wherever you go, there you are. 

Next post:  Monkey business: What we did and what we saw.