About Maniti Expeditions Amazon Eco-Lodge and Tours Iquitos

Maniti Expeditions Eco Lodge was an amazing unforgettable experience. We did the 3 day and 2 night stay. All the boat rides, jungle hikes, and animal sanctuaries we visited were so fun. Our guide Rene was kind and accommodating, he made sure my group and I were always well taken care of and that we felt safe. He also took us on an additional butterfly sanctuary tour in a nearby village (for a small extra cost as it was not part of the tour package). The food was absolutely amazing. There was always more than enough food available for the guests. The cook Rene II was amazing as well. He cooked fantastic Peruvian chicken and fish dishes that we all enjoyed. The fruit was also so fresh and sweet. The rooms were very satisfactory. Important to remember that the accommodations are in the middle of a jungle so do not expect a luxury stay. All the beds and floors and bathrooms were kept clean. We also packed deet bug repellent so the mosquitos were not bad at all. Another thing to note is electricity is only available for 3 hours a day as you are in the middle of a jungle so telecommunication and wifi are not as accessible but honestly this experience was so worth it. Definitely had so much more real and authentic experience being in a jungle because you weren’t always glued to your phone. Our main boat driver Javier was also very nice and did a great job at driving the boat and helping us fish for piranhas. I definitely recommend Maniti Eco Lodge Expeditions if you’re looking for an authentic, adventurous, and unforgettable experience.

Incredible and Life Changing Adventure

A beautiful and safe journey into the amazon, guaranteed to change your perspective on the natural world and your place within it. Our guide Segundo's curiosity was contagious, and we feel so thankful to have shared our days with him! When my partner got ill, the staff and the guides came together to find solutions and medicines from the nearby town as well as the surrounding plants. Their willingness to adapt the trip around our wants and needs was inspiring. Could not recommend enough.

Amazing Guides & Great Way to Experience the Amazon

I did 4D/3N as a solo traveller in Oct/Nov 2021. The overall experience was amazing and it was a great way to get a taste of the Amazon, definitely left me wanting more. My guide Cesar was the absolute highlight of my trip, he went out of the way to ensure I was constantly happy and looked after and his knowledge of the jungle was incredible. He was just a great guy and we became firm friends, and I always felt comfortable with him. It’s also mind-blowing how the guides can spot tiny monkeys or camouflaged iguanas from hundreds of metres away. The actual experience involves taking a two hour boat ride from Iquitos to the eco-lodge, which is quite secluded but not completely as the banks along the Amazon are fairly uniformly populated. There was a small community nearby and even heard music for Hallowe’en into the early hours of the morning. You are then based at the lodge but your guide will take you to different activities throughout the day, normally 3. For me this included jungle walks, sunrise watching, piranha finishing, canoeing, monkey island, an animal rescue centre (didn’t seem the most ethical), visiting a local community (was a bit awkward), and trying some weird foods in Iquitos at the end of my trip. You’ll have all your meals at the lodge which were the delicious and there’s a fair amount of time to chill out in the hammocks or in your private cabins which are basic but comfortable. Bring books or download movies as there’s no signal and power is only on 6pm-9pm to charge things, so a power bank too. Maniti is a great option but I think whichever lodge or tour operator you go with, you just need to go in with no expectations and you’ll be blown away. I didn’t get to see any pink dolphins or caimans but that’s just the luck of the draw. I still saw hundreds of dazzling birds and butterflies, lids of monkeys in the wild, iguanas, big Amazon squirrels, tarantulas and so on, and there were enough moments that blew me away, like watching a spectacular sunrise over the Amazon river. Thank you Maniti and mainly thank you Cesar!

Amazing trip with a great guide

I spent five days at the Eco-Lodge and it was an incredible experience. Segundo turned out to be an excellent guide with over 30 years of experience. Whenever he heard any animal sound, he could immediately tell you its name, the look and an anecdote about its behaviour. We spotted lots of different animals, we ate Macamo fruit and he even tried to attract a Jaguar by imitating their sounds (sadly we didn't see one as they are so rare). Especially if you're a bird lover, you'll have an amazing time with Segundo. He also taught us about the uses of many different plants for construction, medicine, making buttons etc. Nothing much goes to waste in the jungle. Overall I'm super happy that I took this trip. Highly recommended to get a taste of the Amazon jungle!

We just returned to a trip with Maniti Eco-Lodge and Tours to the Amazon! I would highly recommend this group, as the guide (Rodrigo) and other staff took great care of us. Rodrigo is extremely knowledgeable about the area, peoples, and wildlife, and speaks 6 languages to boot. Lots of activities and the food was great. As for the room, it was a little bit less than "plush", but what do you expect in the middle of the Amazon? I recommend this group highly.

I could not have asked for a better experience!! As a solo female traveler, I felt very safe the entire time from the pick up at the airport to the drop off at the hotel. Edwin was my guide for three days and is extremely knowledgeable about the jungle plants, animals, surrounding dialects and anything else you might want to know about Amazon life. The entire team at Maniti is so friendly and accommodating. I would recommend them to anyone for a truly unforgettable experience. Sad to say goodbye for now but can't wait to come back!!!

I cannot recommend Maniti and our guide Edwin enough. My girlfriend and I did the two days one night package. Edwins knowledge, willingness to squeeze in a jam packed itinerary and patience explaining everything there is in the Amazon was exceptional. His attention to detail and focus on ensure only we had a great time was much appreciated. The accommodation, food and location were all brilliant and top notch considering its location in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. The fact that Maniti give back to the local tribes of the rainforest further justifies why people should travel with them. Our one regret is that we didn’t spend longer there! Thanks Edwin for an amazing few days!

Amazing trip, sooo much fun

We booked the 4 day/3 night tour at the Maniti Lodge. Sooo amazing and the price was reasonable. They picked us up from our hotel and then we met our amazing tour guide Segundo. He was sooooo knowledgeable about local culture, flora and fauna. He even has a PHD and studied with Jaque Cousteau’s son. Such a funny, amazing, talented guide. The food was fresh, healthy, and amazing; all sourced with local ingredients bought from the surrounding communities. Maniti protects over 400 acres of land and works with local communities such as San Rafael of Fatima to bring business to their economies. The lodging was simple but perfect for what we needed, especially because we were always outside doing activities. We went swimming in the amazon, saw pink dolphins, went piranha fishing, did jungle walks during the day and night, got to meet some monkeys, camped out in the rainforest, took a paddle boat through a swamp with caimans, saw the stars, and we got to make some amazing friends. This was a once in a lifetime experience. Thank you Maniti for a great time!

It was an okay experience. Pros: - Felt nice to experience Amazon for the first time, and a remote city like Iquitos. - Helpful guide "Rene". Very hardworking. - Hardworking staff at the lodge. - Very early morning pickup from airport. Cons: - Absolutely not worth the cost for short trips "express package". The location of the lodge is inside the forest, but majorly the outskirts of Amazon. if you take longer packages, it will be worthwhile. Accomodation is okay. - Tour is very generic. Having done river+forest tours several times, this doesn't feel like a core amazon experience, and definitely not worth the price. - The food ran out during dinner, and we entered into a psuedo-fight with the other travellers, over food. For the price (~$300 per head for a single night package), expected much better quantity of food, if not quality. Type of food is also cheap. I understand the constraints of a remote place, but river transport is availalbe. Its not an issue with the workers, but dicey management. One of our friends was vegetarian. They scrambled to get food for him, and was served the same thing over and over again. They need to work on food, a lot! - Travel to and from Iquitos was using a slow boat, while there are faster boat services available. Using faster boats to reach the lodge, and then taking slower boats for tours would be more suitable and time-optimized. - Trying to upsell grossly expensive experiences from the start. You get similar experiences for cheaper, even in the US. The management is unfair and charges more for international travellers. I guess, we pay the price for being safe and conservative during travel.

We did the 3-day, 2-night experience with a family of 6, 4 kids ages 7 to 16. with Maniti. Overall we made som e great memories with our kids they will never forget. Our guide Edwin is a native to the Amazon and was very kind to our kids and we enjoyed learning from him and exploring. He was very accommodating to ensure we could do all the activities we wanted to. I'd agree with other reviews that, for the price, I'd expected the tour group/package to be a little higher end. The camp/lodging itself is pretty basic, the rooms are nothing fancy, and we may have encountered a frog in one of our cabins. The sheets were clean and there was bug netting on the windows. I do wish the group had shared more details on a packing list (bring long sleeves/pants loose fitting light clothing, sun screen, flashlights, bug spray with 100% deet). It is very much more camping than it is "lodging". There is showers and running water in the rooms, but it is rain run-off they collect and has no filtration, the water oftentimes coming out brown. They do provide filtered drinking water, but bring your own water bottles. Our family really enjoyed the food, mainly chicken, rice, catfish caught on the river, etc. Beware though, the roosters will wake you up in the mornings around 5 am. The list of activities on the website is more of a guideline for things you will do and not an actually itinerary. The majority of the animals we saw were at the rescue center, which was a little disappointing. However, our kids still did enjoy seeing the animals and swimming in the Amazon. Overall, we had a good time and made great memories as a family.

We loved our experience with Maniti! We did the two day tour, and, like the other reviews had said, they did their best to make sure we experienced everything. We weren't rushed though, and other visitors were able to sit out of activities they would be able to do another day. The grounds are beautiful! The rooms aren't fancy, but it was comfortable and clean enough! Cesar was our guide, and we loved him! We toured the jungle, visited the animals, swam in the Amazon, fishing for prihanas, and caught sight of the pink dolphins! I would definitely recommend Maniti!

My father-in-law and I ventured to the Amazon. Maniti Expeditions made our quest affordable, safe, educational, and truly amazing. Edwin was our main guide. Because of him, we not only learned so much about the Amazon region, we blossomed true friendships. I strongly recommend folks to try this location and organization. Young, old, single, or with a group, Maniti Expeditions can meet your needs. The food, the tours, the surroundings are breath-taking and one-of-a-kind. Edwin is the real deal. A true eco-conservationist, a promoter of his country and culture.

Fantastic trip into the rainforest!

I just returned from a wonderful 3D/2N stay at Maniti Eco-Lodge. My guide Segundo was incredible. He knew absolutely everything about the jungle ecosystem, from the trees to the animals to the insects. He could identify each and every sound we heard on our jungle walks, and was able to follow them to find the source. In this way, we were able to see monkeys, all kinds of beautiful birds, and even a snake. He was excellent, full of great stories about Amazon culture and his experiences as a guide. I felt like a jungle expert by the end of my stay. The food was absolutely delicious - I'm not sure I've ever had better fish in my life. Each meal was different, and equally as good as the last. My cabin was a comfortable spot to sleep and spend time between activities. The shower was a good temperature and I had no problems with mosquitos. We got to meet some natives near camp, fish for piranha, and check out monkey island, all of which were a blast. I'd also recommend an ayahuasca ceremony at Maniti, which was a very positive experience. I was nervous beforehand, but Segundo and the shaman made me feel very comfortable, and ultimately I am very glad I partook.

One of the best experiences in my life. Linder the guide knew everything about the jungle, he taught me a lot of things besides being a great person, very grateful to him and all the staff, if you want to enjoy the Amazon you have to come here! the food the excursions the staff everything perfect