Getting From the U.S. to Lima to the Amazon Rainforest

What does it take to get from the U.S. to the Amazon rainforest? For us it took two days, three planes, two van rides, one boat ride and a 15 minute hike through the jungle. We started our adventure bright and early at O’Hare International airport.

We decided on taking a roundabout course to get to Lima, going through New Jersey, in order to avoid any potential weather problems in Miami or Houston. It did add some additional flying time, but we made our connection with no problems.

I don’t think we look too bad for having been up for nearly 17 hours. Going through customs was a simple process, the line was long but it moved fairly quickly. After retrieving our luggage we met our Kuoda guide in the area designated for travel agencies. She helped us maneuver our luggage across the street to our hotel, The Wyndham Costa del Sol.  She assisted us with the check in process, at each hotel you must show your passport, arranged the storing of some of our luggage with the hotel so we would not need to bring everything with us, showed us the breakfast area and where we should meet her the next morning for our flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado.

The rooms were clean and functional, what you would expect from a hotel chain. One minor note, my husband is 6’3 and his feet were hanging off the end of the bed.

Although we were directly across from the airport, we didn’t notice any planes landing or taking off. Of course, we were exhausted, but we both thought the sound proofing was very good in the room.

The bathroom was standard, well stocked and clean.

A very important note: the country of Peru does not have a sewage system capable of handling a lot of toilet paper; therefore you are expected to put all toilet paper in the garbage can. Honestly, not being used to problems like that, it did gross us out. However, we did our best to remember, as we did not want to cause problems for any businesses that we were visiting, and we didn’t want to be responsible for a giant mess.

If you are flying to Lima late at night and leaving early in the morning, I would highly recommend the hotel. The convenience is worth it. Also, the breakfast buffet is included and was very well stocked. You are also given two free drink tickets when you arrive. We were so exhausted, we choose not to stop at the bar next to the lobby and just went to bed.

The next morning, after breakfast, we again met with our Kuoda representative who retrieved our luggage for us, assisted us with check out, led us back to the airport, helped us tag and drop off our luggage, and put us in the correct line with our tickets in hand for our flight to Puerto Maldonado.

The flight time from Lima to Puerto Maldonado is 3 hour and 15 minute (with a stop in Cusco – you remain on the plane). One recommendation, don’t ask for chocolate milk on the flight. I’m not sure what I drank, but it is not what Americans would consider to be chocolate milk. Also, as long as you are taking a flight within Peru you are allowed to bring in water/beverages from outside of the airport.

After a slightly bumpy landing we waited for the boarding stairs to be placed next to the plane to disembark. This was my first time being at an airport that is small enough to use stairs instead of a Jetway.

Stepping off of the plane was our first experience with the heat and humidity that would be our constant companions for the next 4 days. There is no air conditioning in the section of the airport where you retrieve your luggage. After collecting our luggage we went outside to find our next Kuoda rep, who was waiting for us and quickly helped us with our luggage and brought us to the guides from Refugio Amazonas. The guides from Refugio Amazonas would be taking care of us for the duration of our stay in the rainforest.

We boarded the air conditioned passenger van and were driven through the town of Puerto Maldonado to the Rainforest Expeditions Office.

Many of the homes had no electricity or plumbing. A lot of the structures seemed abandoned until you noticed the clothesline hanging out back. This was also the first time we noticed dogs roaming the streets. Our guide discussed the problems facing the population here and how tourism was helping the area. However, it has the potential to become a negative if the rainforest becomes overwhelmed with tourists, a balancing act that concerns many Peruvians.

It is about a ten minute drive from the airport to the office. You can not see the office from the road, as it is hidden from view by a security fence. The purpose of the stop here is to repack your luggage to bring ONLY the things you will need for the next three days in the jungle. They have large duffel bags that you may use and you are allowed to use your own small carry on suitcases. The reason for the luggage limitation is two fold, first, all luggage is transported by boat and there is a weight limit; second, the luggage must be carried up approximately 100 stairs and through the jungle by the employees of Refugio Amazonas. I had used packing cubes in my suitcases and thought that I was quite organized. Turns out I should have labeled all of the packing cubes. I was so worried about leaving something essential behind that I was the last person ready to leave.

We then re-boarded the van for the drive to the dock. The ride to the dock is one hour. All of the buses and vans from different tour operators form a caravan that has a police escort. Maybe I am naive, but I never felt like my safety was even remotely in jeopardy during our visit. All of the people that we interacted with were extremely kind, funny and polite.

When you arrive at the boat launch area you have enough time for a quick bathroom break before boarding the boat. The building in the photo above houses a small store. I wanted to buy something to support the local economy but the choices were extremely limited. I ended up purchasing more bottled water.

We were all ready looking forward to the nice breeze that we knew the boat ride would bring.

After securing our life jackets and being told to look for caimans and other wildlife along the shore, we were instructed in the importance of keeping the boat balanced and told to stay in our seats to keep the boat from flipping.

We didn’t have long to wait before we started to see some wildlife, mainly birds but also quite a few spottings of capybaras. At one point, someone on the boat jumped to the other side of the boat because he wanted to see an animal, rocking the entire boat and getting yelled at by both the guides and myself. I am sure they appreciated my unnecessary help, I was quite willing to continue my “Are you a moron?” line of questioning, but I noticed the guides and security guard were staring him down for several minutes, so I decided that my help was no longer needed and continued to enjoy the view.

The boat ride was amazing. The breeze felt wonderful. We had our first Peruvian meal on the boat, wrapped in a leaf, no less. It was surreal to think that we were floating down a river in the Amazon Rainforest.

We took our trip at the very end of the dry season, so the river was at its low point, which simply meant more stairs for us to climb. The stairs led to a path through the jungle to the lodge.

As I figured my chances of surviving my rainforest stay would be greater if I was near the guide, I grabbed my sister and rushed to the front. I thought with the guide in front and our husbands behind us, we were as safe as we could be. My strategy paid off quite quickly as the guide turned to me, pointed out the ants and told me, “Don’t touch the railing! Those are Bullet Ants, their sting is very painful, like being shot.” I passed the news back to my sister and shouted it back towards our husbands. I wasn’t sure if the people at the end of the line heard the warning, I was glad I was up front.

We arrived at the dock at sunset. The hike to the lodge was only 15 minutes, but it was dark by the time we arrived.

Our two day journey ended here. We stayed for three nights. There is so much to say about the lodge that it deserves its own post.

In my next post I will include a description of our first night’s adventure, the night hike. I will also share pictures of the rooms and dining areas and give some more background information on the lodge.

As always, wishing you happy travels and fantastic adventures in this thing called life.

(All pictures are available as for purchase Fine Art or Digital Downloads at full resolution through Alamy. If you see something you like, click on the link. If you are unable to find it, use the Contact Me page and I will make sure the image is available.)

Interested in seeing some of the other cool accommodations that we have stayed at? Check out the links below.

Glamping in the Amazon Rainforest

Sleeping in a Treehouse

A Tropical Retreat in Waikoloa Village

Ocean Front Accommodations in Hana

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