Bosque Guardián Lodge

The Amazon Rainforest, with its verdant hills, alarmingly large insects and sticky climate is hardly everyone’s cuppa tea, but for the most outdoorsy folk among us, it’s an unmatched destination for bird-watching, waterfall bathing, and true, unbridled adventure. 

The ecosystem blankets itself over San Martín, a lush region of northern Peru, and if you’re planning a beyond-the-obvious stop off on your way to Cusco Machu Picchu (which you absolutely should), I urge you to splash out on a stay at the Bosque Guardian Lodge. 

What are the rooms like at Bosque Guardián Lodge?

Not so shockingly for a lodge buried in the heart of protected reserve Cordillera Escalera, nature is the star of the show. Each of the 12 cabins (which come with forest or forest-covered mountain views) is nestled at the end of a pebbly pathway off the hotel’s main concrete track, which winds through the critter, frog and bird-filled trees all the way from the entrance, over a footbridge, past the restaurant, and to the individual accommodations.

Inside the rooms, tall bamboo ceilings arch over a grand and plush bed which has a much needed but also pleasingly dramatic mosquito net draped over it, which feels like you’re sleeping in the bedroom of a Disney princess. Flanked by French doors that lead onto a jungle-surrounded terrace, and a large window with panes of nets instead of glass, you sleep seriously up close and personal with the rainforest and all its wonderful, chattering creatures. There are no bright lights or air conditioning – instead, warmly lit lanterns and a single ceiling fan dangle from above, which make sure not to distract from the patter of rain and the flutter of wings constantly humming outside.

The most dazzling feature, though, is the bathroom. A sink, loo and shower are set up in a semi-alfresco en-suite, which is partially fenced off from the wilderness but has a substantial gap between the wall and the roof, so you can hear and watch the birds tweeting while you shower. After glimpsing a snail-eating snake on my walk from the restaurant to the lodge, this was – at least, at first – unnerving, but once the water was running and I was finally (finally!) scrubbing off layers of suncream and DEET, it was actually pretty magical.

What are the best things to eat at Bosque Guardián Lodge? 

Callampa is the lodge’s onsite restaurant, and it’s stellar. Housed under a high, airy roof with vast open views over the jungle, and named after an edible wild mushroom native to the Amazon, the food showcases the very best of the rainforest’s flavours, and is a mesmerising space in which to enjoy them. 

To best reflect the offerings from the wilderness, the menu features three courses which rotate each day. All ingredients are grown on the site’s organic farm, and during our stay, plates ranged from a sticky, wonderfully sweet pork on a creamy bed of tapioca purée followed by a ‘fruits of Amazon’ sorbet to moreish mini burgers made from paiche (a white fish native to the river). Oh, and don’t sleep on San Juan – it’s a local lager that comes in the campest beer can you’ll ever see. 

What’s the area like around Bosque Guardián Lodge? 

The lodge sits within Cordillera Escalera, which is a vast mountain range and conservation area in San Martín, known for its rich biodiversity and beauty. The lodge itself occupies 120 hectares of protected forest. When you’re wandering around, keep your eyes peeled – in the early mornings, you might spy one of the 400 bird species fluttering around, and at night expect poison dart frogs, stick insects, grasshoppers, small snakes – and if you’re lucky, maybe even a sloth. 

Just a 10-minute drive away is the network of paths that’ll lead you to the dramatic, scenic Salto de la Bruja waterfalls, which translates to the Witch’s Leap. It’s a critter-filled and humid hike into the cascades, but make sure you’ve got bug spray and your swimsuit in tow and wade in when you get there: it’s one hell of a spot for a dip. 

DETAILS

Address: KM 27.9, Carretera Tarapoto-Yurimaguas, San Martín, Peru

Price: Rooms start from $320-350 per night. 

Transport: The Lodge is just under an hour’s drive from Internacional Airport Cad. FAP Guillermo del Castillo Paredes. 

Book now: via Expedia.

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