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On the banks of the River Madre de Dios in southeastern Peru, forty-five minutes by boat from Puerto Maldonado, stands this beautifully designed lodge of thirty cabanas surrounded on three sides by the rain forest. Environmental concerns are central to Inkaterra’s philosophy, so electricity consumption is kept to a minimum: There are no TVs or telephones, and most of the illumination is from kerosene lamps and candlelight. The romantic thatched cabanas are made from wood salvaged from the jungle or bought from timber companies with responsible replanting policies. Each has a veranda with twin hammocks that’s separated from the sleeping area by folding screen doors and a handsome bathroom area at the back. The two Tambopata suites are the most spacious and have a plunge pool and an extra shower. Guests tend to ask for cabanas overlooking the river, but the ones farther from it are quieter.

The heart of the lodge is an airy two-story pavilion that contains a lounge, a bar and a dining room. The food is excellent, including dishes like grilled catfish and chocolate-pecan tart. Dinner is a buffet, which helps create a friendly atmosphere, with guests eager to swap tales of the day’s adventures. The other amenities include a spa with two treatment rooms, and a shop selling clothes and essentials. There are plans to add a swimming pool. Cabanas from $759, including meals.

Indagare Tip

There is a weight restriction of twenty-two-and-a-half pounds a person on the riverboat, so pack light. (Extra bags can be left at the hotel’s headquarters, in Puerto Maldonado). Be sure to take warm clothing, however, since occasional cold fronts can take the weather from hot and humid to downright chilly overnight.

What to See and Do

The lodge is surrounded by a 25,000-acre private reserve and close to the 680,000-acre Tambopata National Reserve, so the opportunities for exploring the rain forest are terrific. Excursions range from gentle one-hour walks along trails from the lodge to a full day’s expedition down the river to visit a village of the indigenous Esa’Ejas people. Whichever you choose, you will be accompanied a great guide: we were assigned Efraín, who was an extraordinarily knowledgeable and reassuring presence. The canopy walk along a series of wooden suspension bridges is not to be missed; a rowboat trip on Lake Sandoval provides a wonderful opportunity to see exotic birds like parrots and aras, howler monkeys, sloths and river otters; while at the Concepciòn environmental center you can visit the intriguing remains of the ship that inspired Werner Herzog’s 1982 movie Fitzcarraldo.

Note: Any boat journey involves embarking via a wooden plank laid across the mud, so this is not a destination recommended for the infirm. And though young children are catered to, any but particularly brave and responsible kids are likely to feel—and cause—anxiety in the jungle.

Also see our destination report on Peru.