Ecological “lodge” in the heart of the Amazon selva

While the quarantine was continuing, we were wasting no time and have begun construction of a new ecobungalow. This is not an easy task, as it needs to observe the principle of minimal impact on the tropical jungle of the Amazonia and at the same time ensure the comfort and safety of our guests. As soon as the new bungalow is ready, we will tell you about it in details. Now let’s have a mini-tour of our ecolodge and explain the principles of its work.

Why is ecolodge so called and what are its features?

Fans of ecotourism do not need to explain what ecolodge is. But those who usually prefer a beach vacation or excursions to cities and museums or gastronomic tours, perhaps, need to explain what is the trick here. This is a hotel surrounded by nature, which strictly adheres to the rules of a responsible attitude to the nature. The name comes from the English lodge – “a house in the forest”. Usually, the guests live in small bungalows, which in Peru are also called “tambo”. But the comfort of staying in them can be quite comparable to the luxury of the “royal loge” in a good theater.

The principles of ecolodge are described in the documents of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES). It was founded as a non-profit partnership in 1990 by a team led by Megan Epler Wood in Florida and now expands into more than 190 countries around the world. According to TIES rules, ecolodge buildings are constructed from natural or biodegradable materials, with minimal interference with the local flora and fauna. To organize meals for guests, natural products are purchased from local farmers, and mainly “green technologies” are used for electricity and water supply. Tours of the surrounding area to observe local flora and fauna are provided with guides from indigenous peoples.

At the moment, the countries where ecolodges are mainly concentrated are Australia, Tanzania, Kenya, Trinidad, Panama, Ecuador and Peru. People from North America and Europe often become owners and managers of ecohotels. Millennials are a significant part of ecolodges’ guests. They prefer not well-known tourist routes, but “untrodden paths”, as they do not want to see other countries from the window of the sightseeing bus, but to live the life of the local people.

UNI RAO – “royal loge”

Having got acquainted with the principles of ecolodge, some of you may think that there are no such hotels with a “royal loge”. Especially if the ecohotel is located in the middle of the Amazonian jungle, full of creeping reptiles, who strive to taste fresh tourist blood or crawl somewhere in the wrong place. And you should forget about a comfortable stay with the modern benefits of civilization!!! 🙂 If so, we assure you: you are deeply mistaken!!!

UNI RAO nestles comfortably in the dense tropical jungle on the shores of Lake Cashibococha, not far from Pucallpa. This town is located on the Ucayali River and is the administrative center of the region of the same name in the province of Coronel Portillo. Pucallpa (Quech. Puka hallpa – “Red Land”) was founded in the 1840s by Franciscan monks who resettled here several Indian families from the Shipibo-Conibo tribes.

For a long time it was a small village isolated from the rest of Peru by the rainforests of the Amazon and the Andes mountains. The isolation was done away thanks to the construction of the highway in 1945. The road made it possible to establish trade links, which contributed to the growth of the city’s economy and consolidation of the status of the capital of the region.

But back to our ecolodge. It was designed and built as an ecological complex with bungalow cottages. We tried to fit them into the surrounding space with minimal impact on the natural landscape in order to preserve the virginity of the Amazonian selva.

All buildings are constructed exclusively from natural materials. The frame, cladding and floor of the bungalows are made of hard varieties of Amazonian wood (Kiniya, Shivawako, Yakushupana, etc.), which are not exposed to the extreme conditions of the selva with its diversity of fauna and the humid climate of rain forests. The roof is covered with Shibon palm leaves, protecting the bungalows from the merciless tropical sun. All buildings have large windows, covered with a special mosquito net, which allows guests to “breathe” the jungle, lying under the fans, creating a pleasant coolness, and without fear of the diversity of the Amazonian fauna.

You may ask: – And what about the modern benefits of civilization? We answer: – They are all in our bungalows and hotel! Throughout the territory of UNI RAO, access to free high-speed Wi-Fi distribution is provided, each room has electricity, and also hot water!!! 🙂

As you may have noticed, the comfortable atmosphere in our hospitable apartments is ideal for an unforgettable “royal” relaxation in body and soul. Why rest not only with the body? It’s very simple: every bungalow in our ecolodge is a kind of natural clinic. After all, the materials used in the construction have healing properties with a tangible therapeutic effect on the psychoemotional system.

Really, this is a natural paradise, far from the bustle of the city, where we have done everything possible for a comfortable pastime. Enjoy it alone or with people close to you. Appreciate the comfort and truly unsurpassed quality service in our “royal loge” – ecolodge UNI RAO.