Monte Amazonico Lodge

Monte Amazonica Lodge is surrounded by staggering natural beauty, and the potential for a transformative experience is undeniable. The rainforest is mesmerizing. The infrastructure is solid. And the supporting staff—especially Ronal, Rodrigo, and the bartender—are hardworking, grounded, and deeply committed to the guest experience. Ronal in particular made the trip worthwhile with his knowledge, kindness, and professionalism. But none of that can outweigh the deeply disturbing presence of the lodge manager, Justin, whose behavior was not only inappropriate—it was predatory, manipulative, and psychologically unsettling. Let me be absolutely clear: Justin is not simply “awkward” or “bad at hospitality.” He is a man who uses his position of power to insert himself into emotionally vulnerable guests’ personal dynamics, manipulate social environments, and perform dominance under the guise of charm. Here’s what happened: • After I expressed clear discomfort with the dynamic forming between Justin and the guest I arrived with—one that I believe involved inappropriate physical intimacy and psychological grooming—I formally requested a new room. That request was ignored. • That same evening, Justin intentionally placed me and that guest alone at a dinner table, in the middle of the lodge, in full view of everyone. It was a power move—deliberate, uncomfortable, and humiliating. • He later spent over 30 minutes aggressively hacking bushes with a machete behind my cabin, in what felt like an intimidation ritual more than maintenance. Several other guests noticed and commented on how unnatural his energy was throughout the trip. • When I tried to speak to him about my concerns, he pretended not to speak English—despite having had fluent conversations with other guests earlier in the day. • I almost slept in the public lodge area that night because I no longer felt safe in my room and had no access to any staff but him. This isn’t speculation. It’s a pattern. Multiple female guests told me they felt “off,” uncomfortable, or watched by him. I saw the signs myself: charm when it benefited him, passive-aggressive control when it didn’t. He wielded his machete like a stage prop and his authority like a weapon. It was disturbing, disorienting, and entirely preventable. Even worse? Lodge management said nothing for days—even after I submitted my concerns directly after leaving. Their first message came only hours before my deadline to post this review, and included no accountability, no apology, and no refund for the experiences and activities missed due to this situation. They claim Justin resigned. Whether or not that’s true, it only happened after I pushed relentlessly and threatened exposure. No action was taken on its own merit. So let me be the one to say it, since the lodge won’t: Justin should never be in a position of power over guests again. Ever. Until Monte Amazonica publicly acknowledges what happened and institutes actual

I’ve had such a wonderful time in Monte Amazonico Lodge! It’s been a perfect balance of activities and relaxation time. Our guide Fernando has been so informative, relaxed and organized. The food was great, accommodation has been very comfortable and there’s even wifi in the lodge!

Really cool experience. Three days is perfect amount to experience everything you want too. Fernando was a great guide and made it really enjoyable for us. He went out of his way to make sure we were having a good time. Good food, nice staff, clean rooms. I recommend

Bungalows were nice. Our guide was knew a lot about the environment and the animals. The tours were short enough to keep you engaged but packed enough so you could see what you needed and leave happy. Overall I had a nice time in the Amazon and my guide Fernando was amazing!

I enjoyed a great 2 full day/2 night Amazon tour with this company. After checking in at their office in Puerto Maldonado you take a 45-50 minute boat to their lodge. There are cabins with showers, flush toilets and a sink. The pool and dining area are centrally located and you can enjoy drinks and snacks while hanging inside and outside of this area. I had no problems with electricity or wifi. In fact, the wifi reached my cabin (no. 4) so I didn't need to be near the dining area to get on. Meals were filling and varied (chicken with rice and beans, grilled paiche, chicken in a curry sauce with rice, fried rice, pancakes and fruits). Water from a huge 5 gallon bottle was available 24 hrs. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly. We had a forest hike during the day and night, a visit to Monkey Island, a night boat ride to look for caimans and capybaras. an early morning boat ride to Tambopata NR and a 3 km hike to reach Lake Sandoval where we saw a river turtle, black caimans, capuchin monkeys, blue/yellow and red/green macaws, parrots, cormorants, egrets, and several types of herons, ducks, butterflies and moths. The best part was seeing a family of giant river otters feeding and playing. On the last morning was a walk on the 6 month old suspension bridge for a canopy walk. You can be dropped in town or at the airport after the boat ride back.

A few outstanding highlights, but primarily unclean, uncomfortable and sometimes downright dangerous. Our guide, Samuel, was knowledgeable and kind. He was great at spotting wildlife and his English is very good. He is why this isn't a one star review. A picture's worth a thousand words, so look at these and make your own call. Cleanliness is not expensive or impractical in the jungle. I'm sorry I didn't take a photo of the dirt under the bed. I thought maybe we had the worst room in the place, but there were three rooms in our party and same for the others. In addition to the pictures, what you can't see is: Zero hot water. Zero. Daily gnat infestations. Spotty electric and one outlet per room. One ancient scratchy high school gym-quality towel. If you're under 30 and coming off an Inca Trail trek, this may feel like an upgrade. Otherwise... Pool was remarkably nice, given the state of the rooms. Hope you like being ready at the dock at 4 a.m. or you will miss the excursions that are being somewhat accurately advertised.