Pakaas Palafitas Lodge, Guajará-Mirim, Amazon Basin, Rondônia
"amazing jungle lodge on stilts near Brazil-Bolivia border"
| Nearest Airport: | Porto Velho - 320 kms | |
| Trip Style: | Eco-tourism, Nature + Wildlife | |
| Pousada Facilities: |
28 bedrooms bar, free wi-fi , hammocks, pool, restaurant |
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| Room Facilities: | 110v; air conditioning, minibar, wi-fi | |
| Language(s): | English, French, Portuguese, Spanish | |
| Recommended attractions: | birding, boat trips, flora & fauna, hiking, indigenous culture, walking | |
| Ideal for: | couples, families, friends sharing, gay friendly, honeymoon | |
| Price Category: | $$$ full board | |
| E-mail: | reservas@pakaas.com.br | |
| Telephone: | +55 69 35413058 | |
| Pousada Guest Book: |
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Note: Where pousadas are off the beaten track, Google maps only show the nearest town, and are not an accurate guide to location. |
About the pousada
The Pakaas Palafitas Lodge is one of the most amazing hideaways I have ever seen in all these years of travel. Nestling in the exotic jungle at the confluence of 2 rivers near the Brazilian-Bolivian border, it is built on stilts 4-10 metres high, and two kilometres of winding walkways link the 28 cabanas to the main lodge with its spacious reception, restaurant, café, and infinity pool.That the surroundings and the flora and fauna and the birds and the views are spectacular almost goes without saying, but here you also get the phenomenon of the meeting of the waters where the muddy river Marmoré and the dark Pacaas Novos converge but don’t mix. It’s the same phenomena you get in Manaus with the rivers Solimões and Negro and in Santarém with the Tapajós and the Amazon, but here it is right outside your window.
I actually found the Pakaas Palafitas because I was interested in something historical rather than ecological- the story of the curious railway nicknamed Mad Maria built through the inhospitable jungle at huge cost (of life and money) and inaugurated in 1912, only to be deactivated shortly after when the rubber boom came to an abrupt halt. But there are many other things you can do here if you want more nature related activity-including birdwatching, boat trips down the river and visits to local indigenous communities.
When the lodge was constructed some 10 years ago by the Saldanha family the concept was very much to offer something hitherto unknown in the Amazon region- comfort and charm within an ecological friendly environment . In keeping with this the thatched cabanas (which almost look camouflaged when seen against the jungle) are spacious, with king sized beds, fridge, hot showers, bathrobes, split air-conditioning and even local shampoo, soap and hairdrier. There is a totally recyclable water system so as not to interfere with the ecology of the river and the lodge supports the local community, only using local staff and training them on-site.
I sat in the huge open reception area looking out over tropical rain beating down on the infinity pool, using the free wi-fi and sipping a cold beer and thought there was much to be said for contemplating the Amazon jungle from the rare comfort and beauty of the Pakaas Palafitas Lodge.
About the location
A couple of minutes after arriving at the Pakaas Palafitas Jungle Lodge my mobile bleeped with a “Welcome to Bolivia” message. We weren’t in Bolivia but it shows how close the lodge is to the border (and also how sometimes the phone system works better in neighbouring countries). Rondônia, where the lodge actually is, is about as far off the beaten track as you can get in Brazil. The nearest airport to the lodge is in Porto Velho, but even from there you’ll have a 4 hour taxi ride ahead of you to Guajará-Mirim. It’s not a bad road when it is dry; in torrential tropical rain it is treacherous and after Guajurá Mirim the last 15 kilometres is potholed dirt track. Although it is not difficult to find the lodge, you definitely feel a very long way from civilisation.
There are regular daily flights to Porto Velho from Manaus and Brasilia with connections to and from other major cities, but it is also easy to get from here from La Paz in Bolivia and via La Paz from Peru. For anyone “doing” a Trans-South American tour, the Pakaas Palafitas Lodge is one place you must stop!
Not to be missed
- Boat trip down the Pacaas Novos river
- Guided jungle walk
- Birding
- Visit across the border to Bolivia
- Chilling out by the infinity pool
Pousada Starpoints
- Spacious, comfortable cabanas with king size beds
- Huge reception and common areas
- Ecologically friendly
- Infinity pool
- Spectacular views
| Try a different place if... you prefer a smaller, more intimate place, or you want somewhere easy to get to |
