Posada Amazonas Review: What It’s Really Like to Visit the Amazon with Kids

Heads up: this post contains affiliate links and a discount code from our stay at Posada Amazonas. We only share brands we have personally experienced. All opinions are entirely our own.

When Alaska was born, I made her a promise. The world would be her teacher before school had a chance to define what she should be.

Not worksheets. Not sitting still. Real experiences. The kind of learning that lives in your body long after the lesson is over.

I wanted a year of epic learning moments before she starts school. A gift of a childhood she would actually remember. So for her sixth birthday, I took her to the Amazon.

Alaska has been watching wildlife shows since she could hold a remote. Wild Kratts. Anything with animals and wild places. She would watch those explorers go somewhere extraordinary and I could see it in her face — she did not just want to watch. She wanted to go.

So we went. We added three nights at Posada Amazonas to the end of our Peru trip. It was the best decision we made on that entire journey.

This is my honest Posada Amazonas review — every activity, every meal, and the moment our six-year-old decided she wants to be a scientist.

What Is Posada Amazonas?

Posada Amazonas is an ecolodge in Tambopata, Peru. It sits inside 9,500 hectares of protected Amazon rainforest. The lodge is operated by Rainforest Expeditions and co-owned with the Ese Eja Native Community of Infierno.

That partnership matters. Every guest visit directly funds education, conservation, and cultural heritage for the Ese Eja people. When you stay here, you are also supporting the community that has protected this land for generations.

Getting there takes effort. You fly into Puerto Maldonado. Then you take a one-hour vehicle transfer followed by a one-hour boat ride along the Tambopata River. The lodge is only accessible by water. That fact alone tells you something about where you are going.

In this Posada Amazonas review, I want to highlight one detail above all others: every family gets a private guide for the entire stay. That is not a perk. That is the reason this whole experience works with young children.

The Rooms

I want to call it luxury, but that word does not quite fit. The rooms at Posada Amazonas are open to the rainforest. There are no windows between you and the jungle. The design is intentional — you are inside the Amazon, not watching it from behind glass.

We stayed in the top room category. I strongly recommend splurging for it. The room had a full living area, and the detail I still talk about constantly: an outdoor bathtub.

You could soak in that tub with the jungle alive all around you. Birds flying overhead. Monkeys in the trees. Everything loud and wild and real. I used it every single night.

One thing nobody warned me about: June in the Amazon is cold. Not humid jungle warmth. Actually cold. The lodge provides heated pads under the mattresses, and that saved us at 6am every morning.

The Food

The food at Posada Amazonas was excellent. That surprised me more than almost anything else.

We were deep in the Amazon, completely cut off from the outside world. And the meals were genuinely great. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served buffet-style at set times. The variety is wide and the quality is high. Everything tasted fresh and warm — exactly what you need after a full morning in the jungle.

The Activities — Everything We Did at Posada Amazonas

Night Walk (Our Favorite)

The night walk was the highlight of the entire trip. For all of us — not just the kids.

Our guide took us into the jungle after dark. No group. Just our family. Alaska had a headlamp and was in her element from the first step. Within twenty minutes, she had spotted three different animals on her own. Her instinct for watching and waiting had turned on. She became a completely different version of herself out there.

Giant River Otter Search at Lake Tres Chimbadas

We took a boat to Lake Tres Chimbadas to search for the giant river otters. It had rained heavily, so the otters were sheltered and we did not find them on this visit.

However, within five minutes on the lake, we spotted more than five different bird species. Five minutes. Our guide named every single one without hesitation. Even without the otters, the lake was extraordinary.

Macaw Sighting

We watched macaws up close. Alaska recognized them instantly from her shows. Seeing her face in that moment — recognizing something she had only ever seen on a screen, now real and loud and right in front of her — that is a memory I will carry forever.

The Wired Amazon Moth Collection Program

This one stopped us in our tracks. Posada Amazonas participates in a scientific moth collection program. Specimens are sent to a university in Canada for identification. Some of the moths collected at this lodge have never been named.

Alaska learned that and made an immediate decision. She wants to name a new species. She has been checking her email daily ever since we got home. That is what purposeful travel does to a child.

Camera Trap

We set a camera trap in the jungle. Two days after we checked out, we received the footage. That is one of my favorite things about this lodge — the experience does not end when you leave.

Fruit Ink Tattoos

The lodge offers a cultural activity using fruit ink in the tradition of the Ese Eja people. Alaska was first in line. She walked away with ink on her arm and a story she still tells.

Children’s Trail and Jungle Playground

There is a dedicated children’s trail through the forest. The playground is built from natural materials and set directly in the jungle. Atlas, our two-year-old, did not want to leave.

More Activities Available

We did not do everything on offer. The 42-meter canopy tower, sunset river cruises, and oxbow lake visits were all on our list. We simply ran out of time. Three nights is not enough. Plan for four if you can.

Is Posada Amazonas Worth It with Kids Under 6?

This Posada Amazonas review would not be complete without answering this directly. Before this trip, I would have had doubts. After it, I have none.

Atlas is two years old. She loved every single part — the boat rides, the animals, the night walk, the trail. Our guide adjusted the pace throughout so she was never overwhelmed or left behind.

Alaska is six. She is afraid of dogs at home and has been known to scream at a cockroach. She left Posada Amazonas saying she wants to be a scientist. That transformation is the whole point of a trip like this.

The lodge recommends Posada Amazonas for children ages three and up. With a private guide and family-specific programming, it works beautifully even for younger kids — exactly as it did for ours.

What to Pack for the Amazon

Pack warm layers. June in the Amazon is much colder than you expect, especially at dawn. That is the detail most people miss.

For a full breakdown of what to pack for Peru with kids — footwear, rain gear, what to bring for jungle activities — see our Peru packing guide.

Jungle Gear — Our Amazon Essentials

These are the items that made a real difference on our Amazon trip. Shop our full jungle essentials list in our Amazon storefront.

• Kids headlamp — non-negotiable for the night walk. Alaska wore hers for three hours straight.
• DEET-based insect repellent — the Amazon is serious about this. Do not skip it.
• Lightweight long-sleeve shirts and pants — for mosquito protection and the cold June mornings.
• Packable rain jacket — one per person. It will rain.
• Kids binoculars — Alaska used these constantly for the macaws and the lake.
• Small dry bag — to protect your phone and camera on boat transfers.
• Quick-dry water shoes or sandals — for river access and the jungle trail.
• Hand sanitizer and wet wipes — for little hands between activities.

Book Posada Amazonas — Exclusive Discount Code

We partnered with Posada Amazonas during our stay, and they have extended an exclusive discount for our community.

Use code FAMILYTRIP20 for 20% off your stay. The code is valid for travel through December 2027. A non-refundable prepayment is required. It cannot be combined with other offers.

Book your stay at Posada Amazonas here.

Three nights is the minimum I would recommend. Four would be even better.

Do Not Skip Travel Insurance for the Amazon

The Amazon is remote. Emergency evacuation coverage is not optional here — it is necessary.

We travel with SafetyWing Nomad Insurance. It covers our whole family worldwide and has always come through when we needed it. Get a quote here.

Our Posada Amazonas Review: Final Rating

Posada Amazonas is a ten out of ten in this Posada Amazonas review. No hesitation.

It is one of the best family trips I have ever taken. More importantly, it is one of the most powerful experiences you can give a child under ten. Watching real animals in real habitat does something to a kid. It opens something up. That opening is worth every penny.

For those of us who love nature but are not exactly bug people: you will be fine. The lodge is fully immersive and fully comfortable at the same time. Those two things rarely coexist. Posada Amazonas makes them coexist beautifully.

If you have any questions about visiting with young kids, drop them in the comments below. I will answer every single one.

Xoxo, Marae: your travel mom bestie

More Peru Guides

Planning the rest of your Peru trip? Here are our other guides:

• Peru With Kids: Our Complete Family Guide
• Lima With Kids
• Altitude Sickness in Peru With Kids: What You Need to Know
• Our Peru Itinerary With Kids