The Pakaas Jungle Lodge, constructed on an eight-metre high stilt in Guajará Mirim, offers a dazzling view of the confluence of the black-water Pakaas River and the white-water Marmoré River along the borders of Brazil and Bolivia. This hotel is accessible to people using wheelchairs, and is a base to explore two kilometres of canopy walkways for wildlife spotting or to take a boat trip to visit Warii Indians and the Seringal, a rubber plantation.
Accommodation at Pakaas Jungle Lodge in Rondônia
The circular, rustic lodge is the nucleus of the Pakaas Hotel and is unique in its construction. From the open-air swimming pool one has a panoramic view of the confluence of the rivers (see photo below) where around sunrise and sunset freshwater dolphins may show themselves. The large, open lounge – with WIFI – is partly surrounded by the Amazon forest whereas the extensive dining room is located along the riverfront.
This Amazon lodge has 28 cabanas located along a four-metre high walkway in the jungle that surrounds the circular lodge. The cabanas are all tastefully decorated and comfortably furnished with single or king-sized beds and all have air conditioning, hot water, and a mini fridge (see photo below). Some cabanas have a television and several have been built to accommodate wheelchair visitors.
Each cabana has a large balcony and the difference between the three types of rooms is mainly related to whether the view is towards the jungle (standard) or the rivers (luxurious). The acidic waters of the Pakaas River keeps the hotel blissfully free from mosquitoes.
Tourist Packages of the Pakaas Jungle Lodge in Guajará Mirim
The Pakaas Hotel is suitable for a day or an overnight visit and offers a three-day and six-day all-inclusive package. Whereas the Brazilians from the nearby cities of Porto Velho and Rio Branco may choose to spend a day or a weekend at the lodge, the packages are especially attractive to international visitors who seek this remote corner of Brazil for a unique experience in the Amazon forest.
Meals are served according to a daily changing menu for lunch as well as for dinner, where guests can choose from three main dishes of meat, chicken and fish – all of which are of excellent quality. Be prepared for a wait though, the only downside of the restaurant is that the service may be rather slow.
Prices of rooms depend on the number of people, length of stay and if the overnight stay is part of a special package that includes outdoor activities. Quotes can be requested through the Pakaas Jungle Lodge Website.
Outdoor Activities at Pakaas Jungle Lodge in West Brazil
The foremost reason to come to this Amazon lodge is to enjoy the natural scenery, which is simply fabulous. Options by boat are a visit to the Bolivian village of Guayaremerín, a nocturnal trip to watch caimans, or a visit to an indigenous village of the Warii Indians who make extraordinary handicrafts such as woven baskets of Tucuman palmwood. The trip to the rubber plantation may be combined with a trekking in the forest.
The two-kilometre canopy walkway (see photos below) is an excellent place for bird watching. Other animals that can be spotted are different types of iguanas, several species of monkeys – among which a sloth that inhabits the tree next to the dining room – and maybe even a paca, the rodent after which the hotel was named.
How to Reach the Pakaas Jungle Lodge in Guajará Mirim
There are daily flights from São Paulo via Brasilia to Porto Velho, Rondônia's capital, from where a transfer will be arranged to the Pakaas Jungle Lodge. Another option is to take the two-hour flight from La Paz to the Bolivian village of Guayaramerín, from where a transfer is arranged to the Pakaas Hotel.
A Unique, Wheelchair-friendly Hotel in Amazon Rainforest of Brazil
It takes time to reach the secluded Pakaas Jungle Lodge in Guajará Mirim, but it is worth the trip. This unique eco hotel offers marvellous views of the confluence of the Pakaas River and Marmoré River and is an excellent base to explore the surrounding rainforest on foot, by wheelchair or by boat.
Karin-Marijke Vis - Karin-Marijke Vis is a bilingual writer (Dutch-English) who has been traveling in Asia and South America since 2003.
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