Founded by U.S. anthropologists Peter Jenson and Marjorie Smith in 1964, Explorama (La Marina 340, tel. 065/25-2530 or 800/707-5275, www.explorama.com) has grown into a large, highly professional organization, with five lodges, great cooking, huge boats, and some of the Amazon’s best guides. As a bonus, all of the lodges offer access to both flooded and terra firma forest.

Explorama’s claim to fame is one of the longest canopy walkways in the world, a half kilometer of continuous hanging bridges suspended between more than a dozen giant trees. At 35 meters off the ground, the walkway is an excellent way to spot birds and see tremendous jungle vistas.

Ceiba Tops Luxury Lodge

Explorama’s Ceiba Tops Luxury Lodge (two days/one night US$270 pp) is 40 kilometers downriver from Iquitos on the north shore of the Amazon. With modern, air-conditioned bungalows, WiFi access, a hammock house, swimming pool with a slide, and a huge dining room and full bar, it qualifies as the only resort along Peru’s Amazon River.

Activities include nature walks through the lodge’s 40 hectares of old-growth forest, bird-watching, and village visits.

This lodge is a good option for people who don’t really want to rough it. With Explorama’s fast boat, it can be reached in 45 minutes from Iquitos, but the preferred large group option is the Amazon Queen, a luxury riverboat with a bar and sightseeing deck.

Explorama Lodge

Explorama Lodge (three days/two nights US$365 pp) is 80 kilometers downriver from Iquitos near the Amazon’s junction with the Río Napo, surrounded by large portions of primary rainforest.

It was built in 1964 and is the oldest of the lodges. After undergoing an upgrade, all 55 palm-thatched jungle rooms have private bathroom facilities. But the lodge has kept its genuine taste with covered walkways lit by kerosene lamps, the hammock house, great food, and the Tahuampa Bar with excellent cocktails.

ExplorNapo Lodge

ExplorNapo Lodge (five days/four nights US$950 pp), with similar accommodations to those at Explorama Lodge, is 160 kilometers from Iquitos on a tributary of the Río Napo. It provides access to Explorama’s Sucusari Reserve and is a 45-minute walk from the canopy walkway and the ACTS Field Station.

ACTS Field Station

both scientists and travelers can stay at the ACTS Field Station (one night/two days US$115 pp). More than 85 species of birds can be spotted around here.

ExplorTambos Camp

Explorama’s fifth, and most remote lodge, is ExplorTambos Camp (one night/two days US$120 pp) is Explorama’s most remote lodge, with a maximum capacity of 16 people, who sleep in individual shelters with mosquito netted beds. It’s a two-hour hike into the rainforest from ExplorNapo Lodge, and due to its isolation offers the best possibilities for spotting wildlife.