4 star rating
The Cristalino Lodge is not easy to get to, but it is definitely worth the effort. When you arrive in the airport in Alta Floresta you are picked up and taken to the Floresta Amazonica hotel a sister hotel to the Cristalino Lodge. You then fill out some forms and are whisked away in a SUV for a 1 ½ hour drive to the Cristalino river. When you get to the river it’s a further 30 minutes by boat. The lodge has various accommodation types. We stayed in a Superior Room and it was amazingly luxurious, a lot more than we were expecting in the middle of the rain forest. The food was also good and was set up buffet style, with the idea that guests mingle and share their experiences and sightings. I was slightly disappointed by the amount of wildlife near the lodge (although we were woken up 1 night by a Tapir rustling in the bushes just outside our room). However the trails and activities were amazing. We had a private guide Sebastian, who spoke no English, so we also had a translator Lola who was extremely friendly. We had a really good time laughing and joking with both of them and they were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Sebastian was raise by the Indians and therefore knew everything about the rainforest. After he found out about my arachnophobia, he made it his mission to try and catch every spider we came across. The good thing about this lodge is that no 2 groups are allowed on the same trail/part of the river at the same time. This means that you feel you are all alone with your guide(s). Activities are also tailored around your needs. I highly recommend the kayaking down the river, the watchtower and some of the more out of the way trails. We managed to see 3 types of monkeys; Capuchin, Saki and white whiskered spider monkey. We also saw lots of birds. I have to be honest that for photography this place is not as good as the Pantanal as it’s a lot more enclosed so more difficult to spot wildlife and when you do spot it it’s often in the shadows. A Kirk Flash X-Tender really helped and was an essential piece of equipment. Saying that I did still manage to get quite a lot of photos that I was happy with, however you could be disappointed if you only go here for photography. I would definitely combine it with a trip into the Pantanal. I think a combination of the Cristalino and the Pantanal would make for a great holiday.
http://www.cristalinolodge.com.br/
Jacamar, Cristalino Jungle Lodge. Amazon Rainforest, Brazil.
Cauchin Monkey, Cristalino Jungle Lodge. Amazon rainforest, Brazil.
Tags: amazon, cristalino jungle lodge, monkeys, rainforest
