For our trip to the Amazon, we wanted to get well out of the city and stay in a lodge that allowed easy access to tracts of jungle teaming with wildlife and natural beauty. Having visited the Amazon in Ecuador before kids, we were keen to share with our two boys an experience they’d never forget. Antares delivered on these, many times over. After driving two hours to Nauta, we transferred to boat for a 2.5 hour upstream journey to Antares, located on indigenous land. Run by Alan and staffed by members of his community, the accommodations are simple, but well maintained and comfortable. Insect screens protect you from the onslaught of mosquitoes while you are eating meals, lounging in the hammock room, or sleeping in your room (also equipped with mosquito nets, so we slept very comfortably). Octavio cleaned our rooms every day, he had fun creating new designs everyday with the towels (even incorporating some of the kids toys; we returned from our afternoon journey looking forward to seeing what he has created). In the evenings he lit mosquito coils in our rooms and the hammock room to make sure we could be comfortable. Alan has a ton of experience guiding visitors through the Amazon, it shows in his ability to spot a sloth 100 meters away hanging in tree, pluck a baby caiman alligator out of the water in the dark, or find a poisonous frog hiding clumps of leaves on the forest floor. Alan has a list of dozens of activities and excursions he’s prepared to take you on (and he let us choose which ones to go on when; our kids, for example, were really keen to go piranha fishing, so we did that first), and we got through many of them (but not all! A great excuse to go back!). In between excursions our kids swam in the river (there are no caimans or piranhas in that section of the river), hunted for frogs and tarantulas (finding both), carved spears with Dennis, our boat driver and expert fisherman, and picked fruits. We got to transplant baby palm trees and plant them, and cut sugar cane (and eat it!) from the water’s edge. Meals are prepared from fresh ingredients that are flavorful and filling. Every meal includes a fresh juice sourced locally: mango, passion fruit, citrus (citrus trees grow abundantly on the property). If you go with kids, we recommend bringing snacks to help sustain them during long excursions. We were prepared with snacks, insect repellent, rain ponchos (although they provided them, so we didn’t need to bring our own), flashlights, and binoculars (and we used everything). As part of the experience Alan brought us to his community where he grew up, introduced us to his mom, and walked us through his village. We felt truly blessed to get to know Alan and his community. We highly recommend Antares Lodge.
starstarstarstarstar Toby Tiktinsky
We enjoyed this trip every much, it left with us many unique experiences. Remigio is an INCREDIBLE guide! He is knowledgeable, friendly, and dedicated. The cook would adjust to our cultural diet habits, while we also get to try some local food and juice. Every staff is sincere and there is no extra invisible fee. Great trip!
starstarstarstarstar Jing Peng
I had an excellent time with Alan and his family and friends at the lodge. Everything was perfect! The food, the excursions, the accommodations; eating fresh mangos from trees, drinking water from forest vines, falling asleep to the sounds of the forest. The Amazon is as amazing as one would expect and this is the perfect place to truly experience it. Having guides who call this wonderful place "home" adds to the experience. Walking through the forest, learning things, accompanied by guides who know this place like the back of their hand. It was magnificent to watch.
I loved that the lodge is a little way off the main river, it was quieter and more immersive. If you are looking for a wonderful place to stay that is staffed with amazing people, look no further. This is THE place!
starstarstarstarstar Kelsey Williams
I had an incredible time at Antares Amazon Lodge. Alan, the guide and founder, grew up in the village adjacent to the lodge. Speaking both English and Spanish fluently he was able to show me and educate me in the nature that we were immersed in. I felt like I was able to experience both the river and jungle during my visit and through Alan's knowledge was able to see a large variety of the exotic life that is all around. Some of the animals I was hoping to see are all around and easy to see, others required Alan's expertise. So grateful for the experience and would definitely like to return!
starstarstarstarstar Scott Mac Donough
The Antares Amazon Lodge is a great place to spend some days if you are looking for an authentic lodge in the Amazon Rainforest.
Alan and his team are very helpful and tried to make our stay as comfortable as possible. Alan knows a lot about the forest, birds and other animals inhabiting this part of the Amazon region. A big thank you also to Fernando, our cook, and Octavio and Alejandro who took very well care of us.
What distinguishes this lodge from the others? Alan built this small lodge just a couple of years ago. He and his whole team are from the native community nearby. They know the region very well and are doing their best to create a comfortable lodge with an authentic nature experience. We could choose our activities according to our wishes, there are about 20 different options. There is no fixed itinerary as in most of the other lodges.
starstarstarstarstar Nicolas Barmettler
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