Cristalino Lodge: An Eco-Luxury Escape in the Amazon Jungle

We had always dreamed of visiting the Amazon Jungle. Just the sound of its name—The Amazon—was enough to spur our wander-lusting spirits. So when we were lucky enough to grab a few tickets to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, we knew we had to use the trip to finally cross an Amazonian adventure off of our never-ending bucket list.

PHOTO: Boat ride into the Amazon Jungle.

Deciding to visit the Amazon was easy—the difficult part was deciding the details. How do you even begin to plan a trip when you are dealing with two million square miles of jungle stretching into nine different countries? Luckily we stumbled upon Cristalino Lodge, a hotel chosen by National Geographic to be one of the 25 best eco-lodges in the world. Even better, it turned out to be the adventure of a lifetime.

PHOTO: Cristalino Lodge

Cristalino Lodge is the project of a local Brazilian family dedicated to conserving and protecting the important biodiversity of the Amazon. The family purchased 28,000 acres of rainforest to create the first RPPN (Private National Heritage Reserve) in northern Mato Grosso, in effect preserving that portion of the rainforest forever.

Considering deforestation of the Amazon is still continuing at an enormous rate — and that by 2030 the Amazon could be reduced in size by 40 percent — Cristalino Lodge is an inspiring testament to making a tangible difference in the world. It was also the perfect base to experience the Amazon.

Arriving at Cristalino Lodge is half of the adventure. After flying to the small city of Cuiabá, we bumped and bounced along a pot-holed dirt road for the better part of an hour. We then traded our jeep for a boat to complete our exciting arrival journey. (Cristalino Lodge is only accessible via the Cristalino River.) Thankfully we were greeted on dry land with a welcome drink and warm smile, and then immediately escorted to our remote and spacious bungalow.

PHOTO: The Bungalow

As you can probably imagine, the primary activity at Cristalino Lodge is searching for wildlife—and that’s exactly how we spent the majority of our days. We awoke each morning at sunrise to the calming sounds of birds and howler monkeys. After a filling breakfast, we set out with our group of five to hike through the jungle.

Finding wildlife was no easy feat. Though the Brazilian Amazon is considered to be one of the most diverse places in the world, there’s just so much dense foliage for birds and animals to hide within. Still, we were more than satisfied with our sightings.

PHOTO: Sloth

PHOTO: Family of Macaws

PHOTO: Capuchin Monkey

After three or four hours of easy hiking, we would return to Cristalino Lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, our jungle exploration would continue, either with another hike or a boat cruise along the Cristalino River. Boating would prove to be our favorite activity; from the open banks it was easier to spot a multitude of animals, including tapirs, river otters, cayman, and even wild cats!

PHOTO: Tapirs

And while the wildlife was wonderful, the true highlight of our stay in the Amazon was the Cristalino Towers. The two 50-meter, vertigo-inducing towers provide bird’s eye views of the surrounding jungle canopy. Our final morning we trekked out to one of the towers at 4:30 a.m., arriving at the top just in time to take in the sensational sunrise. The sight of pinks, reds and oranges spreading out above the misty canopy was unlike any we had seen before.

PHOTO: Sunrise over the Amazon

If you are looking for an experience that is both eco-friendly and chic, then you can’t go wrong with Cristalino Lodge. You can read our full review of the hotel here.

Visiting the Amazon Jungle was a long-awaited dream come true, and indeed an experience we would recommend to anyone looking for a bit of eco-chic adventure! Have you been to the Amazon Jungle?

Visiting Cristalino Lodge

Cristalino Lodge is located in the Southern Amazon. Guests must fly to Cuiaba and then take another hour-long flight to Alta Floresta. Once in Alta Floresta, Cristalino Lodge provides all transfers to and from the lodge.

We recommend staying a minimum of three nights due to the considerable amount of time it takes to arrive at the remote lodge. Finally, be sure to choose a Superior Bungalow — you will appreciate the significant difference in quality. 

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