Cristalino Lodge

Located at the southern end of the Amazon Basin, Cristalino Lodge is for the birds; quite literally. With more than 600 species of birds calling the surrounding Alta Floresta rainforest home, this remote lodge — which sits next to the River Cristalino amid a vast forest preserve bordering Cristalino State Park — is regarded as one of the most diverse birdwatching regions anywhere in the Amazon. Birders, grab your binoculars.

There’s no more fitting start to an Amazon adventure in Brazil than needing to arrive by boat, sailing past tree-clogged banks as wildlife peeks out of the water and greenery, and that’s exactly how each stay at Cristalino Lodge begins. This ultra-off-grid sanctuary can only be reached by boat, infiltrating deep into the rainforest far from cities and towns.

Complete immersion in nature is further assured by keeping things intimate, with only 18 guest dwellings. Housed in breezy bungalows and cottages with lofty ceilings, organic materials, and private outdoor spaces like verandas and gardens, all of the property’s buildings showcase sustainable architecture that fits into its rainforest home. Studying the site’s wind patterns allowed architects to design buildings that use natural airflow for cooling, and solar panels provide renewable power. Meals also come from rainforest to fork, with Brazilian dishes expressed through the flavors in the Amazon.

Even for non-birdwatchers, the incredible avian bounty can be enough to turn you. But if birding truly isn’t your thing, set off on the network of forest trails that branches out from the lodge for hikes, climb up observation towers for birds-eye views of the canopy and its inhabitants like monkeys, or canoe through flooded forests.