$2495
5 nights and 6 days
January-March
Lodge-based
Boat transfers
Puerto Maldonado
The southern part of Peru’s Amazon rainforest is conveniently just a 1hr 30 minutes flight from Lima or 30 minutes from Cusco to the jungle city of Puerto Maldonado. From here a few hours travel takes you into the heart of the Tambopata National Reserve, 2747km2 of government protected rainforest which contains some of the most important features of the region through sustainable forest use (ecotourism), and which in turn plays an important function in protecting the pristine Bahuaja-Sonene National Park beyond.
The southern part of Peru’s Amazon rainforest is conveniently just a 1hr 30 minutes flight from Lima or 30 minutes from Cusco to the jungle city of Puerto Maldonado. From here a few hours travel takes you into the heart of the Tambopata National Reserve, 2747km2 of government protected rainforest which contains some of the most important features of the region through sustainable forest use (ecotourism), and which in turn plays an important function in protecting the pristine Bahuaja-Sonene National Park beyond.
The reserve has registered 10 species of monkey including the large, prehensile-tailed Spider and Howler Monkeys, down to the small Saddleback Tamarins. These along with capybara, deer, agouti, peccaries and tayra are the most commonly seen mammals, while lucky visitors may get to see tapir, anteaters, kinkajous, pacas, armadillos, ocelots or jaguar. One of the main attractions of the region are the oxbow lakes, separated over time from the meandering and ever changing rivers. The calm clearer waters are home to the endangered Giant River Otter, as well as the Black Caiman, the strange Hoatzin bird, kingfishers, herons, egrets, Limpkins, Horned Screamers, bitterns, crakes, rails and numerous other bird species.
The Peruvian Amazon expedition to Tambopata National reserve can be combined with the Lowland Tropical Rainforests and the Andean Highlands in Northern Peru and/or Machu Picchu. Talk to us to start planning your South American Journey.
Flights from Lima or Cusco, depending on pre-tour plans, to Puerto Maldonado in the morning. Your guide will meet you and transfer you to the lodge office in town where you will be asked to safely store any unnecessary luggage to make your Amazon journey lighter. From there you will leave the city and take a well used dirt road (for approx. 45 minutes) to a port in the local native community of Infierno along the Tambopata river and switch to motorised long-boats to travel up-river.
A 30-40 minute boat ride will bring you to your first lodgings on the banks of the river in time to settle into your rooms and enjoy a lunch of fresh, local cuisine. After lunch and the heat of midday has passed you will set off along jungle trails with your guide pointing out interesting flora and fauna to see and photography. Eventually reaching a free-standing canopy tower you can ascend above the tree-tops to see over the canopy of the rainforest and the nearby palm swamp. Enjoy this unique view of the rainforest as you watch the macaws fly about the palm swamp and look out for toucans, aracaris and tanagers.
Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Option for night walk in search of insects, amphibians, reptiles and nocturnal mammals.
Rise to the sounds of the rainforest awakening, the nocturnal sounds fade, giving way to the dawn chorus. Spend some time before breakfast exploring the lodge gardens for its residents such as the agouti, tinamou, twelve different species of hummingbird, woodpeckers, motmots, trogons, Horneros, woodcreepers, jays, oropendolas, caciques, orioles, tanagers, a large species of mustelid called a Tayra, or a troop of squirrel or capuchin monkeys passing around the lodge clearing.
Around mid-morning you will take a boat-ride a short way up river to visit a small clay lick visited by parakeets, parrots and the occasional macaw. Returning to the lodge to lunch and rest.
The afternoon involves a second trip up river, a little further this time followed by a trek through the forest to reach a beautiful oxbow lake – home to black caiman, river turtles, giant river otters and a plethora of wetland bird species. The beautiful golden afternoon light on the still waters of the lake, reflecting the surrounding vegetation creates a beautiful setting to photograph the resident wildlife and enjoy the ambience of the rainforest.
Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
After breakfast and any early morning photography around the lodge, you will set off with your things on a cruise up the river to your next destination. On the way you will have the chance to see the semi-aquatic giant rodent called Capybara, perhaps with a Giant Cowbird riding on its back, or caimans and river turtles basking on beaches and fallen tree trunks along the river banks.
Arriving at the next lodge before lunch, settling in to your new accommodation, wandering the lodge gardens or relaxing in the hammock area before the afternoon activity. The extensive trail system allows you to penetrate into the rainforest and explore its different microhabitats, perhaps looking for specialist birds associated with streams or bamboo, or following the sounds of monkeys foraging for fruits and insects. Ending up at another free-standing canopy tower which towers over all but the tallest trees of the forest at an impressive 40m in height. Ascend the spiral staircase and enjoy the different views as you go, the ideal opportunity to get eye-level with any wildlife present around the tower.
Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Option for a nocturnal walk through the rainforest for night-time and macro photography, or enjoy the lack of light pollution for astrophotography.
Up before dawn for a pre-departure tea or coffee. Taking the boat 1.5-2 hours up river, penetrating deep into the rainforest you will enter the Tambopata National Reserve to get to the Chuncho clay lick. Now is when you should keep an extra sharp eye out for tapirs and even a jaguar coming down for a morning drink to the water edge.
Before the sun has risen above the canopy, 100’s if not 1000’s of birds will be gathered in a deafening morning chorus in the trees around Chuncho claylick. They eventually descend from the trees to the exposed river bank to begin eating the clay soil. Its a visual treat with so many colourful birds there.
When the morning’s activity is finally finished and you’ve enjoyed your picnic breakfast, you will head back down river to the lodge, looking for photographable subjects along the banks.
Lunch at the lodge and an afternoon river cruise to maximise your chances of seeing the elusive jaguar escaping the humidity of the forest interior. Bring a drink from the lodge and enjoy it as you watch a sunset over the Amazon, cruising along the river.
Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
A second visit to Chuncho Clay Lick for more opportunities to photograph the macaws and parrots, always hopeful for better activity, better weather and new species to be present. If the morning’s activity ends early, you could take the boat further up river to get deeper into the National Reserve and pristine rainforest.
Return to the lodge for lunch.
The afternoon can be spent walking more of the trails, a second visit to the canopy tower, hunting out the garden fauna, or enjoying a relaxed afternoon in the rainforest.
Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Your last morning and breakfast in the rainforest. Make sure you have everything ready. Returning to the city by a different route we will transfer you 5 minutes up river to a port where a vehicle will be waiting for you. From there it’s a 1hr 30 minute drive back to the city along 18km of dirt road before reaching the interoceanic highway. Collect your belongings stored in the office before being transported to the airport in time for afternoon flights to Lima or Cusco.
