TOUR SUMMARY

The Amazon Rainforest is just a quick 30-minute flight east of Cusco, in Puerto Maldonado, within the Tambopata Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon. Fantastic jungle lodges, in all price ranges, line the Madre de Dios River. All lodges include excellent meals prepared with locally grown fruits and vegetables, as well as daily jungle excursions with a Naturalist Guide to learn, explore, and discover the wonders of the Amazon.

Although the weather and each lodge ultimately determine the program, below is a sample of what you can expect. The nature of the rainforest, the climate, the rainy season, and the highly protected reserve may also cause last-minute changes. 3-, 4-, and 5-day programs in the Amazon are the most popular.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1 – Flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado, Tambopata Jungle Lodge

Upon arrival of your flight to Puerto Maldonado from Cusco, our guides or staff will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the center of town, where you can experience the exotic local market. Depending on the flight arrival times, we may have our first lunch here, while traveling to the lodge, or at the lodge itself.

Your excess luggage will be stored safely in our office in Puerto Maldonado, and then we will continue to the port.

We will take our private boat along the Madre de Dios river for approximately 1 hour to Tambo Jungle Lodge. A cool welcome drink awaits you as you are shown to your bungalows to settle in.

In the afternoon, we will take a 30-minute boat journey to Monkey Island, where you can appreciate a great diversity of monkeys such as spider, capuchin, tamarin, and squirrel monkeys, as well as raccoons, capybaras, and a rich variety of birds.

Return to the lodge for a traditional dinner of locally grown vegetables and fruits.

Nocturnal activities are available on some nights. These range from night walks and talks on different topics to caiman spotting when conditions are optimal.

Day 2 – Tambopata Jungle Lodge & Sandoval Lake

After a great jungle breakfast, we'll take a 1.5-hour walk to the famous Sandoval Lake, passing through virgin forest, home to beautiful flora and fauna including Giant Otters, birds, alligators, turtles, and a variety of fish. We will spend a few hours in a canoe on this lake, one of the most beautiful in the region. One of the most awe-inspiring features of the jungle is the enormity of the trees, and you will have the experience of standing at the base of a huge kapok tree.

We may take a short visit to traditional farming areas to see the production of local supplies.

Day 3 – Jungle Lodge, Taricaya Project

Enjoy a jungle breakfast before traveling 1 hour downriver to the Taricaya Project and its specialized trails where your guide will lead you. Here you will discover the amazing ecosystem up close (canopy walk) along an array of trails.

We will further amaze you with the marvels of the jungle on a gentle hike where you will learn to recognize bird calls, animal footprints, and native plants.

On this day, we will visit a local family who will show us different aspects of their life.

Day 4 – Parrot Clay Lick & Return Flight

Early in the morning, before breakfast, we will rise and take a 90-minute boat ride to see the parrots gather at the clay lick. The parrots eat the clay to neutralize toxins they may have ingested in the jungle.

After spending an hour watching the parrots and taking photos, we will return to the lodge for breakfast before heading back to the airport for our flight back to Cusco or Lima.