Tour to Tambopata: Expedition to the Wild Amazon 5D / 4N

Itinerary of the Tambopata Tour

DAY 1: Puerto Maldonado – Lodge – Introduction to the Amazon

Your adventure begins upon arrival in Puerto Maldonado, known as the “Capital of Biodiversity.” From there, you’ll take a 25-minute boat ride on the muddy waters of the Madre de Dios River to reach the lodge. Once there, you’ll settle into your elevated cabin or room in the private ecological reserve.

Afterward, enjoy a delicious buffet lunch in the lodge’s dining room before starting your exploration of the rainforest. Begin by walking along the trails that wind through the property, where you will immerse yourself in the ecosystems of the Amazon basin. The lodge is located near the Tambopata National Reserve, on land that was once used for cacao and rubber plantations, making it an ideal place to observe wildlife and tropical plants.

As night falls, you will embark on a guided boat tour along the river to witness the forest’s transformation from day to night. During this tour, you may spot caimans on the riverbanks and enjoy the starry sky of the Southern Hemisphere.

At the end of the day, enjoy an à la carte dinner with local Amazonian ingredients. Afterward, return to your cabin to listen to the nocturnal sounds of the jungle.

DAY 2: Lake Sandoval – Canopy Walkway- Hidden Forest

If you wish, you can join the early morning activity with a buffet breakfast available from 5:30 AM. Then, head to Lake Sandoval, a beautiful oxbow lake located within the Tambopata National Reserve, accessed by a trail through the jungle. You will board a dugout canoe and paddle through a stream to reach the lake, surrounded by palms that provide a unique landscape. This lake is home to a wide variety of birds, as well as the endangered giant river otter, red howler monkeys, red-bellied macaws, anacondas, and black caimans.

After returning to the lodge for lunch, we recommend a unique experience: climbing the Canopy Walkway, a network of hanging bridges that allows you to observe the jungle from the treetops. From the highest platform, 38 meters (124 feet) above the ground, you will enjoy spectacular views and have the chance to spot toucans, monkeys, and other species. If you prefer, you can enjoy a drink while watching the sunset from the top of the tower or spend the night in a specially designed treehouse cabin (additional cost applies).

In the evening, you can join the Hidden Forest excursion, armed with flashlights, to observe animals that only come out at night. If you prefer to relax, you can book a session at the Nua Spa, located deep in the rainforest. We recommend booking the Spa services in advance with our Guru advisors.

Dinner will be served from 7:00 PM.

DAY 3: Palmetum – Navigation – Inland Collpa / Clay Lick

After breakfast at the lodge, start the day learning about tropical plants of the jungle and their medicinal uses in the lodge’s organic garden. Then, visit the Palmetum, a 30-hectare area dedicated to the conservation of Amazonian palms.

After lunch at the lodge’s dining room, enjoy a relaxing paddle boat ride in the lodge’s oxbow-shaped lagoon. As you paddle through the clay-colored waters, you may spot hoatzins, flycatchers, and gray-necked woodrails, accompanied by the distant calls of howler monkeys. You will also admire the semi-submerged remains of the Fitzcarrald steamboat and learn about its fascinating history, which inspired the film Fitzcarraldo, directed by Werner Herzog.

In the afternoon, you will take the Inland Collpa excursion, where you can observe how different species of animals approach the clay lick to lick the mineral-rich soil.

DAY 4:  Brazil Nut Harvesting – Jungle Chocolate Workshop – Collpa

In the morning, explore the lodge’s grounds to learn about the Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa), a tree that can live up to 500 years and plays a key role in the local economy. You will learn about the traditional methods used to harvest Brazil nuts.

After lunch, participate in a hands-on chocolate-making activity, where you will see firsthand how cacao is transformed from fruit into a delicious treat. The lodge, located on the site of former cacao and rubber plantations, allows you to pick fresh cacao fruit (depending on the season) before rolling up your sleeves and learning to roast and grind cacao.

At the end of the activity, you can enjoy a selection of handmade chocolate treats.

Before dinner, visit one of the lodge’s inland collpas, where animals gather to obtain minerals from the clay. Although animal watching can be challenging, you will learn about the fascinating behavior of the mammals that visit these salt licks.

DAY 5: Breakfast – Puerto Maldonado

On your last morning, wake up to the sounds of the rainforest as parakeets chatter in the trees and monkeys swing through the treetops. Breakfast is served in the lodge’s dining room, with checkout at 10:00 AM. If your return flight is later in the day, lunch can be arranged (additional cost applies). Finally, board a motorized boat for the 25-minute return trip along the Madre de Dios River to the airport.

Please note that activities may vary depending on weather conditions during your visit.

Some destinations must be explored with the guidance of a specialist. The Amazon is a territory with certain risks. Those who have ventured on excursions on their own have faced dangers that you can avoid.

Travel safely with Guru Explorers!

Price of the Tambopata Tour includes: 

• Accommodation in a cabin or room 
• Lunch (only for passengers arriving before 1 p.m.) and dinner on day 1; breakfast, lunch, and dinner on day 2; breakfast, lunch and dinner on day 3, breakfast, lunch and dinner on day 4; breakfast on day 5.
• Airport transfer
• Round-trip land and river transport (airport/lodge/airport) 
• Scheduled excursions (in Spanish and English) 
• Basic equipment for each excursion 
• Entrance to Sandoval Lake (SERNANP) and Inkaterra Canopy Walkway 
• Purified water. Other beverages available at an additional cost
• Each cabin is equipped with fans, hot water, and limited electricity.

Price of the Tambopata Tour excludes:

• Alcoholic beverages, juices, or soft drinks. 
• Personal expenses. 
• Additional services. 
• Mandatory supplement of 85 USD per person for the nights of December 24 and 31. 
• Wi-Fi. 
• Permanent electricity: The lodge has limited electricity. The electricity hours are from 5 am to 7:30 am, from 12 pm to 2 pm, and from 5 pm to 10 pm. These hours may vary. 
• Heating or air conditioning.
• Travel insurance.
• Domestic flights
• Tips for the guide.
• Tips to porters at the airport and / or staff.
• Food not specified in the itinerary.

For more details about the lodge, please refer to the “Considerations” section.

What to Bring to the Tambopata Tour?

• Small suitcase with a maximum weight of 10 kilos. If you have more luggage, you can leave it at the lodge offices in Puerto Maldonado.
• Long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and lightweight natural fabric t-shirts to keep you cool
• Water-resistant footwear suitable for long walks
• Rain jacket and lightweight rain gear (it’s a good idea to have an extra rain jacket)
• Binoculars
• You will be provided with purified water, but please bring a refillable water bottle
• Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, and skin protection cream 
• Insect repellent
• A voltage converter, as the room voltage is 220V. The hotel has a limited number of converters available for guests
• Warm clothing for the evening if traveling between June and September. 
• Passport or DNI (Required).
• Travel insurance.
• Cash (local currency).
• Personal medications.

What considerations should you have when doing our Tambopata Tour: Wild Amazon Expedition?

• All guided excursions are conducted in a shared format with other tourists of different ages and nationalities.
• The lodge has limited electricity. Electricity hours are from 5:00 am to 7:30 am, from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, and from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. These hours may vary. 
• The lodge does not have Wi-Fi in the rooms. If you need emergency internet access, you can go to reception, and it will be provided in exceptional cases when the service is active. However, the internet signal from local providers usually reaches different areas of the lodge, depending on your service provider. 
• For emergencies, the lodge has satellite radios that allow us to communicate with the office in Puerto Maldonado. 
• Only one 10 kg suitcase is allowed per person. If you have more luggage, you must leave the excess at the lodge’s office in Puerto Maldonado. 
• It is recommended to arrive before 1:00 pm to be able to participate in all the activities described in the itinerary. 
• Water: The lodge provide filtered river water that can be used for showers but is not safe to drink. Guests have access to bottled water. For the comfort of our travelers, our properties provide water containers. 
• The climate is tropical, with an average temperature of 32°C (89°F), ranging from 25°C (77°F) to 42°C (107°F). The summer season is from December to March, with frequent afternoon rain showers. Between June and September, you may need warmer clothes due to occasional “friajes,” or cold fronts coming from Patagonia, which can lower the temperature to 10°C (50°F). For this reason, during these months, it is recommended to wear cotton clothing to combat the daytime heat, and in the evenings, it is advisable to wear sweaters and thick jackets, as the cabins and rooms are not airtight and allow the outside temperature to enter. 
• The lodge was built from wood in the style of an Amazonian hacienda, features 25 independent cabins and 6 rooms in the Casa Grande, built in the 1950s. Travelers will enjoy a unique experience in the jungle, surrounded by local flora and fauna. The design combines the classic structure of an Amazonian hacienda with contemporary furniture, creating fresh and comfortable environments. The Casa Grande has high palm-thatched roofs and a large dining area with recycled wooden furniture crafted by local artisans. 
• The US Travel Advisory for Peru usually recommends yellow fever vaccinations and malaria prevention medication for tourists traveling to the jungle region. Please consult with your doctor before your trip to the Amazon Basin. No cases of yellow fever or malaria have been reported at Inkaterra lodges. 
• Guru Explorers values your time and strives to respect the schedule of tours; however, these may change due to factors beyond our control (weather, natural disasters, field conditions, or other demonstrable reasons). We will do our best to provide efficient options and solutions for your enjoyment.  
• Remember that, since these are outdoor activities, the natural features of the landscape may vary depending on weather conditions and the natural daylight. Each visit is an authentic experience, where nature reveals itself in unique and unrepeatable ways.

Not allowed: 

• Pets. 
• Smoking. 
• Large suitcases or bags.

According to Peruvian regulations, foreign tourists may be exempt from the local tax IGV (VAT). As a formal and registered travel agency, we are required to submit to the local authorities a copy of the document you used to enter the country, as well as your date of entry. For this reason, a few days before your arrival, we will contact you to request a photo of that document and ask you to let us know the date you entered Peru. If we do not receive this information, we will be required to add the 18% corresponding to the IGV tax. 

Thank you for your cooperation!

Cancellation policy:

• NO SHOW: Any reservation cancellation after the FINAL PAYMENT is considered a NO-SHOW.

• Passengers who voluntarily waive any of the services included in the tour will not receive any refund or price adjustment for the total program.

• Early departure from the hotel, missed meals or excursions, reductions, or any other unutilized services that were reconfirmed or paid for are non-refundable and will be considered as consumed services. We recommend that our clients have travel cancellation insurance for emergencies, illness, logistical issues, or other unforeseen circumstances.

• All guests must present their original passport and Andean Migration Card upon arrival at the lodge for the necessary photocopies. Passport photocopies will not be accepted due to current legal regulations. If any guest does not have the required documentation to justify exemption from the IGV (VAT), or if their stay in the country exceeds 60 days from their arrival, the corresponding IGV will be charged directly to the traveler. 

Force Majeure Policy

• Guru Explorers values your time and makes every effort to follow the itinerary. However, it may be affected by force majeure events such as weather conditions, rain, natural disasters, protests, roadblocks, or other circumstances beyond our control. In such cases, no refunds or compensation will be provided, as these are unforeseeable and unavoidable situations. Nonetheless, we will do everything possible to offer efficient alternatives and solutions for your enjoyment. Any additional costs resulting from changes or alternative activities will be the responsibility of the client and not Guru Explorers.