Amazon rainforest · 3 days

Tambopata: Lake Sandoval and Monkey Island

Three days in the Tambopata Amazon from a lodge on the Madre de Dios River: canopy and zip line, kayaking to Monkey Island, a caiman safari, Lake Sandoval, and the parrot clay lick at dawn.

3 days / 2 nightsTambopata National ReserveBungalow in the rainforestBilingual guide

Duration3 days / 2 nights

GuideBilingual (Spanish and English)

PickupAirport or bus terminal in Puerto Maldonado

Lake SandovalEntrance included

Highlights

What you’ll experience

Lake SandovalRowboat ride looking for river otters, hoatzins, and cormorants.
Monkey IslandYou paddle by kayak to an island with monkeys that are used to people.
Canopy and zip lineWalkways over the treetops and zip lines of 190 and 160 meters.
Parrot clay lickAt dawn, parrots and parakeets come to feed on the clay.

Itinerary

Day by day

Departures are early: on day 3 you leave at 4:30 a.m. for the parrot clay lick.

Day1

Puerto Maldonado – Jungle Lodge

LunchDinner

We meet you at the Puerto Maldonado airport or bus terminal and take you to the lodge office to check in. There you can leave any luggage you won't need in the jungle. If time allows, you can see where the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers meet from the Plaza Grau lookout. From the Capitanía port, you travel 40 minutes up the Madre de Dios River to the lodge, where you are welcomed with a local fruit juice.

You walk through the forest to the canopy bridge to look for birds and enjoy the view over the treetops. Then you descend by a 190-meter zip line, cross a 75-meter bridge, and return by a 160-meter zip line. After lunch you can rest in the hammocks.

In the afternoon you take a boat and then a kayak, always accompanied by a support boat, with the option to swim in the river. You visit Monkey Island, where monkeys of several different species live, used to people. You watch the sunset from the hammocks facing the island. At night you go out by boat with a spotlight to look for caimans, nocturnal birds, and capybaras. Dinner and rest.

Overnight: Lodge in Tambopata

Day2

Lake Sandoval

BreakfastLunchDinner

At 8:00 a.m. you travel about 10 minutes along the Madre de Dios River to the entrance of Lake Sandoval, in the Tambopata National Reserve. After checking in at the control post, you walk 3 km (about 45 minutes) through the jungle, with the chance to see birds, monkeys, insects, reptiles, and amphibians.

At the lake's edge you can take a swim if you like, have lunch of typical jungle food, and go out in a rowboat to look for hoatzins, cormorants, anhingas, and, with luck, river otters. In the afternoon you return to the river, where the boat back to the lodge is waiting. Dinner and rest.

Overnight: Lodge in Tambopata

Day3

Parrot Clay Lick – Puerto Maldonado

Breakfast

At 4:30 a.m. you leave by boat for the La Cachuela parrot clay lick, sailing about an hour and a half down the Madre de Dios as dawn breaks. Around 6:00 a.m. you position yourself at a respectful distance to watch blue-headed parrots, parakeets, and, with luck, macaws arrive to eat the clay, which neutralizes toxins in the fruits they eat. Observation lasts about an hour.

Around 7:00 a.m. you return to the lodge for a last breakfast, then head back to Puerto Maldonado, where we take you to the airport or bus terminal.

✓Included

Transportation from the airport or bus terminal in Puerto Maldonado.
Professional bilingual guide for the 3 days.
Bungalow accommodation in the jungle with basic comforts.
Meals: 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners (vegetarian and vegan options available).
First-aid kit and mineral water.
Entrance to Tambopata National Reserve and Lake Sandoval.

✕Not included

Tips for the guide and support team.
Additional snacks and alcoholic drinks.
Flights or bus fare to Puerto Maldonado.

Frequently asked questions

About Tambopata: Lake Sandoval and Monkey Island

What does the 3-day Tambopata tour include?+

Pickup in Puerto Maldonado, a bilingual guide, 2 nights in a bungalow, 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners, mineral water, a first-aid kit, and entrance to Tambopata National Reserve and Lake Sandoval.

Where does it start?+

At the airport or bus terminal in Puerto Maldonado, where we meet you on the first day.

Are vegetarian or vegan options available?+

Yes, the meals include vegetarian and vegan options. Let us know when you book.

How demanding is it?+

This is not a mountain trek: the altitude is around 200 m above sea level. There are short walks through the jungle, such as the 3 km to Lake Sandoval, and very early departures.

Is the flight to Puerto Maldonado included?+

No. The program starts when you arrive at the Puerto Maldonado airport or bus terminal.

What is the cancellation policy?+

A 70% refund applies with 45 days or more notice; between 30 and 44 days, 50%. With less than 30 days' notice or if you do not show up, there is no refund.

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