2-Day Tambopata Reserve Tour: Giant Otters & Sandoval Lake

Two days hunting giant otters and macaws on Sandoval Lake

A 2-day guided tour of Tambopata National Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon, based at a lodge with one night's stay, bilingual guide, meals and airport transfers included. You hike through 500-year-old forest on day one, visit Monkey Island to see four monkey species, and search for caimans at night. On day two you row Sandoval Lake to watch giant river otters, sloths, and eagles. Entrance fees to the reserve are paid separately at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Amazon forest exploration

• Reception at airport or bus station
• Transfer to lodge office for tour info
• Boat ride to lodge with fruit juice welcome
• Settle into rooms
• Guided two-hour hike in tropical forest
• Lunch at lodge
• Visit Monkey Island to see monkeys
• Night caiman search on riverbank

Day 2: Lake Sandoval boat tour and return

• Boat ride to Lake Sandoval entrance
• Walk 3 km to Lake Sandoval
• Rowing boat tour to observe wildlife
• Return to city

The experience

The tour starts with airport or bus station pickup and a one-hour boat ride upriver to the lodge, where you settle in and meet your bilingual guide. That afternoon you walk two hours through dense tropical forest inside the reserve (trees here run over five hundred years old), and the guide points out toucans, orioles, parrots, monkeys, snakes and butterflies as you move through the canopy. After lunch you cross the Madre de Dios River to Monkey Island, where you'll see brown capuchins, squirrel monkeys, saddle-back tamarins and white capuchins in the trees. At night you take a flashlight-led search along the riverbank for caimans and capybaras, the world's largest rodent, which can weigh up to 60 kilos.

Day two begins with a short boat ride to Sandoval Lake, one of the largest in the reserve. You walk three kilometers to the entrance, then your guide rows you out onto the water to spot hoatzin cormorants, puma herons, eagles, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, black capuchins, tamarins and sloths. The lake is home to a family of giant river otters (almost two meters long and endangered), and if luck holds you'll see them hunting. The largest alligator on record, over four meters, has been spotted here too. You return to the city after the lake.

Lodge accommodation, all meals (dinner, breakfast, lunch), bilingual guide, and airport or bus station transfers are included. You'll need a flashlight for the night caiman search. The reserve entrance fee is paid separately when you book.

What’s included

• Lodge accommodation for one night.
• airport or bus station pickup and drop-off.
• all meals (dinner, breakfast, lunch).
• specialized bilingual guide for both days.
• boat rides to the lodge and on Sandoval Lake.
• guided forest hike and visits to Monkey Island and the lake.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesUp to age 80

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 20

Prices and times updated 17 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by IZI PERU

Is this one for you?The two-day format fits a schedule that can't spare a week in the jungle but wants more than a single afternoon. You get a night in the forest, two guided hikes, and the full lake experience with the guide rowing you to spot otters and eagles. The early start on day one and the three-kilometer walk to the lake on day two mean you'll be moving most of both days, so come ready to walk and sit in a boat for stretches.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What kind of monkeys will I see on Monkey Island?

Monkey Island holds brown capuchins, squirrel monkeys, saddle-back tamarins and white capuchins. The guide will help you spot each species in the trees across the Madre de Dios River from the lodge.

How long is the forest hike on day one?

The guided hike through the tropical forest lasts two hours. You'll walk among trees over five hundred years old and watch for toucans, orioles, parrots, monkeys, snakes and butterflies with your expert local guide.

Will I definitely see giant river otters on Sandoval Lake?

A family of giant river otters lives on Sandoval Lake and you'll row the water looking for them, but sightings depend on the day and the time. The lake is also home to eagles, herons, sloths, and multiple monkey species you're likely to see.

What do I need to bring for the night caiman search?

Bring a flashlight for the night search along the Madre de Dios River. You'll be looking for caimans and possibly capybaras from the riverbank with your guide.

Is the Sandoval Lake walk difficult?

The walk to Sandoval Lake is three kilometers (approximately two miles) after a short boat ride. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though the forest hike on day one and the lake walk on day two both involve walking on natural terrain.

What's included in the price?

The tour includes one night's lodge accommodation, all meals (dinner, breakfast and lunch), airport or bus station pickup and drop-off, and a specialized bilingual guide for both days. Entrance fees to Tambopata National Reserve are paid separately.